Please note: This is not the next chapter of the story, but a preview of the next chapter in the upcoming sequel ;) I've just been spacing everything out. Again, thank you all for reading and the reviews and I'll be sure to have our next story up soon!

To Love A Beast

"This is it! I just know it!"

"Natsuuu! You said that last time!"

The pink haired mage turned around to his female companion. They had been traveling for quite some time now, falling dependent on the dragon slayer's nose. Ever since he had heard the selected two words back at the castle he had been haunted by them and was determined to find their source. The only thing left in his memory banks about it was a sense of home, safety and the smell he was continuing to follow. The princess had decided to join him after she had been banished by her father. Both of them left without a home except for each other, the princess's keys, and Natsu's failing memory but impeccable nose.

"I know what I said, Princess," he replied as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "But this time I'm really sure!"

The princess let out a sigh. "Alright, alright," she muttered. "But this is the last time we're relying on your nose. If it fails, we're asking for directions."

"Princess! I don't need those!"

"What is with men and directions? And stop calling me princess!" the blonde snapped. "I no longer hold the title so just call me by my name, Lucy. We're friends after all."

Natsu rolled his eyes at this. "Whatever you say, princess."

At this, Lucy pouted but made no effort to correct the dragon slayer. She had already picked up that it was going to be difficult to train him to address her as Lucy after he had been called her princess well over a year. Sighing, she pulled out a set of golden keys from the brown leather pouch she had taken from home. Setting the three keys in her palm, she began to study them as they walked. She still knew little about the magic Loke had told her, but apparently she was capable of using the same magic as her mother. She just didn't understand how to use it. Natsu was sure the people in Fairy Tail would help her with it.

Fairy Tail...She closed her hands tightly over the keys. Lucy was still suspicious about the place. According to Loke it was a guild but he wasn't giving them anymore information. That's what scared her. Ever since her father cut out all contact with magic, Lucy felt completely lost. Living with Natsu had its virtues as she learned more about magic, but she learned even more from the book she had desperately wanted and Virgo had requested it from a guild. So perhaps guilds aren't so bad like Father always said...
"How much farther do you think we have to go?" Lucy questioned, looking up from her keys now.

Natsu sniffed around for a moment before replying. "It's around here somewhere..." he placed his hand upon a branch, moving it out of the way when suddenly a huge grin came to his face."I knew this was it! Come look at this, Princess!"

The mage held out his hand to lead her. Lucy took hold of it, following him along as he held the branch back in place. They came to a ledge that overlooked a large town below. Lucy's eyes grew wide in amazement. She never expected villages to be this big outside of the kingdom. It looked to be half the size of the castle's town back home. "So that's-"

"Magonlia!" Natsu breathed.