Laxus smirked as he saw a glimpse of blond long hair.
"Found you!" he roared running after the memory mage who yelped and dashed out from his hiding place like a fox out of its cave. "You are not as good at hiding in a forest as you think you are!"
"I have always preferred cities over forests!" Rufus shouted and did his very best to run faster.
Since the ground was now easier to walk, Laxus grinned as the distance between him and the memory mage was slowly getting smaller. He could almost grab those long strands if he just reached out his hand!
Rufus jumped over a bush and Laxus was ready to do the same, when suddenly he saw a very clear closeup of rough knuckles. It felt like half of his face was blown away with a single punch that send him flying, crashing him heavily on the ground.
Orga chuckled looking at the lightning dragon slayer who had to take a few seconds before he could sit up.
"You should pick up someone on your own size to harass", the wild maned mage smirked.
"You fucking furry cap", Laxus grunted, spitting some blood and he brushed his bruised cheek. His jaw would definitely hurt for a while. Rufus had already disappeared, probably snickering smugly and damn did that piss him off! "Isn't this ganging up?" Laxus asked and he finally stood up.
"No, there's just you and me here after all. You just happened to run right against my fist", Orga said flexing his hand, making his knuckles crackle. "It would be different if we attacked you together with Rufus, but there's no need for that. I was following those kids when I heard Rufus' voice and I thought something was up. I was right. Seemed like he was carrying something, no wonder you were in such a hurry to catch him."
"I don't have time for a chit chat", Laxus grunted and it was really taking all of his selfrestraint so he wouldn't accidentally let out any lightning sparks. He had to try and stay cool. Orga was big but he wasn't stupid, he would probably try and anger him until he would accidentally use his magic.
"Well, you're not gonna get after Rufus either."
"I see... Guess I just have to kick your ass so hard you'll be glad there will be runes to protect you for ten minutes", Laxus smirked, surpassing his anger by focusing on a thought that Orga was actually someone to give him some real competition of all in their current opponent team.
"I'd like to see you try", Orga said amused. This was going to be a good battle and they both knew it.
Rufus kept running and now he was almost positive this would work! He was not that far from their home base after all. Oh how he was going to love it when he could -
"Boo!"
Was it luck or quick reflexes, Rufus wasn't sure, but somehow he managed to dodge just in time when someone dropped down from the tree. But it did almost make him collapse and he stumbled against a tree, tightening his grip of the visor.
"You're hopping around like a masked rabbit, baby", Bickslow grinned as he straightened himself. "Did I scare you?" he cackled looking at Rufus who was panting.
"Anyone would get scared when something like that suddenly drops from the sky", he taunted with chuckle.
"Not cool, baby. That really hurts my feelings so I'm gonna hurt your head a little bit", Bickslow said and he was just about to dash towards Rufus, when a tumultuous roar filled their ears following with quick steps and rustles.
"BICKSLOW!" Sting shouted angrily as he suddenly appeared from behind trees like an enraged wildboar.
"Yikes!" Bickslow shouted with total surprise.
"I'm gonna KILL you!" Sting roared running right towards the seith mage.
"Abort the mission!" Bickslow yelled leaving Rufus where he was and instead escaped from the wrath of the Sabertooth's Master.
"I'm gonna make some corned beef out of you!" Sting threathened while he chased after Bickslow, almost running over Rufus at the progress.
The memory mage huffed looking after two mages who quickly disappeared at the forest and Sting's loud yelling was getting farther and farther. He had no idea what Bickslow had done to make Sting so angry, but luckily he didn't need to find that out. He only needed to continue!
Rufus smirked and turned around, almost having a heart attack when there was already someone standing to block his way.
"Oh god!" he hissed grasping his chest.
"No no, not a god", Freed chuckled. "But as his fiancé I can take a message from you to him."
"Are you all gathering in the same place on purpose?"
"Only because of a pure coincidence, I can assure. Just like Orga appeared to help you get away from Laxus."
Felix yawned as he followed Chester and he was starting to get bored. This game was too long, he was hungry and tired. They hadn't seen anyone in a while and Felix wasn't even sure where they were anymore. He knew they were still inside the runes, but he had no idea where in there they were.
Chester looked at the younger boy who was dragging his feet.
"Do you want to sit down?" he asked. He was tired too, he had to admit it. All the running around and walking was hard. And moving around here was so much different than in a city.
"Hmm-m..." Felix mumbled and he nodded, rubbing his eyes.
"Okay, let's go sit over there, they said we can rest if we want", Chester said and he pointed towards a big apple tree.
Felix nodded again so they went over to the tree and sat down on the grass. There were just enough shadow for them so it wasn't too hot.
"I'm hungry", Felix sighed leaning against the old tree.
"Me too", Chester said as he sat down and leaned against a rock. "That food earlier was really good. It was my first time eating a camp food or whatever it's called."
"Really?" Felix asked surprised.
"This is my first time being in a forest like this."
"I have been camping many times with mama and dad. And sometimes with Bicks and Ever", Felix smiled. "It's so much fun. We can go fishing and pick berries and stuff, and sometimes we can go swimming if there's a lake or a river near."
"Isn't it dangerous to swim in a place you don't know?" Chester asked. For him all this was so new and maybe even little bit scary, though he didn't want to admit it. It was so quiet all the time. It made him nervous.
"Yeah, I'm not allowed to go swimming if there's no adult around."
"What if there's some big beast that bites you?"
"That's why adults make sure first it's safe to swim there. And whatever there is, dad can zap it with lightning", Felix grinned.
"I have never seen them fighting in Domus Flau", Chester confessed. "Kids can't go there without adults after all."
"Was this your first time there?"
"No", Chester snickered. "I've been there many times. When there's no events, there aren't that much guards around so it's easy to slip in without anyone noticing. But whenever there is something happening there, it's really hard to get in and they always throw me out."
"That sounds really unfair."
"Yeah. I just wanted to see mages fighting, it wasn't like I was going to run around and steal something from people."
"Who would do that?"
"Many kids like me who don't have parents. They do what they can so they can survive."
"Oh... So you really are an orphan?" Felix asked and now he felt bad for Chester. He couldn't even imagine how it would feel like if he had no parents! Even a mere thought of losing Freed or Laxus or both were really scary!
"Yes. I've never seen my parents. I don't know if they're alive or dead."
"But where do you live then?"
"Where I can. Teina has been really kind to me and she always asks me to help her and then she makes food for me and sometimes lets me sleep in her house."
"So you don't dislike her? But why don't you talk to her then?" Felix asked confused. He thought Chester didn't talk to Teina because he didn't like her or something like that.
"She likes talking. I don't need to talk since she will take care of it."
"Oh... So you're not just being rude", Felix realised.
"Well, I don't always want to talk to her, when she's acting like a mom or something..." Chester confessed with a slight blush and crossed his arms. "I don't need parents."
"Why? Don't you want someone to read for you or do food for you or play with you?" Felix asked confused. He liked it when he could do stuff with Freed and Laxus! "Do you know how to read?"
"I don't need to read. I can learn other ways what to do."
"Mama says reading is really fun and you can learn so much more when you read books! Mama always reads books."
"I don't get you", Chester said looking at the smaller boy. "Why do you call him your mama?"
"Because... He is", Felix said and he didn't really know what else he could say. "Has always been so why I wouldn't say mama?"
"Because he's a guy! Two guys can't have kids."
"Why?"
"Because... Um... I don't know but that's just how it is."
"I don't understand..."
"I don't really either but that's true. So he can't be your mama", Chester stated.
Felix went silent, thinking about it. But it couldn't be right! Freed was... He had always called him mama. At least as long as he could remember... Freed and Laxus loved each other and they were a family! Why was it so wrong for Freed to be his mama?
Suddenly they heard a rustle and they both jolted, quickly jumping up.
"It's alright, it's just me", Yukino smiled as she walked closer. "I saw you boys resting here. Did you get tired?" she asked.
"Yeah, but we were allowed to rest if we got tired", Chester reminded, slightly alert if Yukino would still try to do something and trap them.
"It's alright, I won't try anything", Yukino assured and she sat down as well. "I'm tired too, may I rest here with you two?" she asked politely and Felix and Chester looked at each other.
"I guess that's alright", Felix finally said.
"Thank you. I heard what you were talking. Chester, to me it sounds like you really want to be always right."
"Well, I am right about this", Chester muttered.
"But you're hurting Felix' feelings at the same time. You shouldn't do that."
"But I'm still right."
"You know, I happen to know the fact that you're not right in this topic", Yukino chuckled and that seemed to surprise Chester.
"Really?" Felix asked quickly.
"That's true. Chester is right about how usually two men can't have children together, but there are some situations when it actually can happen", Yukino smiled to Felix. "But for that to happen, there needs to be magic involved, since it can do so much things and make impossible to be possible."
"Magic is cool", Felix grinned.
"I think so too!" Yukino chuckled. "You two are still so young and that is not a bad thing. You will learn a lot new things every year, just be observant. Chester, it's really admirable that you want to be right at things and you are really confident, but you have to take a notice of how others feel. It is true that facts won't change just because you want, but sometimes things are not so black and white. When magic is involved, logic doesn't always work."
"That sounds weird", Chester murmured, maybe a little bit annoyed since someone pointed out how he was wrong.
"Might be. Just keep your minds open and learn new things", Yukino encouraged. "Even us adults learn new things all the time! The life is all about learning all kinds of things, are they necessary or not that depends, but you should always be curious and if you don't know how something works, you should ask from someone who knows. Felix, who do you think would know the best to tell you how things are if you're not sure about it?"
"Mama and dad", the blond boy said.
"That's right. You should always talk to them if there's something bothering you."
"I'll talk to them when I see them", Felix promisd with a smile.
"Really good. Chester, I heard that you don't have parents but you do know at least some adults who can help you", Yukino said looking at the silver mage now. "Being a family is not necessarily about being blood related, but about people who you can always trust and who you know will always be there for you. Now that you are joining a guild, you know there are lots of adults that can help you."
"I'm not yet sure if I definitely will join..."
"You should! I promise, you will have lots of fun when you do that."
"So everyone says..."
"And they are right. Well, of course it depends in what kind of a guild you will join in", Yukino said, looking slightly sad for a moment. "But you know, with a lot of work and helping each other out, you can make a really good guild together where everyone can get along. You just have to remember that the guild is your home and everyone inside it is your family", she smiled now happily again. "When everyone thinks that way, every day is wonderful in that guild!"
Felix looked at Yukino and he was impressed. He had thought that Fairy Tail was an awesome guild, but it sounded like Sabertooth was too! Yukino seemed like she really loved her guild, she looked just the same as if Freed or Laxus or any other from their guild was talking about Fairy tail.
Chester stayed silent, thinking about what Yukino said. He really didn't need a family, he was sure he could take care of himself just like he had done this long... But the way how Yukino and others talked about their guilds... He wasn't sure, maybe it made him envious? Because he didn't have something like that? Did he actually want something like that?
He wasn't sure, but the more he did hear others talking about their guild, the more curious he did get. He was just sceptical if things might really go that well.
Yukino smiled and she stood up, brushing off some grass from her legs as she was wearing a simple yet lovely white skirt.
"I think I should continue playing then", she said. "You boys make sure to rest if you feel like it. And if you get hungry, I'm sure we can stop the game for a while. It's almost dinner time already anyway."
"No, we can still play", Felix said now determined again.
"That's good. Do you plan to try and fight with me now and here?" Yukino smirked and suddenly she looked a lot more tough. She obviously wouldn't hurt them, but it wouldn't be easy to make her lose.
"Uh... No, not now", Chester said what Felix was thinking.
"Alright", Yukino smiled sweetly, looking so harmless again. "I will see you boys later then", she said waving her hand and left.
Felix and Chester stood under the apple tree for a moment, until they were sure Yukino was gone.
"What way do you want to go now?" Chester asked finally.
"Anywhere where she didn't go..." Felix murmured and Chester nodded.