Five Little Sacrifices

Chapter 52

They ate and set up their camp and everything else. It was getting too dark and chilly for Felix and Chester to play in the water so instead they were sitting with them around the fire. But the day had been really long and so many things had happened, they both fell asleep almost immediately even though they had sworn they could stay awake with adults.

Now they just waited for Baluhu to come back, talking this and that while Felix was sleeping on Laxus' lap, his dark fur lined coat around him and Chester was in deep sleep on Bickslow's lap, both not caring what was happening around them. Theophilius was murmuring something in his sleep, curled up on Freed's lap and his big ears flickered sometimes as he was seeing dreams, obviously enjoying how the rune mage's slender fingers were scratching his back.

"So guess we will leave tomorrow?" Evergreen asked.

"If there's no need for us to stay, we should", Laxus said adding few more woods in the fire. "It takes a day to go back to Ginkgo, might as well sleep there and leave with a ferry next morning and hop in the train."

"If we fly, we could get there faster and still have some time to look around, maybe shop a little bit", Ever suggested. "Laxus could carry Felix, I can take Chester and Bickslow can take care of Roscoe."

It could work and it wouldn't take long for them to fly back, but they all looked at Freed who thought about it a moment.

"Well, my magic hasn't acted up even once yet", the green haired man said finally. "And I'm feeling fine. If we're careful then it should be okay."

"You better fly near so I can catch you if something happens and your wings disappear", Laxus said. He didn't really like this, but he wasn't really fond of the idea of walking back a whole day either. As long as Freed would stay near he would be able to catch him at any second if needed.

"It takes no time at all to fly back to Ginkgo", Bickslow grinned. "We have a whole day time to do shopping."

"Remember that the ferry leaves Ginkgo at evening as well, we could go back and get to the night train", Freed suggested.

"I like that idea, we're gonna do that", Laxus decided and Evergreen whined.

"It would have been great to spend another night in that hotel where we stayed earlier", she said and she was really disappointed.

"Too bad, there's no need for us to stay there if we can get to the last train and be back in Magnolia by morning", Laxus huffed.

"I'm sure there's still plenty of time for you to do some shopping once we arrive at Ginkgo", Freed assured to Evergreen.

They talked a while more, until they heard steps and looked at Baluhu who arrived back to his cottage.

"That little fungus should have everything it needs now and one of my spirits is keeping an eye on it", the old man chuckled as he sat down with them, setting his flute aside. "It has a really nice spot where to walk around, not too dry and there are good little hiding spots from sun."

"It sounds like that little Laxus is enjoying its new home", Bickslow smirked and Laxus scowled at him.

"Too bad it cannot be helped that even if it will grow up to be big and strong, it will always be a bit slow", Evergreen giggled.

"It's not Laxus' fault, it's part of what it is", Roscoe reminded amused and Laxus growled.

"You guys want me to kick your asses? I can do that", he warned.

"Aww, don't get mad, baby", Bickslow snickered. "You know you're smarter than that thing."

"Technically, we can't know that for sure", Freed said. "It doesn't even have brain but it could understand when it was in danger and in what kind of a danger since it didn't emit poison but hid itself. It clearly knew what was the best option to do."