A young lady sat in a field filled with radiant blue flowers. She stared at the sky and her lips formed into a wistful frown. In contrast, the sky was rich in sunlight and a clear-blue. The light directed on her in such a way that her long blue hair shined along with her eyes.

Her appearance concluded that she was quite young and beautiful. If one would take an estimated guess, she would be in a range of seventeen-to-eighteen. Next to her, stood a charming young man by looks alone.

The young man gazed at her with the same sullen expression. Sadness was painted on the canvas called their eyes. However, he couldn't let this emotion roam any further.

"Come on, let's go," he said softly and in an almost gentle manner. He spoke as if she would break if he spoke any louder.

In truth, that may be the reason why he used such a tender tone. He feared his fragile friend would breakdown if he spoke too harshly. He was afraid he would say the wrong thing, while she was in this sensitive state.

The young lady said nothing; she didn't have anything to say. Looking over her shoulder, she met his gaze.

He extended a hand for her to take and that she did. Only then did she speak.

"Thanks. Let's go."

➵

"Where are you taking me?" He finally questioned.

The dim, transparent, light morphed into the form of a man. He had avoided the question for long enough.

Being led in the dark streets of Karakura Town wasn't ideal; Akemi would admit that. Albeit, being led through alleyways in the night and adding on, he was a seemingly helpless five year old.

It was an ominous situation, which screamed red flags.

"We're almost there," he replied.

"That was not an answer to my question. Is there something wrong with your ears?"

"That's harsh!" The ghost exclaimed, offended by the little kid's words. More than anything, the tone Akemi used offended him the most. As the boy heard the ghost's rambling, he managed to block out the irrelevant things he was spouting. The ghost caught onto his uninterested stare at the wall behind him. It made the man's non-existent blood boil.

This was outraging!

Thinking through his time 'haunting' Akemi, the boy was polite. He spoke formally and respectfully to his elders. Through the ghosts observations, he concluded Akemi was reserved and quiet. Although he was occasionally blunt - especially with children close to his age group.

But this boy was being outright rude and ignoring him whenever he tried to make conversation!

What did he ever do to deserve such treatment!?

You know, besides trying to get his attention via following him, teasing-slash-mocking him and overstepping his privacy with the excuse of being among the non-living. Yeah, he followed the kid everywhere. And he might have encouraged other souls to bother him in his school and in local areas. School 'haunting' was a failure though.

Reminiscing back to everything, maybe the boy had some solid reasons for acting the way he is.

Still!

It was rude and a ghost has feelings. He was furious with the way he was being treated.

Is that so wrong?

Akemi stopped in his tracks; a wave of a familiar sensation lingered in the air. It kept on swirling around him and surrounding numerous things - including him. It felt strange - even more so when he tried to focus on the energy inside of him too. His lips parted in his daze.

"So you felt it?"

He looked at the ghost, feeling overwhelmed by this feeling radiating from a single house. His eyes were more expressive, showing surprise and wonder.

"It's so strong. Not faint like most I've felt. What are they? What is this weird energy?" He demanded answers from the ghost. His voice was more child-like than it ever was, combined with a shakiness. He was close to answers, he could feel it.

Yet, when he caught sight of the ghost, he felt his stomach churn. He felt that energy rise, but an unpleasant version of it. It was dark and hollow.

"It's known as," the ghost's goofy voice became a deep sinister voice in seconds, "reistu."

Akemi watched the ghost morph with wide-eyes as if it would suppress his growing anxiety. He kept on growing; everything became more vivid. His skin turned pitch-black, and bubbled as if it were boiling.

It grew larger.

And larger.

Larger.

It hadn't finished its transformation yet. There was some kind of white mask that formed quickly, which sped up the monster's morphing. The black slime bubble never seemed to stop growing. Just a second ago, it was a pesky ghost crying over a five-year old insulting him.

What was this?

I'm an idiot. Akemi looked around frantically. I shouldn't have followed him.

He looked at the grotesque sight in front of him and glanced behind him at the streets full of lights. No way am I just standing here in fear.

I need to run!

➵

Lucy turned her head to her right, but got a fright.

"What in the-" Her head jerked back as her eyes dilated.

"Natsu!" She exclaimed at the man who was glaring intensely into space.

He didn't say anything immediately, which made Lucy scowl. All she heard was his dragged hum. She guessed he was thinking hard on something, but in truth, she could see he was bothered. She was too yet she couldn't say clearly what it was.

I still hate it when he does this.

"Natsu?" Lucy frowned, "What's wrong?"

It usually means something bad.

"I... is it me or is that feeling gone." He suddenly asked.

He'd been pondering for a while, but without a doubt, he wasn't imagining it. Every night, something unusual radiated off Akemi's room.

Last year they were able to feel this and only recently the energy - from Akemi himself - had increased like a blast. The feeling was overwhelming at first, but they adjusted. It took them a while to figure out their child was releasing all that.

Lucy blinked slowly and took just as slowly to wake up.

"Gone?" She repeated.

"Gone," she said once again. Everything seemed to click. "Wait, it's gone." Lucy lifted her upper body up and Natsu followed as he sniffed the air.

He moved the blankets aside, "Akemi's scent is... is faint too."

Lucy did not like where this was going. "Akemi is..." She was hesitant in saying it, her face distorting to pure dread.

Natsu didn't wait for her to even try to finish her sentence, he had rushed out of bed and out of the door to confirm the insensate action.

➵

Natsu slammed the door open, baring his clenched teeth and eyebrows irked between. His dark eyes reflected the light of the moon outside the window - an opened window. This purposely sent the message: "I left."

Akemi was a mere five-year-old, barely finishing his toddler years, but he was intelligent. Natsu rarely played hide-and-seek with his son, but - when he did - it was a difficult game. Akemi was highly discreet!

For Natsu to say this about the child was an accomplishment, because Natsu's nose could track the slightest trace of anyone's scent. He had picked-up that he had quite the animal instincts. A weird talent, he'd say.

Point is, Akemi wouldn't be so careless if he wanted to sneak out. It was a rushed 'escape' or the other possibility was kidnapping.

But if it wasn't the latter, he had wanted them to know.

➵

"Natsu," Lucy called once he entered the room.

She was anxiously awaiting an explanation; he could see something more than just worry. She was on the edge of fear, but unfortunately, his answer would give her no comfort.

Natsu knew she could read him too with just a glance. She, most likely, knew what he was going to say once they made eye contact.

"No," she shook her head, "don't tell me."

"He was... wasn't in his room. I didn't bother searching the house," he held his head as he sighed out of frustration, "His scent isn't n... near here and the window was wide open."

Fear and worry took over Lucy more than anything. But she reminded herself that merely fretting over the worst-case scenario wouldn't get them anywhere.

"Why would he leave?"

Was this even real? This never happened before! Nothing like this ever happened!

"I... I don't know, but we... we have to find them."

"Yeah... yeah, we have to."

Yet, instead of dithering and being helplessly oblivious as to what to do, they somehow knew what had to be done. They felt so certain; they knew the way. It felt so natural, taking action without much thought.

Natsu felt the urge to call someone, as if someone was missing from his side.

But who?

He couldn't remember their name. Clearly, Akemi was missing, but something was off about that conclusion.

Weird.

Natsu shook his head, while he set Lucy's wheelchair up. He didn't have time for this deja vu nonsense or whatever!

Just handle it the way you always have.

He helped his wife get up and picked out something quickly for her to wear. She told him to get something for Akemi too, in case he wasn't wearing something warm in that cold night weather.

Push it away.

Move forward.

Ignore it.

Doing just that, he gave the clothes to Lucy to hold and then picked her up bridal-style.

That's right, he had a job to do - a duty. He had to find their son. And he had to calm his wife's nerves, so she wouldn't panic. He would be there for his family no matter what.

"Lucy," he said solemnly.

"Yes?" That unnaturally serious voice caught her attention.

"Did you lose weight?" He lifted her up and down in small movements, "Wow, you're not as heavy anymore!"

"Be quiet and take us to our child!"