The girls had just come back from an amazing afternoon at the spa feeling replenished and extra giddy. There may have been one too many mimosas while they sat there getting their nails done. Lucy and Xally's faces were definitely more flushed than Emzadi's, but as a whole there was a hell of a lot of smiling going on and maybe more than necessary giggles passing through the trio. The main hall quieted down as the three women walked through, which made Lucy feel a little self conscious because she couldn't understand why there were looking at them. Sure they had changed their clothes after the spa treatment, at Emzadi's persistent demands, but other than that she didn't see why people were almost drooling.

Emzadi had demanded that she leave behind her blue dress and trade it for an outfit she had found in a small boutique on their way back to the guild. The royal blue off the shoulder crop top showed off her shoulders, covered her ample breasts and stopped midway to her bellybutton. Emzadi had paired it with a low rise black skirt that was tied to the right side of her hip, showing off her creamy thigh. Lucy was thankful she had opted for black lace bikini bottoms instead of a thong today. It was a little more risque than what Lucy was used too, but it really wasn't out of the norm for Bosco. Yet everyone looked like they wanted to nibble on one of the three women.

Emzadi had picked out a light pick strapless chiffon dress for Xally and in the middle was a diamond cutout showing off her toned abs. It ended mid thigh and was short enough to cover everything and tease anyone looking at her ass. Lucy had picked out Emzadi's outfit, and warned Lucy that it couldn't be black because she was pretty sure that was all her sister owned. Lucy had hunted for a while, but eventually found the perfect outfit. Lucy opted for a deep rich purple tank top romper that wasn't skin tight and flowed around the tall blonde mage. The shorts showed off her long muscular legs while the thick straps of the tank top came into a deep V, showing off enough cleavage to get lost in.

They walked up to the bar where they were met by Evergreen in a dark green halter dress that stopped mid thigh and showed off her curves. The four women began talking about their days and how Lucy was going to be going to get a tattoo with Xally tomorrow after her lesson with Farron. They were discussing placement of the ink when Cobra walked up to the four women and plunked himself down beside his kin and ordered himself a blueberry bleachini. Lucy just smiled as she watched the slayer drink one of his favorite drinks, curtousey of Mira's genius mind.

"Feeling extra feminine today Cobra?" Evergreen asked with a well hid smile.

"Say what you want greenie, but this is the best damn drink around! I'd offer you some but I'm sure you'd melt - down with the wicked fairy," cackled Cobra who dodged Evergreen's fan she had thrown at his head and walked away. Evergreen huffed at the poison slayer not knowing that there were three other eyes on the pair of mages.

"Cut that shit out Tink!"

"Not until we sit down and talk about it!" Lucy yelled back, a full blown smile on her face.

"Talkin is for pansies."

"Says the slayer ordering a drink that needs a martini glass." Lucy giggled as Cobra slammed his drink back and was about to leave the guild.

"Yea Tink. I'll see you after your tattoo appointment. Try not to cry like lil bitch."

"You're getting a tattoo?" Evergreen's wide dark brown eyes stared at Lucy.

"Xally and I have decided to get one since she can't mark me as kin."

"Oh . . . well that sounds like it should be fun. I'm going to get some training with the boys, so chat later." Evergreen left Lucy wondering what was going on with Evergreen. The fairy mage was generally more standoffish, but never cold or unwelcoming. "So what do you think your tat should look like on me?"

"I have actually been giving this a lot of thought. There is a symbol called the Akashawa - it looks like a fancy handwritten lower case H with three small dots. It's a sign of healing in our culture, so I figured if we did it in a blue color then it'd look great!"

"I love the idea, but can we change the color to that of your eyes? The aquamarine color is so beautiful and it's just you!" Xally and Emzadi laughed at Lucy's excitement, so the small mage agreed to the request. "I was also thinking about putting it on my ankle - any disagreement there?" Both mages nodded their heads no and raised their glasses up in agreement.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your fun ladies," Farron approached the trio with a small smile on his lips. "But I believe I promised Lucy some education about our culture this afternoon. Would you care to join me Miss Heartfilia?"

"Oh for fuck's sake Farron? Can you be any more stiff and rigid when talking to Lucy?" Xally rolled her eyes at her brother's 'political' introduction.

"Oh I guarantee he can be stiff and rigid. Should we ask Freed when the last time that was?" Emzadi's orange eyes glowed with mirth at her oldest brother's expense.

"This morning Freed became very aware of what happens when I become stiff and quite enjoys my rigidness." He brushed some loose mahogany strands out of his face while his sister's laughed at their jokes, but Lucy's face was quite red. "Don't worry Lucy. Eventually you'll adjust to the openess that we were born and raised in. Actually being around Bickslow so much I'm surprised you haven't grown used to it.

"Oh I am used to it, but only when it's Bickslow who is talking. He was the only one in Fairy Tail that was quite . . . boisterous about his sexcapades."

"Sexcapades? I like it and am stealing it from you." Emzadi hummed as she took another long drink from her glass. "Now head up to the teacher's office and if he asks you to sit on his desk he's living out a fantasy." Another round of laughter came from the siblings as Lucy's red cheeks deepened in color. Lucy took Farron's offered arm and walked in silence to an vacant office where they got comfy.

"Why don't you start by telling me what you about our culture?" Farron poured himself and Lucy a tea and waited for her to answer.

"Honestly most of knowledge is all diplomatic and business based. Father had some good connections here in Bosco through Heartfilia Rails and Trade, so I know how to speak the language and can barter like no one else. As far as anything else goes though I don't know a lot. Bickslow was always whining about how he missed out on finishing his Suddepah lessons, but was glad he grew up with the Boscan mantra of 'pleasure is pleasure.' Which from my limited knowledge is a way of saying that intimacies with a man, women, or of the same sex isn't a big deal."

"Well I'm glad we don't have to talk business, because that would be very dull." The two mages laughed in agreement. "You're general understanding is a very broad look on what we live everyday. I am sure that you will find our culture more than a shock compared to how you were raised, but Bickslow is right and pleasure is pleasure. At the age of eleven you start lessons with a Suddepah and they will instruct you on how to please a man and woman. Once you are fifteen you have the option to have sex for the first time, but can hold off until you're ready. Typically women wait until they are sixteen since their bodies are developed at that point in time. Then lessons with a sexual partner will commence for the next year before your Suddepah will say that training is complete. Follow me so far?" Lucy nodded her head, which was swimming with the culture shock and knowing that this was expected of everyone in the country. So much for saving it until marriage.

"Once you've graduated you are able to go and ask anyone if they are Promised, which in your terms would almost be considered dating. It's two people who are looking to enter a commitment with one another to explore the option of getting married. Being promised generally lasts less than six months before the couple is getting married or separating, but the second option is less likely. Since we are able to explore what we like and don't like in a partner sexually when you find that specific connection with a person you just know what you want."

"Is that what happened to you and Freed?" Lucy asked shyly. Partly because of the topic and partly because it was his personal life.

"Yes and no. Freed had to come to terms that he isn't in to women, at all." Farron sighed going over that particular day with Lucy. "The Justine family is a very prominent and wealthy family in Fiore and Mr. Justine has the most strict rules that his three sons abide by. Since Freed was the oldest his top priority was getting married and producing a male heir, which I am sure you understand. Freed was banned from using magic, but curiousity got the best of him when he was younger and opened a book in the restricted section and that was how his Dark Ecuture magic appeared. I won't delve too much more into that topic, but Freed's fathers told him to stop using magic because proper people didn't nee magic to succeed in life. It was shortly after that he ran away and was the last person to join the Thunder Legion."

"I know Freed was here before on breaks with Laxus and the team, so did your attraction to him start then?"

"It did. I had never met anyone with Freed's intellect before, save for Kaleb and my father. He was also very shy, which still find cute. It took several attempts, but I was finally able to show him how I felt. We kept in touch whenever he went back to Magnolia and after he healed from the disbandment of Fairy Tail I asked him to be my Promised."

"Someone mentioned about kisses with family, close friends, or something along those lines, when I first got here. What did they mean by that?"

"Ah yes. In Bosco we show appreciation, gratitude, celebrations, and love with kissing. Now appreciation and gratitude are generally kisses on the corner of a persons mouth while celebrations are met with chaste kisses to a persons lips. For example if you join a guild you will get a kiss from the guildmaster welcoming you into their family. Then love is pretty self explanatory, but if you need a mor . . ."

"I'm good with that one, thanks!" Farron chuckled at the blonde's mannerisms.

"Have you ever had sex Lucy?"

"A couple of times, but nothing that I would put under the 'my mind is blown' category." She admitted and had often wondered if there was something wrong with her because she didn't orgasm and those men had told her she was too hard to please.

"Guarantee those little boys didn't know what the hell they were doing." Lucy's brown eyes looked into Farron's baby blue ones, utterly shocked by his words. "In my line of work you get good at ready people Lucy, so believe me when I say there is nothing wrong with you. If I wasn't Promised I would have loved to show you how a real man treats a woman. However if you ever did want to share pleasure with someone or someone with you, they would ask is you are Promised first and if not you will be asked if you'd like to join them. You can decline, or be declined, and the mass majority of people will back off. If they don't someone else will step up and help you out or you can punish them as you see fit. We take being promised and refusal to have pleasure seriously here and crimes for such acts are severe."

"Well thanks for that, but I don't think I'll need to worry about that here."

"Lucy - you are a very attractive woman, especially in Boscan clothes. Don't demean yourself, because I can guarantee that if Kaleb hadn't told the guild you were to be left alone, until you have decided on a guild and used to the Boscan way of life that you would definitely be propositioned by 80% of the guild."

"If you say so then why wasn't I asked when I was out with Xally and Emzadi?"

"Emzadi is a dragon slayer who's glare and growls would scare off even Laxus." They both laughed at the thought of Laxus running away from her. "Xally was using her healing magic on the men who thought to approach you by decreasing their hormone levels so they didn't."

"Wow! I am not sure if I should be offended or relieved."

"Sorry to disturb Cosplayer," Lucy spun in her chair to smile brightly at Bickslow who was standing in the entryway. "but you have an appointment with Xally. If I'm not back with you in five minutes then I'll regret it. Rather not get on her bad side since her revenge plots are down right evil for someone to small!"

"It's true," Farron smiled at his brother. "This one time Bickslow but Xally's hair in her sleep, so Xally stole his totems and burned them. Turns out she had made exact replicas and had the small tikis fitted with magic cancelling cuffs so he couldn't call them."

"That's what Bix gets for being an idiot and cutting off a woman's hair. It's one of our pride and joys in life." Lucy flipped her hair over her shoulder to prove a point.

"Ya ya Cosplayer. Dad put us on kitchen duty, together, for a month after that incident."

"Thanks for the explanation Farron. I greatly appreciate your time." Lucy smiled at the tall mage sitting in the chair opposite of her. "Look forward to seeing you again."

"Same to you Lucy." Farron approached Lucy and gave her a kiss on the corner of her lips. "This is also how we say hello and goodbye to family. Almost wish I wasn't Promised." A beat red Lucy smacked Farron's shoulder before dragging laughing Bickslow out.

"You know we'll stop teasing you when you stop looking like a beat right after every sexual advance or innuendo?"

"Maybe one day I'll adjust." Lucy stopped before she was about to round a corner, deep in thought. "Is Cana from Bosco? She'd be right at home here."

"Well Guildarts is from Fiore but I honestly don't know anything about her mother, Cornelia." Bickslow stated as he watched Lucy smile with an plan. "What's cookin in that pretty head of yours now?"

"Oh nothing!" Lucy replied all too quickly before heading off to the table that Bickslow's sisters were at. "Hey ladies! You ready to go?"

"You bet! Lets head out."

They women spent roughly two hours in the chair, but were both ridiculously happy with their sisterly bond tattoos on the outside of their right ankles. It definitely had hurt, especially the shading, but not near as much as most of the battle wounds Lucy had incurred over her time on Team Natsu. The girls were on their way back to the guild, so that Emzadi could grab her bag she had forgotten there earlier, then would head back to the estate for the night. Two more nights and they would be out dancing at the club, so they were discussing what to wear, shoes, make-up and who would all be joining them. Lucy heard Emzadi's low growl, remembering what Farron had told her, and looked around to see whom she was warning off. A short man with greasy dark brown hair, disheveled clothes, and a bottle wrapped in a brown bag was staring intently at the blonde. He walked up to the trio of women and grabbed Lucy's hand, trying to yank her away from her friends.

"Excuse me, but can you please let go of me so that we can head home?" Lucy's steely gaze met the man's bloodshot eyes, realizing her was plastered. She tried to shake him off, but he just squeezed tighter causing Lucy to wince.

"My sister asked you to let go of her and leave." Xally's no-nonsense raised voice rung out behind her and Lucy could see some of the men that were with the drunk stand up behind him.

"No can do gurly. This blonde skank is coming home with us tonight." Flashback of Lucy's dreams while she was locked away in Seven started to come into view and she could feel herself starting to panic. The stranger tightened his grip even harder and Lucy fell to her knees in pain, swearing she could feel her wrist cracking from the pressure.

"No one touches her like that!" Emzadi launched herself at the man, landing a solar punch to the man's shoulder. He stumbled back, releasing his hold on the celestial mage and throwing a punch to the female slayer. Xally was about to heal Lucy's broken wrist when one of the stranger's lackeys was swinging a board the two mages. Xally blasted him with a shot of water effectively throwing him back into the other creepers.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll leave before I melt the skin off your bones!" Emzadi started to raise the temperature around the drunk men so that they were sweating in the cool evening air. They all took off, not wanting to die that day. "Lucy! Xally! Are you guys alright?"

"Ah we have a problem . . ." Xally turned and looked over at Lucy whom was laying on her side on the ground encased in a golden shield. "What do you suppose this is and why did it happen around her?"

"I don't know, but I think we should get Cristoff here. Maybe Kaleb is around him." Kaleb? Emzadi waited a couple of seconds before she had a response. Emzadi? Are you ladies alright? Emzadi smiled at the concern in her brother's voice. We are fine now, but Lucy is encased in a gold bubble. We don't know why or what it's made of, so I was hoping that Cris could come and try to talk to Lucy since she's most comfortable with him. Lucy had spent the every night wrapped up in Cristoff's arms saying she felt safe with her brother watching over her. Cristoff took his role as a giant teddy bear super seriously and would be the best hope in bringing her around. We are on our way.

"So want to explain what brought this on?" Kaleb asked as he walked out of the moonbeam followed by Cobra and Cristoff. Xally proceeded to recap what had happened which had the slayers growling and Kaleb with a scowl on his face.

"Can you read her mind Kaleb?" Cristoff asked as he approached the still form of his kindred sister.

"No. This shield is blocking all my attempts." Kaleb was frustrated and concerned, since his powers were near limitless. If she had something that could block him then it was a cause to be extremely worried.

"It's celestial magic." Cristoff said in awe. "This is either a key of hers or one of her spirits are doing this on its own accord. I guarantee it's damn near impenetrable."

"Scutum." Three pairs of eyes stared at the dragon slayer. "What? I spent a week with Tink, so I know damn well which key it probably is. Scutum is a shield, so she either called it herself or it's here on it's own power." Cobra crouched down beside Lucy and tried talking to the spirit. "Scutum it's Cobra. Can you release Lucy so that we can get her back home?" There were several pulses of power, four of Lucy's bonded markings glowed and the shield dissolved in golden sparkles.

"I . . . I didn't think my tattoo would do anything?" Xally looked at her ankle in amazement as the small light disappeared.

"I didn't even know I had one!" Emzadi was looking at the inside of her right ankle wracking her brain trying to figure out when it appeared.

"Lets get this wrist healed up and then I can moon jump us home. Kaleb are you able to read her now?"

"Crystal clear. Turns out that she had a panic attack when the man tried to get her to go with him and his men. Flashes of her dreams reappeared and her spirit materialized itself to block her from the men and her own memories." Cristoff picked up Lucy and his siblings, plus Cobra, joined him as the headed back to the estate. Cristoff took Lucy back to his room and layed her down, cuddling up beside her. His dragon was purring having it's kin so close and as he listened to her breathing he fell asleep.