Disclaimer: Lucasfilm and Disney own SW. Not me.

Rey let out a small breath with each step on the muddy path. Since she arrived on the strange island, she had been hiking up the mountain on it. The voice that told her to climb was silent, but Rey could still feel the sensation nagging at her, so she kept on moving upwards. BB-8 followed behind with a curious whirl every now and then.

After walking for so long, the nagging was gone, and Rey finally came to a stop. Her destination was a cliff just beyond a small hill. Large stones rested atop the green grass, sprawled near the gray cliffside. Rey stood there, staring at the vast expanse of ocean beyond the cliff. The sight was quite enthralling to see from afar.

Then, Rey realized something. For all she could sense and see, there not a single living on the planet. Only her and BB-8.

Anger rose inside of Rey. Had she traveled halfway across the galaxy, abandon her loyalties, and come to a backwater planet for this? No, no-there had to be something! Anything!

Rey glared out at the empty cliffside and roared, "Well, I'm here! I finally came! Just like you wanted!"

No response. She only heard the echo of her own voice. Rey called out again, "I'm here, so tell me what you want with me! Why did you bring me out here?"

Still, nothing.

"ANSWER ME!"

"You don't have to shout," a voice said from behind.

Rey whirled around, spurring the lightsaber to life. However, the Jedi weapon shook in her startled grasp. Rey could not stop, and her eyes widened in surprise at the speaker.

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, hero of the Rebel Alliance, and destroyer of the first Death Star, sat calmly on a rock. The long white cloak draped over his shoulders and gathered on the cliffside. A smile spread across the wizened wrinkles, he looked confident for a dead man.

"What's wrong? Nexu got your tongue," the famed Jedi said cheekily.

Rey snapped herself out of her stupor. "Why am I here? Why have you been appearing to me?" she managed to say without almost breaking her voice.

"Why? Hmm…" Luke turned away his grey eyes. "I was wondering the same for thing for a while."

The anger Rey felt before rose again in her. She rushed at Luke, rising the Jedi's own blade to strike him down. Luke, on the other hand, sat where he was, unhinged.

Instead of reaching Luke, Rey was lifted off her feet, and her back skidded on the ground. The lightsaber, once in her hands, fell onto the ground, its blade extinguished. Rey tried to reach for it, but the hilt slid away and flew into the hands of the man she tried attacking.

"You should be more careful. You can hurt yourself with that," Luke said admonishingly.

Rey sat up, now able to glare at the dead Jedi. "Just what do you want with me? Why did you bring me out here?" she demanded.

The infuriating smile on Luke's face disappeared, replaced by a sad look. "I've been trying to contact you. For a long time, I did… I wanted to see you so badly. To tell you so many things so you were ready. Now, that you've opened yourself up, I can talk with you."

Sitting on the ground, Rey could only watch and listen to the Jedi Master. "It won't be easy for you to hear this, but you must. Now that the galaxy knows I'm gone, someone needs to take my place." Luke gazed at Rey with that same, sad smile. "I hoped Ben would do it. Not just for your safety, but for his own redemption."

Rey blinked. Her safety? What was he talking about?

Luke answered her unspoken question. "I didn't want you to get hurt. I wanted to protect you," he glanced down at the saber, "but that is no longer an option."

"Why choose me?"

"Many have told you that you were weak. Mediocre. But you're more than that, Rey. You have powers you haven't explored yet. With enough training, you can help the galaxy and yourself."

"But why me?" Rey pressed.

Luke knelt in front of Rey and placed the hilt in her palm. "The Force is strong in my family," he said quietly as he gently grasped Rey's other hand. "My father has it… I have it… my sister has it…"

Closing Rey's fingers on the old saber, Luke stared her in the eye and finished, "... you have that power too."

Rey could not say anything for a long moment. She stared back in disbelief at the grand hero, who smiled back at her. Her shock and surprise was obvious.

Moreso after she blinked and found Luke was nowhere to be seen. However, Rey could still hear him.

"Calm your mind and you will see… The present… the past… old friends long gone…"

So the voice of Luke Skywalker faded, leaving Rey alone to the sounds of a soothing ocean and of a confused BB-8. She looked down to the saber now in her hands. The words were fresh in her mind, and she listened to them, closing her eyes. Everything fell away-the island, the ocean, the sky, and BB-8 vanished.

And at long last, Rey could see.

The little girl ran as fast as she could. She was such a peculiar thing, trying to use what little strength she had. It would not be enough. It would never be enough against what followed.

Darth Vader, enforcer of Emperor Palpatine, approached with his lightsaber in hand. His boots echoed with every mechanized breath, drowning the girl's breaths as she tried to get away. No matter how far she ran, she was within sight and near the bloody glow of the Dark Lord's weapon.

"End her," the weapon whispered and screamed at the same time. "End her and be free."

Vader listened and changed his short steps into long strides. The closer he got to his target, his saber's glow extended closer to her as well. It wasn't long until the glow at last touched the little girl.

While she looked back, she failed to stop her feet from tripping over. She tripped herself and fell forwards. A tiny "oomph!" escaped her lips, as the red glow completely covered her. In its embrace, the girl turned around to stare at the figure of Vader looming over her.

However, it was not Vader. It was Rey. Not Rey the Jedi, but Rey the apprentice of Xa-re Ren and agent of the First Order. Her cape fluttered behind to unveil her black garb, and her eyes burned the same color as the lightsaber she held.

A lightsaber pointed at the girl.

"Strike her down, and be done with this," the weapon called again.

Rey stared, pondering on how to end this pathetic lifeform. It wouldn't be difficult. A tiny stab to the heart would do. Or she could cut off the head. There were so many ways to end a life. So many choices.

Something in Rey screamed against all of them. It howled over the weapon, begging her to stop. In response, the lightsaber screamed, "She has dragged you down! Kept you from your true power! Kill her!"

The thing inside Rey begged again. Hearing it, she hesitated. Her eyes trailed down the saber and…

Rey almost gasped. She saw the little girl. Truly saw her. This wasn't an obstacle. This wasn't something haunting her. The girl was her. Her past. The thing Rey had lost and searched for so long.

And the girl was scared of Rey.

The weapon screamed again, "Kill and be free!"

But Rey did not. She couldn't. She...

"Kill!"

Rey's grasp shook. Her vision blurred for a moment. No, she...

"KILL!"

"N-no!" Rey yelled, pushing the button on the saber.

The blade vanished, leaving nothing but shadows. Rey didn't care. She fell to her arms and knees, feeling weak, and in her weakness, she cried.

She cried and cried and cried. Horrified and painful sounds mixed with one another, but they went unnoticed by the wailing Rey. She bent over, almost prostrating her head to the ground in her sorrow until a tiny hand fell on her.

Rey looked up, her cheeks wet with tears. Even in the darkness, her blue eyes barely made out the form of her younger self, the lost little girl, kneeling in front. Despite almost dying, she had comforted Rey.

Guilt and frustration swelled up Rey's throat. "I'm sorry," she hiccupped and sniffled between her sobs. "But I can't… I can't be you anymore… I just can't..."

The little girl smiled. "It's okay. I understand."

Rey hadn't noticed her tears had stopped. Confusion lingered in her voice. "But I don't know what to do… There is so much I want to ask, but I don't…"

"Just be who you can be. And remember, I'm always here if you need me."

Again, Rey looked at the little girl. Seeing those sweet eyes and that peaceful expression on her younger self, hearing those words were… calming. Uplifting even. Like a great weight had been removed from her shoulders.

The girl turned to the side for a moment. "I have to go now," she said, standing up. "My dad's calling me. Can you take care of yourself?"

"I'll try-" Rey began but stopped herself. Taking in a deep breath, she answered, "... I'll… I'll do what I can."

Smiling, the girl left on her tiny legs. She ran towards the familiar figure of Luke Skywalker waiting behind a door of white light. Under his grey hood, Luke smiled proudly to Rey before holding out his flesh hand to the little girl.

Taking her dad's hand, the girl waved her other arm. "Bye, Rey!" she called before entered the door with Luke.

The light spread out, consuming the two and illuminating the darkness. As it did, Rey slowly raised her hand to wave back, almost unaware of what left her lips.

"Goodbye, Nelleth…"

The words echoed as Rey awoke. Her eyes drifted open to the wooden floor she lied upon. After looking around, she realized she was in the tree again. This was Ahch-To, not in the dark cave of her dreams.

That wasn't all. As Rey slowly propped herself up, she noticed a faint glow from her right fist. Curious, she held the light close to her, almost cradling it.

Slowly opening her fist, Rey basked in the glow of her new crystal.

AN: So, there's that. The first half of what you read was initially planned to be a big reveal for my TFA rewrite and the second half was to happen in my Ep 9 rewrite (where Rey, who would have lost her connection to the Force by the end of my Ep 8, would encounter her lost past while trying to regain her powers). Here, I thought to just combine them here. Like with everything else, I had written this shortly after TLJ came out and gave it up around the release of TROS. This stuff ain't much, but I hope it tickles your fancy if just a bit. That's all for now. Take care.

Raika out.