Sorry for the delay! I've just been so busy with school and hockey tournaments, and other family issues! But in honor of my new baby cousin, who was just born yesterday, I dedicate this chapter to Linzielee, my cute little cousin!

"Thank you for staying with us, we hope to see you soon." The staff said, bowing towards Lucy and her companions.

Lucy smiled at them and nodded.

"Thank you." Wendy bowed before they walked out the door.

"Ah, my back feels so good right now!" Lucy cheered, stretching her arms over her head. "It's been so long since I last slept on an actual bed." She smiled.

Laxus folded her arms. "That I paid for."

Lucy flinched. "…Right… Thanks…." Lucy said quickly, which caused Laxus to smirk.

Wendy chuckled, smiling brightly while Charle folded her arms.

Wendy paused to re-think of her plan. The meeting with all the guilds was in 4 days, it would take 3 days to get there by walking. 4 days left with Lucy and Laxus.

Time seemed to go by so fast, she had only meet Lucy and Laxus 2 days ago… but even so, she had come to think of them as close Nakama.

"Okay, so we're headed North." Laxus said, throwing his bag over his shoulder and walking to his left.

"Laxus… that's South." Lucy announced.

Laxus flinched and whirled around. "I knew that!" he snapped, storming passed her.

Lucy smirked and winked at Wendy who covered her mouth to stifle her giggles.

Wendy turned her head away with a "Hmph."

"So, Laxus. What was that "unfinished" business you said you had to finish in this town." Lucy asked as they followed after the older blonde.

"It's none of your concern." Laxus answered quickly.

Lucy folded her arms, pouting. "Fine then, don't tell us."

"Wasn't planning to." Laxus smirked over his shoulder. Lucy glared at him but sighed.

As the 4 companions walked in silence out of the village, Lucy couldn't help but notice the dull atmosphere.

"This is boring." Lucy thought dryly. She glanced at Wendy, who looked like she wanted to say something to brighten up the mood, but didn't know what. Lucy thought for a moment, hoping to find something to brighten up everyone's day.

"Hey Wendy." She smiled over her shoulder.
"Yes?" Wendy asked, looking up at the celestial mage in surprise.
"Truth or dare."

"You have got to be kidding me, you're really going to play that stupid game?" Laxus asked over his shoulder with a scowl.

"It's not stupid, it's a very fun and loved by all game… except for you Laxus, who is a sour apple and doesn't know how to kick back and act like a kid for once." Lucy yelled at him, waving her fist in the air.

"Maybe that because I'm an adult." Laxus suggested. "Unlike you, little girl." Laxus smirked.

"I'm almost 18!" Lucy yelled in anger, preparing to pounce at the older blonde. "Besides you're only… 4 or 5 years older then me." Lucy announced.

Laxus's smirk stayed plastered on his face as he stared at the younger celestial mage.

Wendy, after much thought finally came to an answer. "Truth." She said.

Lucy nodded, thinking for a moment. "Okay… Do you think Laxus is a sour apple?" Lucy asked, her tone for some reason getting very serious.

Wendy blinked, flinching when Laxus stopped to stare at her. "W-Well… I uh… That is to say-"

"You HAVE to tell the truth Wendy!" Lucy yelled, pointing at her.

Wendy squeaked jumping back a bit. "W-Well… It's just that… I suppose sometimes you-"

"AH HA! See Laxus! You are a sour apple!" Lucy yelled, pointing at Laxus in victory.

Laxus glared at her, scowling.

Wendy looked down at her feet, feeling embarrassed.

"Okay fine, my turn." Laxus said, folding his arms. "Lucy, truth or dare?"

Lucy blinked, smirking at Laxus for giving in. "I thought this game was stupid."

"It is, so just shut up and pick on." Laxus snapped.

Lucy chuckled. "Okay fine, Truth."

"Are you going out with that celestial spirit of yours? Loki I think his name was." Laxus asked?

"W…. WHAT SORT OF QUESTION IS THAT!" Lucy demanded.

Laxus shrugged. "It's just a question.'
"Why do you want to know!"

Laxus shrugged again, looking away. "Just answer."

Lucy stared at Laxus for a long time before sighing, flinching at the stare Wendy and Charle were giving her.

"Okay fine, if you all really want to know. Loki is nice, though mostly a playboy, and he's one of my strongest celestial spirits… but…" Lucy paused rubbing her head in thought. "Even if I did like Loki in that way, it would never work out. He's immortal, and we have a contract, I'm pretty sure we will both be in pretty big trouble if we go passed a comrade relationship." Lucy explained.

Laxus fell silent but slowly nodded. "Okay." He said turning away.

"Hey wait, that's all? Why did you want to even know how I felt about Loki anyway!" Lucy yelled at the older blonde.
Laxus shrugged again. "Information gathering. I don't know anything about you, and you know nothing about me, so now we know something about each other." Laxus smirked over his shoulder.
"Information gathering- wait! That's not fair! I still know almost nothing about you!" Lucy yelled angrily running after the fleeing Laxus.

Wendy chuckled at the two as she followed after them. "Aren't they fun Charle?" Wendy laughed.

'Their noisy." Charle said folding her arms as she floated above Wendy's face, though she couldn't help but smile back at Wendy bright mood.

"Laxus truth or dare!" Lucy yelled, slowly catching up to the older mage.

"I'm not playing this stupid game."

"But you just asked me truth or dare!" Lucy argued.
"I have no recollection of that." Laxus shrugged innocently, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"JERK!"

As the three continued down the path leading into the mountains ahead, Lucy glanced over her shoulder at Wendy, who was happily chatting with Charle.

Even if Wendy was capable of great things, she couldn't help but be worried about her. To send a child on a mission that involved several different guilds, it's just seemed too dangerous. She would never say that out loud. Wendy seemed doubtful of her abilities as it was, she didn't want her to feel even more self-conscious of her strength.

"Training time!"

Lucy gasped in shock when Laxus suddenly stopped in front of her, causing her to run into his back.

"Laxus!" Lucy scolded, stepping back and holding her nose in pain. "What do you mean training?"

"It's just as I said." Laxus said over his shoulder, pointing ahead.

Lucy blinked, obviously confused. She looked over Laxus's shoulder, to stare at the area ahead of them. "Okay… I'll be honest… what am I looking at?" Lucy asked, staring up at the older blonde.

"That." Laxus smirked, pointing straight forward. Lucy looked back forward and her eyes widened.

"You mean… that boulder?" Lucy asked slowly.

Laxus nodded. "Punch it."

"… Why would I just randomly punch a boulder?" Lucy asked slowly, trying to keep an even tone.

"Afraid?"

"Of course I'm not afraid! It just seems pointless to just punch a boulder!" Lucy yelled angrily.

"I asked you a month ago, when we first left, to punch a boulder. Remember?" Lucy paused to stare a Laxus.

It was true, a few days after they had left Oshibana, Laxus had made them stop in the middle of a field, and just so she could punch a boulder. She had tried, and had lost all feeling in her right hand for around 2 hours.

"At that time you could not even make a dent in it. You were weak since you just got out of the hospital so I can't blame you that much. Even so, you said most of the training I have put you through was pointless, so I ask you to prove that right now, and punch the boulder." Laxus folded his arms over his chest and stared down at Lucy, his eyes calm and challenging.

Lucy glanced back at Wendy and Charle, who were both staring at Lucy, wondering what the celestial mage would do.

Lucy sighed. "Okay, fine." Lucy trudged towards the boulder and stared at the large gray rock. She glanced down at her right fist then back at the boulder.

"Do I really have to?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at Laxus with a pout. Laxus nodded. Lucy sighed once again and brought her fist back.

"It's going to be painful." The thought came into her mind quickly, causing her to tense up and hesitate.

"Don't be so tense, or it's definitely going to hurt." Laxus called out calmly.

"I know that!" Lucy snapped.

"This is ridiculous." Charle said, folding her arms. "Like she could actually break the rock."

"What did you say!" Lucy demanded, glaring at the female cat.

"Your arm muscle is too weak to even indent the boulder." Charle said skeptically, glaring at Lucy right back. Wendy fell silent. She couldn't break the boulder either. Poor Lucy.

"The possibilities of you breaking the boulder-"

"I'll break it!"

Charle blinked in surprise, looking at Lucy in shock.

"I'll prove Laxus and you wrong! It doesn't matter if I look weak or not! As long as I believe in myself, I wont ever give up!" Lucy glared at the boulder, trying to imagine it as someone she didn't like. "This boulder is an enemy…. It hurt your friends…. Its… it looks like Laxus, ya that's right." Lucy muttered softly as she tried to imagine the large boulder as the blonde mage.

The boulder was that stupid, mean, cruel, un-caring, obnoxious, slave driving, perverted, jerk!

"Jerk!" Lucy screamed, throwing her arm back then shooting it forward, smacking her hand into the boulder.

The groups eyes widened as a large crack went shooting throughout the boulder, causing it to split in two. The group fell silent, staring in awe.

"I… I… did I just…" Lucy stuttered softly, not believing her very eyes. Sure she felt a little stronger in her arms from Laxus's training… but not this much! Lucy slowly looked down at her hand, feeling only a small tingle from her knuckle. "I… I did it!" Lucy smiled, whirling around towards her friends. "Laxus I did it!" Lucy smiled brightly at the older mage, who simply nodded his head.

"She… actually did it." Charle said softly.

Wendy couldn't believe her eyes. "It doesn't matter if I look weak or not! As long as I believe in myself, I won't ever give up!" those words echoed through her mind, as if on a cycle. "Lucy." She said softly, smiling.

"In your face Charle!" Lucy laughed, pointing at the pouting cat. "Hahaha!" Lucy placed her hands on her hips grinning brightly. She paused. "I…" she looked at Laxus who was just smirking up at the sky above. "Laxus." She said softly, causing the older mage to look at her confused.

"What?"

"Thank you." Lucy smiled. Laxus blinked in confusion. "I'm sorry I didn't believe in your teaching abilities, thank you so much. I would never have been able to do that before if I didn't have you."
Laxus took a step back in surprise. Lucy simply smiled at him, but blinked staring closely at Laxus's cheeks. Were they red? Was Laxus Dreyar… embarrassed?

"Ehh?" Lucy smirked.

"Shut up!" Laxus snapped, looking away to cover his face. "Lets get going, we have a lot to do and a long way to go!" Laxus stormed passed Lucy and the cracked boulder and towards the second path. Lucy chuckled.
"Shall we go?" Lucy asked.

"Yes!" Wendy smiled running next to Lucy, holding a silent Charle.

"Hey Wendy." Lucy asked.

"Hmm?" Wendy asked, looking up at the celestial mage.

"I probably should have asked you this when I first met you but, what type of magic do you use?"

"Oh beside being able to heal, I also am able to use sky dragon slayer magic." Wendy smiled.

Both Lucy and Laxus, who was listening from ahead, stopped to stare at the younger mage.
"Dragon slayer?" Lucy asked, staring at Wendy intently.

Wendy, who suddenly felt very nervous, nodded. "Yes." Both of her new companions stared at her silently. "They… probably don't believe me." Wendy thought sadly, but the look in Lucy's eyes said otherwise. She looked… sad. As if she was lost in her own thoughts, staring at Wendy as if in a dream.

"That's… really amazing Wendy. Since Dragon Slayer magic is so rare." Lucy smiled softly, snapping out of her daze.

Wendy nodded, still confused to why Lucy stared at her like that.

"So, since you're the sky dragon slayer, what does that mean you eat?" Laxus asked.
"Eat?" Wendy asked, wondering why he would start with that topic.

"I met a few dragon slayers before… one of them even ate Metal, so it was just wondering." Laxus shrugged.
"Oh." Wendy blinked, suddenly becoming very excited at the thought of there being other dragon slayers. "I eat the air." She smiled.
"Isn't that technically breathing." Laxus questioned with a scowl.

"Don't be rude!" Lucy snapped, hitting him on top of the head.

Wendy blinked, slowly smiling. "Haha!" she laughed smiling brightly.