For the first week Freed did his best to live in Laxus' house by himself but he soon noticed it was not a good idea. Everything around there reminded him that Laxus was somewhere far on his mission and wouldn't return in a long time yet. So when Bickslow and Evergreen came to bring him home after two weeks, he was actually really grateful for them.
But it was still hard, even if his friends tried to keep him busy and they were looking for a good mission for the three of them. Freed did his best not to sink in despair by thinking what could happen to Laxus. He would come back, definitely. He had promised that and Freed always trusted him no matter what. Laxus was strong and smarter than he looked.
That morning Freed was really surprised when he noticed that Bicks and Ever had actually woken up before him and they were already at the Guild. So he decided to take a shower, dress up and head to the Guild as well. Maybe they had something planned? He had to admit that he had been quite passive last couple of weeks, not much of a help in any way but making dinners and cleaning. Sometimes he was perhaps also slightly more irritated than he would normally be... And if he was being honest, he was feeling kinda sick from time to time...
Freed couldn't help it, though. Maybe it had something to do with the dragon slayer magic? It was like he was constantly only thinking about Laxus and he missed him so much it almost drove him crazy. Was Laxus perhaps missing him just as much? Was he like this because they were separated? Well, this or that he only knew for sure that his body and mind missed Laxus like hell and he wanted to snuggle against his Thunder God, sleep beside him and just be with him.
But he couldn't, not before Laxus would return from his mission so he just had to try to snap out of it, that's what he decided when he locked the door and stepped on to the street. Warm autumn days were over and the breeze was ice cold, it wouldn't take long and winter would start.
The rune mage arrived at the Guild and opened one of the doors stepping in. He smiled when he saw Bickslow standing in front of the mission board.
"Good morning", he said stepping beside him.
"Good morning, baby", Bicks grinned. "We thought you wanted to sleep a little longer since you weren't doing the breakfast already."
"I guess I just read too late last evening", Freed said. "Where's Ever?"
"She's over there, talking with Elfman."
"Are there new mission sheets?"
"That's why we came early", Bickslow said. "Mirajane put these on this morning. There are four interesting missions, do you wanna check them out?"
"Alright", Freed nodded and Bickslow took four sheets from the board handing them over.
One was again an escort mission and Freed was not really excited about that. Next two were something about little bandits somewhere and in the fourth sheet a small village asked for help to get rid of a monster that was eating the farm animals at night. None of them seemed to be really challenging for them...
"Is there anything else?" Freed asked looking at the board.
"No, we just checked up everything, these are the best choices", Bickslow assured not moving from his spot in front of the mission board, making Freed lift his eyebrow. "What?"
"Are you two thinking that it might not be a good idea for me to go into more arduous missions?" Freed asked slowly, narrowing his eyes in a slightly dangerous way that made Bickslow sweat. Damn, Freed had honed that deathly glare to it's finest point... "You know I'm perfectly capable of keeping my personal feelings locked up so it wont affect our job. Or are you doubting me?" the rune mage asked with a low, challenging tone. Not in a playful way and that made Bickslow even more nervous. There was a really good reason why Freed was the captain, despite being the youngest. Just Freed's irritated glare could make many challenger run away in fear.
"No, baby", Bicks said. "I don't doubt you, I know you can keep yourself together. But let's just start with this", he suggested. "Let's take more when we come back if everything goes well, right?"
Freed said nothing, still glaring at the seith mage suspiciously but they turned towards Evergreen when she approached.
"Morning, Freed", she smiled. "Oh, being cranky are we?"
"Blame Bickslow", Freed muttered.
"That's nothing new. So do we have a mission?" Ever asked, Bicks looked at Freed and the swordsman gave up finally.
"What do you think about this?" he asked and gave the mission sheet for the brunette.
"This one?" she asked and flinched when one of the Tiki dolls bumped against her back. "Well... It might not have the best salary, but it would be a good deed to help them out", she said.
"Yeah, and it's not that far", Bicks grinned. "Depending on how long it will take to find that monster, it might only take a day or two, three at the most."
Freed sighed. He needed to remember that Bickslow and Evergreen were just worried, they meant well. And Ever was right, it would be a good deed to help this village.
"So this will be our next mission", Freed decided. "The salary is enough so we can cover the next month's bills with it. But if they have struggles to survive the next winter because they have to pay this, we won't take the money."
"We guessed you would say that, baby", Bickslow chuckled.
"We're good! We're heroes!" his 'babies' said proudly.
Freed stepped at the bar counter where Mirajane was working already.
"Good morning, Mirajane", greenette smiled.
"Good morning you three", Mira greeted. "So, did you find a new mission?"
"Yes, we would like to take this", Freed nodded and handed over the sheet. "Do you know anything more about this than what is stated at the paper?"
"No, sorry", Mira said shaking her head. "That paper came with many others in the same pile, it wasn't brought here by someone specifically. So remember to be really careful, okay? It might be harder mission than it says."
"We will be on alert, thank you", Freed nodded with a smile.
"I will let them know that you will arrive there soon", Mirajane promised.
With that they left the Guild. At their house Freed made them some breakfast and packed lunch for all of them. After eating and checking that hey had all the supplies they needed in their bags, they headed to the train station.
Journey to the town near the village took almost two hours and after that they had to walk one hour until they arrived at their destination.
"Looks like a poor little village", Ever muttered as they looked around. Buildings were simple, some of them decayed. Animals were kept in fences around the village and it seemed like the village got most of it's income from them. Of course they were then really important and losing even one was a huge loss.
"That settles it, we will do what we can to help them out", Freed said and others nodded. "If Laxus is going to be the next Master, it is our duty to show that Fairy Tail will never turn their back if someone needs our help. No matter if they can pay us or not, we will help this village."
"The future Master's soon to be husband has spoken", Bickslow snickered and his 'babies' giggled, making Freed roll his eyes.
"I was hoping I could buy a new fan..." Ever sighed and Freed scowled at her. "I didn't say I wouldn't help", brunette huffed. "You know I will."
"I know", Freed muttered.
"Good, so stop being such a grump and let's go find the head of the village."
After couple of questions they were lead to the biggest house at the village. It seemed like it was the place where villagers kept their meetings and so on.
"Good afternoon", the head of the village greeted them as they came in to the big hall. "Are you the ones who decided to answer our cry of help?"
"Yes, sir", Freed nodded. "We are the Thunder Legion from Fairy Tail. My name is Freed Justine and these are Bickslow and Evergreen. We are here to help you with the monster problem."
"Thank the gods", one of the villagers said relieved. "That monster has been rampaging this area the whole fall!"
"We have lost quite the amount of our animals already", the head of the village sighed. "And every night we are afraid that some day it might be one of us the monster takes, not just the animals."
"We will help you", Ever smiled.
"Yeah, you can count on us", Bicks grinned. "So what is this monster, eh?"
"None of us has actually seen it closely, but it is big and brown", the old man said. "And when we have found some of the carcasses it has left behind, they have huge claw marks and even the bones are broken, some of them obviously by teeth. Every night when the monster appears we hear this eerie voice that echoes from the forest."
"It's horrible", one of the villagers said terrified. "It's like a howl but much deeper and somehow penetrating."
"Penetrating?" Freed asked confused. "Like a high-pitched screech?"
"Not that, it's more like... When you hear that voice you can almost feel how your biggest fear has taken a form somewhere and slowly but steadily coming towards you, no matter what. It's just not normal! When you hear it, no matter how brave you are you will feel fear in your guts", the villager explained and the others nodded vigorously.
"Maybe some kind of a spell that causes fear in those who hears it?" Ever muttered.
"Seems so", Freed said. "Has anyone seen this monster during daytime?"
"No. It only appears at night", the head of the village said.
"We understand. Then it's for the best if we set our camp at the edge of the wood and wait for the dark."
"Is there anything you need? We don't have much to offer but perhaps at least something to eat?"
"That would be most kind, sir", Freed smiled.
After that the three of them walked by the trail that lead across the fields to the forest.
"Looks like a normal old forest to me", Bickslow said and his 'babies' hovered around, circling the trees and bushes.
"No monster!" they reported.
"Remember, when you hear that voice don't let it shake you", Freed said. "We don't know what causes it but it's just a voice that obviously has the power to drag out people's fear. But if we know that, it can't affect us that much."
"It's just some monster that uses it's voice to avoid actual combat", Bicks snickered. "We can handle it."
"Did they say does it appear every night?" Ever asked.
"According to the mission sheet, no", Freed huffed. "So it might be that we have to spend more than just one night here."
"Boring", 'babies' sighed.
"If you're bored, then use your new skills and help us put up the camp", Freed suggested.
It was more like a chaos when the five Tiki dolls tried their best to help put up the camp in their human forms.
"No, you can't use water from just any pond you find", Ever tried to explain to Pippi and Puppu who looked confused. Wasn't water just water?
"You better go with them or we will end up getting sick all of us", Freed chuckled. "Where's the meat the villagers gave us?" Freed asked looking around. "Where did you put it?"
"We saw a hungry animal while collecting woods, it liked it", Poppo said.
"What? You gave our dinner to some random animal?"
"It was hungry", Pappa explained and Freed sighed.
"Don't worry, baby", Bickslow grinned. "They meant well. We'll go fishing to the river, I'm sure we will get something."
"You better if you don't want to eat just vegetables", Freed huffed.
"Let's go then", Bickslow cackled grabbing Poppo and Pappa with him.
That only left one behind and Freed turned to look at Peppe who was fascinated by cutlery. Sure, he knew what they were and what was their purpose but it was so different now that he could actually feel them. They were colder than he thought.
"So, the tent is up, Ever is taking care of the water and I'll start cooking when Bickslow brings us the fish."
"Why do you eat fish?" Peppe asked.
"So we can get the energy. People can't live long if they don't eat and drink."
"Fish looks yucky."
"If you're hungry, you shouldn't complain", Freed stated and started to chop the vegetables.
"We don't eat."
"I know, but it doesn't mean you guys don't need to have good manners."
"Do you like fish, Freed?"
"It really depends on what kind of a fish we are talking about..." Freed sneered.
It was starting to get dark around them, as they were sitting around the campfire.
"Something about this forest is really unsettling", Bickslow muttered looking around.
"It's just the shadows", Freed said and he added more wood on the fire. "Don't think too much about it or your imagination will take the best of you."
"Who takes the first turn?" Ever asked. "It's probably best that only one of us is sleeping at the time."
"I can take first two turns", Freed said. "I could also use my runes to cover the village, then I could stay awake and you two could sleep."
"Don't do that, baby", Bickslow said. "It takes too much magic and energy. You'd be exhausted in the morning if the monster won't show up. And what if it appears just before dawn and you won't have enough magic?"
Freed sighed to himself.
"I guess you're right", he said. "So two stays awake and on guard while one sleeps?"
"Me and Freed can stay up now and Ever can sleep. Second turn I go to sleep, Ever stays up with Freed and in third turn Freed can sleep", Bicks suggested.
"Alright", Freed nodded. "I'm sorry I have been kind of... Bad-tempered today."
"Try waspish", Ever giggled. "It's okay, sweetie. We understand. But it's nice that you apologized."
"Let's try to enjoy camping while here", Bickslow grinned. "We can do something in the morning, like explore this forest better."