Sorry if I'm slow on updating guys! I've been crazy busy! Hopefully, I'll be wrapping it up soon, and I should have enough time to write some at least every night after school :) Tomorrow is going to be great because I have a job as a Disney Princess (shh...can't tell you which one ;) ) and my little cousin is ecstatic about me coming to visit her in my costume at the parade.

Any ways, I don't know if you guys have read the most recent chapter, and I won't spoil anything if you haven't, but it's so AWESOME! AHHHHH! I'm still freaking out about it hahaha READ IT!

Short chapter! Review and Enjoy!

I don't own Fairy Tail, but if I did, Nalu would be everywhere bwhahaha

Nashi's POV

W-where am I? I wonder, rubbing a sore spot on my head. A large bump had formed on my skull, and it was sensitive to my touch. I couldn't remember how I had gotten it, or how I'd even gotten here. Cold anxiety raced through me, but a warm sensation answered my fears, covering me with a numbing calm.

Nashi… A low grumbling voice answers. It sounds so soothing, and familiar…

Yes? I answered, looking around.

A heavy darkness surrounded me, as I lied on the cool ground at the base of a winding stair that seemed to lead to nowhere. Reluctantly, I stretched my aching muscles and stood slowly. Fear prickled at the back of my mind, but I pushed it down, focusing on the warmth wrapping around my body. Though there was nothing there. Some instinct told me to run, but I fought against it and started up the foreboding stair. My hand settled on the silver hand rail, and a chill raced up my spine.

Hello? I called out, searching for the voice. I stepped onto the first stair warily and looked around. Nothing was coming after me, so why was I so nervous?

Swallowing down my paranoia, I started my slow ascension, groaning each step as I worked against my screaming body. Why did I hurt so badly again? Had I been hurt recently? More and more questions spiraled through my head as I grew higher, reaching further into the unknown. Growing higher and higher into the air, and constantly being chased by the darkness behind me. I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't look back. I had to keep moving forward to…where?

The staircase didn't seem to have an end, and frustration built hot inside me. I exhaled a small flame and grunted unhappily but never stopped. I knew I could huff and puff all I wanted, but it wouldn't get me anywhere. One look behind me told me that there was nothing left at the bottom anymore, and some instinct told me to keep moving because all my answers were at the top.

Something creaked loudly from the ever growing darkness behind me, and I froze. My sharp hearing strained for more sound, but no other sound was made. My heart hammered hard in my chest, and I gulped down the building fear and continued at a brisker pace. The hair on the back of my neck prickled uncertainly as the paranoia returned. After a few moments of silence, a scratching sound reverberated up the stairs, and I gasped. This time I didn't stop to try to figure out the origin of the sound. I pushed my legs faster, ignoring the burning pain spreading through my body.

Nails clicked against the stairs behind me, and they were gaining fast. Realizing I wouldn't be able to outrun it much longer, my fist swelled with flames, and I jolted around, readying for a fight. However, what looked back at me, made me cock my head in confusion, though it did nothing to extinguish the fear. Sharp brown eyes shined against the fire in my palm, and a low, threatening growl rumbled deep from his mighty chest. His pointed ears pressed flat against his extensive mane, and he flashed me incredibly sharp teeth set inside his unforgivingly powerful maw. A lion? What was a lion doing following me?

His eyes followed the flickering fire, and coiled tight into a pouncing position. When I extinguished the flames, his body unspun and relaxed. He sat back on his haunches, and met my gaze. Somewhere in those deep brown orbs that held too much intelligence for a simple animal, I became lost, and my heart cried out for a long lost friend. The lion slowly approached, but I ceased breathing. He rubbed his big head against my leg and forcing my hand to comb through his mane. He purred happily as I stroked the long hair, and a smile graced my lips.

Leo the lion… I said to him, and he blinked and nodded. Loke.

Images flitted through my mind of a tall man with square spectacles, a black suit, and a bright smile that lit up my heart with a soft warmth. Light glowed bright around his hands as he protected me, and he was a fierce warrior. But, at night, he would take me to the darkest sky and show me the vastness of the stars. Realization hit me, and I gasped.

I remember you, I told him, and he roared what I assumed was happily. You were one of my mother's spirits.

Pain shot through my heart, and I gripped my chest. I fell to my knees, and voices began spiraling around me.

I'll keep practicing the magic, Papa!

Mama, I love you the stars and beyond!

Papa! Mama! Don't leave me!

Jay, I can't go through this again. I can't lose them again.

Why can't I use this magic? Is it because I'm too weak?

Why won't these stupid keys work?

What is wrong with me?

Leave me alone! I shouted, covering my ears, but the voices wouldn't leave. They only grew more intense, and that's when I realized…they were my own thoughts. My mind was spiraling out of control, and I lost my grip on the silver banister and began falling backwards. The lion beside me disappeared, and the stair case exploded into ashes. I didn't even scream as I fell into the oblivion, surrounded by nothing but my most painful memories, my fears, and my worries.

Slowly, my eyes closed, and I gave in to the darkness. I let myself go and released every emotion I ever felt until my body was numb. I was void of everything, and continued falling deeper and deeper into naught. Everything was gone; my life, my love, my magic…gone.

Nashi… The deep familiar voice called me again. Warmth spread through my body, and my eyes fluttered open. I stood in a new space, but instead of black, I was surrounded by an ever blinding light. And this time, I wasn't alone.

A burly man with a long, whisking mustache stood before me in an ancient samurai armor. His eyes were hidden behind his heavy helm, but I could feel his powerful gaze analyzing me. A sword sat on his hip, and his arms crossed over his chest. He continued to glare in silence, but I never faltered. Everything about him was so familiar, yet I couldn't exactly remember how. Instinct took over, and I dipped into a low, formal bow in a show of respect.

It is good to see you again, though I doubt you could recall those memories. He took my silence as a confirmative and continued. It has been many years since we have spoken face to face like this for I never allow anyone to roam the realm of the spirits freely as you do.

I have never been here. I informed him, looking around the empty space, trying to summon any memory, but there was nothing.

You are always here, and yet you are never here. His cryptic explanation only frustrated me, and I folded my arms and huffed. He laughed at my defiant posture before he continued to explain, When you have your visions, do you ever wonder where they come from? You pass through here, searching through spirits for answers that even you do not understand at the time.

The spirit realm? That's where I received my visions? I do not understand… A memory flittered into my mind, and I saw an image of a blonde holding keys and explaining how she used her magic.

That is Lucy Heartfilia, your mother. She is a powerful celestial mage, much like her mother before her. He told me, and I did remember that I had to have a mother to be here. Yet, it was difficult to recall anything about my life, and only bits and pieces would pop into my head whenever it seemed convenient. The samurai man sighed heavily. We do not have much time here in the spirit realm, so I will try to explain everything quickly to you, Nashi.

You were born to a celestial mage and a fire dragon slayer. Both are powerful magics that are difficult to control separately, and it is impossible to use them as a dual magic like the new generation of Fairy Tail mages. As a result, you chose long ago to only accept one type of magic: fire dragon slaying. However, you continued to attempt to command them both. Though you could never succeed, your power over the spirts was still strong, and you were able to break the barrier of the spirit realm and allow your own spirit to walk among us. It is dangerous for a human to be here, and if you are not careful, your spirit could be trapped inside the spirit realm forever.

But, I cannot control when I come or go, I argued, anxiety starting to overwhelm me. If I were to be trapped in here, what would happen to my body?

The man shook his head. It would disappear, and you would walk alone for eternity in this realm.

I trembled from the honesty in his words. I wish he were lying, but such a serious man would not have the time or care to toy with a little girl. Why am I here now then?

I have brought you here for a very important reason…

What is it?

You must kill Morgania, for she is attempting to break apart the realms of the spirits and control those who wander here.

What? I shouted in shock.

He looked hard into my eyes. You are here now because I called you into this realm to explain this to you…and to burden you with a task no one should ever have to carry out.

Trepidation washed in cold waves around me, and I crossed my arms as I thought for a moment. The guild was in trouble…no the world was. In the future, Morgania's power was unfathomable. She was a terrifying sorceress, with limitless magic. No one had known where her incredible power came from, and if her plot to control the spirit realm could be foiled, than Morgania's magic could be stopped, and she could be ruined before she destroys the future!

My fists clenched at my sides, and I gazed fiercely at the man with a new determination. What do I have to do, spirit king? The words shook as they came out, and memories of my father shouting about a giant "mustache man" flowed inside my head. My heart clenched as I realized who I really stood before.

He seemed pleased that I was able to remember, and held out a closed hand. I reached towards him, palm out, and he dropped a single diamond key into my hand. It glittered against the white like a thousand dancing rainbows, and I shot him a quizzical look. His only answer: Let them in.

My spirit whooshed back into my body, and I jolted up in bed, gasping wildly as if I had never breathed in my entire life. My head felt a little fuzzy, and I gripped my forehead to slow down the churning world around me, when I felt the heavy object in my hand. I gaped in horror and wonder.

Two blue paws wrapped around my neck, and Happy blurted how excited he was to see me. Carla and Wendy sat erect in there chair, asking about my injuries. Jay stood at the end of my bed, analyzing me in his quiet, serious way. Scarlet and the twins stood beside him. Seeing as she was holding their ears, and they were crying in fear, she must have just broken them away from a fight. Everyone kept looking at me, asking questions, and searching my face for answers, but I couldn't look away from the key in my hand.

Jay's voice was the one who broke me out of my trance. "What's in your hand?" he asked, silencing everyone around him as they focused on the shiny object.

My fist clenched tightly around it, and I threw the covers off, much to Wendy's dismay. She asked me to return to bed so that she could continue healing me, but I shook my head. I held my fist into the air, and shouted, "I have to speak to Master Makarov! I know how we can defeat Morgania!"

I'm writing the beginning of my new fanfiction tonight, so if you see anything called "Bounty Hunter" within the next few days, you should read it ;) just saying!