Risenfromash: Too tired to say much… but I've changed the rating on this to teen because Laxus cusses more in his youth than he does in my other Fraxus story, An Obvious Revelation. If you so choose you can see this as the prequel to that story and if anyone seems OOC I apologize, but I'm trying to show them at a different point in their life and maturity than when we see them in the manga or in my other story… Thanks for reading!
Part 2:
Freed tried not to stare as the muscular blond led him through the streets of Magnolia, nevertheless his eyes danced over the form of the lightning mage betraying his fascination with him. Despite the other teen's god-like power he had a lazy, relaxed gait that was evident despite the limp he had from whatever injury his left foot had sustained in the fight with the thieves. He didn't smile as he walked, but he didn't scowl either. Instead, he wore a blank, unreadable expression that Freed found enigmatic. What is he thinking? Just walking around and jumping into the middle of a fight like that? What would he do if he got in over his head?
The young swordsman tried to access the strength and abilities of the other youth. Had he witnessed his full power? Or was that only a sampling of his skills? And what kind of magic was that, exactly? Freed tried to categorize the other boy's abilities. Obviously, he possesses the power to generate… or maybe, control thunder and lightning. But that's not all, when he was using his magic he bulked up. Freed looked at the boy. His canary t-shirt was no longer stretched snugly over a sculpted chest as it had been in the alley, but hung more loosely giving him a more average appearance. So, his muscles must expand when he uses his magic. I've never heard of anything quite like it before… Lightning with growing muscles…'punching-weather-magic'? Does such a thing even exist? I wonder if he can summon other weather phenomena like tornados or gale force winds? And when his muscles grow, does he get bigger everywhere?
In his mind's eye the lightning mage appeared bare-chested, his brute strength making the muscles all over his body expand, his pants barely able to accommodate… Freed swallowed nervously and twisted his head around so the other boy couldn't see him blush. What has gotten into me? Freed scolded himself. I'm just a bit infatuated, because he's such a powerful mage, and he's unlike anyone I've ever met. He's got that bad boy, antisocial way about him and having grown up surrounded by the social elite who, by necessity have to be social, I'm intrigued. That's all. But his rationalization was not enough to loosen the bawdy image from his brain, as though it had been indelibly seared there by the spark of the other boy's lightning.
My teenage hormones are certainly getting the best of me today, Freed grumbled to himself. Just because there isn't a young lady around to fantasize about, does not mean I have to have such strange thoughts about another man! When I settle into a guild I really need to find a girlfriend so that I can be better focused. The absence of young ladies in my life is obviously having a detrimental effect on my sanity.
But another voice sounded in Freed's head. It was the low, rasp of Freed's former tutor, a tyrannical and humorless man the young swordsman had struggled to get along with for many years before deciding it was an impossible task. The judgmental man's voice rang through his psyche saying, The young man is obviously a ruffian, probably even has his own gang. His guild mark isn't visible… very suspicious. He is certainly not someone to be trusted. You have already made a fool of yourself once today, Mr. Justine, do you really want to do it a second time? For all you know he could be taking you to some dark alley to have his way with you…
A small thrill went through Freed's body, and he shook his head feeling utterly defeated by his conflicted thoughts. I bet this lightning wizard never feels like this. He's so confident. He doesn't care what people think of him. I bet he's never once felt self-conscious. I wish I could be like that. Freed scowled. Maybe if I got to know him a little better I could learn to be like him…
Freed didn't care that the blond lacked the social grace to introduce himself or to remove his headphones from his ears as they walked together. Freed was convinced that this young man was someone worthy of his idolization. He's nice on the inside, Freed thought with a smile. I know it somehow… and that's all that matters.
"We can cut through the park," the older boy announced abruptly as he veered into a sunken greenspace to their left full of plush green grass and big deciduous trees.
"Alright," Freed said, happy simply to have his presence acknowledged. Once in the park it was hard to believe that this was the same city in which the young rune mage had so recently been attacked. Everyone in the park wore broad smiles and politely nodded their heads as the two boys passed or wished them a good day.
They passed a father walked behind his toddler, carefully watching to make sure the baby didn't take too hard a tumble on the paved path. A broad leaved tree provided shade for a couple laying in each other's arms on a blanket their hands and lips all over one another. An old lady sat on a bench reading a book. Freed tried to read the title, but couldn't seem to make it out. Still, it made Freed smile and remember the bookstore he had discovered before he had been jumped by the thugs. I definitely must stop in before I leave town. Who knows what rare treasures they might have!
That is if you ever get to leave here, his tutor's voice whispered. This boy could murder you and leave you in the streets and no one would care. You're just some random stranger. For all you know he could be part of the dark guild that killed your poor mother-
Freed closed his eyes for a moment to silence the naysayer's banter. He was so tired of hearing that voice. He had thought when he left home that he would be free of it, but the obnoxious man had become a part of the swordsman subconscious. Shut up! He thought. I need to listen to my gut, and my gut says there is absolutely no harm in sharing a drink with the man who saved my life. If I'm lucky I'll perhaps learn a thing or two about being a professional mage. He felt the pressure to succeed ebbing for a moment so that he could once again appreciate the warmth of the sun on his back and the joy of the simply things just as the townspeople were doing.
Spying a drinking fountain a ways down the path Freed let out a delighted hoot and, excusing himself with a small bow of his head, ran ahead to get a drink. His companion watched him, studying the way the boy laid his hands on his sword hilt as he ran, as though prepared at any moment to unsheathe it and battle the forces of evil. The teenager with the scar couldn't help but grin. Who fights with a damn saber these days?! He thought with a shake of his head. This dude is really somethin' else.
Freed set his leather satchel on the ground and then began to run his fingers along every side of the fountain. Then he tipped his head and leaned over it as though examining it.
"There's a button on the side, under the lip," shouted the blond recognizing that Freed was struggling to figure out how to turn the water on. It was something newcomers to town always had a hard time with as the fountains were exclusive to Magnolia. They didn't even have ones like this in Crocus, as far as the lightning mage knew.
"Oh! Thank you." Freed exclaimed. "They don't have this style back home."
"Where ya from?"
Having taken a drink, Freed paused before answering to pat his lips with a handkerchief he produced from a breast pocket. "The far east. I'm passing through on my way to Malva."
The other boy grimaced. It was the most expression he had shown since he ordered the thieves to cease their attack on Freed. "What you goin' there for? You a member of a guild?"
Freed shook his head as he picked his satchel back up from the ground and adjusted it on his shoulder as he and his companion once again began their trek. "No, I'm unmarked. But I've been researching which ones are the best-"
"My guild's the best," the other teenager said without hesitation, as though merely stating fact.
"So, you are in a guild," Freed said delighted. "I figured you must be. Which one?"
"Fairy Tail."
Freed stroked his chin with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand as he recalled what he knew of the various mage guilds scattered throughout Fiore. "I don't think I've ever heard of that one."
The lightning mage stopped walking abruptly, his hands forming fists, golden lightning crackling around each of them as moons orbit planets. "You've never heard of Fairy Tail? We're the greatest guild in all of Fiore!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I-" Freed began, but the lightning mage cut him off, his lips curling in disgust. "What rock have you been livin' under?"
Freed knew he had inadvertently insulted the boy's pride and rushed to make it right. Adamantly offering an apology, "I'm sorry. I meant no offense. I actually don't know many guilds. That's why I'm on a pilgrimage to learn about them and decide which is best suited to me. I'm currently leaning toward Ether Scribe or perhaps Heaven's Spire."
The snapping and sizzling of the lightning ceased as the scarred teenage blinked several times in bewilderment. "What the hell would you want to join them for?"
"Well, I'm a rune mage and they have-"
"You don't have to join a guild with a bunch of other rune mages just 'cause that's your kind of magic."
"I know, but I need additional training… I'm sure you can tell that," the green-haired mage said bashfully. "I lost today. I'm a magic user, and I was still defeated." More like got your ass handed to you, Freed thought to himself.
The other young man was quiet as he mulled this over. "You aren't that bad. Not really. You held your own for quite a while." Which is why I'm even willing to talk to you, he thought. I've watched Gramps evaluate potential up-and-comers for years and I'm betting the Old Man is gonna say you're something special.
"You were watching me fight?" Freed asked, embarrassed.
"Yeah," the blond said with a lopsided smirk. "I guess, the polite thing would have been to step in sooner, but I was kind-of havin' fun watchin' you. You got talent."
This surprised Freed but didn't make him feel any better about his abilities. "I don't know…" Freed mumbled. "I did ok for a while, but-"
"Don't be a sore loser," growled the lightning mage. "You needed an assist. That's normal. Not many mages can work alone, Guildarts, Mystogan, but not many others."
"Are they members of Fairy Tale?"
"Yeah, they're S-class."
Freed wasn't sure what 'S-class' meant but he assumed from the context that it must be an honor bestoyed upon high level mages.
It was unlike the lightning mage to be supportive of young up-and-comers because he considered most to be weak and lacking in conviction, but Freed seemed different somehow. He thought he might actually be feeling some feelings of admiration for him… but it was way too soon to be sure of that. And way too soon to tell the young swordsman that he himself would be taking the S-level trial soon and that when he became S-level he wanted to be ready with a team of his own, and just an average team, but a fearless team with mages equipped with powerful attack spells and sharp, ruthless minds that could take down anyone who dared oppose them. He was thinking all this, but he said none of it. He had to know more about this traveler before he could confirm that his suspicions about his potential were correct.
And the lightning mage impatient to learn more decided that now was as good a time as any. He crossed his arms and took a wide stance. "Show me what you got," he ordered.
Confused, Freed replied, "Excuse me?" Was he wanting him to attack or drop his valuables or…?
"Quit playin' humble with me. You're more than 'just' a rune mage. I saw you fighting those bastards. You were holdin' your own with the first three. You would have taken them all down if you hadn't gotten ambushed from the roofs. So, show me what you can do," said the lightning mage calmly.
Freed had never before been challenged to perform on cue like this, but the other boy's encouraging words gave him confidence. He inhaled, nodded and then pulled from his scabbard his saber and began creating a runic circle on a patch of grass near them; mere moments later a wind of hurricane strength blew within it ripping the grass from the ground in clumps. Next, having been inspired by the spotted squirrels running around the park, he set another runic circle at the base of a tree. Then, when one of the creatures ventured into the trap, the small mammal froze in place mid-bound as though suddenly taxidermied in that position.
Freed's challenger nodded, "More."
Freed immediately started casting runic spells whilst demonstrating his swordsmanship by slashing a perfect cross-hashed pattern into the ground hoping this multi-tasking would impress the other boy, but the lightning mage remained impossible to read. Does he think I'm pathetic? He thinks I'm pathetic. Of course he does. What was I thinking? Thinking I could somehow impress this brute-
"That was pretty good," the lightning mage said. "Now, try against me."
Freed's eyes widened. He wants me to fight him? Ahhh, what do I do?!
"On the count of three," the lightning mage said. "One, two, three." Instantly, lightning bolts flew in the swordsman's direction and he leapt out of their way looking like a ballerina save for the sword he was brandishing in his right hand which he was using as a pointer as he directed runes to do his bidding. As he dodged the lightning attacks he cast a runic spell that slowed the speed of the other teen's powerful blasts. Seeing this, the thunder-and-lightning user concentrated on a corner of the shield causing the iridescent, purple runes to rain down upon Freed, but not before Freed shot a runic harpoon at his challenger. The lightning mage dodged the attack, but just barely.
The blond raised his hand to indicate the bout was over, and Freed immediately ceased his attack, replaced his sword in its sheath, and assumed a resting position.
"Not bad," his challenger announced as he crossed his arms and relaxed. Freed beamed at the praise, as the lightning mage suddenly shot a thunderbolt from his crossed arms pointing the attack right for the middle of Freed's chest. He wanted to see what the rune mage would do when faced with an unexpected attack, and the swordsman did not disappoint. With a wiggle of his fingers Freed created a runic shield that sent the thunderbolt off course upon contact. Sweat poured from the runic wizard's temple as he held his outstretched arm in front of him holding his head
It was evident that maintaining the shield against the lightning mage's blast was a great exertion for Freed, but the fact he was able to do it… That tells me all I need to know, the lightning mage thought to himself as he grinned and patted the other boy's back. "I think we should go have that drink now."
Freed beamed. He had actually impressed this monster?! It made him want to squeal with pleasure, but he held in the impulse trying to act cool in front of the older, more experienced youth.
As they left the park, the scarred teenager told him how Fairy Tail had been founded by a child-like woman named Mavis who had been a self-taught genius. This greatly interested the rune mage as all his magic was self-taught. With someone like that as their founder they're sure to have a wonderful library, he thought.
Coming to a stop in front of a large building, the blond said with a wave of his hand, "We're here." Freed gazed upward at the massive structure. It featured architecture unlike anything else he had seen in the city. The roofs of the multi-level building had a strange pagoda-like styling and each floor was successively smaller than the one below, reminding Freed of a three-tiered wedding cake.
"Wow!" He said admiring the vibrant colors of the building's orange, green, and yellow paint scheme. "It's… so eclectic."
"Yeah, it's kind of crazy-lookin', huh? I hate how girly some of it looks. If I were guild master I'd be all for redoing those damn heart-shaped windows," he said with a roll of his eyes. "But I guess that's just me."
"I don't know," Freed said unsure whether he was staring at the edifice because it struck him as garish or gorgeous. "It definitely has its charm."
The spiky-haired blond led Freed to the threshold of the building. Above the door a large wooden sign proclaimed the guild name was framed by the silhouettes of two humanoid imps with wings and tails. Freed stared for a moment at the voluptuous shape of the fairies who left no doubt as to their gender.
"Fairy Tail?" Freed said uncertainly. Had someone written the name wrong, or was it supposed to be like that?
"Yeah, you know how people always want to know if fairies have tails or not? I guess Mavis was a bit of a fairy nut and she must have been in the 'pixies-have-tails' camp." Freed nodded, suddenly thinking that perhaps this Mavis person was a tad too eccentric to serve as a posthumous influence on his career.
"Well, come on," motioned the blond as he moved to open the heavy wooden door.
Uncertain, Freed said, "I thought we were going for a drink."
"We are."
"At your guild hall?"
"Yeah, they serve food and drinks and stuff. Fairies have gotta eat you know."
"'Fairies?'" Freed asked quizzically.
"Not real fairies," he said with a lopsided smirk. "I mean members of the guild. Gramps calls 'em 'fairies' for short. I know, it's weird, but sometimes I do it outta habit and don't even realize it."
"But I'm not a member…"
"It's fine. You're with me." As soon as he opened the door a cacophony of noise poured out. "They're startin' early today," he said with the shake of his head.
The two young men stepped into a big open hall arranged like a school cafeteria with long wooden tables and benches with smaller round tables around the edge of the room. Looking upward Freed saw that on three sides of the room there was a mezzanine with an ornate wooden railing, and across the hall was a lunch counter with bar stools. Next to the bar was a bulletin board housed in a giant golden frame with red velvet curtains on either side like those used on the stage of an opera house. Standing in front of the board, a tall, very tan man of large build dressed in a loincloth adorned with skulls the size of fists was standing reading the postings confirming Freed's suspicion that this was the guild's job board. The job board! Freed thought gleefully. A real mage guild job request board. Neat!
But other than the job board, the Fairy Tail guild hall was a disappointment to the young swordsman. It didn't at all resemble what Freed had imagined a guild hall would be like. As far as he could tell, it was deficient in both books and scholars, two things he felt all decent guilds should have in abundance. Freed's heart sank. This place is just a glorified pool hall or a rec center! He thought. And not a single guild member appears to be training or studiously pouring over books to hone their craft! Concerned that perhaps he was being overly critical, a habit he was trying to break himself of, he again surveyed the hall. Surely, someone in here is being productive. Over in one corner a crowd huddled around whoever was the source of the shouting and crashing. Behind the bar, a waitress with a low-cut blouse stood drying drinking glasses, her enormous breasts bouncing wildly with even the minutest wiggle of the dishtowel. At one table, Freed spied a couple of middle-aged men sitting and talking, one smoking a pipe that made an enormous cloud that hung over their table like a thick fog. Another group of members were staring at the table in front of them before suddenly leaping up from their seats wildly shouting about winning and losing, and with a sinking heart he realized that whatever they were doing may have involved magic, but it also involved betting. The only other person around seemed to be a young woman sitting on top of a table and drinking directly from a wooden keg. Freed stifled a sigh and reminded himself that this was precisely why he was investigating guilds before signing up to join one.
It has to be the right fit, and this was one I wasn't even considering, anyway. 'Fairy Tail', what a silly name! But I'll do my best to remain polite. I'm sure I'll learn something from my time here, even if it is only what I don't want in a guild.
As the two young men walked across the hall toward the bar, the hubbub in the corner erupted into what sounded like all-out war. Upon hearing the sound of chairs being knocked over, Freed whirled around in time to see the first spouts of fire and ice shoot into the air as other guild members rushed to find the best vantage point to watch the action. Unnerved, Freed reached for his sword, but his host placed his hand over the hilt preventing the swordsman from drawing his weapon.
"It's just Natsu and Gray at it again," the boy in the yellow shirt said shaking his head in irritation.
"That's just two people?" Freed said pointing to the corner where a thick steam was now hanging over the crowd.
"Two complete idiots," the lightning mage said with a grumble. "Flame Brain and the Ice Princess are always goin' at it." Then in the direction of the warring mages he shouted, "Get a room, ya morons!"
Freed thought he heard something rather lewd shouted back but he couldn't be sure, and since his host ignored it, he did as well.
"That's the jobs' board." The lightning mage said redirecting Freed's attention to the bulletin board that he had noticed a moment before.
"Are those all the available jobs?" Freed asked as he tried to count the number of pinnings. Some looked crisp and fresh as though they had recently come off of a printing press, while others had yellowed with curling edges as though they had been there for a long time, and a few didn't look like advertisements at all but lengthy, handwritten letters.
"Yeah, except for the S-class ones. They get posted upstairs…" The scarred boy said pointing to the mezzanine. "Only S-class mages can go up there. But even down here I can't let you look at any of the postings 'cause you're not a member. Wouldn't want you stealing jobs from my guild mates," he said with a smirk.
"Your guildmates are…" Freed glanced over to the corner where the fighting was continuing and was alarmed to see a spectator of the duel teleport just in time to narrowly avoid a lance of ice that had been shot in his direction.
"Hi, there, Laxus," interrupted the attractive young woman manning the bar. She had extremely black hair, so shiny it appeared blue in the dim light of the guild hall. Her lilac eyes matched sparkling purple glitter makeup that extended from her face down into the cleavage bulging out of her gothic-style mini-dress, but despite her flamboyant dress Freed was more focused on her words than her unique fashion sense. "Laxus." He whispered the name to get a feel for it on his tongue as he looked at the fairy at his side. So that was his companion's name. "Laxus," he whispered again with a smile. It suits him.
Laxus ordered a drink for himself and his companion and without invitation reached across and underneath the counter to help himself to a bowl of nuts.
"Aren't you gonna introduce me to ya friend?" the girl with the purple eyes asked.
Laxus did not respond and Freed guessed that perhaps the other young man had forgotten his name. Not wanting to see him suffer the embarrassment of having to admit his forgetfulness, Freed hurried to introduce himself. "I'm Freed. Freed Justine. Rune Mage and Swordfighter," he said with a bow. To this, Laxus just threw a handful of nuts in his mouth and started chewing.
The woman put her hand to her cheek. "My! How well-mannered you are, just like a prince from a storybook! Laxus could learn a thing or two from you."
Laxus rolled his eyes and walked away. "My usual table, Helena," he said pointing to a round oak table in the shadow of the mezzanine stairs. Freed waved an awkward goodbye to the waitress and followed Laxus to what was evidently his usual table, not only because he called it that, but because the name 'Laxus' was carved into its top in large block letters.
Laxus set the bowl of nuts down on his name with a 'clunk' and shook his head. "She thinks she's real funny," he grumbled.
Freed shrugged. "She seems nice enough. I think she was just trying to make me feel at home."
Laxus said nothing more but plopped down into the chair nearest the engraving of his name leaving three available chairs for Freed to choose from. Freed noticed that Laxus' seat gave him optimal viewing of the entire guild hall yet shielded him from view due to the stairs. That's smart, Freed thought making himself comfortable in the seat to Laxus' left.
While Freed was not at all impressed by the guild itself, he remained enamored with Laxus as he'd never met a more powerful mage. And he's so young, thought Freed. He had so many questions swirling around in his head for him he wasn't sure where to begin. How had Laxus become so powerful? How many hours a day did he train, and what did he do to practice his art? But, despite Freed's desperation to learn the lightning mage's secrets, the young swordsman found the racket echoing throughout the hall incredibly distracting. Finally, he shouted to his companion, "Shouldn't somebody break up that fight?"
"Nah, there's no point," Laxus said, his distaste evident. "Like I said. They're both total morons. They do this all the time."
Freed was still concerned. "But they're both members of Fairy Tail, right? Shouldn't members of the same guild…"
"Not fight one another?" the lightning mage supplied. "Technically, I guess. But we're like family, and I've never met a person who gets along with all of their family. I sure as hell don't."
Helena walked up and placed a large stein in front of each of them, the frothy heads of the beverages overflowing onto the tabletop. "Here you go, two Lacramatic Zaps, and, Freed, I gave you an extra shot for being such a gentleman," she said with a flirtatious wink to Freed before turning around and sashaying off, her ass swinging back and forth with each step. Laxus watched, drinking in the movement of her curves as he took long, gulps of his ale. "Mavis, I never get tired of looking at her backside," he muttered.
"Yeah," Freed said, mindlessly agreeing with his drinking buddy before taking his first sip of the Lacrimatic Zap in front of him. As soon as the liquid made contact with his lips and tongue it burnt like a hot pepper. The sensation reminded him of the time he accidentally drank some of the hair tonic he used to defrizz his hair. He suppressed a gag. What is this? Vulcan piss?! He complained to himself, but he continued to down it, willing to endure the nastiness if it meant bonding with another mage.
"Helena's magic affects probability. She's got some way of increasing the chances of unlikely shit happening or somethin' like that," Laxus informed him.
"So, she's a mage," Freed commented to himself. He wasn't sure if he should be surprised that the server in a guild hall was also a magic-user. He had no way of gauging whether that was commonplace or not.
"Yeah, but she's gotten in some trouble with the council over it. They get touchy if you use magic to win at the races or boxing matches and stuff like that, so mainly she just works here serving drinks and stuff."
Freed could see why Laxus would find the waitress attractive, though Freed didn't feel the same way about her. Not my type, he thought. Though, he never seemed able to get a handle on what exactly his type was. Must be the big breasts… I really don't like big breasts.
"You ever had a girlfriend?" Laxus asked.
Freed shook his head. "No. I've been on a few dates, mostly to parties where I had to bring a dance partner, but-"
"Me, neither," Laxus said cutting him off. "But I've got my eyes on a couple hotties around here. I figure when I'm S-class the girls will be beggin' to get with me."
Freed wasn't expecting this type of bonding, but he was happy to do whatever it took to keep the conversation going so he scanned the guild hall trying to guess what other female might attract the attention of the mighty Laxus.
"The brunette holding that keg is pretty," Freed offered, and then awkwardly added, "Curvy."
"Cana? I guess. But I don't go for girls who can belch louder than me."
"She can?"
Laxus nodded. "And she'll drink that whole keg in a day. She doesn't know when to quit."
At that moment the front door opened and a woman dressed in silver armor with scarlet hair marched in with the confident stride of one who considers themselves to be in charge. Laxus tipped his head in the valkyrie's direction, "Little Miss Warrior'll put an end to the fight. Watch." Sure enough, the redhead was already running into the heart of the duel brandishing a massive sword. A moment later she emerged from the crowd with what Freed presumed were Natsu and Gray… both of whom were boys, which momentarily confused the rune mage given Laxus' previous comments. The two young men had huge welts on their foreheads but were continuing to bicker with one another. Then the woman roared, "Knock it the hell off or I will pound you into the ground with my vengeful fist, and suddenly the two boys settled down.
Impressed by her success in ending the conflict Freed asked, "You like her?" He figured Laxus was sure to desire a woman that powerful and strong-willed.
"Nope," Laxus said giving his companion a sideways glance. "Just between us, she scares the shit out of me." He paused for a moment and then continued. "Not that she could beat me in a fight… she's good but she's ain't that good. I just…" He trailed off unsure of how to describe his feelings for the often pushy re-equip mage.
"She intimidates you?" Freed asked.
Laxus reluctantly nodded, before eyeing his drink suspiciously. Why am I talking so much? He wondered. Why is it I'm sharing so much with this kid I just met? Laxus didn't talk this much to anyone, not even his grandfather, Makarov, Master of Fairy Tail. Guess I won't worry about it. It won't hurt my rep to be friendly… but it is weird… Disturbed by his unusual openness, he shouted over to Helena to get another drink for himself and Freed, even though the rune mage had barely drank a third of his first one thus far.
Laxus was debating about his drinking companion. Was he really as good as Laxus thought he might be? Did Freed really have something to offer someone as powerful as him? Laxus knew he was one of the strongest mages around, but his grandfather had taught him a valuable lesson. Makarov had pounded into his head that you could only achieve so much alone. His grandfather had told him that was why Mavis had formed Fairy Tail in the first place… because everyone, no matter how strong or clever or brave needed a partner, a team, or a guild to support them and while Laxus had a guild he felt like he was too powerful to benefit from it. As of late, most of the mages Fairy Tail had recruited weren't anything special. His grandfather had a way of taking in orphans the way some people adopted stray cats. Cana hadn't even been a magic user when she joined the guild and it frustrated Laxus who wanted a guild as strong as he was. The problem was he couldn't decide if Freed was the kind of strong he needed in a partner. Laxus knew he wasn't likely to find someone whose brute strength would match his own, but he thought he saw the kind of power and superiority in the rune mage that he rarely recognized in the wizards around him. Then again, I could just be taking after the old man and picking up another helpless puppy, he thought to himself.
He decided it best to delay a decision and that meant finding an excuse to keep the other boy around. Without bothering to set his stein down to make eye contact with his drinking partner, Laxus told him, "After this I'll show you where you can get cleaned up."
This statement called Freed's attention to his appearance for the first time since before the fight and glancing downward he became exceedingly embarrassed. He was covered in the dust of busted mortar and brick and had bloody scrapes and bruises all over him. His clothes were even torn in places, yet the waitress hadn't even batted an eye. Don't tell me it's common place for guild members to come in here looking like this? What a frightening thought!
"Oh, don't worry," the rune mage said not wanting to impose on Laxus and Fairy Tail's hospitality. "After this drink I can go check into a hotel and do it there."
Laxus shook his head. He didn't want Freed to go anywhere. He wanted to keep an eye on him and learn more about his abilities so he could further evaluate him. "Stay here. We got rooms and showers and everything you need." Freed looked unsure so Laxus leaned toward the green-haired boy. "Freed, you ever spent the night at a guild?" The disheveled rune mage shook his head sending bits of brick falling onto the table. "It's a whole different experience than staying at a hotel where anyone can stay. It'll be good for you. You can meet some other mages."
Freed opened his mouth to protest Laxus' generous offer, but the lightning mage ignored him and set to work downing his second stein. What could be the harm in sticking around for a while? Freed decided. I'm on an adventure, after all.
"Laxus, cheers," Freed said holding up his stein to knock against the lightning mage's.
"Cheers, Freed," Laxus said with the hint of a smile on his lips as he watched the swordsman take a huge swallow of ale.
By the time Freed finished his second drink he was feeling rather fuzzy. Wasn't I supposed to be buying him the drinks? Freed questioned as Laxus plunked down a small handful of jewels on the table before leading Freed out of the guild's main hall and into a corridor that led to the rest of the building. Freed obediently followed Laxus through what seemed like a labyrinth of halls and doorways. He no longer had the energy or desire to go find a hotel. The alcohol compounded with the exhaustion of the day's travel and sparring had made him drowsy, and all he wanted to do now was snuggle up in a warm bed and go to sleep.
I wonder if he can tell how tipsy I am, Freed wondered as he yawned. I must seem like such a little kid to him. Never been in a guild hall. Never drank. Never had a girlfriend.
"The showers are in through here," Laxus said opening a door. "There's towels in that cupboard there." Freed nodded and slowly made his way over to the cupboard to pull out a towel while Laxus stepped out for a moment. Inside the cabinet sat a pile of white towels each with the guild mark of Fairy Tail emblazoned upon it in bright orange. Freed studied the guild mark thinking it looked more like some kind of bird with a sharp beak than a fairy. But stylistically speaking it isn't unpleasant to the eye. Funny I didn't see Laxus' guild mark. I thought the whole point of guild marks were to wear them somewhere prominent…
"That's our guild mark." Laxus' words startled Freed who was standing in the bathroom staring at the towel in a daze, still fully dressed with his saber at his side. "I guess you didn't see it. It's on our flag and stuff and the Old Man had it put on our towels because someone kept filching 'em. Personally, I think Natsu just kept setting 'em on fire and didn't want to fess up. He destroys so much stuff our dues had to go up." Then standing back and observing the other boy's stupor, he asked, "You don't actually drink much do you?" Freed shook his head, but said nothing. "I didn't think so. You should have said something. I wasn't trying to get ya drunk," Laxus growled. "I forget that not everyone can handle it like us dragon-slayers. Anyways, here's some clothes. I'll be around the corner in Gramps' office. You can come find me there when you're done and I'll show you where you can sleep."
"I have some clothes in my bag…" Freed said weakly.
"It's ok. I think your stuff got nasty when they dumped your shit out in the alley… and the guild has plenty of extra stuff. You have to with the Flamaniac around. He's always burning people's clothes off… he says its accidental, but I think he just does it to be funny."
"He done it to you?" Freed asked.
"You think I'd let him get away with that?" rumbled the lightning mage. Freed shook his head. "Natsu knows better than to mess with me."
"How did Natsu burn off all the ice mage's clothes except his underwear?" Freed had been too polite to ask about it at the time, but he was quite sure that the boy fighting the fire-wielding mage had only been wearing a pair of boxer briefs.
"Oh, that's just Gray. He's got this perverted habit of stripping all the time. Just be glad he didn't take his underwear off this time," Laxus said shuddering. "Nothin' more disgusting than naked dudes, am I right?"
Freed nodded and as though in a trance grabbed the items Laxus provided. Freed was beginning to feel really, really tired. Stepping into the shower he admired the water spout that had been molded into the shape of a fairy pouring liquid from a big jug. He wanted to ask more questions about the guild, he wanted to know more about Laxus, and what being S-class meant but it felt as though his logic had been shut off and he suddenly felt very emotional. He glanced in the direction of the door. Would Laxus really be waiting for him in the other room like he said he would be? Why was this stranger being so nice to him when they had nothing in common? He could have been leading me on the whole time. He could be gathering a bunch of his friends to come laugh at me for losing today.
Freed grumbled to himself. He hated being insecure. Insecurity was a sign of weakness and he was determined not to be weak… but he decided that a little weakness when alone in the shower was probably permissible. It had been a very hard day, after all. Freed would have liked to take more time in the shower, but he was a guest and therefore once he was sure he had gotten all the crud out of his hair he exited the shower and dressed in the tight stretchy pants and oversized button up shirt that Laxus had provided.
As Freed stepped into the hallway, he still felt a nagging sense of fear hounding him. He whispered to himself, Laxus, please be waiting for me, don't have abandoned me in this strange place where I don't know anyone else. At the door to the room Laxus had said he'd be waiting in, Freed closed his eyes and held his breath as he turned the knob. Please be the nice guy I believe you to be, he thought.
Entering the office, the rune mage discovered that he need not have worried. Laxus was there lounging on a settee to the right of a massive wooden desk that was covered in scrolls and papers. Seeing Freed, Laxus burst out laughing. "Sorry. That must be one of Guildarts old shirts," he said as he saw that on Freed's small frame it fit him almost like a dress.
"It's ok. It'll be comfortable to sleep in." Freed said with a shrug.
"You feelin' better?" Laxus asked as he went back to looking at the magazine he was holding. "You didn't hurl did you?"
"No!" Freed said offended that the other boy would think just because he was feeling a bit fuzzy that he would become ill. "I'm fine. It's just been a long day."
"You take the train in?"
Freed nodded as he rummaged around in his satchel.
"I hate riding trains," Laxus said. "I walk everywhere."
"Trains aren't my favorite, either," Freed said irritation coloring his tone.
"What?" Laxus asked confused by the other man's change in attitude.
"Those bastards made a total mess of my bag! I had everything neatly organized and now I can't find my comb," he moaned.
Laxus stifled a laugh as he watched the rune mage glowering at his luggage. It amused him that the other boy could seem so calm about much more dire things yet become infuriated over the loss of something as simple as a comb. Getting up, the dragon-slayer walked over to the big wooden desk that was the centerpiece of the room and opened one of its drawers pulling out a black comb. "Here you go," he said as he tossed it at Freed. "Gramps don't need it. He doesn't have much up top anymore."
Grateful, Freed caught it and began to brush his hair starting with the droopy bangs that perpetually concealed his left eye.
"Ah, what's that?" Laxus said pointing to the swordsman's forehead where a small cut had been hidden from view. "You should put something on that. I didn't realize they cut ya."
"I think it was the wall," Freed said as he patted it with his hand and then glanced down at his fingers. A small smattering of fresh blood was on them. "It's just an abrasion. I guess it started bleeding again because I got it wet."
"You should still put somethin' on it."
"You're one to talk," Freed said in a challenging tone. "Your foot is still bleeding. The stain is bigger now." What am I doing? Freed thought. Who do I think I am, calling this… this Thunder God on his hypocrisy! This is what alcohol does to people. It makes them stupid, and I am being stupid. I shouldn't be arguing with my host! Shut up, Freed! Shut up, now, before you become a lightning rod, you idiot!
Laxus frowned. He wasn't happy to hear the other boy harping on him about his damn foot again, but there was something oddly refreshing in having someone willing to argue with him. He doesn't know what a hot temper I have, Laxus thought sadly. He probably thinks I'm a real good guy who could never act like an asshole or lose my cool. The lightning mage glanced down at the stain on his shoe. He couldn't deny that it had increased in size since his victory in the alley.
"It's nothin'," he said dismissively as he turned his attention back to Sorcerer Weekly.
"Tell you what," Freed said. "I'll take care of my head, if you let me take a look at your foot." Laxus' eyes narrowed as they met the other boy's; Laxus didn't want to admit it, but it was nice to have someone looking out for him. Gramps was the only one who ever seemed to care about him. His father sure didn't. And the other guild members are either scared of me, jealous, or too damned stupid or pathetic for me to bother with.
Freed came to stand beside the settee and in barely more than a whisper said, "Laxus…" The dragon-slayer's heart trembled ever so slightly at the sound of his name being said in such a loving, caring way. When was the last time he had heard his name without it being screamed because he was doing something wrong? For back-talking to the older fairies or breaking the rules or…? "It isn't a sign of weakness to attend to your injuries properly, and I know first aid. Let me take a look. I won't tell anyone."
Laxus turned his head, his mandarin eyes gazing directly into the other boy's sapphire orbs and he felt something within him stir, something frightening, something that made him panic. What is up with this kid?! He's way too close! Thought Laxus jumping up from his chair.
Earnestly, Freed pleaded, "Please, Laxus-"
"It ain't a big deal," growled the lightning mage angrily. "I've had worse."
"I know," Freed whispered sympathetically. The alcohol was making his thoughts come tumbling out before he could suppress them. "You're lucky you still have your eye."
Laxus' inner dragon stirred. "My scar ain't none of your business," he roared.
Freed nodded, but to Laxus' surprise he didn't look scared. "Don't worry. I won't mention it again. There are things in my past I don't want to talk about either."
Laxus shot the rune mage an incredulous look. What dark secrets could this pretty boy have?
"Good. Then take me at my word when I say I'm fine," Laxus said settling back into the settee, though his eyes didn't leave Freed even after he once again picked up Sorcerer Weekly and pretended to be reading it.
Freed sighed. His new found friend was stubborn and clearly used to doing everything on his own. A part of me wants to respect his wishes, but, Freed glanced at Laxus' foot again and saw fresh blood had oozed through the fabric sneaker; he got hurt while he was rescuing me, and that makes it my job to take care of him.
"You ready to head to bed?" Laxus said still unsettled by this boy who seemed to be getting under his dragon scales far too easily.
"In another couple minutes," Freed said flipping his hair around with the towel. "If I don't get my hair dry before I lie down it'll get all tangled."
Laxus grunted and went back to pretending to read his magazine as Freed paced back and forth at his feet. The rune mage's thoughts obsessively ruminating on all that could go wrong should the lightning mage not have his wound attended to properly. It could get infected and he could die. I can't have that on my conscious. Everyone in Fairy Tail would probably become my sworn enemy then. And, yes, it could be a minor thing, but if it's continuing to bleed… The more he contemplated the repercussions of allowing his savior to ignore his injury the more Freed became convinced he had to take desperate measures to ensure the man who had come to his rescue would be all right, and he hatched a plan that would force the mighty Laxus to accept his help.
Freed began to do laps around the settee as he fiddled with his hair. Occasionally, he'd pause under the guise of asking about some knickknack on the shelves that lined the room or something about guild life, but he wasn't paying much attention to the answers because he was busy setting a runic circle.
"I thought you were tired," grumbled Laxus. "Why you pacing around like that?"
"My hair dries faster this way," Freed answered.
"If you have to do all this every time you wash it, I'm glad I've got short hair," Laxus commented. In actuality, he found Freed's emerald hair quite striking, but now with Freed flipping his hair around while wearing Guildarts' old shirt he reminded Laxus too much of the girl who dressed as Rapunzel in the last Fantasia parade for him to take the rune mage seriously.
"I'm almost done," Freed said sweetly. "Thanks for everything today. I really appreciate it."
Laxus acknowledged this comment with a 'hhhmmm' as he ogled the centerfold in his magazine. "She's got a nice ass," he said flashing the titillating photo of a Mermaid Heel mage at the other boy.
Freed said nothing but gave his strands one last jiggle with the towel while he stood at the foot of the settee. "Ok, I think I'm ready now."
"'Bout fuckin' time," Laxus cursed. Standing up he tossed the magazine back onto the settee and then took a step forward intending to show Freed the way to the guest room. "It's right this w-"
Laxus' words were abruptly cut off as he slammed into something invisible that prevented him from moving forward as glowing purple runes suddenly appeared in a neat square all the way around the settee.
Freed smiled evilly, proud that his plan was working. He hadn't been confident that the runic circle he created would maintain its integrity when met with Laxus' strength, but it seemed to be holding up quite well.
"What the hell'd you do?!" Laxus thundered.
Letting his façade down, Freed crossed his arms and stared into the blonde's eyes with the fierceness of an opponent who currently has the upper hand and knows it. "You're in a runic trap," Freed declared.
"I figured that out," snarled the trapped mage as he formed his hands into fists, lightning flashing all over the inside of the runic circle.
"Don't worry," Freed said calmly. "I'll let you out, but you'll only be able to leave once the spell's conditions are met."
"What in the fuck are you talking about?" asked Laxus as he scowled at his guest.
"The rules. I create every runic circle trap with certain rules. The trapped person, or persons, are unable to exit the circle until the precise conditions required are met. In other words, you must follow the rules to escape. And in this case the rule is that you have your foot attended to before you may exit."
Laxus paced in the enclosure like a caged animal. "You've got to be shitting me. When the hell'd you set this thing up?" Then his eyes widened in understanding. "You did it just now, didn't you? All that stuff about your hair was bullshit, wasn't it?"
Freed smiled, "No, it's true. If I go to bed with it wet I may as well just hack it all off. I was just… multi-tasking."
"You little bastard!" Laxus growled.
"I'm sorry, for deceiving you," Freed said giggling.
"Then why are you laughing?"
"Because I didn't actually think it would hold," Freed said grinning from ear to ear. "I mean, you're so strong, but I should know better than to underestimate the power of the runes-"
"God damn you. I'm never speaking to you again," Laxus threatened crossing his arms like a pouting child.
Freed's smile fell. "Oh, please, Laxus, don't be that way. I feel bad about this, but I would feel worse if you got gangrene and lost a toe. There's no way I'm going to sleep until I know that you're ok."
"I'm not going to lose a damn toe, you idiot!" shouted Laxus. "It was just a little pin knife. It's nothing."
"Let me be the judge of that," Freed said. "The sooner you do, the sooner we can both go to bed."
"You're a weirdo. You know that?" Laxus said shaking his head.
"It's not going to heal on its own. Look it's bleeding more now," Freed said pointing down to Laxus' foot. "It's because you're all worked up and your blood press-"
Laxus' nostrils flared. "You little shit! I can't believe this! I'm nice to you and this is the thanks I get. See if I'm nice to anyone ever again!"
Freed arched an eyebrow. "I fear that that is a moot point, because if you don't let me examine your foot you won't have the opportunity to help anyone ever again. So, are you prepared to spend the rest of your days in that settee? I'll be nice and bring you food and drink. I'm not cruel or anything, though I suppose it will be a little embarrassing to have to use a chamber pot-"
"You bastard! I can't believe you!" Laxus banged on the walls of the invisible enclosure searching for any possible fission or weakness he could exploit.
"Please don't be like this. I know you feel betrayed but I can't in good-conscious have a wound you got fighting on my behalf not be addressed appropriately. I promise I'll never use this little trick on you again. But you've got to understand that I feel responsible. You saved my life. I am in your debt."
"I didn't save your life," Laxus grumbled. "You're exaggerating."
"They were going to kill me."
"Maybe," Laxus admitted reluctantly.
"And you got hurt in the process and I wasn't any help to you in the battle because I had already exhausted my magic. But I can help you now."
Laxus glared at the emerald-haired boy and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine! Just get it over with."
Freed ran over to his bag and removed from it a small, embossed brown leather case tied shut with leather strapping. Inside were various bottles of what Laxus could only assume were medications and tinctures and bandage materials.
"Ok, shoe off," Freed stated and before Laxus could reach down and yank his shoe off himself, Freed had shoved him backward onto the settee and was unlacing his shoe for him.
"I can take off my own damn shoe," Laxus grumbled, but it was too late. Freed already had it off and was delicately peeling off Laxus' white sport sock.
"Just get comfortable and leave it all to me," Freed said from his kneeling position in front of the dragon slayer. "This will only take a minute or two."
"Oh, good," Freed said examining the wound carefully. It was a small slash to the webbing between Laxus' big toe and the one next to it. "It could be a lot worse, but it's still good we're doing this. It oozes whenever you move and it's really dirty. When they stabbed you, the knife must have brought with it a lot of debris from the outside of your shoe. I'm going to get a bowl and soak it…"
Laxus groaned again. It wasn't like he was planning on ignoring the injury entirely. Eventually, he would have done something about it, maybe packing it with some goo-covered gauze and jamming it back in his sock.
Freed returned with a big bowl of warm water he had gotten from somewhere and before placing Laxus' foot into the bowl he dropped a couple things into it that made the water fizz.
Startled, Laxus looked down at the water. "What is that stuff?"
"Some healing minerals. It kills any harmful bacteria present and it smells wonderful. Doesn't it?"
Laxus grunted his agreement, unwilling to go on record as admitting that the floral aroma was pleasant, even though it was definitely the best smelling thing he'd ever stuffed his foot into. In fact, the dragon-slayer found himself sad when Freed removed his foot from the effervescent bath and went about drying it with a small hand towel.
"It's going to need a couple stitches," Freed told him. "I'll just pop them in and you'll be done."
"Stitches? I don't need stitches," Laxus said starting to get up.
"You didn't let anyone stitch your face up properly, did you? That's why you scarred."
"I did let them stitch it," Laxus growled. "They just did a shitty job."
"Well, I'm going to do a very good job and it won't even hurt," Freed said casting runes around the injury. "Inside this little box pain cannot exist. I've made it a rule."
"You can do that?" Laxus asked unable to hide the astonishment from his voice.
"Yes," Freed answered as he got out a needle and some suture. "But not over large areas. For example, I can't make a person's entire body be pain-free or something like that. But it's great for small things like hangnails and splinters. Now just hold still. You try to get out of this runic circle and you'll meet a fate far worse than death."
Laxus stared down at the other mage. Was he serious? Was this boy crazy enough to kill him if he busted out of this trap? What kind of lunatic had he invited to Fairy Tail?
Frowning, Laxus contemplated Freed's sanity as he sat back down and the rune mage set to work suturing his foot. Freed was concentrating so hard that he didn't hear the door open behind him and another person enter the room.
"Oh, hello, Laxus, I didn't realize you were in here," greeted an old man's voice from behind the rune mage. Makarov took in the scene with amusement. His grandson appeared to be receiving some kind of foot bath or pedicure from a woman kneeling before him. Makarov couldn't see the young lady's face but she had the most beautiful green hair that he had ever seen. He always knew Laxus would snag a pretty girlfriend. He isn't a bad looking young man. Except for that horrible scar, thought Makarov with a guilty heart.
"Hey, Gramps," Laxus mumbled avoiding the probing eyes of his grandfather, the slightest hint of redness appearing on his cheeks. Of all the times for Gramps to come into his office. Leave it to the Old Man to decide to actually do some work right now. This is so damned embarrassing.
"And who do we have here?" asked the old man waggling his eyebrows. This was the first time he had found his grandson so intimate with a-
"My name's Freed," said the rune mage who remained on the floor but turned his head toward the voice and to his surprise found himself on eye level with an extremely short man.
The old man was startled when he realized that it wasn't a gorgeous woman attending to his son, but an attractive young man with long eye lashes and a beauty mark under his left eye. Glancing back at his grandson, he again saw an unmistakable blush upon Laxus cheeks and forced himself to suppress a chuckle.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," he said warmly. "I'm Laxus' grandfather."
"Gramps is our guild master," explained Laxus moodily.
"The name is Makarov," the old man offered kindly.
Freed stopped his work to stare at the man. "Makarov, the Wizard Saint?!"
Makarov nodded. "Yes, but please just call me 'Makarov' or 'Gramps'."
"Or Old Man," Laxus smirked. He enjoyed causing the old man grief.
Makarov frowned. "'Makarov' or 'Gramps', please."
"Nice to meet you," Freed said. "Laxus has been showing me-"
"Don't get distracted, Freed," growled the thunder god. "You said this was only going to take a minute or two. I'm not gonna sit here like some kind of weirdo while you caress my foot or do whatever damn thing it is you're doing down there." There now Gramps won't get the wrong idea, Laxus tried to reassure himself.
Freed arched an eyebrow. "I am not caressing your foot! I'm stitching it up. That is an entirely different thing and you should just sit there and be thankful I didn't drag you into the nearest hospital. They are not so gentle. Last time I had to get stitches they jabbed the needle into me with no numbing agent and proceeded to tell me that no grown man should need to be numbed to get stitches. It was then that I vowed to attend to the majority of my own medical needs so I would no longer be at the mercy of a bunch of self-righteous nurses."
Laxus laughed. "You mean you carry this shit with you everywhere you go? Not just when you're traveling?"
"Why not?" Freed asked. "It takes very little room and it is of infinite value…"
Makarov drifted away from the two boys, but kept an eye on them from his desk. His grandson who so rarely smiled or laughed appeared to have made a friend and in someone very different from himself. Makarov smiled. Perhaps Mavis was still looking out for her fairies.
"There, all done," Freed said hopping to his feet. "Just cut them out in about two weeks and you'll be good as new."
Laxus looked down at the tiny knots and wiggled his toes. Awkwardly, he mumbled a 'thank you'. Then he stood up and, holding his arms out in front of him like a zombie, walked right through the barrier that had stopped him in his tracks mere moments ago. "Amazing," he murmured under his breath. "Well, I'll show you to your room. Gramps, Freed's going to stay here tonight, ok?"
Makarov nodded his approval and watched as the boys left his office and with a smile he whispered to himself, "I suspect that young man will be staying for much longer than a night if my grandson has anything to say about it."