4 The Passage of Time and a Mother's Love

These past four months have been amazing honestly. From Layla's kindness to Lucy's energetic and happy personality, it has truly been a good time. If I were to have one, Layla would be the closest thing to a mother honestly with Lucy being either a sister or childhood friend. Honestly it felt like I was a part of their family. I met Jude every so often and while he is in nicer than in canon, probably since Layla has yet to die, we don't interact enough for me to see him as a father figure, but he's an alright guy though.

We would just talk about things going on in Fiore or Layla would take me and Lucy with her around the Heartfilia Residence to allow me to explore the area. Or sometimes, she would take me to her library where she would let me pick out some books to read. And during the evenings, I would eat dinner with her, Lucy, and Jude, though most of the time it would be me and Lucy since the parents were busy with their organization.

Layla also taught me and Lucy both about magic at our insistence...well, more like my insistence while Lucy wanted to be on the wagon. And after a few sessions, I would privately practice in my room and try to call upon whatever innate magic I have. It took some time, especially since I'm doing it on my own, but imagine my surprise when a blackened light seemed to manifest in my hand in the form of a small sword. An element with a black tint to it.

Huh...so I have God Slaying Magic.

Fate sure loves to get us humans good. To think that I would reincarnate with the appearance of a man who had fought against the gods of his world and also be a God Slayer Magic user. But would this be called White God or Light God Slayer Magic? Eh...the latter sounds cooler honestly and the actual Atro was also a Light element unit in the game. Let Sting keep his White Dragon Slaying name.

Needless to say, I would practice during any times I was alone and would use the excuse of exploring more of the grounds as a reason to find some privacy to practice. I mean, I'm not lying, I do explore the Heartfilia Residence alone while I train, and honestly. I can understand Team Natsu's shock at how big the property really was...wow, it is really big. I honestly can't begin to describe how seeing a place from a screen and in person is such a crazy experience.

And as for Lucy, she was more into the theory behind using magic and how it works. Should I perhaps find a book on Letter Magic in the future, specifically the Jutsu Shiki? I'd rather not have her be limited to Celestial Spirit Magic by the time canon hits. While I don't doubt the capabilities of her Celestial Spirits once she receives the keys for them, she needs another form of magic that can help her if the Zodiacs won't cut it.

If I remember right, from what little I know of the Alvarez Arc, she had another form of Celestial Spirit Magic that imbued the properties of the Zodiacs. What was it called? Star Dress or something? That will also be useful to have so she can fight alongside her Spirits, but that also means she'll need some physical training. She may not like fighting, but if she is still set on joining Fairy Tail in the future...well yeah. But that's a matter to deal with in the future, not to mention that she's a bit too young to be practicing anything right now anyways.

That said, I have no room to speak, despite this being a second life, which is why I am work on the practical part in private, lest I get scolded by the Heartfilia matriarch, even if it is out of concern. And honestly, I feel like I'd be kicking a puppy if I were to make Layla more worried than she already is regarding my amnesia.

And speaking of Layla...

I honestly did try to think of a way to save her life, but I didn't even know how that would be possible. If my memories are correct, Layla required all the Gold Keys in order to use the Eclipse Gate. How she found all of them and their owners, I don't know and why they helped, I don't know either. But she had to use her own life force as a substitute for Aquarius' key not being present, which belonged to the mother of one of the future Spriggan 12, Brandish, but she was somewhere in the western continent. After that, she had passed away.

I want to help Layla and avoid the fate that would befall the Heartfilia family. Hell, even if it meant telling her what I knew of the future and sacrificing my short life to do so, I would in order to save her life.

But I knew that Layla would not want that. I knew that she would happily take that burden upon her own shoulders so that Lucy wouldn't have to. So I wouldn't have to.

I'm not stupid. I know that Layla views me as her own son, much like how I view her as my own mother. And that's why it honestly hurts. Because I know that her death is meant to be and that I can do nothing about it. And so, the best thing I can do is help Lucy move on from her future death and grow into an amazing girl, more so than her canon counterpart.

But in order to do that, I also need to grow as a Mage, and that left me with only one thing to do.

{Christmas Eve, approaching midnight}

"So you plan on leaving on New Year's day after all?" Layla asked me with a small smile, as if resigned to that fact. I suppose it's understandable why her reaction was like that, ever since I told her I wanted to explore all of Fiore...well the relatively safe parts of Fiore.

We were up this late because Layla wanted to finalize some paperwork that the Heartfilia Konzern had while Lucy and Jude were asleep and I had been waiting for an opportune time for us to talk together in private so I could tell her what I wanted to do. And so I did.

And yet, I couldn't find it in myself to give her a vocal answer to her question...no, we both knew that it was more of a confirmation, so I merely nodded my head. How could I bring myself to confirm her suspicions of my leaving after she spent the past four months looking after me out loud?

Though Layla, the perceptive person that she was, noticed this and merely brought me into a hug, her arms wrapped around me in a warm embrace.

"You do not have to say anymore. I understand Atro. After all, I'm sure that your amnesia also makes exploring even more enticing, so you can discover everything for the first time. As much as I don't want you to leave, I also know that there have been many Mages your age who have journeyed through Fiore, especially if they are part of a guild. And I am certain that this is a step that you have to take in order to grow. You have my blessing to go on your journey Atro."

Damn it. This freaking woman. Why is she so accepting of this?! Why is she so calm about me leaving after watching over me for these past four months? Why can't she just say 'no' and ask me to grow up around here with Lucy like a normal child?

Why...why do I not want to leave all of a sudden?

And why I am crying?

[Narrator POV- Layla]

She could feel Atro shaking in her embrace as he started shedding his tears onto her nightwear one of her hands moving up to stroke his hair. She knows that he looks to her as one does to a mother, and honestly she feels the same about him. The son that she could have possibly had along with Lucy. But at the same time, Layla knows that by staying here, he would feel chained down to her home unlike Lucy, who is her own daughter by blood, has her memories, and has gone on trips with her in the past.

"I know the kind of person you are Atro. Even if you don't acknowledge it, we both know that you would feel chained down if you were to stay here. We both know that if I were to ask you to stay, you would in order to make me happy. But Atro, you are forgetting one crucial fact."

She gently pushed him off of her to look him in his blue and teary eyes.

"It's a mother's duty to ensure her children's happiness and their future. So while I will miss you, I know that for you to grow and follow your goal, whatever they may be, you need to see the world with your own eyes. And I'm sure that in time, Lucy will also do the same and follow in your footsteps before going off on her own path."

Yes, it was clear to her that even though Lucy loves her and her husband dearly, she has recently looked up to Atro in his time living with them. And as such, sometimes she picks up on his habits like studiously reading books in the library, even being encouraged by him to maybe write a book in the future, in which he will be the first one to buy a copy.

She isn't quite sure if Lucy looks to him in the manner that one looks up to a crush or a brother, but all in all, Atro's presence here has made their lives that much brighter. And Layla has never felt more blessed to have someone like him in their lives.

"So please Atro. Follow your path. Discover the world around you. Make amazing friends. And one day, when you are ready to come home, you can tell me about everything that you've learned. Okay?"

It seemed like Atro was going to cry again hearing her words. Goodness, even she feels like crying, knowing that she will soon be separating from him in just a week. But he wiped his eyes quickly as if pretending something had gotten in it before he lowered his hands and nodded, unable to say anything else as if in fear that he would not stop crying.

Oh? It seemed that the clock has hit midnight. Well since it's Christmas, and Atro is here, she may as well give him his gifts.

"Atro would you mind waiting right there for a moment?"

Atro looked at her with confusion before shaking his head.

"O-Okay."

Layla made her way to her desk where she pulled out his gifts, which was a parchment and a small box before she walked over to Atro and held out the box first, which he took into his hands.

"Merry Christmas Atro. Open it."

And so he did, revealing a silver necklace with an intricate star on it. Sometimes on clear nights, Atro and Lucy would stare at the night sky, looking at all the stars what would shine in the night, and Layla couldn't help but feel that this would be an appropriate gift for him. And it seemed that it was a good one to get him.

"Thank you...I love it."

He said softly in awe before taking the necklace out and putting it around his neck, allowing it to rest on his chest for all to see. And then it was time for his next gift. The parchment that was held out to him.

"Read it. This is your other gift and it will be our little secret."

Atro was clearly confused about why this was his gift was a piece of parchment, but he did as instructed and read the contents written on it.

The next thing Layla knew, she was slammed into by Atro while managing to stay on her feet, the boys arms wrapped around her in a hug.

"Thank you...thank you so much for your gifts, Layla."

Layla simply smiled and returned his hug with another one of her warm embraces.

"You don't need to call me Layla anymore, Atro. You know this right. So what do you say?"

She asked in a faux reprimanding tone, Atro's arms tightening around her.

"Sorry...I meant to say...Merry Christmas...mom."

"Merry Christmas, and I'm finally glad to meet you...Atro Heartfilia."

And on the ground during the beginning of Christmas lied the parchment that declared that one Atro has been adopted by Layla Heartfilia and as such, his name is now Atro Heartfilia.

{A/N: Be sure to check out the Creator's Thoughts!}