THE LONG WAY HOME • NaLu fanfic ~ MushiSquishi 2016

Chapter 20: An Unpleasant Ending

Contains spoilers to the series.

       Nastu tightened his grip on his daughter as he turned towards his beloved.
"Lucy. Are you sure you want to take her on this mission?" I shrugged and held my hands out as a gesture to receive Nashi back. He obliged and handed the baby to me.
"We're only going to see why this forest is dying." I remarked.
"Well, it's still unfair to Nashi. She can't defend herself nor put up a fight."
"If you're suggesting we train a toddler you're wrong." I immediate put him off. "She hasn't even spoken her first word yet." Nastu scoffed at my witty remark. "Plus, it'll be easy! We're just investigating." Natsu went silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts.
"Why...is the forrest dying...?" I sighed.
"If we knew, why would we be looking?" I say in a mocking tone. Natsu exhaled loudly and put his hand behind his head.
"Let's just hope Nashi got your smarts." He glanced over at our daughter, smirking. She covers her eyes before uncovering them with a giggle. I laughed along.
"I hope so, too." I leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek, causing a blush to emerge on his face. Nashi giggled at her father's reaction.

          We got closer and closer to the entrance of the endless woods. The dying trees, black flowers, brown grass, it all looked so....sad.
          The loud noises from the drunken fighting in the guild was silenced. Not even a noise came from the town.
"Hmm..." He mumbled, bringing me back to reality. He sniffed the air, searching for a trace.
"Anything?" I question. Looking back at Nashi, you could tell she was getting anxious. Her little pink tuffs twirled with her as she looked around. I tried bouncing her on my hip, and it seemed to work; but she was still upset.
"It just smells... too familiar. But... it can't be..."
"What... is it...?" I inquired. I tried to take a deep breath, but worry was all I took in.
"It-...it's nothing. It can't be him." I sighed a sigh of defeat realizing I won't be able to get it out of him.

Nashi was on edge the whole time we were exploring. Often throwing her hands up into the air and grasping for the trees. It was all so confusing and baffling. What was going on?
We stopped at the edge of a stream. It was a stream that ran through most of Magnolia. The water was blue and was strangely clear. Unlike anything else in the woods. Natsu took no time into jumping right in. Literally.
"The waters so fresh and clean!" He roared as he threw off his shirt and ran in until he was waist deep. Nashi giggled at her father. "Hop in!" Natsu bellowed.
"I'm good!" I replied. "I'm fine over here. It's a little strange that this would be clean of all things." I sat down with Nashi still in my arms; the dead grass brushing up against my bare skin. Nashi squirmed as her feet hit the cold grass. She wasn't satisfied. "Come on Nashi. Sit by mommy." Nashi let out a grunt in reply and crossed her arms. She clearly didn't want to be here. "Why don't you sit on my lap?" I beckon. Nashi ignores me and raises her arms out towards her father. Excitement and vanquish in her eyes. She was definitely Natsus. "No, honey."
Nashi looked at me with pure hatred. She really wanted to get in the water with Natsu.
"No, Nashi." She wasn't going to oblige. She scurried out of my grasp when I tried to reach for her, and she sat at the bank of the river. I quickly got up and swooped her off her feet, carrying her farther away from the water and forcing her to sit between my legs. "I said, no." I lectured. Nashi huffed and her face was covered in pure disappointment.
"Natsu, we really should be going. We haven't even found a clue."
"Oh come on Luce! This is a clue isn't it? We've found something!"
"Really Natsu. It's got to be unsafe. Everything else here is dying an-" I had spoken too late.
            A school of fish were heading downstream, all lying on their back after caving in to eternal slumber.
"What is that??" I yelled as I sprang to my feet. Natsu not far behind. He starred horrified as he was forced to stand there traumatized as the dead fish hit up against his sides. He immediately rushed out of the water; the water spraying up his along his body.
"What's going on!" He bellowed.
"I don't understand! It was fine just a second ago!" I set Nashi to the side in fear of her wellbeing and I rushed to the riverbank with my heart racing. "It- They're- They're all dead!"
            Natsu stopped in place, his nose searching the air. He must have gotten a scent.
"Lucy!" I whirled around to face Natsu, my hair hitting the side of my face. Natsu looked at me horrified and furious. "Where's Nashi!" I spun around to see the empty space of grass where Nashi once sat. She was gone.
"Nashi!!" I ignored the task at hand and ran to where Nashi once sat. There were no footsteps since the poor thing couldn't walk, but their was a trail. She was crawling.
           I motioned for Natsu to follow and he immediately sprung into action. He threw on his shirt as he ran after the crawling baby. Nashi was nowhere to be seen.
"N-Nashi!" I yelled with tears in my eyes. My voice croaked and my cheeks were stained with tears. Natsu couldn't help but catch a glance of the mess that I was; Sympathy filling his eyes. He planted a kiss on my cheek and pushed me forward, Letting me take lead.
           She was moving fast for her age, and swift too. Her trail ended just up ahead, and I panicked when I saw what it was replaced with. I covered my mouth with my hand and screeched.
"Footsteps!"
            Someone had snatched up my child and taken her away. Clearly not moving fast at all. Someone had taken a poor innocent child. Someone was going to have to pay.
Natsu saw the distress in my eyes and quickly ran up ahead. He knew what was going on.
"That son of a-"
"Shh.... Nashi. It's ok." Zerefs seductive voice rang in my ears. He had Nashi firmly in his arms. An innocent smile on his face; and strangely, Nashi was smiling too.
             He was bouncing her up and down on his hip. All in the process of reaching down and grabbing a flower. "Here you go, sweet pea." He placed the now dead flower in her hair elegantly, landing between two strands of her hair. "It's alright. You can stay with me." He began walking away, taking long strides every step he took.
"Wait!" Zeref didn't flinch whatsoever.
"Give me back my child!" Natsu roared. Zeref didn't hesitate. He turned to face Natsu, completely ignoring my presence.
"I'm just spending quality time with my niece."
"Give her back!" I stepped closer to him, receiving an irritated glance.
"One step closer and you'd die." He said, nonchalantly. It sent a shiver down my spine.
             Natsu noticed and moved closer. Zeref couldn't kill his own creations, could he?
"Please. We won't turn you in. Just give her back unharmed."
"You've become a bit of a softy, haven't you Natsu." Natsu tensed up at the sound of his mocking. "It's because of the child, isn't it." He teased as he faced Nashi. "Aren't you Nashi? Aren't you such a distract-"
"Don't you lay a hand o-"
"On step closer....I dare you." Zerefs eyes narrowed and he starred Natsu down with a fire in his eyes. "I'm a little hurt you didn't even introduce me to her." His smile went wide and he stroked Nashi's plump cheeks. "What's my name, baby girl?"
"Uncy Zeref!" She squealed.

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MUAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA CLIFFHANGER!!!!!! WANNA HEAR SOMETHING BETTER?!?!? THIS IS THE END OF THE BOOK!! YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT 'TIL THE NEXT ONE!! ( I lied, I won't be writing a second. Sorry folks.) IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT GO CHECK OUT MY "RANTS" BOOK(lol and this is deleted now)!! I'LL PUT SPOILERS THERE!!!

     any questions? Theories? Suggestions!?!?!? I'm so glad I have all of you to read this!! This is truly amazing!! I've loved the support and absolutely adored the adorable comments and kindness. You guys are truly amazing!!
      I'd like to dedicate this chapter to all of the people that have followed me through this book! It really makes me feel amazing!!! I love you all!!!