Acnologia landed outside of Magnolia and learned a small bit about Erik as he walked him to the guild. The kid had been taken by a cultist group only to be "rescued" by a dark guild run by a bipolar split personality psycho. That psycho had been the one to choose Erik for the lacrima transplant.

Erik's hearing was tripled that of a typical dragon slayer allowing him to hear the thoughts and plans of those around him. That was the effect of his previous magic and the lacrima. His senses of sight and smell were duller but that was most likely the effects of an untrained hand when Erik was implanted with the dragon lacrima.

The dragon lacrima, as Acnologia found out, was a poison dragon lacrima. Erik knew nothing of dragon slayers or dragons so the fact that he had been implanted with one of the most dangerous types of lacrimas and survived didn't phase him as much as it startled Acnologia who was expecting a more gentle lacrima magic like light, air, or other nature-y stuff.

Erik's "friend" was a highly intelligent snake who seemed to understand everything anyone said to her. Erik loved her holding the reptile close to him at all times. She was the size of his forearm but Acnologia had a nagging suspicion that she would grow larger... he had a nagging suspicion about that snake in general.

The two eventually arrived back at the guild startling everyone once again. A brawl had been happening but they all froze in place when they saw the dragon king.

"Kila, I need three steaks, six baked potatoes, two bowls of rice, and a container of vegetables," Acnologia said to the bartender sitting down at the bar. Erik walked up and clamored onto the tall bar stool almost drooling at the sound of food.

"This is a guild, not a restaurant," Kila scolded the dragon slayer.

Erik deflated before the bartender said anything, he had already heard her. 

'Out raising more brats you dragon' someone behind Erik thought. Erik turned around in the stool and looked down at the small man.

"Welcome back Acnologia," Makarov smiled.

"Makarov," Acnologia nodded sending Kila a threatening glare.

"And who is this young man?" Makarov asked looking at Erik.

'What do you want to be called, Erik... or Cobra' Acnologia asked in his head so that only Erik could hear him.

Erik sat for a few seconds listening intently to Makarov's thoughts, "Erik," he said finally.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail Erik," Makarov grinned.

"Yeah, yeah, welcome. Food!" Acnologia hissed to the bartender.

"Master, tell this overgrown lizard that he can't order steak at a guildhall!" Kila sighed looking to Makarov.

"Don't worry Kila, I have a few dragon meals in the fridge, heat them up... I'm sure the boy is starving," Makarov smiled walking away into the brawl that had started up again.

The food was served and Acnologia shoved it all over to Erik who ate slowly and neatly much to Acnologia's surprise.

"Why is it surprising?" Erik asked as he ate.

"What?" Acnologia asked as he watched a chair go flying across the room.

"Why is it surprising that I eat in a civilized manner?" Erik asked taking another bite of steak.

"I've met both dragon and dragon slayers alike in my time, very few of them eat with any shred of dignity," Acnologia growled thinking of dinner with Metalicana. Erik laughed hearing the thought.

"Who's Metalicana?" he asked.

Acnologia rolled his eyes and blocked off his thoughts from the child, Erik frowned when he realized what Acnologia had done.

"Wow, that's a lot of food!" a familiar voice gasped. Laxus pushed himself up next to Erik and looked at the three empty plates that stood by Erik's side.

And so Erik and Laxus met... and everyone went crazy. Laxus and Erik immediately took a liking to one another. They did everything together, and very soon the guild found out that those two together spelled trouble for everyone. It was Laxus who finally convinced Erik to join the guild. Erik was initiated into the guild. His purple guild mark matched Cubellios's scales, it was on his shoulder and he wore it well.

Acnologia trained Erik as well as he could. The two of them would go out on jobs and train for a week or two, but when they returned Erik would immediately go off looking for Laxus.

 The two boys were always up to something whether it was sneaking out on jobs that they shouldn't have taken, or playing pranks on the guild members. The only one that disliked the friendship was Ivan, but Ivan just seemed to hate everything.

Acnologia had hidden many things about Erik from the guild. No one knew he had been in a dark guild and no one, save Makarov, knew that he was a dragon slayer. Erik kept secrets very well and hid his magic from everyone, except Laxus who he trusted like a brother.

Laxus thought Erik's magic was amazing and didn't understand why anyone would keep it a secret. Still, Erik was his friend and so he didn't tell a soul, not even his father. Laxus knew many things about Erik. He knew that Erik missed his old friends, something Acnologia did not know, and he knew that Erik was afraid of many things and that he hid those fears well.

"Do you think I'll get strong like you?" Laxus asked. He and Erik were sitting in a tree watching the sunset after a fun day of terrorizing Macao and Wakaba. Erik was letting Cubellios gnaw on his finger while Laxus was swinging his legs up and down.

"Yeah," Erik nodded his words empty. He heard all of Laxus's doctors and his guildmates; they all thought the same thing... Laxus would be lucky if he ever became a mage. 

Across town, Ivan yelled for Laxus. Erik heard him. Erik heard a lot from Ivan and he hated it. Ivan hated Acnologia, that was enough to make Erik dislike the mage, but what he thought of Laxus was even worse and Erik had to bite his tongue whenever the mage came close.

"What's wrong?" Laxus asked.

Erik glanced at his friend and looked down at the ground below him, "your dad's calling for you."

"Oh no," Laxus sighed sliding down off the tree.

"You don't have to go," Erik suggested.

"Yeah I do, he'll get mad if I don't," Laxus sighed as his feet hit the ground.

"But-" Erik began.

"He's my dad, he knows what's best," Laxus said as he looked towards Magnolia. "See you later Erik!" he called as he ran off. Erik listened to him go. Cubellios stopped gnawing and looked at Erik sensing his internal turmoil.

"It's fine Cubellios, Ivan won't do anything," Erik whispered stroking the purple snake, he was trying to reassure himself.

Acnologia tried to fight a smile as Macao cursed out Erik for something stupid. Erik was obviously trying not to laugh either.

"Acnologia," Makarov hissed from above. Acnologia looked up to the second level and walked upstairs. Erik listened intently to the two mages ignoring Macao's words.

"Laxus is in the hospital," Makarov hissed.

"What?" Acnologia gaped.

"He had another lung attack last night. I've called Porlyusica but this is worse than any other attacks."

"Dear Mavis," Acnologia gritted, "what has Ivan done for Laxus?"

"He got him to the hospital... that's all I've seen."

"I'll go, I'll bring Erik too, maybe he'll lighten his spirits or something," Acnologia growled.

Erik had already left, Acnologia had to stride to catch up to him.

The Magnolia hospital was the closest place... but it was ill-supplied and the doctors often had to improvise for emergencies. Laxus laid in the hospital bed with homemade medical equipment lying around him.

"He'll be alright," Erik said looking at Acnologia, "he will be."

Acnologia didn't answer, Ivan chose this moment to walk in. One look at Acnologia was all it took, Ivan sneered and walked out. Erik gritted his teeth and clenched his fists hearing Ivan's remarks.

"Give me a second," Acnologia growled walking out after Ivan. Erik stood by Laxus's bedside Cubellios around his neck. The purple snake looked out of the room and towards the door where the two mages were speaking just outside. Erik heard it all.

"How'd this happen?" Acnologia growled trying to stop himself from throttling the mage in front of him.

"How should I know," Ivan scoffed.

"Because he's your son," Acnologia growled.

Ivan scoffed and sneered. Acnologia sensed a large output of magic energy and suddenly the door was thrown open and Erik was there.

"Poison Dragon Talon!" Erik roared kicking Ivan through the window. People screamed and Acnologia stood there surprised. Ivan flew out of the window breaking it and then fell a few floors before landing in the shrubbery beneath. Ivan too, was shocked because now he knew why Acnologia had taken that child under his wing.

"Erik," Acnologia hissed.

Erik turned around and Acnologia found himself staring into the eyes of an enraged drake.

"He called Laxus useless," Erik growled, "He thought horrible things about him," his voice cracked.

Acnologia sighed but his eyes softened. Now Erik was starting to remind him of dragons he knew.

Meanwhile down in the bushes, Ivan's face lit up in a smile, "So they can survive" he whispered, 'the hybrid theory is true.' 

Erik was to busy talking with Acnologia to hear Ivan.