Time After Time

The Way Back

{NASHI'S POV}
"What are you doing here?! Da—Natsu-san, Lucy-san?" I ask, stumbling backwards.

"And Gray-san and Juvia-san too!" Storm yells.

"Mo—Mira-san? What are you all doing?" Nova, Kori, and Mizu have wandered over as well.

"We could ask you the same thing!" Dad jumps out of the bushes. "Why were you sneaking off in the middle of the night?"

"For your information, we're training. Besides, I thought you were asleep, so I didn't wanna wake you. Who knew you would spy on me?" I say.

"Oh." That looks like it never crossed Dad's mind.

"Juvia didn't know that the children knew magic." Aunt Juvia says. We all shift our feet awkwardly.

"Sorry. We thought it might complicate things. If you knew." Nova apologizes.

"If you're wizards, then do you have guild?" Uncle Gray asks. "Why don't you ask them for help?"

"They won't help us." Nova says sadly.

"Why?!" Dad asks.

"Because they've forgotten us!" I blurt out, then cover my mouth.

"What?" Mom gasps. They all back up, stunned.

"That's right." I say. "We went to our guild, but none of them know who we are anymore. It's all the fault of that guy in the alley!"

"That bastard!" Dad gets a really scary look in his eyes, and lights himself on fire subconsciously. "I'll find him and beat him to a pulp. And if he still won't fix things, I'll find a different way to get you back where you belong. I won't give up! After all, guilds are families and family is forever!"

I hold out a fist. "I'm holding you to that promise, Da—Natsu-san." We fist bump, then I go with Mom and Dad. Storm, Mizu and Kori go with Uncle Gray and Aunt Juvia, and Nova goes with Aunt Mira.

The next morning, Aunt Mira tells the guild what's going on. "This is critical. The man is a dangerous wizard, but we need to find him, in order to make these kids' guild remember them."

"Yeah!" Everyone cheers, and pumps their fists in the air.

{???'S POV}
I have to save her. That's the only reason why I'm doing this. I've been searching tirelessly for the monster that killed her. This is what I've been obsessed with for twenty years. If I destroy it now, in the past before my beloved daughter even knows of its existence, her life will be spared.

I feel a moment of guilt because of those kids that were unfortunately caught up in my time reversing spell, but I shrug it off. They should have known better than to stick their noses where they didn't belong. It's their own fault.

I search through Magnolia, trying to find us. Finally, I see us. I am young, tall, with all my hair and no hunch, and she is stunning. It's been so long since I've seen her.

My daughter is just as I remember her. Long violet hair, and shimmering violet eyes. Her pristine face is perfect, positively aglow with light and happiness. She doesn't deserve the death she got. She deserves a long and full life, and I'm going to do everything in my power make sure she gets it.

"Excuse me," I approach myself, disguising my voice so they don't recognize me. "May I speak with you, good sir?"

"Of course. Give us some space, Sarai." Younger me tells my daughter. Always obedient, she nods silently and backs away to give us space.

I let my voice go back to normal. "I know you're going to be shocked by this, but trust me, I'm you from the future."

Of course I'm shocked. "What? How?" Then I gasp. "No way, did Sarai send me back?"

I shake my head. "No. Sarai can move time forward. I sent myself backward in it."

Younger me looks at his hands. "I have that ability in the future?"

"Of course." I resist the urge to grind my teeth together. Was I really so naive or happy? "I spent years obsessively training, all for the purpose of stopping what's about to happen."

I lean forward. "What's going to happen?"

"Sarai is going to fight a powerful monster known as the Way Back, a monster from the future who can use the same magic I taught myself, only on a much bigger scale. Only a future magic user, like Sarai, or someone from the future, like me, can touch it. But last time she fought it, when I was you, she died."

My eyes widen, then narrow in anger. "How do we stop it?"

I smirk. Good, the younger me understands. "We change the future. I don't care if the Way Back destroys everything. We have to prevent Sarai from going anywhere near it."

Then alarm bells start ringing.

{ROSE'S POV}
Everyone in the guild freezes. Aunt Mira looks over at Gramps in confusion. "Gildarts? Is he supposed to be coming back?"

"Something must've happened." Gramps looks confused. We watch from the windows as people run to safe places and the town splits in half. Uncle Gildarts walks slowly up to the guild and opens the doors. Aunt Mira approaches him.

"Welcome back Gildarts. We weren't expecting you back so soon." She smiles warmly.

"Yeah, I finished my job, and when I was coming back here, I saw something disturbing."

"What?" Gramps asked.

"A monster known as the Way Back, heading straight for Magnolia." Uncle Gildarts says seriously. Gramps's expression turns grave.

"What's the Way Back? Why didn't you just beat it up?" Uncle Natsu asks.

"Natsu." Mom says, shaking her head. "None of us here are able to touch the Way Back."

"Why?" Uncle Natsu shouts. Aunt Lucy tugs on his sleeve, trying to pull him back.

"I've read about the Way Back before. Levy-chan, you leant me that book once, right?" She taps her chin in thought.

"That right!" Aunt Levy exclaims. "The Way Back is really dangerous, plus the nature of it's magic makes it nearly impossible to beat. It travels back in time, and becomes impervious to magic from that time. It can destroy things here, but the only ones who can destroy it are people from the future, or future magic users!"

I share a glance with Nova, Nashi, and the others. We're all thinking the same thing. People from the future, like us.

"But we don't know any future magic user!" Uncle Natsu points out.

"That's true." Mom says. Everyone frowns.

"Gildarts, how long until the Way Back reaches Magnolia?" Gramps asks.

"About a week." Is the reply.

"Alright. Everyone! Maybe there's someone in town who knows a future magic user. Mira, stay here with me, and help notify the other guilds near here." Gramps commands.

Everyone runs out of the guild hall, except for Mom, Dad, Reiki and I, Gramps, Aunt Mira, Lexi, Nova, and Luke, who Nashi left in Nova's care before she followed Aunt Lucy and Uncle Natsu.

"Let's go, Erza." Dad says, walking towards the doors. Mom follows.

She looks over her shoulder. "Sorry Rose. Looks like we're going to have to wait on finding the man who hurt you and your friends."

"That's okay." I say, pushing Reiki towards Nova. "Let's go."

That monster uses the same type of magic that man did to go back in time. Maybe they're connected? There's only one way to find out. I run out of the guild with Mom and Dad, to search for clues.