Friends

Feat. The Thunder God Tribe (Freed Justine, Bickslow, Evergreen) and Laxus Dreyar

[Setting: Prior to the FT canon timeline when Lucy joined the guild]

Disclaimer: I pants-ed this, so if there are some major discrepancies with canon, please forgive me. Mashima-sensei never expanded on the amazing trio that is the Thunder God Tribe, so I'm sketching out what they could possibly be like through this snippet here. Also, this may be my longest "drabble" piece yet, so I hope it is worth the length!


"Ugh!" Freed's back hit the wall, catching his breath as he glared at his opponent.

"This isn't over yet, Justinneee!" the man yelled.

"Damn it!" Freed did a quick mental calculation and he knew he wouldn't have enough time to create a rune to trap the man. Still short of breath and using the wall as his support, Freed closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

"Gaaarrrrggghhh!"

Instead of death, Freed opened his eyes again to find his opponent screeching in excruciating pain. When seconds before he was charging at him, ready to give Freed the final blow, he was now writhing on the ground, at the mercy of an old man in a fur coat.

"Are you all right over there?" the old man asked, completely ignoring the cries of the man lying in front of him.

Speechless, Freed nodded. Despite the elder man's appearances, his presence demanded respect, obedience, and a sense of fear.

"P-Please! I'll do anything! Stop this!"

The old man snapped his fingers, and it was as if the pain and cries were never there. The younger man skirted off to a corner farther in the distance, like a dog dashing off with its tail between its legs.

The old man's eyes followed the man as he disappeared in the distance. He turned to look at Freed again, "You placed some impressive runes just now!"

"Oh… Thank you." Now that Freed's breathing has returned to normal, he stood up straight and bowed a little.

"I'm Makarov Dreyar."

"Dreyar!? Then you must be – "

"I'm in search of someone who can rein in my grandson."

"Grand…son?" It was such an odd request and so unexpected that Freed wasn't sure what or how to respond.

"Laxus Dreyar."

As if on cue, a bolt of lightning flew from the entrance of the cave, missing Freed by a few inches, causing some sharper edges of the cave wall to collapse.

"Giii!" his opponent from earlier screeched. Freed hadn't even caught the man escaping, slightly impressed. Just as he was about to say something, a new voice boomed from the entrance, "Don't think you're going anywhere until gramps is finished!"

Freed looked at the younger boy that charged in. The boy cackled at his own handy work. He was angry, proud, and loud all at once as he tied the man up with his lightning bolts that he is producing out of thin air.

"I think you can see what I mean when I say he will need someone who can guide him and remind him to stay on the right path…" As if reading his thoughts, Makarov, who has been quiet all this time, finally spoke to Freed.

Freed looked from Laxus back to Makarov, and back to Laxus again. Despite the boisterous charisma and entrance that demanded attention, there was sadness and anger in the younger Dreyar's eyes, the boy was lonely.

"Well?" Makarov asked gently.

Freed turned to him, "All right. I will accept."


Bickslow's maniacal laughter was heard from miles away as he duelled with another mage.

"Kiyahahahahah! Get 'em, my babies!"

"Gaaahhh!"

Bickslow smirked, slowly turning to the crowd that has gathered around to watch, "Sssoooo, who's next?"

Some backed away, seeing the extent of damage and injuries to the man that Bickslow had just defeated. Others cowered, not moving backwards or forwards, their feet rooted to the ground in fear.

"No one? Awww, you guys ain't no fun –"

"I will."

Bickslow looked for the source of the brave person, and quirked his eyebrow. The man that has stood up to his challenge couldn't be older than he. His cape drifted slightly with the wind, his magic coming out of his body in sparks of electricity.

"Hooo~ Well then, let me see what you've got!" Bickslow grinned widely. It's been some time since someone stood up to the plate and took him on.

"Got, got!" his babies chirped from behind him.

The man also smirked. Confident as he readied himself for Bickslow's attack. More crowds have gathered to see the impromptu duel.

Bickslow was surprised about how similar their magic worked. His lightning and his figure eyes.

After the battle, he commented to the lightning man, "Hey, that was a good duel!" giving him a good pat on the back.

"Definitely," the man held out his hand to him and said, "The name is Laxus, by the way."

Bickslow looked at the hand held out to him and back at the man again, smiling, "Bickslow." He took Laxus's hand and shook it, "Laxus, huh? Cool name, man!"

"Laxus! There you are! I was wondering – Who is….?" Bickslow noticed the green-haired man that was running towards them, looking back and forth between them.

"This is Freed. He is my partner. The two of us form a good team, you care to join us? I think we'd make our team even stronger with you on board…"

"What's in it for me?" Bickslow crossed his arms and stood back, letting the man mull over his question. Bickslow knows he is a strong mage, he can handle working alone. Team has never really been his thing.

Laxus's confidence didn't falter, nor did he felt dejected from Bickslow's question. The thunder dragon slayer smirked, answering him, "A guild, so free lodging and food, in a way. You've seen me fight, and Freed! Show him what you've got."

Freed sighed before mumbling something, out of the ground sprouted strings of ancient scripts and runes that formed a wall around Bickslow. "What?!"

"Ancient runes is one of my magic."

"One of?"

Laxus chuckled then, "You wouldn't want to be on the other end of his other magic, trust me."

Bickslow thought Freed's eyes changed colour for a fraction of a second. Intrigued, he smirked.

"So, are you still up for it?" Laxus prompted again.

"You bet!"


Evergreen took off her glasses, turning one of her suitors into stone.

"You evil wench! Undo whatever it is that you did just now!"

Evergreen scoffed. Ignoring the remark with a flip of her hair, walking away from the scene she caused.

Evergreen kept walking until she saw another young man running right towards her, Oh god, not another suitor… She was about to take off her glasses when the young man spoke first and warned, "Please, miss! Head the other way!"

"What? Why?"

"Bandits! Lots of them! They're heading right this way!" the young lad dashed away before she could ask him for more information.

Evergreen watched the man become but a dot in the distance and thought over her options. She could let all of these villagers here die or save them all the hassle… she groaned, "Urgh, seriously Ever, why are you doing this…"

Once she found her vantage point, she sees the bandits coming. Evergreen sighed as she took her glasses off, for the second time today, she noted.

Before the bandits could even yell or point her out, the whole lot of them became statues.

"Job done," looking at her handy work after putting her glasses back on, "but they'll be hard to get off the roads now, that's for sure…"

She looked around her as she heard claps and some cheers. "What…?"

The tallest of them whistled, "That's some magic you've got there!"

And the one with the green hair nodded, "Impressive."

The third one just looked at her, his gaze intense and… making her slightly flushed.

"Wow, look Laxus! They really are stone now!" the tall man with the mask over his face said, knocking on one of the bandits, his voice in awe.

The green-haired man walked to her, "I apologise for the sudden audience. I'll introduce you. I'm Freed Justine. He's Bickslow."

"Evergreen," she nodded in response.

"And that's Laxus."

Laxus still hasn't said a word to her, but his eyes on her hasn't faltered and it's gotten her blushing an even deeper shade of red. Most men shy away or flee once they discover her magic. Laxus's reaction, or lack thereof, makes her uncertain of what it is he wants.

After a long pause, he finally uttered, "I think we'll recruit her too."

"Sounds good, Laxus!" Bickslow exclaimed, still admiring the statues.

"I have no objections." Freed concurred without complaint.

"Excuse me? You're not asking for my opinion?!" The feeling that she's been duped or tricked into something she had no say in made her mad.

"Well, do you?" Laxus quirked his eyebrows and she swore her heart skipped a beat.

Evergreen gulped, steadying herself, "I- I need to know what I am getting into. You guys could be black market traders or human traffickers for all I know!"

Laxus's chuckle was low and brass, in contrast to Bickslow's high cackle. The three men nodded, and showed their guild marks.

Evergreen feigned a cough to hide her shock, the sudden flash of muscles from Laxus made her nervous, "Fairy Tail?" She's heard of the guild before and had been wanting to join, considering the name.

"Yup! The strongest out of the rowdy lot right now!" Bickslow cackled.

Evergreen huffed, "I'll have you know I am Queen of the Fairies, so rowdy won't be for me. However…." She sneaked a glance at Laxus, though it seems only Bickslow noticed, his grin growing cheekier by the second. Evergreen wish she could wipe that cocky grin off the masked man, but continued, taking out her fan to hide the redness of her cheeks, "I expect no less than this team you have going on here. I shall gladly take you up on the offer."

"Yeeeeaaahhhh!" Bickslow's laughter and cheer can be heard from miles away.


It didn't take long for news to travel from Magnolia and beyond that the grandson of Makarov Dreyar has made, or in the Thunder Dragon Slayer's words, recruited, three mages into the guild of Fairy Tail.

Sometimes he'd be on missions with them, but there are other times when it will just be the three of them.

"Watch out! Laxus's three strong mages are here!"

"How rude! I have a name! Stone eyes!" With Laxus away on a mission of his own the past month, Evergreen's temper was easily set off.

"Chill, Ever. He said we're strong!" Bickslow chided.

"Don't. Call. Me. Ever!" Evergreen was tempted to direct her stone eyes at him.

"Ahh, sorry. Slip of tongue there. Only for Laxus, right?" Bickslow stuck his tongue out, not at all scared of what she will do.

Evergreen blushed, flying towards the masked man, "You!"

"Focus. Bickslow, Evergreen."

"Right."

"Hmph!"

They were well known for showing no mercy, just as their "leader", Laxus. Taking into account that all of them had powerful and distinctive magic that made them stand out, Evergreen, Freed, and Bickslow were soon named the "Thunder God Tribe" by none other than Freed Justine himself – in honour of Laxus's magic and Makarov taking him in. Wherever the trio went, tales of their feats followed.


Thumps and screams were heard as Bickslow, Evergreen, and Freed fight the cronies of the Ghoul Spirit Guild.

"Go get 'em my babies!"

"Ancient script."

"Stone eyes!"

"Who... who are they?" one man, cowering as he stared at the trio before him.

"They're the Thunder God Tribe of Fairy Tail! Ruthless and strong! Flee while you still can!"

Before the trio could take the rest of the guild down, the place was deserted. Placing his sword back in its sheath, Freed Justine muttered, "That was too easy."

"It's been getting a little boring these days, don't you think?" Bickslow shrugged.

"Only because Laxus's been busy… I'm sure things will turn around once he comes back…" Evergreen said.

As if their thoughts summoned him, they heard Laxus's voice behind them, "Ever, Bickslow, Freed."

"Laxus!"

"I've got something fun planned," Laxus grinned, his eyes diluted and flickered.

"Finallyyy!" Bickslow cheered, though Freed and Evergreen saw a flash of something darker.


A/N: So this actually turned out much longer than I thought! I enjoyed building their backstory and how they met Laxus. I feel like Laxus found and recruited them as his little team himself (besides Freed of course), and they all kind of just stuck together afterwards... As always, how was the drabble? Too short? Just right? Hated it? Loved it? Let me know your thoughts! ^^

On to reviews:

Thank you mestwendyfan and Martyn for reading and reviewing!

Martyn – I should've replied to you when I posted Chapter 6, so sorry! Thanks for your review! :) I haven't thought about Nab! That's a good idea! ^^ I'll definitely include him after this!

Your review is also coming at a good time. With this drabble about the Thunder God Tribe complete, I have wrapped up the side characters I wrote about two years ago for FT Side Characters Week. So to you and anyone else out there reading this drabble collection – any character(s) in particular you'd like to see me write in the foreseeable future? I'm hoping to continue to add more characters to this collection ^^

Thank you everyone for your time and feedback, and most of all, for joining me as I go on this journey!