Wassup readers? Like I promise, a small interlude to see how the Elemental Nations is going. If it's not too long, I might as well what's happening in Earthland so we can get to the Tower of Heaven faster.

Usually, I'd have a longer AN, but who really read that stuff?

Chapter 11: Fallen Leaves

It was a clear day in the Village of the Hidden Leaf, not a cloud in a sky. Though the sky was clear, the atmosphere was not. It was tense, the sense of fear and grief in the air. In the Hokage's Tower, Tsunade was looking at the various reports on her table. One of the recent reports were from Team Gai, about the failed rescue mission.

Last month, Suna was attacked by the Akatsuki, taking the Kazekage. They requested help from Konoha, so Tsunade sent a five-man team to help them, consisting of Team Gai, Kakashi and Sakura. They managed to save the Kazekage's brother, but they failed to rescue the Kazekage, his sister died trying to save her brother, along with most of their Shinobis, and two members of Team Gai were killed.

She sighed tiredly, remembering the backlash. Their relationship with Suna was strained for failing to rescue the Kazekage, not to mention losing two of her Shinobi. For some odd reason, the bodies disappeared without a trace, making her worried that the Akatsuki has taken them, or worst, her old teammate, Orochimaru.

Thinking about him made her think about another problem; Sayuri Uchiha.

Three years ago, after the Uchiha's defection, the village was divided. The majority of Shinobis wanted her executed for betraying the village, but the other half wanted to pardon her, so they could regain the Sharingan. It was a mess for her to hear the two sides argue like children.

Then there was the situation with Naruto. She remembered what happened when the villagers discovered his death. They celebrated. They sang, laughed, ate, and drank like there was no tomorrow. The younger Shinobis were shocked that time, seeing so many people celebrate Naruto's death. They knew he was annoying and played those pranks, but they didn't think that was enough to make people celebrate his death.

It was then that they finally knew the truth of Naruto Uzumaki and the burden he held.

The younger generation was shocked to hear his burden and some of them grew mad at the older generation. Some always wondered why the adults hated Naruto, but they never questioned it and just went along, bullying him, mocking him, laughing at him, shunning him.

Families were strained, with the younger generation feeling betrayed by the secret and guilty for how they treated Naruto. Some of them left their homes to live by themselves, refusing to listen to their elders' excuses.

It became worst when Tsunade revealed Naruto's parentage. Some were shocked and distraught when they heard who his parents were, others were in denial, refusing to believe her.

Konoha became divided and Tsunade was surprised that it hasn't collapsed yet. Perhaps that was the only good thing the Akatsuki did for the village, with the other villages preparing themselves for an ambush, especially Kumo and Iwa, who were focusing their resources on protecting their Jinchurikis.

Speaking of the Akatsuki, according to Jiraiya's spy network, the group of S-Rank Missing Nins were becoming more active recently, having taken Suna's Jinchuriki, and are now mobilizing towards the small village of Taki and the village of Kumo.

Tsunade sighed as she leaned on her chair, turning her attention to the window. She stared at the clear sky, a sense of foreboding gripping her old bones. Despite the clear sky, Tsunade couldn't help but feel the clouds of war looming over Konoha.

Meanwhile, located near the Third Training Ground, Kakashi was looking at the kunai-shaped stone where the names of all the fallen heroic Shinobis, which included the name of his fallen teammate, Obito Uchiha.

The latest to have his name carved on the stone was his student, Naruto Uzumaki.

Kakashi has a lot of regrets in his life: Disowning his dad after his death, the death of his teammates during the war, the death of his sensei and his wife, and now, his contribution to his student's death. He focused his attention more on Sayuri instead on both Naruto and Sakura, despite saying how important teamwork was.

Because of that, he inadvertently killed his student, with his own technique no less.

He perked up when he heard some footsteps. He didn't turn his head, but he knew who it was.

"Hello, Sakura-san," he greeted to the pink haired Kunoichi. She grew taller, with her hair slightly longer, wearing a sleeveless, red shirt, black gloves, black shorts with a white sash tied around her waist, a pouch tied on her waist and a pair of black sandals, her red headband protector tied across her head.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura greeted back as she stood next to him, looking at the stone monument with a sad look in her eyes. "…It's been three years since then."

"Yes," Kakashi said with a nod.

"…It's funny," Sakura said with a humorless smile. "Back when we became a team, I didn't think I'd miss Naruto so much."

She remembered her academy days when she used to be close to Naruto. But when her parents saw that, they told her to stay away from him. Like the good daughter she was, she followed her parents' order and avoided Naruto.

She then saw how most kids started mistreating him, and when the adults didn't do anything about it, she somehow found herself mistreating him, calling him names and punching him sometimes. Even when they became a team, she was still mistreating him. It was only after the Wave Mission that she started seeing Naruto differently.

He wasn't like she thought he was, a weakling who got lucky. Despite being so goofy, he trained harder than her, even asking her for help during the Tree Climbing exercise. She also saw another side of him when he cried for the fake Hunter-nin who was killed by Kakashi's Chidori.

After that, she treated him better, no longer punching him and such. She always noticed the longing look he had towards Sayuri, who gave him the cold shoulder. Not like she blamed him. She knew how close those two were back then. She remembered how Naruto would go to her like a lost puppy, despite her cold attitude towards him, always asking her to hang out with him. Every time she refused, Sakura could see the hurt in his eyes, hiding it behind a smile.

She remembered that after the Wave Mission, Sayuri was actually opening up to both her and Naruto, making the blond both happy and hopeful, but she changed after Orochimaru gave her that Cursed Mark, becoming hostile and almost unstable.

Even with that, Naruto was still chasing after her. In the process, he grew distant towards her and Kakashi after he learned the two of them hid the Curse Mark from him. Her team was basically gone after the Chunin Exams, barely functioning, but she still acted like it could be fixed.

"I…never got a chance to apologize," Sakura said as tears fell from her eyes. "I should have been a better teammate to him…a better friend…I shouldn't have listened to my parents…I'm sorry, Naruto."

"We all are," Kakashi said, putting a hand on Sakura, a somber expression on his face.

The two stood in silence as they looked at the Memorial Stone, the only sound were the rustling leaves and Sakura's soft sobs. A few minutes later, Sakura wiped her tears away before she bid Kakashi goodbye and walked away. Kakashi looked at the stone one last time before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Meanwhile, in Training Ground 8, two girls were having an intense sparring session, their bodies moving fluidly and elegantly as they exchanged blows while blocking and dodging them, their strikes sending out small shockwaves.

After a few intense minutes, the older girl sent a palm strike to the younger girl, which she blocked with her arms. The attack sent her sliding across the ground before stopping near the trees.

"Okay, that's enough," Hinata Hyuga said, lightly sweating and panting. She grew taller the past three years, with her hair grown longer that it reached her lower back, wearing a dark purple, sleeveless vest with hesh armor underneath, a black skirt, a pouch attached to her right thigh, white wristbands, and black shinobi sandals, her headband protector tied around her neck.

"Hai, Nee-san," Hanabi Hyuga, Hinata's eleven-year-old sister, said as she took deep breaths. She was wearing a tan vest over a blue, V-neck shirt, white wristbands, black shorts and black sandals, her hair was short and asymmetrical, her white pupils having a slight lavender tint in them, like her sister's. "You've gotten stronger."

"Thank you," Hinata said with a small smile before she looked up, watching the clouds passed by.

Ever since Naruto died, she regretted not being brave enough to befriend him or confess her feelings to him. She was always jealous of Sayuri Uchiha, being the only girl Naruto would look at. But when she killed him, she started to hate her. After she cried, she started training harder, her shell slowly breaking, becoming more confident.

And with confidence, came strength, training hard with both Neji and Hanabi, surprising the two on how fast she was progressing, though the former was sad on why she changed.

Then, tragedy struck when Neji died on the failed mission, making Hinata and Hanabi sad at losing him, but also made Hinata more determined to become stronger.

"Here, Nee-san," Hanabi said, handing a bottle of water to Hinata, who gratefully took it.

"Thank you, Hanabi-chan," she said with a small smile as she opened it, taking a refreshing sip. "How is everything back home?"

"Not so good," Hanabi said with a frown. "Ever since Neji-niisan went…missing, the entire clan has been arguing."

Hinata nodded sadly, since the village couldn't find Neji's body, making them fear that his eyes would be taken and be used against them, and who knows what else they were doing to his body.

"Don't worry, Hanabi-chan," Hinata said, looking determined. "We will find Neji-niisan's body and we'll give him a proper burial."

Hanabi looked at her before nodding. The two rested in silence, sitting on a tree nearby. Hinata looked at Hanabi, one of the few precious people she had left. She had a determined glint in her eyes, promising to protect her little sister.

"I swear on my nindo, my ninja way!"

Land of Rice Fields…

Beneath the ground of the hundreds of rice fields across the area, was the Hidden Sound Village, the village created by the traitorous Orochimaru, full of runaway ninjas and slaves, used for labor or inhumane experiments.

In one of the private quarters, lying on her bed, was Sayuri Uchiha, a blank expression on her face. Her hair has grown long, with it being tied to a ponytail, wearing a loose, white gi, revealing her endowed, bandaged chest, black, fingerless gloves underneath purple armguards, black shorts, purple shin guards, black sandals and a pouch attached to her waist. On her neck was the Cursed Mark Orochimaru gave her years ago.

Though her face was calm, her mind was in turmoil. Inside the recess of her mind, she was struggling against the white snakes wrapped around her, restraining her. Suddenly another Sayuri appeared in front of her, this one having white skin and yellow eyes with slitted pupils.

"Still struggling?" the white Sayuri said in a mocking tone. "Just give up. We both know that there's no escape."

"Shut up!" Sayuri exclaimed as she struggled harder. "Once I kill Itachi, I'm going to kill Orochimaru next!"

"We both know that's not going to happen," White Sayuri said as she leaned on the writhing snakes, petting them. "This was the deal, great power for your body."

"You tricked me!" Sayuri exclaimed angrily. "If I've known you'd make me…I'd never accepted!"

"But you did accept," White Sayuri said with a sneer as she grabbed Sayuri's chin, lifting her face up. "You accepted and listened to every whisper I said. I told you to ignore him to become stronger. To envy him for becoming stronger than you. Hating him for trying to stop you. And killing him for getting in your way. But hey, killing him proved fruitful, so you shouldn't complain."

Sayuri gritted her teeth in anger as she kept struggling. She tried to ignore what White Sayuri was saying, but she couldn't help but see that she was right, she accepted the power.

After Itachi massacred their entire clan, she started pushing Naruto away, because she was afraid that Itachi would kill him because of her. So, she started distancing herself from him, hoping that he would move on from her. But he didn't, and it annoyed her a little that he was so stubborn, even with all the hurtful words she said. It didn't help that they became part of the same team.

But then the Wave Mission happened, and she saw how strong Naruto became when they fought Zabuza and the Fake Hunter-Nin, somehow standing on his own against them, even using a mysterious power she's never heard of before.

When the Chunin Exams started, Sayuri was deciding whether or not to rekindle her friendship with Naruto, since he seemed to be getting stronger, but then they encountered Orochimaru in the Forest of Death and gave her the Cursed Mark.

Since then, something strange happened to her. She kept hearing a voice in her head. At first, she tried to ignore it, but it kept getting louder and persistent. She thought about telling someone, but she was afraid that people would call her crazy and force her out of the military.

Then when the preliminaries started, the voice in her head actually helped her defeat her opponent, so she started talking to it, listening to its advice to help her become stronger. It told her to continue becoming distant with Naruto, telling her that he would make her weak.

When she fought Itachi and learned that he was after Naruto, she started believing the voice. She became more violent, prone to lashing after she woken up from her Genjutsu-induced coma. She pushed Naruto away, being harsher than usual, growing jealous on how stronger he became just after a few weeks.

Then she met Orochimari's elite unit, the Sound Four, who gave her the offer to go to Orochimaru to become strong. Listening to the voice, she betrayed her village by stealing the Scroll of Sealing and leaving with the Sound Four, where they started completing the Cursed Mark. When it was finally completed, she felt like a new person, more powerful than before.

And yet, Naruto was still able to fight her equally.

Flashback…

Sayuri panted heavily as her appearance slowly changed back to normal. She surveyed the battlefield, baffled at the damage they caused, barely recognizing the landscape they changed so greatly.

"This is unbelievable!" she thought as she looked at her hands, ignoring the pain in her right arm. "This is the power I wield…and yet, he managed to fight me equally."

She turned her head towards Naruto, beaten and barely conscious, his right hand gone and his left hand holding on the scroll tightly. She could go and get it, but she didn't have time. The battle took longer than she thought, and she needed to go before more Konoha-Nins come to take her. She turned around and was about to walk away.

"Wait," the voice in her head said, making her stop. "You're just going to leave him there?"

"He can't move. He won't come after me," Sayuri said.

"Don't take any chances," the voice said. "Kill him."

Her eyes widened at what the voice was telling her to do. She turned her head to look at Naruto, the one she has betrayed for power, the one she treated poorly to become strong…the one she pushed away to protect.

"…No," Sayuri said as she started walking away. "He's no longer a threat. I don't need to kill him."

Suddenly, her body stopped moving, surprising her. She watched as white snakes suddenly wrapped around her before pulling her inside her mindscape.

"You don't have a choice," the voice said as she turned back towards Naruto.

"Wait! What's going on!?" Sayuri exclaimed as she felt her body move on its own.

She watched as she stopped in front of Naruto, who was looking at her weakly, before doing the hand signs for Chidori.

"Wait! Stop!"

"I can finally free myself from you," Sayuri said as she grabbed Naruto by the shirt and lifted him up.

"No! Don't!"

"With this, I can kill Itachi…" she lifted the Chidori, aiming at Naruto's chest.

"Stop! Stop!"

"Goodbye, Naruto," she plunged the Chidori to his chest.

"NO!"

Sayuri watched helplessly as she pulled out her hand from Naruto's chest, seeing the hurt and sadness in his eyes, all directed at her. She then watched as the body was dropped to the water, watching it float away.

"Now it's done," the voice said before Sayuri turned back and started walking away as her Sharingan evolved, the tears flowing from her eyes hidden from the rain hitting her face.

"No…NARUTO!"

Flashback End…

Since then, she's been trying to break free from Orochimaru's Cursed Mark, but she let it grow inside her, making it too strong for her to control. So there she was, trapped in her own mind, watching as her body trained itself, becoming stronger by the day.

So, she decided to wait, bidding her time until an opportunity arrives for her to escape, and then she will kill Orochimaru and then Itachi.

Then once that's done, she'll do the only thing left to redeem herself for her crimes.

Unknown…

Inside a dark cave, the members of the Akatsuki were meeting, their holographic forms gathered in a circle behind a stone statue, talking about their current predicament. Only two of them were not holograms, standing in the circle, their forms hidden in the darkness.

"Yes, though we have captured the Ichibi and Nanabi Jinchurikis, before we could extract all the Biju's chakra, the bodies disappear," One of the members said.

"That is strange," another member said.

"The fact that the Ichibi Jinchuriki's burned corpse wasn't there to be seen is an insult to my art!" another member exclaimed angrily.

"Not to mention the bodies of those two Konoha-Nins that tried to help them disappeared as well," his partner said. "Too bad. They would have made great puppets."

"So, it's not just the Jinchurikis, but other shinobis as well," a calm voice said, his red eyes piercing through the darkness.

"We can worry about that later," the man at the center said, his purple, rippled eyes looking at the red ones. "How goes the search for the Kyubi Jinchuriki?"

"No sign of the little punk's body," a man said next to the red eyes. "Maybe he disappeared like those other Jinchurikis."

"If that's true, then it'll be problematic for our mission without the Nine Tail Fox's chakra," a member said. "Even if we did collect the rest, we can't activate the plan without all nine of them."

"Until we learn more, let us focus on the remaining Jinchurikis," the leader said. "Itachi, are you and Kisame close to Kumo?"

"Just a day away until we reach the village."

"Good. Since there's two of them, be sure to capture them with caution. Kakuzu and Hidan, are you near Iwa?"

"Yes."

"Then also capture the Yonbi with caution. Sasori, you and Deidara capture the Rokubi Jinchuriki."

What about the Sanbi? Before we could extract it from its host, it escaped."

"I will personally handle the Sanbi. Dismiss."

With that, the holograms disappeared, leaving the red eyes alone with his partner.

"So, we're after two of them, eh?" the man said, grinning to reveal shark-like teeth. "This will be fun."

"Hn…" the red eyes said before the two exited the caves, ready to begin their mission.

Earthland…

"I didn't know you can hold your drinks so well!" Cana exclaimed; her face flushed from all the alcohol she drank.

"I have a big tolerance to alcohol," Fox replied, not sounding drunk despite the amount he drank.

Their guildmates watched them with disbelief, staring at the number of empty bottles piled in front of them. Kurama was sitting on Fox's head, yawning, as Mirajane had a forced smile on her face as she handed them another bottle while Lisanna and Flare cleaned up the empty bottles.

It's been almost an hour since the three returned from their mission, and as soon as they arrived, Cana dragged Fox to the bar and the two started drinking. Everyone was shocked that Cana invited Fox to drink with her and were even more shock to see Fox matching her by the bottle and not get hammered like Cana is.

"Aw~, no fair~," Cana said in a slushed tone as she laid her head on the bar, looking at Fox. "I was hoping to get you drunk so you can start talking about yourself~."

"Too bad for you then," Fox said as he finished another mug in one chug.

"You're so mean~," Cana said with a chuckle before she rested her head on the counter. "I had fun, Fox~."

"…Me too," Fox said, having enjoyed reconnecting with Cana. He turned his head when he heard light snoring, Cana passing out from drinking. Fox smiled behind his mask as he put his mug down.

"Ara, you two seem to have gotten close," Mirajane said with a sweet smile, leaking some killing intent, making Fox sweatdrop. "It's so nice to see Cana enjoying herself."

"Somehow…I don't believe you," Fox and Kurama thought as their guildmates moved further away from the bar as Lisanna chuckled while patting a scared Flare on the head. Fox could also sense that Juvia was nearby, releasing some killing intent from behind some crates.

They were interrupted when they heard some squabbles. Turning, they saw Natsu and Gray having their usual squabble. Erza wasn't there, so they were free to call each other names.

"Did they have another fight?" Kurama asked, noticing that they were covered in bandages.

"No, they got that from a pillow fight," Lisanna replied with a giggle.

"…Idiots," Kurama said as he closed his eyes.

"I won that pillow fight!" Natsu exclaimed.

"You didn't win because you set the pillows on fire!" Gray shot back. "Why the hell did you do that!?"

"I always give it my all to everything!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Oh? Like how you gave it your all to lose!?" Gray exclaimed.

"You're the one who lost!" Natsu exclaimed.

Suddenly, Lucy walked past them and sat on a bar next to Fox, looking on the wooden surface. The two quickly rushed to her, not noticing her body language.

"Lucy! Who won the pillow fight!?" they both exclaimed to her.

They both waited for her reply as she turned her head, giving them a terrifying glare that made the two stepped back in fear.

"Be quiet," she growled before turning back to the counter as Natsu and Gray quickly ran away from her, taking their dispute somewhere else.

"Geez, all females are troublesome," Kurama grumbled as Lucy was glaring at the counter.

"What's wrong, Lucy-san?" Fox asked, since it was rare for him to see Lucy so mad.

"…It's Loki," Lucy grumbled as she rested her head on her hands. "He played a dirty prank on me."

"Oh?" Fox said, confused since Loki wasn't one for pranks, especially to the opposite sex. "What did he do?"

"He told me he was dying," she growled. "I mean honestly, that's such a tasteless prank to p-."

She stopped talking when Fox grabbed her by the shoulders, making her face him. She was shocked as she looked at Fox. Everyone looked at him surprised by his abrupt action.

"He told you he was dying?" he said in a serious voice.

"Y-yeah," Lucy said with a nod, a little worried by Fox's action.

Suddenly, Fox stood up, almost jostling Kurama off his head, and pulled Lucy away from the guild, the three disappearing into the shadows, confusing everyone.

"What was that about?" Lisanna asked in a worried.

"I don't know," Mirajane said with a small frown before she turned to her fellow guildmates. "Everyone!"

Lucy found herself in a forest clearing after going through a dark abyss, feeling slightly disoriented. Before she could recover, Fox was carrying her over his shoulder and running across the forest at top speed.

"Kya! What's going on, Fox-kun!?" Lucy exclaimed as they rushed to the trees. She then saw Kurama beside them, flying as fast as Fox.

"We need to stop that idiot," Kurama growled.

"Stop?" Lucy asked, confused.

"Loki…is planning to die," Fox said in a grim tone as Lucy's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean he wasn't joking?" she asked.

"No," Fox said. "Ever since he joined the Guild, Loki has been struggling. I've been helping him with my seals, but this time, he's not asking for help."

"Loki is sick?" Lucy asked, surprised since Loki didn't look sick. "Wait…does this have something to do with a Celestial Spirit Mage?"

"…Yes."

"But why? What connection does Loki have with a Celestial Spirits?" Lucy asked, confused and worried.

"Karen Lilica," Fox replied.

Lucy looked confused by that. She know who he was talking about, a Celestial Spirit Mage in Blue Pegasus who died years before she joined Fairy Tail. Rumor was it that she was abusive towards her Spirits, making her Lucy's least favorite mage.

"What does she have to do with Loki?" Lucy asked.

"You're smart, figure it out," Fox said as they kept moving, making her pout at him.

She tried to think about what Loki's connection with Karen. So far, she couldn't think of anything. What she knew about Loki was he was a womanizing flirt who joined Fairy Tail three ago. Karen was a mage in Blue Pegasus who died four years ago.

Her mind raced, trying to think about Karen. She was somewhat famous before her death, due to her looks and skills. She was also known for having two of the Twelve Golden Keys, Aries the Lam…and Leo the Lion.

"We're here," Fox said, suddenly halting to a stop before putting Lucy down as Kurama landed on Fox's head. She found themselves near a cliff, and at the edge was Loki, looking at a cross-shaped tombstone. "Loki-san!"

Loki turned his head, looking worst for wear, a small smile on his face as he saw who it was. "Fox-san."

"Don't do this, Loki-san," Fox said, walking towards him.

"…I'm tired, Naruto-san," Loki said, using Fox's real name. "It's been four years since I killed Karen. I can't live with the guilt anymore. I need to do this."

"No, you don't!" Lucy exclaimed, running next to Fox, causing Loki to look surprise. "Karen's death wasn't your fault, Leo!"

"You told her?" Loki asked Fox, surprised to see Lucy and that she knows who he is.

"Just enough for her to figure it out on her own," Fox admitted with a shrug. "I told you, she's smart."

"Surprisingly," Kurama said, causing Lucy to glare at him before she turned back to Loki.

"Leo, I don't know how Karen died, but it isn't your fault," Lucy said.

"Yes it was," Loki said with a loathsome smile as he turned back to the tombstone. "I was her Spirit, and I killed her."

As Loki looked at the tombstone, he told Lucy his story, about how Karen kept abusing his friend, Aries, until he intervened. He told Karen to end her contract with them or he won't let her summon other Spirits, making her unable to use her other Spirits. For six months, he endured, ignoring Karen's orders, pleas, and promises. And just as he was about to end her punishment, the master of Blue Pegasus told him that Karen, out of desperation, took on a job and was killed due to her unable to use her Spirits. Due to his involvement of his Master's death, he was forbidden from returning to the Spirit World as punishment.

"…after that, I just wandered around, finding a way to atone for my sin," Loki said with tears in his eyes, revealing his greatest shame. "It wasn't long after that I met Naruto-san, and he convinced me to join Fairy Tail as repentance."

"I did," Fox said in a quiet voice. "I couldn't let you die for trying to help a friend. Karen's death wasn't your fault. You shouldn't be killed for that!"

"I was her Spirit!" Loki exclaimed. "Because of me, I killed my Master! That is a crime that can't be forgiven!"

Suddenly, he groaned as he started glowing. He fell to the ground as he slowly disappeared. Shocked, Lucy ran towards him and knelt next to him with Fox and Kurama behind her.

"No!" Lucy cried as Loki groaned in pain. "This isn't right! You shouldn't be killed for this!"

"It's okay, Lucy-san," Loki said with a small smile. "I have many regrets, but I didn't regret joining Fairy Tail, because I met so many wonderful people, as well as a Celestial Spirit Mage like you."

"Here," Fox said as he handed a seal to Loki. "Quick! Put it on before you disappear!"

"I broke the rules, Naruto-san," Loki groaned as he slowly disappeared, pushing the seal away. "This is my punishment."

"If the rules punish you for helping a friend, then I'll change the rules!" Lucy exclaimed as she released a golden glow, surprising everyone around her. She then grabbed Loki and glowed brighter. "Gate of the Lion, I open you!"

"Lucy-san!?" Fox exclaimed, seeing what she was trying to put Loki back in the Celestial Spirit World.

"Stop!" Loki exclaimed as he tried to push Lucy off him. "You'll be killed!"

"I don't care!" Lucy exclaimed as she forced her magic into Loki. Suddenly, the golden glow flew into the sky and exploded.

Suddenly, the skies darkened as the air started spinning above them. Stars suddenly appeared, spinning majestically before a portal appeared. Everyone watched in awe and shock as a being appeared in front of them. It was a giant, humanoid creature with broad shoulders, blue skin, red eyes and a white, oversized mustache, wearing white and blue royal-like armor, and a crown with a golden star on the center, his cape shifting in the nonexistent air, looking like the skies in the night.

"Who is that?" Kurama exclaimed as he hoped off Fox's head and transformed, preparing to fight.

"The Celestial Spirit King!?" Loki exclaimed in shock. "Why is he here!?"

"King?" Lucy said in a dumbfounded tone. "You mean he's the ruler of the Celestial Spirits?"

"…That's an impressive mustache," Fox commented.

The Celestial Spirit King then turned his gaze towards them, especially at Loki.

"Old friend," he greeted in an echoey voice, power radiating from his tone. "You know that it is forbidden for us to kill who possesses one of our Keys. It matters not if it was direct or indirect. Rules are rules. Leo the Lion, you are no longer allowed to return to the Spirit World."

"Hey! That's going to far!" Lucy exclaimed with a glare.

"Lucy, stop!" Loki exclaimed, looking fearful.

"Old friend…Human girl," the Spirit King said, turning his attention to Lucy. "That law shall not be changed."

"Law?" Loki thought, looking at the Spirit King in shock. "Did the Spirit King show himself because Lucy-san said that she'd change the rules?"

"Even if that is the law, it's unfair," Fox said, standing next to Lucy, facing the Spirit King. "Loki has suffered for years, both physically and mentally for his Master's death. Isn't that enough?"

"That's right!" Lucy exclaimed. "Loki-san has endured for three years! He suffered for his friend! For Aries! What else could he do!?"

"I, too, am in pain for my old friend," the Spirit King said in a sad tone. "But the rules are rules."

"What do you mean 'old' friend!?" Lucy exclaimed angrily. "He's your friend right here, right now! So listen here, Mustache Bastard!"

"Mustache?" Spirit King asked, looking more confused than insulted.

"L-Lucy-san!" Loki said as Fox simply snorted while Kurama chuckled.

"Karen's death was an unfortunate accident!" Lucy continued, ignoring Loki. "Loki had nothing to do with it! And he had to suffer for it! I won't accept it!"

"Please, enough you guys!" Loki cried, looking down. "I don't want forgiveness. I just want to disappear!"

"That won't bring Karen back!" Lucy exclaimed as she released a golden glow. "You disappearing won't make anyone happy! It'll make all of our friends, all of your friends, sad! Caring for your friends isn't a crime!"

In a flash of light, all of Lucy's Celestial Spirits were gathered around her, all supporting her in front of their king, surprising Loki, Fox, and Kurama.

"She summoned this many Spirits at once…" Loki thought in shock. "Even Karen couldn't do this."

"Listen to her, Loki-san," Fox said. "If you die, no one will be happy. Dying isn't the same as repenting."

"You guys…" Loki said, looking at his fellow guild members and at the Spirits.

Suddenly, the glow around Lucy disappeared, causing the Spirits to return. She suddenly stumbled, causing Fox to catch her before she fell.

"Lucy!" Loki exclaimed in worry. "Please stop! If you keep this up, you'll end up like Karen!"

"Hm…" the Spirit King mused, looking at them. "If my old friend goes as so far as to say that, then perhaps it is the law that is wrong. Leo, who committed the crime for his fellow Spirit Aries, and you two, old friends, who tried to save that Leo…Considering the beauty of that bond, I shall make an exception for this incident. Leo the Lion, I give you the warrant to return to the Spirit World."

Loki look shock while Lucy had a big smile on her face. She then gave a wink to the Spirit King and a thumbs up.

"You're not such a bad guy, Mustache Man!" she said, causing the Spirit King to give her a big grin.

"You are pardoned, old friend," the Spirit King declared, slowly disappearing. "Be grateful to the star's guidance."

"But…I…" Loki said, crying, still not forgiving himself.

"If you still wish to repent for your sins, then I order you to aid your friends and live on, protect the friends you have made with your life. That is how you will repent," the Spirit King said before disappearing, the sky returning to normal.

"Well, you heard him," Fox said, turning to face a crying Loki as Kurama turned back to normal. "Guess you got no choice but to live, Leo."

Loki, with a small smile, stood up and faced the people who saved him. He then held out a hand to Lucy, which she took with a smile.

"Fox-san, Lucy-san," he said with a grateful smile as he disappeared. "Thank you."

In a flash of light, Leo was gone. Lucy, with a smile, looked at her hand, seeing the Golden Key of the Lion.

"Well done, Lucy-san," Fox said as he suddenly carried Lucy like a princess.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, blushing as they started walking away from the cliff. Suddenly, she felt lightheaded, making her head rest on Fox's shoulder.

"You pushed yourself too much today," Fox said, sensing how much magic she has left.

"That was impressive, Blondie," Kurama said, going on Fox's head.

"…Thanks," she said with a smile as she looked at the key.

"Let's go home," Fox said as they disappeared into the shadows, to return to Fairy Tail.

Finally. Been a struggle to write. Ever since Spring started, as well as vaccinations, my job has been busy as hell. Been so tired to even think about chapters. I took a short break, and that kinda help. So, we saw what was happening in Konoha. Big things are happening in the Elemental Nations. And we finally reached the opening of the Tower of Heaven Arc. I know a lot of you guys are looking forward to that.

Well, time for you guys to wait another long time for the next chapter. Blame the jaws of life. Next chapter, beach party! See you later!