Wendy

Unaware of the plans developing around her, Wendy was growing increasingly angry and scared at her predicament. Auboron was getting steadily creepier and just being next to him made her skin crawl. Wendy was lost in thought, trying to work out how she could get her collar off when one of Auboron's men approached him and whispered in his ear. Auboron stiffened and Wendy sensed that something was happening. Without looking at Wendy, Auboron got up and stalked out of the room, the man following closely behind. Wendy looked around her. For the first time since she had arrived, she was on her own. No one was watching her. She waited a few minutes to see if Auboron reappeared and when he didn't, she took her chance and ran!

Erza and the Others

Erza and the group sat at a table listening to Loki as he told them what Carla had told him whilst they had been together. He was explaining about Narissa and her desire to help when Natsu interrupted.

"Do you think we can trust that woman or is she just setting us up?" he asked.

Loki shrugged, "She seemed honest and Carla looked like she trusted her. I think we have to give her the benefit of the doubt because she is the best chance that we have of getting into the guild".

Erza sat thinking, "I think Loki is right, we have to take a chance. This is a guild we are dealing with so we cannot assume that it will be as easy to get into as it was when we went for Lucy. This is a place full of wizards and we have no idea how powerful they are. We will be outnumbered."

The group fell quiet as they thought about the best way to go forward. As they did, a young girl appeared by the table, standing in front of Loki.

"Are you Loki?" she asked quietly.

Loki nodded recognition appearing on his face, "You are the girl from the brothel, who let me in?"

Lilia nodded, "Narissa sent me to get you and your friends. She thinks we need to make a move as she does not trust the people around her not to warn Auboron that you are here. I have brought Carla with me so you will know I am telling the truth. We can use the underground tunnels to get back to the brothel. Please follow me."

The group glanced at each other and Natsu shrugged and stood up.

"What do we have to lose? Let's go get Wendy," he said, gesturing to Lilia to lead the way to the tunnels.

The group followed Lilia out of the door and into the night. They came across the entrance to the tunnel hidden away behind a normal looking door. As they walked warily inside, a voice came out of the darkness.

"I am so glad to see you!"

Carla walked out of the shadows and straight into Lucy's arms. As the two girls stood hugging each other tightly, the others watched on. They pulled apart and Carla smiled at the others and turned and led the way back to the brothel where Narissa was waiting.

Wendy

After fleeing the main room, Wendy ran down the corridors, desperately looking for a way out of the guild. She was aware that she did not have much time until Auboron noticed that she was missing and she wanted to put as much distance between herself and him as she could. Behind her, she started to hear raised voices and she realised that her absence had been noticed. In desperation, she pulled open and door and ran through, heading down a flight of stairs into what looked like a cellar. She crawled behind some barrels and hugging her legs tightly against her, prayed that no one would find her.

Back in the hall, Auboron had returned and finding Wendy missing and flown into a rage. Guild members cowered and tried to avoid his eye line as his anger increased. Glaring around the room, he yelled,

"Find my precious one! If she escapes, you will all pay!"

As the guild members rushed to try and find Wendy, Auboron smiled slightly.

"Well, well my little bird so you want to play hard to get do you? Well I'll play."

He headed off into the guild, once he found his little precious it was time to make her his. He had waited long enough and she was about to get what was coming to her.

Erza and the Others

Erza and the group followed Carla and Lilia through the tunnels and arrived at the brothel. Lilia opened the door and beckoned the group to follow her quietly to Narissa's private quarters. It was still early in the day and so there were not many customers and they managed to arrive without anyone noticing. Narissa was sitting behind her desk waiting for them.

"Welcome to my place," she said "I have heard a lot about you all. Please take a seat, we have a lot to talk about."

Erza and the others sat down

"Why are you helping us?" Erza asked.

"Because I am sick of living this life. I am sick of seeing little girls being bought and used by that monster and I want revenge for my daughter. That monster took her from me and I will never forgive him for that. It ends now." Narissa replied.

Lucy looked over Narissa, compassion on her face "Your daughter …"

Narissa took a deep breath, "Auboron killed her. He took her from me, used her for his perverted games and when he tired of her, he killed her."

Natsu frowned, "Why has no one done something before now?"

Narissa sighed, "You do not understand the power he has here. Or his magic. He has a form of possession magic which he uses to control people. He can take over a person and their magic and use them against their friends. Once you get into the guild, every one of you will be at risk of that happening. If he gets hold of you, all your power and strength is his to control. No one has ever beaten him as he just takes over anyone who tries."

Erza looked at the others, "That is a problem. We are going to have to be extremely careful in our approach but first things first, Gray get that collar off Carla."

Gray smiled and walked over to Carla, "Hold still, I am going to freeze it and shatter it. It might get a bit cold."

Carla nodded and stood still and seconds later she was free of her collar. With a sigh she changed back into her Exceed form. "Oh, that is better," she muttered.

Narissa blinked and looked at Carla, "Well I was not expecting that!"

"Yeah I get that a lot," Carla laughed.

Erza looked around the room, "Right, we need a plan. This is not going to be easy."

The others nodded and the planning got underway

Wendy

Wendy stayed cowered behind the barrels, fiddling with her collar trying desperately to get it off but it would not shift. Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs to the cellar and she froze, hardly daring to breath. Her senses on high alert, she listened to the sound of footsteps as they walked around the cellar.

"I know you are down here, little birdie!" a voice said and Wendy cowered away recognising Auboron's voice.

As Wendy tried to move further behind the barrels, she kicked a piece of loose stone and it skittered away across the floor. She closed her eyes and waited. Suddenly, the barrel was thrown to one side and a hand reached in dragging her out by her hair. She screamed and kicked but Auboron was too strong for her to push off. Auboron pulled her up so she was standing facing him.

"You tried to fly away little bird. I was going to treat you so nicely but now; you have forced me to treat you roughly. This is all you fault, remember that," Auboron said.

Wendy squirmed desperately in his hands but he tightened the grip on her hair and dragged her from the cellar. Wendy tried desperately to stay on her feet but she could not keep up and by the time they reached Auboron's quarters, he was dragging her along the floor behind him. Once inside, he picked her up and threw her onto the bed.

"Time to pay up little bird," he said loosening his belt.

Wendy pushed herself up against the wall and started to cry. This was not happening, where were her friends. A knock on the door, caused Auboron to curse and pull open the door.

"This better be important," he growled.

The man whispered something in Auboron's ear. Auboron pulled his belt tight again and turning back to Wendy said;

"Don't go away little bird, I will be back. It appears some Fairies are planning on making trouble."

As he walked out locking the door Wendy collapsed on the bed, tears streaming down her face. They were coming. Her friends were coming for her.

Erza and the Others

The conversation had been going around in circles and they were no closer to working out how to get Wendy. Natsu was all for going in and just bashing his way in. Erza pointed out that Auboron could use his own power against him but Natsu shrugged.

"Not if I get to him first," he said.

Gray looked at Natsu, "The idiot may be on to something. I mean if he does not see us coming, then he won't be able to use our power against us. Between us we can slay dragons and demons and Erza is scary and Loki is a spirit so surely we have a chance. He can't control us all at once."

Narissa nodded in agreement, "He can only control one person at a time but if he controls someone powerful, you need to be sure that the rest of you can beat that person."

Natsu shrugged again, "So we send Lucy in first."

Lucy glared at him, "What the hell?"

Natsu looked over, "What?"

Erza shook her head, "Natsu just stop talking!"

A timid knock sounded on the door and Lilia came in. She stood twisting her hands in front of her. Narissa looked over,

"What is it girl? Spit it out!" she said

"The master knows, someone has told him. One of the girls just got back from the guild and said he is storming around shouting about Fairies," Lilia said

Erza stood up, "Well I guess that makes the planning worthless. We go now. Natsu, Gray you are with me. Lucy go with Loki and Carla and try and find Wendy, I assume you can get her collar off Loki?"

Loki rolled his eyes slightly, "Obviously!"

"Good we need all the help we can get and another dragon slayer will not go amiss," Erza said

Narissa stood up, "I will come with you. I know my way around the guild so I can help you look for your friend. Come with me, we will go through the tunnels. Hopefully we can catch them by surprise."

With a final glace at the others Erza nodded and followed Narissa to the tunnels, all of them prepared for the fight of their lives.