The Angel's Remorse

Chapter One

       Blinding light slowly peeked through the blinds, illuminating the blush walls to a small room. A twin bed with a cream frame sat in the corner, a sapphire colored comforter covering its mattress. A dresser sat on the opposite side of the room, just in front of a window, a little desk next to it. Fairy lights strung over her bureau, and pictures hung on the wire with clothespins. In one of the images, you could see a girl with overalls and a wild pink mane giving a fanged smile, and with her onyx eyes she gazed at a branch she held with a ladybug on it. Her mother gave a soft smile as she held her excited daughter close. In another photo, the same girl stood, slightly older than in the previous photo. This time, the girls hair was in a ponytail, and she had on a white shirt and pink skirt as she ate ice cream with a raven haired boy. All the sudden, a groan was heard from underneath the covers, and a body stirred.

       "Nashi, you better be up! You'll be late for school!" The mother from the photo entered the room; this was Lucy Heartfilia, former Fairy Tail wizard, who now lead a peaceful life as Lili Archer. Her long blonde hair was done up in a ponytail, and she wore white capris with a three-quarter-length-sleeved burgundy top.

       The pinkenette stuck her head out of the covers. "Come on, Mom... Just five more minutes!"

       "No," her mother replied sternly, "It's Friday! You can survive, Nashi."

       With a grunt, Nashi got out of bed and began to change into her school uniform. "What's for breakfast?" She mumbled.

       "Pancakes, but you have to hurry, they're getting cold."

       "Mom~ why didn't you tell me? You're so mean!" Nashi hurried to button her long-sleeved ivory shirt and slip on her navy blue plaid skirt. She struggled with her matching knee-length socks, and bolted down the stairs.

       When Lucy arrived in the mint green kitchen, Nashi had already started on her food. She chuckled. "Just like your father, hm?" She questioned softly. She began to reorganize the magnets on their fridge, hoping to distract herself.

       "Like dad?"

       Lucy jumped slightly. It was easy for her to forget how keen her ears were, and how similar they were to her father's, especially since while Nashi had magic, there were no signs of inhabiting Natsu's dragon slayer magic. Since she had no signs of the peculiar magic, she had chosen ice-make magic. "Your father certainly had a pit for a stomach," she told her daughter bluntly. "If he wasn't on quest, that was all he did."

       Nashi stood up on her table at the bar. "Wait, was dad a wizard?" She asked excitedly.

       Lucy pursed her lips. "Perhaps."

       Nashi sat back on her stool, finishing the last bite of her food. "What was he like?"

       "Your father? Hm, I'd say reckless, loud, crazy, but he was also very kind, protective, and loving."

       "I see."

       The bell jingled, and someone walked in. "Nashi, are you ready to go?" This was the boy in the other picture. He had grown noticeably taller, and his hair was almost in his eyes. He wore the same shirt Nashi did, with navy slacks and his tie hung around his neck, untied. He gave a small smirk in her direction.

       "Yeah, just give me a second, Axel." Nashi rushed to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and reappeared. "Let's go!"

       He nodded towards Lucy. "See you later, Ms. Archer!"

       "Goodbye, Axel! I'll see you after school, Nashi! Love you!"

       "Love you!" The door opened, and the bell jingled, leaving Lucy there on her own. She picked up Nashi's breakfast mess, and after wiping down the counter, headed out to shop.

                                                                                          •••

       Nashi sat idly at her desk, and gave a big huff. She nudged Axel, who sat next to her. "When will Mrs. be here?" Nashi had a habit of mixing up teachers's names, so to avoid the trouble she would often call them "Mrs," "Miss," or "Mr."

       "Don't ask me, Nashi, I don't know."

       A girl with natural red hair and freckles poked her with a pencil. "She'll be here any minute, Nash! I'm sure," she said with a wink.

       "I know, I know! Thanks, though, Catelyn."

       "No probs! Say, it's been forever since we hung out! How about tomorrow after school?"

       "Sounds great!"

       Nashi perked up as she heard heavy footsteps down the hall. "Axel, what was that?"

       "What do you mean, Nash?" He inquired.

       "Don't you hear those footsteps? They're not Mrs.'s."

       Everyone hushed, and Axel heard what Nashi was talking about. "You're right, Nash. I don't know how you do it, I swear, you have ears like a dog!"

       She chuckled. "Thanks?"

        A loud kick was heard at the door, and everyone tensed. Axel stood up from his chair, and Nashi followed.

       Another kick sounded. "I didn't picture our first fight like this," Nashi murmured.

       "Believe me, neither did I."

       "Nashi," Catelyn stammered, "What do we do?"

       Nashi gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, it will be okay."

       Another kick sounded.

       "Everyone, go to the back of the classroom!" Axel ordered.

       The class flooded to the back, trembling and shaking in fear. Finally, the door bust in. A big, bulky man stalked in, and turned a head towards the two who protected their peers. He gave an eery grin. "Nashi Dragneel?" He wiped a stream of sweat off of his bald head, his brown eyes gleaming.

       "I... I don't know who that is. I am the only Nashi in this class, and my last name isn't Dragneel."

       "Oh, it isn't, huh?"

       "Keep your guard up Nashi," Axel reminded. "What do you want?" He demanded.

       "Surrender her," he replied, pointing a long finger at Nashi, "then no one will get hurt."

       "Sorry, bud." Axel gave a wicked grin. "Not gonna' happen! Ready, Nashi?"

       "As I'll ever be!"

       "Water lock!" Axel shouted, and a big bubble of water surrounded their opponent. "Now, Nashi!"

       "Ice make!" Frost emitted from her hands, and she touched the bubble, freezing it. "This guy was all talk!"

       Axel looked inside the cube, and saw fire coming from their attackers hands. "Nashi, look out!"

       The ice broke, throwing Nashi back against a wall. She coughed and felt her head, blood coming from a wound. She struggled to stand. "Is that all you got?" She yelled.

       "I've got plenty more! Prominence typhoon!" He spread his arms out wide, and a spiral of purple fire headed directly for Nashi. She took the blast, screaming, and the room went up in flames.

       "Nashi!" Axel sent beams of freezing water around the room, putting the fire out.

       Nashi stood again, coughing. "I can still take more."

        The man scowled, and turned his attention towards Axel.

       "Have a load of this!" Axel sent a current of boiling hot water towards him, making his opponent wince. He turned back towards Nashi.

       "Red shower!" Drops of purple fire aimed towards Nashi, and she put up an ice shield. "Axel, hurry! I can't do it much longer!" Her shield started to melt, bit by bit.

       All the sudden, Axel's wave stopped. He looked at his hands. "No! Not now!"

       Nashi looked at him, disheartened. "Axel?"

       He punched the desk next to him. "My magic ran out," he whispered.

       The man cackled, his magic still focused on Nashi.

       "Axel!" She shouted. Her shield melted.

       "Nashi!" He quickly ran in front of her, his arms wide, enduring all the pain for his partner.

       She watched his body fall to the ground. "Axel!" She knelt next to him, and began to shake him. "Hey! Hey, can you hear me? Axel?"

       The assailant turned a serious glance towards her. "Red shower."

       She gasped as she crumpled to the ground, lying right there next to her partner.

       "It's all over now," the man remarked. "You're coming with me."

                                                                                     ***

       Lucy hummed peacefully as she reorganized books. A few women shopped through the store, their children watching the television lacrima.

       "Lili, have you gotten new stock? The store seems so much fuller!"

       Lucy smiled. "Indeed I have, Missie. I've gotten a variety, all ranging from children's books to adult novels!"

       "My, it has been forever since I've been in here, hasn't it?"

       "Don't blame yourself! Having another child is tough, I get it."

       "Always so kind, Lili. Well, I best be off now!"

       "Of course, enjoy..." Lucy heard a faint static sound coming from the lacrima. She ran over, and indeed, the screen was full of static. A deep voice came from the lacrima.

        "People of Oak Town, I am known as P.A.R, or Pursuit of Angelic Devices."

       "Pursuit of angelic devices?" Lucy murmured.

       "We are in search of the zodiac keys. Lucy Heartfilia, hand yourself in, we know you are in this town. Help us with our divine mission."

       Lucy scowled.

       An image of Nashi appeared on screen. "We have your daughter." The message shut off, and the screen returned to normal.

      Lucy shrieked, dropping the books she was holding.

       "Lili? What is all of this? That was Nashi!"

       She rested her hands against the bookshelf. "Please excuse me, Missie." She staggered away, quickly running to the bathroom. She began to throw up, crying. "Nashi," she cried. "Nashi... Nashi..."

                                                                                                <>

       "Oi, Mira! Give me a barrel, will you?"

       Mira gave a sad sigh, handing the barrel of booze to the salmon-haired man. "Natsu, it's been twelve years. Everyone is extremely worried."

       He filled a glass. "I'm worried about Lucy, Mira. I don't know where she is, what she's done; Hell, I don't even know if she's alive or not." Natsu hadn't adapted much change to his appearance despite the twelve years. His hair had gotten darker, and a few creases appeared, but besides that, there was no evidence of the past twelve years.

       Gramps appeared next to him, pouring a cup from Natsu's barrel.

       "Hey! That's my booze!"

       "Now, Natsu, there is no need to worry about Lucy."

       "There's no need, huh?" He gulped down his mug, and filled his next. "Then I guess you know what happened to her?"

       Master Makarov stayed silent. "Natsu, no matter how satisfying booze is in a low-point of your life, it will never fix your problems." He took a sip.

      Natsu glugged half of his. "Yeah? Well, why not? Damn, I don't even know why she left! We just defeated an enemy, the whole guild was celebrating, getting drunk! Why did she leave?"

      "Did you perhaps ever think that something happened that night? As we were all celebrating?"

       Natsu shook his head, drinking the rest of his glass. "I didn't think I'd have to... Wait, do you know something? Do you know why Lucy left?"

      The master didn't utter a word.

       Mira touched his shoulder. "Natsu, please be reasonable. Don't do anything rash."

       He shrugged her hand off.

       Erza sat down next to him. "Natsu, come back... Ever since you and Lucy left, the strongest team isn't as strong anymore... We need you, Natsu."

       "There are other powerful people you can work with. Go find them."

       "Natsu, come on, don't be like that!" Gray yelled. "It's been forever, Natsu."

        He sighed, standing up. A small child grasped at his leg, and he looked down. She blew her dark blue hair out of her face, and made direct eye contact with him. "Uncle Natsu?"

       "Yes, Emerald?"

       "Please don't go," she told him. "I don't want you to."

       He gently pulled her off. "Sorry, Em, but," he chugged the rest of his booze, "I have a quest."

       Emerald ran back over to Levy, who planted a kiss on her head.

        Natsu faltered out, his fists clenched. "Lucy..."

                                                                                           ...

       Lucy sat in Nashi's room, weeping, desperately wanting her daughter back. She stood up, going to look at the pictures in her daughters room. Reality had caught up to her. She couldn't live a peaceful life with her daughter, she was a wizard, that was the life she had chosen. She brushed her hand among the pink walls; they had chosen that color together. Lucy had insisted on a green, a mint, she remembered that vividly, and Axel had been there trying to persuade her to pick purple.

       "No! I want pink; bright pink."

       "Are you sure, Nashi? Come on, purple suits you much better."

       She shook her head, determined on her stance.

      "Well, Nashi, how about we do something a little more subtle? How about more like a blush color?"

        Nashi thought for a minute, and then, giving a big fanged smile, nodded. "Let's do it!"

       Lucy gave a small grin at the recollection, and thought back to some of their best memories. The day with her and Nashi when she was little, the same day the photo with her in overalls had been taken.

       "Mom! Let's go on a picnic!"

       "All the sudden? Why do you want to have a picnic now?"

       "Because! Now come on, come on!"

        Lucy had done everything hurriedly, but eventually they went out and had a picnic.

        "I want to remember this day, forever and ever!"

       "If you truly want to, then you will."

       "Can we take a picture? Just to make sure I don't forget?"

       "Sure, of course." Lucy got out her camera.

       Just as they posed, Nashi looked down, seeing a branch with a ladybug on it. "Oh, look at this mom!" She held the branch up for her mother to see.

       "What a find!"

       "I'm going to name the Ladybug 'Spots.' Can we take a picture with him?"

        "Okay!"

        Then they took the picture, which was now modeled in Nashi's room.

       Lucy cleansed her tears, and stood up, determined. "I will find my daughter," she mumbled. "I'm coming, Nashi."

~~~