This is my first Fairy Tail story, so bear with me. If you see anything inconsistent with the Fairy Tail story line or characters, please tell me. Please write reviews, but no flames please!

"I can't believe you took the job in Boscow when we could have been warm saving that cat on a tropical island."

Gray leaned back and put his arms behind his head. "Come on, Lucy, its not that bad."

"Says the guy who's stripping!"

Erza sighed and looked away from the window. "Natsu, pull yourself together, you're an embarrassment every time we go on a train." She pulled out the flyer for the job, "Now that we are on our way I will give you the details of the mission. Master Makarov posted it on the board, so I assumed it was important."

"Wait, you didn't tell us this was that job!"

"Gray, please try to keep your clothes on at least until we get to Boscow," Erza looked at the fine print, "Master Makarov wants us to locate three wizards who have been on the slave market recently up north. They are being sold as a pair of twins and their cousin this coming week. It says that they are considered more valuable because they survived seven years of stone storage."

"I feel sick…"

"Shut up, Natsu!" Lucy put her chin in her hand, "I wonder what stone storage is."

Just as Erza opened her mouth to explain, the train pulled into the station and Natsu staggered out of the train. Happy latched on to Lucy as she pulled her hood up and snuggled onto her hair. Natsu was leaning against the wall of the station letting the green recede from his face as the train pulled away and the team assembled.

"I'm starving, where can we get food?"

Happy shot out from under Lucy's hood, taking her coat with him as he flew over to Natsu. Lucy began to shiver and growled in frustration.

"Enough! Open, Gate of the-"

"Shut up!"

A hand closed over Lucy's mouth and pulled her into an alley. As she struggled the voice hissed in her ear again.

"They target wizards with rare magic since they fetch a higher price. You have to limit your magic use, Celestial wizard."

"What's the meaning of this?" Erza stormed into the alley with Gray and Natsu hot on her heels, "Release Lucy at once!"

"I'm sorry!" The hands released Lucy, "I didn't see another way to-you're from a wizard's guild!"

Gray put his hands in his pockets. "And you are?"

"How can you be shirtless in this weather? Cover up your guild marks while you're in slaver territory." The girl stepped in front of Lucy. "Guild marks only make you a target."

Their savior looked run down and exhausted. Her sandy hair was pinned in a lopsided bun with a single curl that fell beside her left eye, highlighting her heart shaped face and sweeping grey eyes. The fingers had been worn off of her gloves and her jacket was more patched than original, revealing an angry red and black brand on the side of her neck.

"If you're here to defeat Master Jack, please, do it quickly. He-" She stopped and clutched the brand on her neck.

"Rose, you insolent dancing wench, how dare you leave stone storage early! Who released you?"

Rose fell to her knees, screaming as she clutched at her neck. "Run, before he gets here, run!"

Erza pulled Gray and Lucy out of the alley by their collars and pressed herself against the building. "This is our chance to observe our enemy in action, Natsu move!"

He ran out just as Rose crumpled to the ground. A crack came from the back of the alley and a bandaged man walked towards Rose.

"Beg for mercy from our master, or I'll make you."

"Now, now, we don't want to hurt our precious cargo too badly." A second man had come forward and delicately rested a hand on the bandaged man's arm. "I want her to be alive and conscious when she goes to market."

"My-my s-sister, where-where're you keeping her?"

"I took care of your sister, your obnoxious friend and her little pet all in one fell swoop."

Utter silence filled the alley. Even the wind fell silent. Lucy looked over at the rest of the team and all of them looked shocked. Rose was crouched on all fours at the men's feet, her shoulders shaking.

"Medusan, you gave them to Medusan."

"And for being such a good sport about it, I'll set you fee. Would you like that Rose? You'll be free."

The bandaged man stepped forward. "But, Master Jack, she must pay for her insolence!"

"Don't worry, Krone."

"Master Jack-"

"I said enough!" Master Jack flicked his hand at Rose and her brand began to fade. "She'll suffer through every day knowing exactly what her sister is and not being able to do anything."

Lucy gasped involuntarily and Erza punched her. Through her dizziness she felt the wall catch her and someone singing in a screechy way. From her position on the ground she saw Gray and Erza both yelling at Natsu, who looked slightly guilty. It took a moment for her to sit up, but the wall still seemed to friendly to leave.

Rose had come out of the alley and was standing looking into the inner city. "I have something to take care of, it was nice to meet you."

All five of them looked towards her in surprise. Lucy could see the shadow over her eyes as she began to walk towards the coming snowstorm. Natsu and Lucy exchanged a look and he leapt in front of Rose. Happy landed on Natsu's back and Rose looked up in surprise.

"But, I thought-"

"What are you doing? At least let us help you, you might be the wizards we are looking for!"

Rose walked around Natsu and he turned to watch her round the corner. All of them exchanged a look then set off after her as casually as possible. Even with Erza's luggage, they managed to get all the way through the market district without attracting Rose's attention. She stopped before a warehouse and slammed her fist into the door. A rune barrier rippled and she yelled in frustration.

"Medusan! Let me in, you snake! Medusan!"

"What does she think she's doing?" Natsu whispered. "You can't break a rune barrier by punching it."

"But that's what you try every time."

"Say what?"

A bright light flashed from in front of the warehouse and Lucy looked away from Gray and Natsu getting on each other's nerves to see if Erza had decided to interfere. It was still only Rose, but she was different. Her whole body seemed to be infused with a strange green light and the runes were floating away from her. She kicked the doors open and created a small cloud of runes that floated among the snow.

"Medusan! Come out!"

Gray gasped slightly, "Wait, didn't she train Evergreen on how to do stone eyes?"

Natsu furrowed his eyebrows. "What does that mean she did to Rose's sister?"

"Power of life, curse breaker!"

High-pitched laughter erupted from the warehouse and the team raced through the doors. Rose had her scarf pulled up over her eyes and was crouched beside the statue of a girl cringing in fear. She seemed to be groping for something on the floor as the tall woman in the shadows laughed.

"Foolish girl, did you really think your pitiful power could break my hold? Come now, just because you don't have a brand any more doesn't make you worthy!"

Rose stood up and clearly tried to face the woman but missed. "Release my sister, Medusan!"