As Lucy ran down the street as fast as she could, she cursed her terrible luck for the millionth time. Why did she have to get stuck with a panda out of all the opponents out there? Although it wasn't like Natsu to run away from a fight like that.

The panda was right behind her, his every step crushing the streets with a loud thump. Lucy shouted, "Why are you chasing after me, you panda?"

"Well, you started running first," Panda pointed out, his face somehow portraying a rather serious look as he chased after her, his two tiny arms pumping back and forth as his small feet tried to keep up with the pace.

Rubble was occasionally splashing into the clear river that ran along beside the road. Lucy was already feeling her legs tire. She shouted back to the panda, "If you're feet are so small, how can you run so fast?"

"I'm trying very hard actually, you see. Since Rune did tell me to defeat some—ah."

Lucy turned around just in time to see the panda trip, falling flat on his face and sending dust flying into Lucy's eyes. As she started coughing from the debris, she heard a loud splash. She looked up to see a huge wall of water coming down on her before it drenched her completely. Before she could complain, the dust cleared, revealing the panda floating in the water. When he still didn't stir after Lucy had tried to squeeze most of the water out of her hair and clothes, mumbling to herself about her bad luck, she started to wonder if he was dead.

"Uh, are you still alive?" Lucy carefully asked, still standing a far way from the river in case the panda suddenly revived.

"Ahhhh!" the panda suddenly shouted, flailing in the water. "What happened? Am I alive? Gah! I'm drowning! Someone, help! Save—"

The rest of his sentence disappeared into bubbles as the panda sank under the water, flailing in the water. Lucy just watched him disappeared, speechless. She let out a weak laughed and muttered, "I thought pandas could swim..."

"But that doesn't mean every panda can, lady," a man's voice suddenly said.

She stumbled backwards in surprise. A man's head was bobbing in the water, staring at her with bright blue eyes. Lucy pressed herself to the buildings behind her and stammered, "W-who are you?"

"Me?" the man asked, pushing himself out of them water. His curly hair was dark brown, a small stubble of hair on his chin. He was dressed like a tourist, complete with flip flops and a flowered shirt. He replied, "I'm Panda, remember?"

"Eh?" Lucy asked, creeped out. The panda was a man? She asked, "But, weren't you just a giant panda? And weren't you just drowning?"

The man stared down at himself for a moment before his whole expression turned to one of surprise. He said, "Ah, the magic must have worn off from the water. I was wondering how I could suddenly swim."

"The panda and the man are completely different," Lucy muttered to herself. The panda had been all serious. This man was like a joke. She was pretty sure she'd rather continue to believe the giant panda had just been a talking panda.

"Ahem," the man cleared his throat. "That's of course because pandas are much more serious beings than humans are. So if you don't mind…"

A magic circle suddenly appeared over the man's head and he started changing in from, growing bigger and taller until he turned back into the panda Lucy had first seen.

"Is that your magic? Turning into a panda?" Lucy asked in disbelief.

"You misunderstand me again, lady," the panda boomed. "I can change into whatever I want, but pandas are intelligent beings, you see. That's why it's better to be a panda than anything else."

Lucy didn't really understand what was so great about being a giant panda, but let the thought go. She said, "Then I guess I'll just settle with defeating you, panda man! Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!"

With a flash of light, Loke appeared, winking at Lucy. He asked, "So how are you today, Lucy?"

"I'm fine. You can defeat the panda, right?"

Loke glanced at Panda, who seemed unfazed by his appearance. He pushed his glassed up and said, "I'll do my best. After all, he is threatening to hurt Lucy and the guild, right?"

"Who is this? Another friend of yours?" Panda asked with a questioning gaze.

Loke grinned and leapt into the air until he was face to face with the panda. He shouted, "I'm more than a friend. Anyone who dares to harm my owner will be punished, even if you are nothing but a panda!"

He flew at Panda, his hand alit with light, ready to deliver a punch. Suddenly, Panda held out a pudgy paw and easily intercepted Loke's attack.

"What?" Loke gasped in disbelief. He tried again, but this time Panda swatted him right into the building. Debris flew in Lucy's direction but Loke appeared in the nick of time, shielding her from harm. He looked back at Lucy and said "I'm sorry, but I can't seem to fight this one. I think I should retreat for now" before vanishing in a sparkle of light.

"Hmph, is that all you've got? I shouldn't be wasting time with someone like you. Layna-sama is what Rune wants after all," the panda said, crossing his arms.

"What does Rune want with Layna?" Lucy asked, clenching her teeth together. She was already unnerved by how easily the panda had defeated Loke. It just annoyed her more that the people of Grim Reaper kept going on about Layna like they were going to kidnap her. That was something she couldn't let them do.

"Outsiders do not need to know of private business," Panda replied, sternly shaking his head.

"I think you're more an outsider than I am," Lucy pointed out, eyeing the panda with slight disbelief.

Panda tilted his head to the side, studying her. Eventually, he asked, "You don't know that Layna-sama used to be one of us?"

Lucy drew a blank. Layna used to be part of Grim Reaper? She hadn't heard of anything about that. Then again, remembering how Erza had looked concerned and how Layna called herself the one who knew everything about this dark guild, it did sound somewhat plausible. Still…

"Layna is part of Fairy Tail now. Every member of Fairy Tail is a part of our family and my friend. If you are trying to take Layna back, I'm not letting you do anything to her!" Lucy declared confidently, putting her hands on her hips. Exactly. She was going to protect her friends to the very end.

Panda gave a small sigh and started shaking his head. He replied in a bored tone, "I didn't make myself clear, did I? You may be Layna-sama's friend now, but her true family lies here in Grim Reaper. Rune is her brother, after all."

A/N: Sigh. One chapter in three days. Rather pitiful, isn't it? Imagine what will happen when school starts. O_O

This might go on for a while, it might not. No guarantees, since school likes to mess with my mind, but I'll keep trying!

Anyways, as always, thanks for reading! I probably wouldn't have gotten to chapter 10 without everyone who's read this. So thanks!