Lucy could not even begin to describe how she felt. After receiving a phone call from the school that Nashi had injured another student, Lucy had bolted out of the house, almost forgetting her shoes. Lucy was now standing in front of the principal's door, debating if she should even bother opening it. Lucy had never imagined being in this situation. Nashi was a good girl and she couldn't even fathom the idea of her hitting another student.

Let's just get this over with, she thought to herself. Without any more hesitation, Lucy turned the doorknob and opened the door.

Lucy looked around the small office space to find a desk where Nashi's principal, Mrs. Ando, sat. She had thick, brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore a grey dress suit with a pearl necklace around her neck. In front of her desk were two chairs; Nashi sat in one of them. Nashi and Mrs. Ando turned their attention to the open door and Mrs. Ando greeted Lucy with a smile. Nashi just sunk lower in her seat.

"Miss Ashley, it's an honor to meet you," she said, extending a hand. Lucy walked forward and gave it a firm shake, "I'm a fan of your book. It's one of my favorites."

"It's nice to meet you too. It's a shame we had to meet under such circumstances," Lucy said sitting down on the chair beside her daughter. Mrs. Ando nodded her head and cupped her hands together.

"Indeed. You are aware of what happened today are you?" Mrs. Ando questioned. Lucy whispered a yes, eying her daughter who turned away from her mother's stare. "However, I am confused," Lucy said turning back to the principal, "I understand she smacked a child, but isn't a conference with me a bit extreme?"

"Yes, under normal circumstances it is a bit extreme," Mrs. Ando, said, opening one of her desk drawers and pulling out a file folder. Opening it, she skimmed over its contents, "however, according to the nurses examination of Haruto, she concluded that his injury had the severity of a third degree burn."

Lucy stiffened upon hearing the description of Haruto's cheek. Glancing at Nashi, Lucy began to wonder what else she could have inherited from her father. Mrs. Ando put the file back in its prober drawer and leaned forward on her desk.

"Since this is Nashi's first offense and it was Haruto that started it, we are letting her off with a warning. But if this issue were to arise again, Nashi will receive punishment." Lucy nodded in understanding.

"Thank you Mrs. Ando. It won't happen again." Said Lucy as she rose from her seat to take her leave. Nashi stood as well; ready to get out of this embarrassing situation.

"Wait just one moment," the principal said, digging through another one of her drawers. Lucy turned to Nashi, silently asking her if she had done anything else wrong. Nashi shrugged her shoulders. Looking back at the principal, the mother and daughter face palmed when Mrs. Ando held up her copy of Seeking the Clock, "Could you please sign this?" Lucy chuckled and took the book from her hand. After signing it, she handed it back to its owner and led Nashi out of the office.

The two walked out of the building in silence. Nashi could not think of a good enough way to apologize to her mother for her actions. The stillness was broken when Lucy decided to speak up.

"Nashi," she said quietly as the two walked home along the dirt road, "I know you and Haruto don't always see eye to eye, but did you really have to hit him? I thought we talked about ignoring him this morning." Nashi's face fell to the dirt beneath her feet.

"I know, and I tried, but then he brought you into it," Nashi whispered. Lucy's breath stilled. It seemed that there was a specific subject that messed with Nashi more than she thought, her family.

"What did he say?" Lucy didn't know if she wanted to find out.

"He said you lied to me about Daddy, that you didn't want me to feel bad about chasing him away, and that it was only a matter of time before you-," Nashi's sentence suddenly went dead. Lucy waited to see if she would finish, "Before you leave me too."

... What is this Haruto kid's problem?

Lucy stopped and knelt down to her daughter's height. Holding her shoulders tightly, Lucy gazed into her daughter's doe like eyes.

"Nashi, I could never imagine leaving you. You are my most precious treasure. You mean more to me than life itself. Haruto just likes pushing your buttons," Lucy took her gloved hand and poked Nashi on the nose, earning a giggle, "Don't let him push your buttons." Nashi jumped on her mother, giving her a bear hug. The two held each other close as the sun began to set in the distance.

"Mommy?" Nashi murmured into her mother's shoulder. The two pulled away from each other.

"Do you think, if Daddy knew about me, he would love me too?" Lucy smiled and caressed her daughter's small cheek.

"There is not a doubt in mind that he would love you," she said. Nashi smiled at her mother's answer. Standing, Lucy took her daughter's hand in her gloved one and the two walked home happily. Along the way, Nashi chose to speak again.

"Hey Mommy?"

"Yes Baby Girl?"

"What is Daddy like?" Lucy hadn't been expecting a question like that, but she had to say, she didn't mind talking about him. Lucy took her free hand and playfully placed it on her cheek in a thinking manner.

"If I had to choose a word to describe your father, it would be... dense." Nashi burst into giggles, even Lucy couldn't hold back her own.

"He's dense, reckless, and stubborn, with a bottomless pit for a stomach. Now you know where you get yours from," Lucy said eying Nashi who blushed. It wasn't her fault she was always hungry. Nashi looked back up at her mother, a blissful expression on her face.

"But, despite all that, he was kind, funny, and loyal. Very Loyal. His family is the most important thing in his life." Lucy had grown quiet. Nashi smiled at her mother. Even after all these years, she must have still loved him.

"You still love him, don't you Mommy," Nashi asked. A light blush decorated Lucy's cheeks. Nashi giggled at her mommy's reaction. She was too obvious.

"Can you tell me more about Daddy?" Nashi questioned, saving her mom from her last embarrassing question. Lucy and Nashi continued to talk and make fun of Nashi's father; nothing could wipe away their smiles.

As the sun set over the horizon, the two neared their happy, little home.

"Daddy has motion sickness," Nashi laughed as they walked through the front door. Lucy nodded her head.

"Yep. You should have seen his face whenever we went on a train. He looked terrib-" Lucy's eyes wandered to their living room and her sentence went unfinished. Nashi was confused by her mother's actions. Lucy had a terrified look in her eyes, one Nashi didn't like one bit. Following her mother's gaze, Nashi found what had caused her mother so much fear.

Three strange men stood in their living room. Two of them were large looking brutes with baldheads and a bunch of tattoos. Nashi figured they were twins because they looked exactly alike aside from the fact that one had a pierced lip. In between them stood who she assumed was their leader. He had shaggy, white hair that reached his shoulders. His eyes were a lifeless grey color. He wore a dark purple coat with a maroon pattern all over it. He also had on a black dress shirt and black pants. Nashi felt a strange odor hit her nose. Unlike the other people in her town, Nashi had an impeccable sense of smell and hearing, better than a bloodhound. This man smelt disgusting. He smelt like dark magic.

"Sorry, you weren't here, so we let ourselves in," the man in the center said in a sickly, sweet voice. Nashi saw her mother's eyes wander to the matching tattoo's the twins had on their foreheads. From the distance she was standing, they looked like some kind of insect. Lucy's eyes flicked back to the men in front of her as she pushed Nashi behind her. This did not go unnoticed by their leader who smirked down at the child.

"I was unaware you had a child. But I must say, she is as beautiful as you Miss Heartfilia." Nashi felt her mother stiffen at the name, which confused her. Her mommy's name wasn't Heartfilia; it was Ashley, right? That was what everyone called her.

"I don't know what you're talking about. My last name is-"

"Ashley, I know I know. Did you really think I didn't do my research." The man flicked his head toward Lucy. The two brutes beside him walked over to the small family and yanked them apart. Nashi cried out to her mother as one of the brutes tightened his grip on her tiny arm. She was unbelievably frightened. Lucy struggled to get to her as the other twin grabbed her right wrist and yanked away the glove that always covered it. Nashi's eyes were met with a strange, pink symbol on the back of her mother's hand.

"Honesty Lucy, I expected more from a wizard of Fairy Tail."

Nashi felt her world slow.

Her mother was a wizard from Fairy Tail. She never believed her mother's claims, but now it was undeniable. Fairy Tail of all places, she was more powerful than she thought.

"Now that we have you, I suppose it's time to take our leave boys," said the strange man as he stalked toward Lucy. Nashi could see the uncomfortable look in her mother's eyes and screamed her name. The man turned to Nashi, forgetting she was even there. He looked her up and down, eyes resting on her pink hair. Changing course, he strode toward Nashi. As he got closer, Nashi and Lucy's heart rate began to accelerate. Once he was a few feet away from her, he grabbed a small chunk of her pink locks and twisted it between his fingers.

"I wasn't expecting a daughter, tell me Lucy Heartfilia," he said looking at Lucy over his shoulder, "Whose her father?" Lucy didn't answer. He asked again, but she remained silent. Having enough of her lack of cooperation, the man shifted his coat, revealing a menacing looking dagger. Lucy's eyes widened at the sight of the weapon. The man picked it up and placed it against Nashi's throat. The girl in question felt tears prick at her eyes. She didn't know what they were doing at her house or why they wanted her mommy, but she was so scared, she felt like she was going to barf.

"For the last time, whose the father!" he said pressing it harder against her neck.

"Natsu Dragneel!"

Everyone in the room stilled.

"Her father is Natsu Dragneel," Lucy whimpered as tears appeared in her eyes as well. The man holding the knife smirked evilly, pulling the knife away from Nashi. His two associates were surprised by the revelation. Nashi had yet to move.

Natsu Dragneel, one of the most powerful mages in Fairy Tail, was her father? Is that why his name affected her? Is that why his picture had such a strange vibe to it? Nashi couldn't believe it. It made her feel, elated in a way. She knew who her father was. She felt a chill run up her spine as the white haired man began to laugh.

"I had no idea you and Salamander had that kind of relationship," the man leaned down and snatched Nashi's cheek's in his hand, "She would pay a pretty ransom price as the Salamander's daughter." Lucy scrunched her eyes as they fell to the floor.

"There's no point. He doesn't know about her," she said downcast. The man released Nashi's face roughly.

"Such a shame. She would have been worth a lot." The man stared into Lucy's hateful eyes. Nashi watched the two, until something else caught her eye. Something shiny her mother was pulling from her back pocket.

"If that's the case, there's no point in keeping her alive," the man took his eyes off of Lucy and to the man holding her daughter, "kill her." Lucy pulled out a key from her back pocket.

"TAURUS!"

As soon as Lucy had yelled the name, a large bull with a war ax appeared out of nowhere, swinging his ax at the man holding Nashi. The man released the girl just as the ax hit him, sending him flying into the kitchen table. Lucy used the distraction to stomp her foot into the foot of the man holding her. Once he let go, she kicked him hard where the sun don't shine. Lucy wasted no time making a mad dash for her daughter and picking her up.

"Taurus, keep them occupied while I get Nashi out of here." The cow mooed in response before heading for the man he had chucked into the kitchen. Lucy ran as fast as she could down the hall toward her bedroom, clutching Nashi like a lifeline. The daughter in question was trying to process everything that had occurred within the last five minutes. Her mother is a Celestial Spirit wizard, Her father is Natsu Dragneel, and BOTH of them were powerful wizards from the Fairy Tail guild.

She had the coolest family EVER!

Lucy ran into her bedroom, throwing Nashi on her bed before running to the door and locking it. Lucy searched around her bedroom, trying to find a place to hide her daughter. Her eyes finally fell to the corner where her laundry hamper was. The blonde walked quickly toward it. Upon reaching it, Lucy held her arms out behind her.

"Stardress: Virgo Form!" a golden light engulfed the room. Nashi shielded her eyes from the blinding rays surrounding her mother. When the light died down, Nashi noticed her mother's dress clothes were replaced with some form of maids outfit. Shocking her daughter even more, Lucy used her transformation to dig a small hole into the ground. Rushing back to Nashi, Lucy picked her up off the bed and placed her in the small hole. Nashi stared up at her mother as she dug through her dress pocket.

"I don't have much time. Taurus might be able to hold back those brutes, but that other man's magic levels are higher than anything I've ever encountered." Lucy pulled out a large key ring that had keys of different colors and shapes dangling from it. Lucy held the keys up in front of her daughter who couldn't help but marvel at the shiny objects. So these were Celestial Spirit keys.

"Nashi, those men want me for something I fear could kill millions of people," Lucy said in all seriousness. Nashi could tell this was no joke. Nashi was surprised when Lucy had placed her prized keys in her hands, "as long as those men don't have my keys, they won't be able to hurt anybody. Nashi I need you to protect these keys. You can't give them to anybody, understand?" Nashi nodded her head, trying to comprehend what her mother was placing upon her small shoulders. Lucy placed a delicate and on her daughter's shoulder.

"Nashi, there is something else I need you to do," she said, moving her hand to Nashi's cheek. Lucy's eyes bore into her daughter's, as she was about to drop a serious bomb on her.

"I need you to find Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail, and tell him I need his help. Tell him that Scarabs have kidnapped me. Do you understand? Natsu of Fairy Tail, Scarabs, understand?" Nashi couldn't form a coherent sentence, so she just said the first thing that came to mind.

"Daddy?" Lucy nodded her head.

"Yes, I need you to find your father. But you can't tell him about me or that you are his daughter." Nashi felt her heart drop at that sentence. How badly did she want him to know who she was. How badly she wanted to receive the fatherly love that she had never received, but if it meant saving her mommy, she would do it, no matter how much it hurt. Nashi shook her head in understanding. Lucy felt tears begin to build up. Giving her daughter a final kiss on the forehead, Lucy stood and placed her laundry hamper on top of the hole.

"I love you baby girl. I believe in you," she whispered. Fighting the urge to stay, Lucy unlocked her door and ran out to help Taurus.

Nashi sat in the darkness of her mother's hand made hole. She clutched her mother's keys tighter as she heard more crashing and yelling outside. Tears streamed down Nashi's eyes as she thought about what could possibly be happening out there. Eventually, the house went quiet. Nashi didn't know if it was the best idea, but she pushed the hamper out of the way. Popping her head out, she saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Nashi slowly climbed out of her hiding spot, inching her way toward the bedroom door. Nashi opened the door slightly before pushing it open fully. The shock before her was too much to handle. Furniture was smashed, items scattered everywhere, some bloodstains on the floor, but worst of all...

"M-Mommy?" she called out. She was met with silence. She tried again, but she still received no answer. Nashi suddenly felt something warm and wet drip down her cheek. She brought a hand up to her cheek to touch the wet substance.

Tears?

Nashi couldn't control herself as her tears poured from her eyes. Falling to her knees, Nashi hugged her mother's keys to her chest as violent sobs erupted from within her.

What do I do now? Without Mommy I'm- I'm helpless! I can't find daddy on my own. What can I do? Nashi thought as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. The house echoed with Nashi's cries as she wallowed in sorrow.

I love you baby girl. I believe in you.

Nashi's crying suddenly ceased.

Her mother believed in her. Her mother trusted her with something so important and she believed in her, her loving mother.

Nashi wiped her tears with her cover-up sleeve before standing once again. A new resolve began to form within her. She had to save her mommy from those evil men.

I need Daddy.

Nashi walked into the foyer where she had dropped her green backpack and emptied its contents. She walked back into her kitchen to pack some food for her journey. Wrapping them in a cloth towel, Nashi carefully placed Lucy's keys into a separate backpack pocket. Placing the backpack onto her shoulders, Nashi headed toward the front door that was left wide open. Upon reaching it, Nashi stopped right in the middle of the doorway. She stared out toward the large expanse of land she had to trek. Anxiousness began to creep into her mind. She had never left Kuni Village; it was her home. Nashi was beginning to think this was a bad idea. Nashi thought of her wonderful mother and how she gave herself up to protect her only daughter. Nashi shook her head before turning back to the sunset horizon. Without wasting another second, Nashi ran out her door into the Great Unknown, repeating her resolve through her head.

I don't care if he doesn't know me. I don't care if he is with someone else. Mommy needs him to save her, so I have to find him. I have to find Natsu Dragneel.

I have to find my daddy.