Lucy POV

Laxus was looking at me with a mixture of shame and apprehension. If we had more time then I might have sat him down and asked him further, but I suppose I'll have to wait until after I deal with the creature. I took in the scene around me. Sure enough, I could see the Thunder Legion off to my right, duking it out with what appeared to be a large dog. This must be the "beast" that Laxus had been speaking of.

The creature was, true to Laxus's word, approximately the size of an Irish Wolfhound and had a deep blue color. It had the head and the front half of the body of a fox, the back half looking more feline, including the tail of a cat with giant spikes spread out. It was using its tail to whip back and forth, sending needles to and fro, piercing whatever they came in contact with. Looking into its eyes, I noticed that their color was off. They should have been silver, but they were red, and darting around frantically, as if it were an animal pushed into a corner. I also had barely enough time to notice that the thick fur on its front half was standing on end, pointing out like needles ready to be sent out at any minute.

Slowly I pulled Laxus's arms from around me, not having time to wonder why they were still there in the first place. I made my way towards the poor thing, making sure to make my presence known by releasing some of my magic at the same time. The beast whipped its head around to look at me, the red in its eyes dimming down ever so slightly, taking comfort in the familiar feel of my magic.

"Miss Lucy! Thank the gods you're here, but what do you think you're doing?!" Freed yelled at me, taking advantage of the momentary distraction. Unfortunately the creature decided to take offense to something and whipped its tail towards Freed and the others.

"Star Dress: Aries! Wool Wall!"

I felt the magic run through my veins as the pink wool was send out in a protective wall to shield the Thunder Legion from the creatures attack. The wool managed to stop the needles just in the nick of time as the points were a mere few inches away from their faces.

"Freed, Ever, Bixslow, I'm going to need you three to back away from him. I know exactly how to handle this but I need you three out of harms way. He won't harm me, but there's something I need to do." I kept my voice level and calm, speaking slowly and rhythmically so to put the beast at ease. As the three mages looked between myself and the beast with caution riddling their gaze, they slowly followed my orders. I then heard a low growl from behind me. I glared at the source of said growl and said, "I need you to trust me. Please?"

I could see Laxus's shoulders slump, defeated. I turned slowly back to the beast and I noticed his hackles were dropping, though it was obvious he still held reservations.

Finally turning back to the beast, I studied it a little closer. The red tinge in its eyes was waning, but there was a great deal of caution still kept there. It's fur was gorgeous and looked so soft, I just wanted to run my fingers through it. I dropped my star Dress before taking a few more excruciatingly slow steps forward, maintaining posture and my trickle of magic that I had been releasing.

I reached for my whip that was secured to my belt and I saw the creatures lips pull upwards in a silent snarl of warning.

"It's okay. I'm just going to set this on the ground. I'm not trying to hurt you, I promise." And with my words I sent the creature a gentle smile to help soothe it.

His eyes carefully examined me as I gently set my whip on the ground and resumed my trek towards him. Well, for all I know it could be a her, but it really just strikes me as male.

I was a couple yards away when I stopped and sat down on the ground, looking him in the eye as if trying to convey a silent link of calm and peacefulness. I wanted him to trust me. Especially if what I thought was going on was the reality.

"What the Hell do you think you're doing Blondie?" I heard Laxus's growl from somewhere behind me. He wasn't daring to come closer than where I left him and the others, but just knowing he was there helped resolve my nerves. His presence also somehow managed to set off a strange contradictory feeling of both heat and coolness, working me up and setting me at ease all in the same moment. It was almost as if his simple being was a big "fuck you" to convention.

"Laxus, please calm down and be quiet. I know exactly what I am doing and I need you to trust me." And though I was technically speaking to Laxus, I looked the creature straight in the eyes as I spoke the last part. Seeming a bit miffed, I heard Laxus's tch from here, but also saw almost exactly the same reaction in the creature before me, and so, I really just couldn't help myself.

I giggled.

I watched as the creatures head whip around to look me in the eyes once more, "So..." I began as my giggles died down, "Are you going to tell me why you seem so upset Mr. Manticore?"

Laxus POV

"So... Are you going to tell me why you seem so upset Mr. Manticore?" I heard her say. I sat there completely flabbergasted. This thing had wrought all kinds of destruction and injured so many people all for her to sit down and have a fucking conversation with it? What the Hell?

"Did... Did she just say manticore?" I heard Freed whisper-shout at me. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms in front of my chest, adopting the same bored expression I usually wore.

"Yeah. What's the issue? You know something about this thing?" I glanced at Freed. If anybody other than Lucy were to know something about this thing then it would be Freed. I have no fucking clue as to why he would wait until now to spit out whatever information he had in it though. Maybe Mira is rubbing off on him too much and he's trying to play some kind of matchmaker game. 'Ugh. That's the last thing I need.'

"I've read about it but this small creature looks nothing like the drawings in the book that I read." Freed sounded a bit worried.

"Well I suppose that would explain why you couldn't figure out what the Hell it was." I looked back towards Lucy. The manticore, as Freed and Lucy had referred to it, had moved closer to Lucy, and was laying down in front of her with its head resting on its paws.

"A manticore, despite the ancient myths, is a creature bound to serve celestial mages. Defend them, accompany them, whatever the mage may need. They originate from the Celestial World, yet they cannot return, nor do they need a key to be summoned to the Celestial Mages side. They are lifelong companions, and much like their brethren from the spirit world, are virtually immortal."

As I listened to Freed drone on about the manticore I wondered about why the hell it had gone crazy and destroyed everything. I decided to ask this and when I did Freed gave me an odd look.

"I honestly don't know." Was his reply.

"I can answer that." I heard Blondies voice ring out behind me, and turned to look at her. The manticore was by her side, the beast much more relaxed and calm now that Lucy was here.

"Okay miss knows-it-all. Please explain because I really am rather confused." I finally said, breaking the temporary silence that had overcome the small group.

"His previous master was one of those that had been killed when they were trying to unseal the Infinity Clock. He had sat here at the entrance to the town where his master had left him, telling him he would be back and to defend the town until his return. He waited and waited, yet finally a day came when one of the villagers had decided to deliver the news of the masters untimely demise. After that... well, you see, manticore require masters, otherwise they go insane. He had been so long without his master that the only thread to his sanity that remained was his hope that his master would one day return."

She looked sadly down at the creature, whose ears and tail had dropped and was staring at the ground woefully. I felt for him. I remember waiting for my own father to come home and he never did. He was batshit crazy, and I knew that now. He had also been abusive and a complete and utter failure as a father, but as a child I hadn't understood that.

I kneeled down to look at the manticore, "Hey, just so you know, I know exactly how you feel. A few years back, I went a little crazy and hurt my nakama too. But you know what? That experience is what helped me learn how to appreciate and love my nakama even more deeply than I ever had before. Your trials and errors help build you and make you into who you are meant to be. Now, the biggest key is helping those who you hurt recover and get better themselves."

The manticore looked at me with a new hope. I felt the need to squirm around and hide, though I would never admit to it. To this day, having someone look up to me or look to me for leadership made me uncomfortable, but now I simply accept that there's nothing I can do and do my best to not lead them the wrong way.

"Thank you... Laxus." I looked back up to Blondie and noticed her eyes were slightly watered, and she was holding her hands over her heart. I sent a gentle smile her way and I heart her heart flutter a little. I could feel my own cheeks gain a slight blush.

"I didn't say anything that wasn't already true, Blondie." I say as I stand up.

"That doesn't change the fact that what you said was sweet, Laxus. You really are a pretty good leader." She grinned down, bending over slightly to try and meet me at my level. My eyes widened a bit and then I finally looked off to the side, only watching her out of the corner of my eyes.

"Ain't a damn thing about me that's sweet, Blondie." Suddenly I got a bright idea in my head to tease her a bit, so I continued, "but I be heard I'm kinda salty..." I finished with a sly smirk.

I watched as Blondie turned a violent shade of red as she realized the dual meaning of the joke. Although, I'll give her props because the next thing I knew she had screamed "LUCY KICK!" And I was flying through the air.

Once I landed and got my breath back, (god damn she's got a helluva kick. I can only imagine what those thighs could do...) I looked up at her in shock, "Oi! Blondie I didn't know you were that strong! And what the Hell was that for anyways?" I said rather gruffly, still feeling my stomach doing somersaults from the impact of her foot and shin.

"Why'd you have to go and say some dumb shit like that?! You ruined a perfectly amazing moment!" She yelled back.

I heard a gasp from the other three, as well as exclamations of "I didn't even know she knew any curse words!", "Did Ms. Lucy really just say that?" And of course, "Damn! I didn't think Cosplayer had it in her!" Apparently she was usually more conservative language wise.

I looked at her weirdly for a moment before throwing my head back and letting out a booming laugh, which surprised my teammates even more than her cursing had.

Thump. The other three had fallen to the floor, their ghosts coming out of their bodies. Not that I cared. I was too busy laughing.

When I finally collected myself once more I noticed Blondie looking at me with a look of awe and wonder on her face. And maybe... something else...

Before I could get a proper look at what was lying behind her eyes she turned away from me and looked down at the furiest of our companions, ignoring the three who were finally recovering themselves, "So, Mr. Manticore... what should I name you...?"

Alright. That is the end of the third part. After this I have one more part that will be set in the post-Tartaros/pre-Alvarez Arc and then I'll do a bit of a time skip to do some short chapters on their battles. I'm gonna do that so that I can set up for a higher arc in my own story later on, so these short chapters that are gonna be coming up are really vital to my plans. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know you guys were probably wanting more action and battles, and trust me, you'll get just that, but my plans needed another character that Laxus and Lucy could both relate to and push them together so here we are. Please leave reviews and let me know what you guys thought! (And yes his sickness will be heavily discussed in the next chapter) thank you all for reading and stay tuned for more LaLu love!