Erza and Others

The group had walked late into the night, trying to cover as much ground as possible before stopping to grab a few hours sleep in a small woodland. As soon as the sun rose, they set off again and by late morning, the walls of the town came into sight. Erza held up her hand and the group stopped.

"We need to find out if this is the correct town. There are another two in this direction so we cannot go in heavy handed to the wrong town and give them a heads-up that we are in the area," she said.

Lucy stared down at the town, "It looks so peaceful down there. Maybe we have the wrong place. Marielle said that the town we are looking for is run by a tyrant."

"It is still early," Gray pointed out, "No one is really out and about yet."

Erza stood looking down at the town, thinking.

"We have the advantage at the moment that they do not know we are coming. That woman and the rest of the slavers will have been distracted putting the fires out but in a few hours, word will begin to spread. We need to work out whether we are in the right place or not."

Lucy suddenly looked up, "Wait, didn't Marielle say that this Auboron was a creep? Usually that means they have brothels and stuff like that, which is a good place to get information."

Natsu scowled, "I am not going in a brothel! That's creepy and not right!"

Lucy sighed, "I was not thinking of sending you and anyway it is just to talk to people. But who do we know who can be a total perv at times?"

Gray and Natsu both answered at once, "Loki."

Lucy nodded and got out her key, calling Loki back to help them.

Carla and Narissa

Carla had been awake most of the night trying to decide whether Narissa was telling the truth or whether this was a test to see if she was going to cause trouble, which would end up with both Wendy and herself being punished. Carla liked to believe that she was a good judge of character and deep down she really thought that Narissa had been telling her the truth. As morning arrived, she rolled out of bed and got dressed, ready for another day of work. Narissa had not said how they were going to get messages out and she hoped that at some point today, she would talk to her again. Carla just wished she could let Wendy know that they now had an ally and that things were going to get better. Carla, walked out of her room and into the main hall feeling more positive than she had in ages.

Erza and the Others

Back outside the town, Lucy was explaining to Loki what they needed him to do. The plan was that he would go into the town and get a feel for the place. He was a lot less recognisable than the others

and so, he would be able to move about without causing too much suspicion.

"Also, you are much more comfortable with flirting and being an all round perv," Lucy muttered.

Loki grinned, "I prefer to think that I am charming and popular with the ladies."

"Yeah, whatever perv," Lucy said.

Erza stood behind Loki, "You do not overstep any boundaries, is that clear? We are here to tear this business down, not contribute to it!"

For a second, Loki looked hurt, "Please Erza, give me some credit! I would never do anything like that with a woman who did not chose to do so by herself."

Erza shook her head, "I'm sorry Loki, I am just on edge. I am worrying about Wendy. She is just a kid and if they have made her do anything like that … I will kill them."

Loki smiled slightly, "Erza I think you will have to fight us all for the opportunity to do so. Don't worry I have this. I will find them."

Loki smiled one more time and set off for the town, Erza and the others following a distance behind to find an inn big enough and busy enough, that no one would pay attention to a group of travelers just stopping for a drink and some breakfast. Once they had found somewhere suitable, they sat down and waited for Loki to return.

Carla and Loki

Loki wandered around the streets, getting his bearings. Looking at the stalls being set up in the streets and pausing to look in shop windows, just another out of town visitor. Whilst he stared in the windows, he used the glass to get an idea of the type of people walking around. The streets were filled with a mix of normal everyday people and others who looked like they were not strangers to throwing their weight around when they felt like it. Loki stopped one such person and straightening his suit cuffs asked;

"Hello, I am visiting on business and I wondered if you knew where a man might get some refreshment and entertainment?"

The man eyed Loki up and down, "Well you seem like a man of refinement and if I am understanding you correctly, you would probably find what you want at Narissa's House. It is down there, on the left."

Loki nodded his thanks and walked in the direction he had been given. He did not know if he was on the right track but it was a start and he was very good at getting people to talk, especially ladies. He arrived at the house and looked up, realising it was a brothel and with a sigh, he climbed the steps and ran the bell for admittance. The door was opened almost immediately and a young girl ushered Loki into an entrance hall where an older woman was waiting.

"How can I help you this morning?" the older woman asked, taking in Loki's nice clothes

"I have been on the road for a while, I'm tired and need to breakfast and company. I was told this may be the place the find such a thing," Loki replied.

"You have come to the right place; Lilia show out guest into the lounge and arrange some refreshments."

Lilia nodded and led the way to a room, filled with sofas and cushions and pointed to a comfortable looking seating area. The room was fairly empty, only a couple of older men leaning back on the sofa drinking and leering at the half-dressed young girls with them. Loki felt anger rising in his chest as he took in the scene. Some of the girls were younger than any man should be touching. He pushed it down and took a seat, thinking Erza might be too late to destroy things as he might have beaten her too it if he saw anything he could not stand by and watch!

Carla was in the kitchen when Lilia walked in and told her there was a new client and Narissa had asked for tea to be taken to them. Lilia had been busy all morning and Wendy smiled and said that she would take this one. She piled tea things onto a tray and walked back to the lounge. As she walked in, she almost dropped the tea tray in shock but recovered well. She looked across the room and met the eye of a man she knew. She smiled slightly, and was relieved when Loki discretely winked at her. Carla almost laughed out loud as relief flooded through her. She placed the tea on the table in front of Loki and bowed slightly as she had been taught. As she turned to leave, Loki held up a hand and caught the attention of Narissa.

"I would like the company of this one," he said, pointing at Carla.

"I am afraid she is not one of the company girls," Narissa said.

"I will pay double whatever you would charge for one of the other girls," Loki countered

Narissa raised an eyebrow and Carla caught her eye, nodding at her that this was something she should do. With her back to everyone else, Carla mouthed "Fairy Tail," at Narissa, hoping she was not making a mistake. Narissa nodded and said,

"Of course, Sir, we always aim to please the client, she will be available to you for as long as you need."

Narissa walked back to her seat in the corner of the room and Carla sat down next to Loki, emotion almost taking over as she said,

"I am so glad to see you. We need help here."

Loki smiled and gently laid his hand on hers, "Don't worry," he said quietly "I am the advance party, Erza and the rest are here too but they are too recognisable. I just needed to find you and Wendy and then they will come."

Carla smiled and poured tea, needing to keep up the show for the other patrons who may report to Auboron. Quietly, she described the situation to Loki and explained that Wendy was not here but was at the main guild hall. She also told him that Narissa was helping her and that she wanted to end Auboron as much as they did and free the girls from their lives as prostitutes, she just needed help. Loki glanced over at Narissa, frowning slightly.

"Are you sure you can trust her?" he asked.

Wendy nodded, "Yes I am. I was worried at first but she genuinely cares for these girls and she was brought here as a slave too."

Loki thought and drank tea, "Ok, well I need to go and tell the others I have found you and then we will start to get ready to get you and Wendy out of this mess. I will come back tonight as a guest and ask for you. That way I can tell you the plan. Whilst I am gone, asked the Madam if you she would speak to Erza and the others. We need to make sure we can trust her."

Wendy nodded and smiled as Loki stood up and prepared to leave. She walked across the room to the door and paused as Loki looked over at Narissa.

"Thank you for the tea. I enjoyed it. I believe I will come back tonight, please could you make sure this girl is free," he said.

Narissa nodded, "Of course, I will arrange that for you."

Loki nodded once more and then walked out into the streets. He was aware that some of the tougher looking men were looking at him. A new face in town was always going to draw attention so he played it cool, buying some goods and wandering around until they lost interest. Once he was sure no one was following him, he walked back to the edge of town to the inn where he sensed Lucy was. He had a lot to tell them and plans needed to be made. He had sensed an edge of violence all over town and this was not going to be as easy as the rescue of Lucy had been.

Carla and Narissa

Once Loki had left, Narissa beckoned Carla to follow her into her office. She walked over and sat behind her desk and pointed at the seat on the other side. Carla sat down and waited for Narissa to speak.

"So, he was a member of Fairy Tail?" Narissa asked.

Wendy shrugged slightly, "Well he is but he is also a Celestial Spirit."

Narissa looked over in surprise "Excuse me?" she said in surprise.

"His name is Loki; he is also the Celestial Spirit Leo so he is a really powerful person. He has a contract with Lucy, who is a celestial wizard with Fairy Tail. He told me she sent him and that she is here with some of the Guild's most powerful wizards. They are too well known so they sent Loki ahead to find us so no-one realised they were here. I told him you wanted to take down Auboron as well and he wants to introduce you to the others so we can help Wendy and end this misery for everyone," Carla said, watching Narissa for a reaction.

Narissa leant back in her chair thinking. She had wanted this for so long, a chance to be free of the man who destroyed so many lives. There was a lot of risk as Auboron was powerful but she had heard about the wizards of Fairy Tail and she believed that if anyone could take Auboron down, it would be them.

"Ok, I will meet with them but we have to be careful. There is a back entrance to this place that no-one knows about. I use it when I want to move around town without Auboron and his men seeing me. It links to tunnels under the town. Lilia knows how to get through it, she will bring your friends here and we can work out a plan. It would be better if we get them soon as less people come here during the day. Where will they be?"

"Loki did not say," Carla said "But they will have picked an inn, somewhere busy so they would not stand out."

Narissa nodded, "I think I may have an idea."

She called Lilia in and looked over at her, "Lilia I need you to help us. Take Carla to the tunnel entrance by the large inn near the walls. When you get there, you need to go into the inn and find a man called Loki. He is a good-looking man with glasses and will be with a group. You need to be careful and not noticed, I know you are good at that. Bring them all to the tunnels and Carla will wait there for you to bring them back here. Ok?"

Lilia looked confused but nodded, used to doing as she was told. Narissa nodded and shooed them out the door and towards the tunnel entrance. As she closed the door behind the two girls, she leant against it and prayed she was going to right thing.