Not long after that it seemed, I was being woken up. "Freed. Freed. Wake up. Gramps said I should take you to the bathhouse before it gets any later."

I opened my eyes groggily and sat up, rubbing my eye. "5 more minutes." I complained, laying back down.

"Come on Freed, don't be so stubborn. You look so filthy! You need a bath so come on!" Laxus demanded.

"Alright fine…" I groaned as I sat up again. Then I stood, slipping my shoes on.

Laxus held out his hand. "Come on, let's go!" He grinned.

I couldn't help but blush a little. He had just met me earlier that same day...and he was being so nice to me… For the first time in a week, I smiled. "Okay Laxus, lead the way!"

Before long, we found ourselves in front of the public bathhouse.

"My gramps had the private room reserved for you so people didn't wonder about your injuries." Laxus explained.

"I see...but...he didn't have to pay did he?" I asked, mortified that someone would do that for me.

"Well, yeah," Laxus said. "But it wasn't much! Don't worry about it Freed!"

"But…!" I started to protest but Laxus cut me off.

"My gramps did this for you because he's a kind man. He doesn't expect you to pay him back." Laxus said seriously. "Don't worry about it Freed. I'm serious, it's okay."

"Well...if you insist.." I hesitantly answered.

Laxus smiled. "Great, now let's get a bath!"

Laxus guided me to the private room he mentioned. He let go of my hand and opened the door, ushering me inside. Laxus followed, closing the door behind him. He started stripping, then looked up, noticing I wasn't undressing.

"You can't bathe in your clothes you know." Laxus said, taking his pants off. "Get undressed. We're both guys so it's fine."

I swallowed my pride and started undressing as well. I carefully unwrapped the bandages the master had put on me. Laxus wrapped a towel around his waist and started towards the bath. I did the same. I stepped in the bath, taking the towel off before it touched the water and placing it at the edge. I put my head under the water and rubbed my face with another little towel, getting all the grime and dirt off. I surfaced and pushed my hair out of my face.

I hardly paid any attention to Laxus as I cleaned myself off. I grabbed the shampoo and started lathering my hair. I tried pushing my lightning bolt cowlicks down as I did, but they just kept popping right back up. I sighed.

"Whoa," Laxus said upon noticing his cowlicks. "I thought it was just because your hair was messy earlier, but you actually have cowlicks shaped like lightning bolts!" Laxus began playing with them. "That's so cool, Freed."

"P-please stop," I said as I moved away from him then submerged myself in the water again, rinsing the soap out of my hair. Once I was sure it was free of suds, I surfaced, pushing my hair back. "I'm done...so I'm leaving."

I stood up and grabbed the towel I left by the edge of the bath. I dried my hair with it a little, then wrapped it around my waist, walking back to the dressing area. I finished drying myself off and started getting dressed. I carefully wrapped the bandages around my injuries then slid my shirt on. Laxus was beside me now, getting dressed himself. I walked to the sink and I was glad to see a magic lacrima powered hair dryer. I had to dry my hair or it was all messed up. I started drying my hair as Laxus finished dressing himself. It took about 3 minutes for my hair to completely dry. I turned it off and set it down, turning to Laxus. "Sorry for taking so long." I apologized. "You could've went ahead you know…"

"No can do." Laxus answered. "I promised my gramps that I'd stay with you until we got back." He held his hand out to me. "So let's go Freed."

I took his hand. "Yeah, alright.."

We slowly made our way back to the guild hall. It was still light outside so I assumed it to be around 6 pm.

"Gramps!" Laxus shouted as he opened the guild's door. "We're back!"

"Laxus." Makarov said, who was sitting on the bar, holding his staff. "Over here."

Laxus led me to his grandpa with a small smile on his face. "Gramps you won't believe this! Look at this!" He let go of my hand and started playing with my cowlicks, pressing them down and watching them pop back up.

"H-hey!" I protested. "S-stop..!"

Makarov laughed a bit. "Laxus that's quite enough. Don't frighten or bother him."

Laxus stopped. "Sorry Freed."

"It's...okay.." I answered.

"Anyways Freed," Makarov said. "You look much better. Are you hungry."

"No, i-" I was cut off by my stomach rumbling rather loudly. I looked down in embarrassment. "Y-yes sir…"

"I'll go get you something." Makarov said hopping down to the floor. "Do you have any preferences?"

I shook my head.

"Alright." Makarov said with a smile.

"Hey Freed, I've been wondering for a while now…" Laxus said.

"What is it?" I asked, immediately on guard.

"Do you know how to use magic?"

I blinked at the question. "I-i umm...kinda...self taught I guess...I'm not very good though…"

"What kind of magic do you use?" Laxus asked, a twinkle in his eye. "I use the same as my gramps and great gramps! Giant magic and lighting magic!"

"I use...umm...rune...magic…"

"Whoa, like the rune knights of the magic council?! No way! Hardly anyone practices that magic unless they're trying to work for the magic council."

"W-well...I tried to use other magic before b-but none of them worked out…"

"Well I think rune magic suits you anyways." Laxus said with a grin.

I smiled a bit. "Thanks.."

Makarov came back and placed a bowl of ramen in front of me. "Eat up my boy. If you want more after that, just ask!"

"T-thank you sir…" I said as I started eating. I hadn't had a decent meal in a week, so the ramen, which I didn't really care for, tasted so delicious. I scarfed it down in only a few minutes.

"Wow Freed." Laxus commented. "I didn't know such a skinny guy like you could eat so much."

"W-well...I haven't had a decent meal in... about a week.." I found myself rambling.

"Wait, you what??" Laxus demanded.

"I-it's nothing…" I lied.

"Freed," Makarov said in a gentle tone. "I know you probably don't want to but...tell me your story. I want to help you in any way that I can young man."

I sighed and hugged myself. I could trust these people. I can tell them….

"I-i ran away from home... a week ago...it was my birthday...these injuries….are from...my p-parents…" I involuntarily started crying. "I don't know what I did to upset them but i-it's been this way since 2 y-years ago…" I broke down into tears, hiding my face in my arms.

"I recognize you now…" Makarov said. "You're the little boy from one of the job requests we have on our request board. Freed Justine…"

I flinched upon hearing my last name. I didn't want to be sent back...but I didn't want my parents to get in trouble either. "Please master, don't send me back!" I pleaded. "Don't get my mom and dad in trouble! Just don't send me back! Don't tell them I'm here!"

"I never said anything about sending you back. However, when a parent hurts their child it breaks my heart. I cannot promise anything about your parents not getting in trouble." Makarov said sternly.

"Gramps, let's just not do anything." Laxus said. "We'll take the request down and just forget about it."

"I'm not taking it down Laxus. You know why I can't." Makarov said solemnly. "We have to at least tell his parents we found him but we cannot return him to them because of how they treat him."

"Gramps, he knows magic! Can he join Fairy Tail? That way, he can't go back to them no matter what!" Laxus said.

"He can join if he wants. But that isn't going to protect him from the possibility that his parents might come for him." Makarov said. "I will go to his house tomorrow and explain things to them." He turned to me. "So Freed, would you like to join a wizard guild?"

"M-me..? Join..Fairy Tail..?" I pondered over it for a bit. "I...don't think I am worthy of joining such a guild like this…"

"You're more than worthy Freed," Laxus said, wrapping an arm around Freed's shoulder.

"I-if you say so…" I looked down. "I-i umm...I guess...I want to join Fairy Tail…"

"Yes!" Laxus shouted with joy. "We gotta give him a mark gramps!"

"I know, Laxus, m'boy." Makarov said as he materialized a stamp looking thing out of thin air. "Now where would you like your emblem? Every member of Fairy Tail has one. It's the symbol of our big family. Don't you forget that!"

I thought about it for a bit then decided. "I'd like it on my left hand, if that's alright.."

"Of course it is." Makarov then stamped a green Fairy Tail mark on my hand. The shade of green reminded me of the color of my hair. "Welcome to Fairy Tail Freed Justine."

"Now you're a real wizard Freed! In an official guild and everything!" Laxus smiled.

I managed a little smile. "Yeah."

"Laxus, why don't you show him to our sleeping quarters. You think it would be any trouble if he shared a bed with you?"

"Not at all gramps." Laxus said, taking Freed's hand for the 3rd time that day. "Come on Freed!"

For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a true friend who would stay by my side forever. That day was when I vowed to be by Laxus' side forever.