Freed shut the door behind him and he looked at a calendar that was hanging on the wall. Today they would go meet Porlyusica as they had scheduled. They would finally have their answer. It had been roughtly three weeks since the mating season ended, around a month when they decided with Laxus what they would want. By now Porlyusica would surely be able to tell how things were.
Freed had just returned from making sure Felix and Theophilius would make it to Makarov's house. The old man would keep an eye on them until they would return back to the guild. As he came back, he saw Laxus already eating his breakfast and their eyes met, both smiling slightly as greetings.
When they had both eaten, there was no need to stay and wait any longer so they took what they needed and stepped outside, heading towards the big forest. They didn't have a specific time when to arrive at the cottage, but they knew that by now Porlyusica would be awake and she probably could guess that they would arrive as soon as they could.
They walked in silence, side by side throught the streets and both trying to relax but still feeling quite nervous. Both of them didn't really feel like talking but that was fine with them, they could stay silent for long times and still enjoy each others company.
Soon they arrived at the forest and followed the path you could only find when you knew where to look for. It was a familiar path for everyone in Fairy Tail and they all knew what was waiting at the end of it. And they weren't always that excited about it.
All the snow had disappeared ages ago and it was actually a really nice weather. Flowers were blooming, leafs were rustling because of a small breeze, the little creatures of the forest were letting out noises all around, everyone enjoying how it was such a warm day of spring.
They soon could see the familiar old cottage and Freed chuckled in his mind, thinking that maybe once again he would have to start visiting here regularly. Considering how none of them really liked to come here volunteerely, it was almost funny how he was hoping he would have to. Porlyusica could be ruthless, cranky and mean, but they knew she cared deeply of Fairy Tail and if really needed, she would do her best to help them.
Once they were at the door, Freed laughed when for a moment Laxus hesitated. Even the mighty Master of Fairy Tail hesitated to knock Porlyusica's door!
"Shut up", Laxus growled and he pounded the door with his fist.
"What do you think you're doing?!" they heard a shout from inside. The door was opened and they slightly stepped back, away from the angry healer. "Are you trying to break my door?!" she asked with a frown.
"Just making sure you could hear, old hag", Laxus grunted.
"I'm sorry, Porlyusica", Freed said quickly before Laxus would continue and maybe make Porlyusica even more angry. "Can we please come in?" he asked politely.
"Wipe your shoes", Porlyusica tisked, finally returning back in.
They followed after making sure their shoes were clean and stepped in the cottage.
"I'm surprised you two managed to wait until the appointment", the pink haired woman said. "Since Gajeel, Levy, Sting and Rogue have already visited me."
"Since we can't yet tell what is the situation, we thought it was best to wait", Freed said and Laxus rolled his eyes for the "we" part.
"You can't?" Porlyusica asked and now she looked curious. "Not at all?" she asked from Laxus who grumbled.
"Can't say", he confessed. "Maybe there's something slightly different with his scent but..."
"That's not good", Porlyusica snapped immediately and they both flinched. "You should have noticed it already since others know too."
"If I can't, I can't!" Laxus snarled angrily.
"We're going to immediately see if something's wrong, take off that coat", Porlyusica commanded to Freed who nodded and opened his belt and buttons.
Laxus took his coat and cravat while Freed sat down on a chair and he unbuttoned his shirt. He shivered when Porlyusica's cold hand was on his neck as soon as he got the fabric out of the way. His heartbeat immediately raised. He couldn't help it. He could almost hear how Laxus was holding his breath as well and silence landed in the cottage.
They waited and Freed did his best to calm himself as Porlyusica was inspecting his body through the magic seal made by dragon slayer magic.
"It's faint", she finally said, her eyes closed as she tried to feel what the magic was telling. "But something is responding", she said and Freed's eyes widened.
"Yeah?" Laxus suddenly stuttered and his hands slightly trembled.
"Yes. No wonder if you couldn't notice it, it's still really small and fragile."
"But it is... There is...?" Freed asked and he wasn't sure if he was scared or happy.
"Yes, there's a baby", Porlyusica nodded and even smiled slightly. For a moment she had been scared too. Stupid humans always causing her troubles!
"But you said it's faint, so is everything...?" Laxus asked.
"I believe everything is fine", Porlyusica said letting go of Freed's neck and both men sighed in deep relief, Laxus collapsing on another chair. "Congratulations", the old healer said with slightly warmer tone. She wasn't made out of stone after all, these were happy news no matter what.
"Everything's okay", Freed said silently and he smiled.
"But I'm still worried", Porlyusica frowned, returning back to serious mood and she took out her big book of dragon slayer mating season she had been writing for years already. "This is really different from how it felt last time. I wrote here that last time it was a strong response immediately, but then again, we had waited longer time before I examinated you."
Freed could remember that feeling well. He had been utterly shocked. Never in his life had he been so confused, scared and lost than then. But this time was different, he knew what would happen and how to work with it and most of all, this time Laxus was here right beside him, supporting him from the very start.
"Could it be really bad?" Freed asked now worried again.
"I'm not sure yet! I'm not a walking dictionary!" Porlyusica snapped. "There can be many reasons for this."
"How was Levy and Rogue then?" Laxus asked.
"Stronger, but this doesn't yet necessarily mean anything bad."
"If it means anything, the mating season lasted for two weeks and we decided on this on the last week of it", Freed said and Porlyusica thought about it.
"It can be possible..." she muttered. "Also, I'm still worried because of how the mating season started, it wasn't supposed to happen yet. It should take ten years for it to naturally occur, this was more like an artificial mating season forced to happen."
"We still don't know how Yuidose managed to make it happen", Freed huffed as he buttoned up his shirt and took his cravat from Laxus. "But we will find out about that. Do you think that it's possible this is happening because the mating season was forced to happen?"
"That combined with the fact that Laxus is a dragon slayer by a dragon lacrima, it's highly possible", Polyusica nodded.
"That doesn't mean he isn't a real dragon slayer", Freed defended his husband who didn't say anything.
"I can't say anything to that", Porlyusica decided. "But it does make things different."
"The results are just the same, no matter was Laxus raised by a dragon or did he become a slayer because of a lacrima! That lacrima has a part of dragon's soul! It might have happened differently, but Laxus does have a connection with his dragon!"
"Freed, calm down", Laxus said. "She's right. This is still different from the others."
"First time I'm hearing you saying that, brat", Porlyusica huffed while sitting down and she took a quill. "No matter what the reason, we have to be extra careful now. I want you to come back in next week at the same time and I will examine you again", she said to Freed who took his coat from Laxus. "I'll see how things are then. I hope everything is better then and the baby is stronger."
"Yes", Freed nodded.
"And do not do anything stupid!" Porlyusica said with an adamant tone. "Do you understand? This magic can make you pregnant despite being a male, but I don't know if it can protect you from miscarriage", she warned and Freed felt shivers run down his spine. "I simply don't know. Since the respond is still so weak and fragile, do not push your body and make sure you get enough nutrients. No training, no missions, nothing that might cause any stress. Just relax. For the best right now might be that you won't leave Magnolia at all until I say it's safe again."
Freed opened his mouth, but Laxus put a hand on his shoulder.
"We get it", he said and Freed looked a him.
"You better", the pink haired woman said. "I can't make miracles happen. We can only do our best so things won't get worse."
"We'll follow your instructions", Laxus promised and with a tug he pulled Freed with him, before the muttering old woman would throw something at them.
They stepped outside and started their walk back towards the town. Freed wasn't at all sure what he should think about this... They got such a good news but it was followed by a mortifying shadow.
At Makarov's house Felix was sitting on a floor in Laxus' old room, but now it was his room whenever he wanted to stay over. He had pulled a blanket from the bed over two chairs, forming a nice little hiding place for him. It was really important to have this fort, since it made it easier to concentrate. And it was needless to say that this made everything much more exciting. Or at least he thought it was definitely exciting, while Theophilius was just sleeping on a pillow, murmuring something and his tiny dark leg twitched when he was seeing dreams.
He was turning pages of the big old book of hieroglyphs. After asking and asking and asking many times and promising that he would be really careful with the book, Freed had allowed him to take it with him to Makarov's place.
He had inspected it for a few days now and he was a bit disappointed that even though he had been so determined to learn to read these, he couldn't. Freed said it was only normal, but he didn't want to believe that! He wanted to learn these no matter what!
Felix jolted when the door opened.
"Ohh, what a nice fort you've got there", he heard Makarov's voice and he lifted the blanket so he could see the old man. "Are you playing?" he asked stepping closer.
"No, I'm trying to learn", Felix explained and Makarov was confused.
The white haired man lifted the blanket more and looked inside the fortress, noticing the book.
"I see", he said with a chuckle. "I thought you were supposed to start with the alphabets."
"I will!" Felix assured quickly. "We start learning them at the guild tomorrow with Chester and Vellanja. Lucy and Levy will teach us."
"So what are you trying to learn from that book?" the former master of Fairy Tail asked as he sat down on the floor with his great-grandson. "Did your mama give you a permission to take this book?"
"Yes", Felix nodded and he pulled up the book on his lap. "Look at these! Doesn't these really look like they are talking to us?" he asked moving some pages.
Makarov squinted his old eyes, trying to see what Felix meant. It was true that some pictures were more clear than the others by what they might mean, but as he read the notes written by Freed's elegant handwriting it seemed like some of the pictures had a very different meaning than what you might first think.
"Mama and dad have read tons of books where there are big pictures for me to look", Felix explained and he was getting excited again. "Those pictures always tell a story! While mama and dad read the text, I can find the stuff they mention from pictures! So these pictures do the same right, Gramps?"
"Well I guess that's something like it", Makarov said with a tiny frown. He understood nothing about hieroglyphs so he had no idea what to really say.
"Yeah! Like if I want to tell a story about how a bird was flying over the mountain, I would just combine these pictures?"
"Uh-oh... I suppose that could work."
"I believe it works!" Felix beamed instantly and he got up, accidentally making the blanket fall off but he didn't care. He had solved the mystery! "Isn't that right, Gramps?" he smiled brightly.
Makarov looked at the little boy whose eyes were shining because of excitement and he just didn't have the heart to try to correct him. Mostly because he had no idea if he was right or wrong.
He chuckled and stood up.
"You really are a clever kid", he smiled taking the blanket and pulled it over the bed.
"So I'm right?!" Felix shouted amazed and happy.
"Why don't you try it?" Makarov smiled as he stepped beside the table this time.
He opened the drawer and took out a few sheets of paper and a pen.
"Why not writing a little story by using those pictures?" the old man said and Felix pushed the chair back behind the desk, sitting on it.
"What should I write?" he asked taking the pen.
"I don't know, you can write whatever you want", Makarov guffawed as he lifted the book on he table as well. "It's your story, you can decide everything."
"Then I want to tell a story about this!" Felix smiled as he quickly went over the pages and stopped when finding the right one.
Makarov looked over, seeing a simple picture of a creature and he could't quite tell what it was. There wasn't any notes as well made by Freed.
"What do you think it is?" he asked.
"It's obviously a dog, Gramps!" Felix sighed like it was as clear as a day.
"A dog... Mm-hm, I can see it now", Makarov nodded. No he couldn't. He just saw some random lines. But it didn't matter to Felix. "A dog it is then. So what should you call it?"
"I'll name it... I don't know..."
"Maybe that's no yet so important", Makarov encouraged his great-grandson. "Right now it's just a dog. So what will this dog do?"
"I want that it can fly", Felix smiled. "I want to learn how to fly too."
"So make it fly."
"It doesn't have wings..."
"Don't worry, son", Makarov laughed ruffling Felix's wild hair. "It's your story, maybe it doesn't need wings to fly."
"Yeah", Felix smiled, looking at the blank piece of paper.
His story. He could do anything with his story. He could make anything he ever wanted to happen there, was it flying dogs or whatever! He could write with these pictures!
"I will make a great story", Felix grinned.
"I believe that", Makarov nodded. "I'll be downstairs if you need me", he said and stepped out of the room. It was so nice to see Felix so enthusiastic. He was obviously more like Freed in a way of what he wanted to learn, but he could clearly remember seeing that same excitement in Laxus when he had been at the same age.
Felix smiled as he carefully started to draw the same picture that was in the book. He made sure to make every line as perfect as he could – as perfect as an almost five year could – and he looked at the picture. He nodded in an approval to himself and started to go through the book to find more pictures that he could use.
He practiced for a while, until he had made a whole story. It wasn't a long story, but he had made it and he was really proud of it. Felix grinned as he lifted up the paper, looking at his drawings.
That was when suddenly the wobbly lines made by pen flashed golden. Felix blinked and squinted his eyes, bringing the paper closer but the lines were black again. Did it really happen? What was it?
He kept staring at the paper and read the story he had made again. Now the lines flashed golden orange again. He saw it! It really happened!
"Gramps!" Felix yelled as he quickly got down from his seat and ran to the door.
It was magic! It was definitely magic! It didn't feel like a "whoosh" like Makarov had described it earlier, but it was close to it! He was so loud he woke up Theophilius who lifted his head confused.
Felix ran down the stairs and Makarov stepped out of the kitchen.
"Did something happen?" he asked, surprised because of such a shout so suddenly.
"The story is ready!" Felix smiled widely. "I made it! And then it – Mama! Dad!" He noticed Freed and Laxus who were sitting beside the table. When did they got here? It didn't matter! He was so happy he could tell this to them too!
He showed them the paper sheet.
"I used magic!" he announced so proudly.
"You did?" Laxus asked and they all were surprised.
"I did!" Felix grinned and he quickly stepped beside Laxus, showing the paper. Theo flew down the stairs, joining them in the kitchen by sitting on top of a cabinet. "I was writing a stoy with hieroglyphs and then they started glowing!" he explained.
"Yeah? Can you do it again?" the lightning dragon slayer asked and he was excited too. So Felix learned magic? Of course it was great news!
Freed leaned ahead and Makarov got closer as well, when Felix looked at the hieroglyphs he had made. But nothing happened. Laxus looked at Freed who didn't know what to say.
Felix was shocked. Why didn't it work?
"I'm not lying!" he said and he felt how tears gathered in his eyes. He had seen it! He knew what it was! "I really really really saw it! I felt it!" Felix swore as he quickly grabbed Freed's hand now.
"Don't worry, Felix. We believe you", Freed smiled lifting up the boy who hiccuped. "So you used magic for the first time? That is pretty amazing!" he praised.
"It really is", Laxus smirked. "And you used those pictures?"
"They're hieroglyphs, dad", Felix corrected him while wiping his eyes.
"Whatever."
"I drew these pictures because I wanted to tell a story with them", Felix explained putting the paper on the table. "It's about a dog who can fly and it flies over the clouds."
"Oh, that's a really nice story", Makarov nodded with a gentle smile. "So what did happen then?"
"They glowed!" Felix said.
"So you can use hieroglyph magic?" Laxus asked, though he meant the question more for Freed to answer.
"What's that?" Theo asked confused.
"There are two kinds hieroglyph magic", Freed explained. "One is very much like the rune magic I use. It's really important that you know exactly what every hieroglyph means in that. If you make mistakes, nothing will happen."
"But the other one?" Felix asked.
"With that you yourself give the meaning for the hieroglyphs you use", Freed smiled. "That's what you did. You told a story through these hieroglyphs. Maybe it's a sign that you have a gift of writing? Maybe some day you will become a famous author. You know, your great-grandfather was a really famous writer on his days. His name was Felix Justine."
"Wow! Have I heard his stories?"
"We can start reading one", the rune mage promised. "You can use these hieroglyphs and create something new with them. Only your own imagination is the limit of how creative you can get with your magic."
"When you train hard, your magic will become powerful", Laxus smiled to his son. "It can become so powerful you can even defend a whole town", he smirked looking at Freed who chuckled amused.
"I really like that idea", Felix said looking at the hieroglyphs he had made.
"Just remember to train and hone your skills", Makarov smiled. "You have the rest of your life time to master your magic so there's no need to rush."
"But I want to become the master of Fairy Tail!" Felix said. "So I have to master my magic soon!"
"You'll get there", Laxus assured his son. "Don't worry. Once I'm too old for that job, I'll be happy to make you the next master of Fairy Tail. But only if you are ready for it. Being a master is not only about being strong, there are lots of other things too."
"I'm so proud of you right now, Laxus", Makarov sighed wiping his eyes.
"Shut up, old fart", Laxus grumbled with a slight blush. "Anyway, we can go to the guild now and talk with Erza. Once you can show your magic to Erza and she confirms it, you can join the guild", he promised to his son whose eyes widened.
"I can?!" he almost screamed. Finally! He would get his own guild mark! He would officially be a mage in a mage guild! And no just any guild, but Fairy Tail!
"Erza is the master now for a while so she's the one who decides that", Freed said. "But yes, if she appoves, you can join the guild", he chuckled and Felix quickly hugged his neck.
So this day finally happened. Their son would join Fairy Tail with them. It was an amazing feeling for Freed and Laxus. They were so proud. For Makarov it felt almost unbelievable, being able to actually see his great-grandson standing with them all at the lines of Fairy Tail! Maybe Felix couldn't yet start missions, but that didn't matter.
He would still be a proud member of Fairy Tail with his own guild mark.