The Rune's Shadow

5.

OK! I AM BACK! [180+] reads, geezus...thank you all! Took a little break to catch up on useless stuff. (Like school and sleep.) But I decided to do a little time skip to make things easier to write for me. Ok, enjoy the new chapter! BTW, I decided to make this one a bit longer.

"M-Mr. Laxus? Are you ok now? You looked kind of sick when we were on the train." 

Laxus sighed in relief as he hopped off the train and stretched his arms. He glanced down at his small friend and replied, "Yeah, I'm good now...and for the last time, it's just Laxus!" 

Bixlo and Evergreen chuckled as they stepped off the train after them. Laxus then picked up mini Freed in one arm again as they headed to the map to see where to go from there. 

Ever tapped his free arm and asked, "You do know that Freed can walk now, right?" 

Laxus blinked and looked at Freed before setting him down and facepalming. "I guess I got kind of used to carrying him." 

Bix added from behind him, "He couldn't walk for only one day, Laxus." 

Ever smirked, "Awww, did Laxus like taking care of Freed?" Laxus growled at them, while trying furiously to think up an excuse. 

Freed tugged on his coat sleeve to get his attention, Laxus tilted his head a bit to see him. Mini Freed gave a slightly confused smile and asked him, "Um...Mr. Laxu-?" He shook his head a little and restarted his sentence. "Laxus? What are you three talking about? I kind of spaced out." 

Laxus quickly replied, "Nothing you have to worry about." He then decided to change the subject. "Here's the maps. Apparently we're heading north for a few miles." 

Laxus was about to pick up his stuff and head out when Evergreen stopped him.

"Yeah, sorry to burst your bubble and all, but we should probably stay here for tonight." Laxus glanced over at her and growled irritably, "Why?" She raised an eyebrow and gestured towards Bixlo. 

Laxus looked where she had showed him and saw Bixlo carrying a half asleep Freed. 

For some reason, Laxus felt a small twinge of jealousy that he didn't understand. 'It's just Freed. Why would I care who's with him?' 

But he still fought with the feeling to snatch Freed away from his friend. He sighed and answered "Fine. One night. But we're leaving well before lunch!"

Time skip to the next morning! Brought to you by my lazy butt!

Bixlo and Laxus went back and forth for being the first one up after Freed. This morning was the first time that Bixlo had woken up before either of them. After overcoming his initial surprise at that, he sat down and enjoyed his cup of coffee. 

A while after he finished it, he glanced towards the hall at the sound of a yawn. Freed stood in the doorway, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He smiled sleepily and said, "Good morning Bixlo." 

Bixlo smiled a bit and waved. "Good morning! Did you sleep ok?" 

His de-aged friend pulled himself onto the couch next to him and replied, "Ok. It's strange sleeping in a new place."

Bixlo chuckled a little. "Yeah. Its can be a little hard to get used to. How's being outside, so far?" 

Freed smiled brightly, his blue eyes shining, "It's amazing! And way bigger than I thought." His smile grew even wider, his eyes gaining a somewhat manic glint to them as he added, "AND THERE'S SO MANY BOOKS!" 

Bixlo laughed aloud at that and shook his head, 'Pffft! De-aged or not, he's still got a book obsession!' He raised an eyebrow at his small friend, "So what's your favorite one?" 

Freed tapped his chin in thought for a moment before smiling a little. Bixlo caught the slight sadness in his eyes as he answered, "W-well, there is a story that my m-mother used to tell me..."

His gaze shifted to his hands, which had gone still in his lap. "It was called 'The Dragon and the Prince' I think." 

Bixlo thought for a moment, then replied "I don't think I've ever heard of that one. How does it go?" Freed smiled a bit, presumably at a memory. He was silent for awhile, and Bixlo thought that he wasn't going to answer him, but then Freed began to retell the old tale.

There was once a dragon who had terrorized the surrounding villages for years, and he would destroy any knight or mage that tried to defeat him. But then one day he found a boy sitting all alone in the woods near his cave. He asked the boy in spite, if he had come to try and slay him. The boy smiled and said that he had no wish to bother the dragon. The dragon was both irritated by the small human that he discovered, and rather curious about him. The next day the dragon came back to that place in the woods and saw the boy again. He decided he would go and talk to him for awhile, and eventually the two became good friends. 

Every day, the two would meet in the woods. But one day, as the dragon lay in the forest waiting for his friend to arrive, the boy ran into the woods in tears. The dragon demanded to know who had hurt his dear friend, and the boy explained what had happened. He told the dragon in distress, that his family, the king and queen were planning on killing him later that night. The dragon was enraged, but he kept his fury on the inside as he comforted the prince. He offered for him to stay with him that night, and the prince refused.

 But after awhile of convincing, the prince reluctantly agreed. That night, the dragon was awoken by the sound of crying, he looked towards his friend and what he saw shocked him. The prince was halfway in the moonlight, and the half of him that was covered in moonlight was black and covered in scales, looking somewhat like a monster. While the other half was completely normal. The prince looked up to his dragon friend and said sadly, "So you have seen my curse...you must think I am a monster. That I am ugly and an utter freak of nature-" The dragon interrupted him, "Of course I don't! You are still my prince. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, because I know just how pretty you are under the skin."

After that night, the prince never once returned to the village. Legend says he still roams the forest to this day with his old friend, the dragon.

Bixlo thought about the story for a moment before smiling a bit, "It's a very sweet story." 

Freed nodded and sniffled a bit, hiding his face from him. Bixlo glanced down at him, "What's wrong, kiddo?" Freed swiped furiously at his eyes and stuttered quietly, "N-nothing, I-I just miss her..." 

Bixlo felt a wave of empathy for his de-aged friend. He as well had lost his mother at a young age. He sighed and pulled Freed into a hug. "It's ok. Do you wanna talk about it?" 

Freed was silent for a moment, fighting back the tears that pressed at his eyes. But despite his best efforts, a tear slipped down his cheek. Then another. And another. He at last gave up and let them all fall, breaking down for  the first time in a long time.

Bixlo held him, offering silent comfort. He understood that right now, words were not what his small friend needed. 

After a little while, Freed pulled away and rubbed at his eyes, "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" 

Bixlo shushed him. "It's fine. You should be able to let out your feelings every now and then." 

Freed smiled a little and cuddled up next to him. After a while of silence, he said quietly, "M-momma died a few months ago. Dad says that she is happier wherever she is..." 

Bixlo smiled sadly, "I'm sure that she misses you a lot." 

Freed leaned on his arm and said quietly, "I hope so...I miss her a lot too."

AAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I wrote this while listening to Death Bed by Powfu. I nearly cried. Sorry for the late update. The chapter wasn't how I originally planned it to be, but I like it anyways. Hopefully you all do as well, let me know in the comments! Cya next chapter. (I really need to go to sleep now.)