After a few hours, the train pulled into the station at Crocus. Orga and Rufus helped Sting and Rogue off the train, trying to keep them steady as they recovered from their motion sickness.

"I am never getting on another train again. Ever."

Ayva stepped down from the train car and stood with the others on the platform. Rogue and Sting were catching their breath, taking in the fresh air and solid, unmoving ground.

"Where are we staying?"

"Crocus Gardens."

"Excellent."

Ayva scanned the streets, feeling a familiar presence- one she hadn't felt in years.

"Ayva?"

Sting and the others went silent and looked at Ayva, seeing her on edge.

"Did you see something?"

Ayva shook her head. "It's nothing. We should hurry if we're going to make check in."

Ayva, Minerva, and Yukino met in the lobby of the inn before journeying out into the streets of the capital. They showed Ayva all the good sights, then found their way to one of the most illustrious boutiques around.

"Try this one next."

Ayva stood with Minerva and Yukino as they tried on different dresses, deciding what they liked best.

"I love this one!" Yukino said, smiling as she stood in front of the mirror.

"It looks good on you." Ayva said, returning her smile.

"Have you found anything yet?"

Ayva shook her head. "Nothing I really like."

Minerva stepped out of the changing room and looked at her. "Well, we need to find you something." She looked her up and down. "Hmm... lighter tones to accentuate your skin tan and hair color..."

Yukino looked through some of the dresses nearby and pulled one out. "What about this one?"

Ayva looked at the dress that Yukino held up. "It looks nice."

"Try it on!" Minerva ushered Ayva into a room and handed her the dress.

Ayva sighed and changed into the dress, stepping out after a few minutes. "I don't know..."

"Wow..."

"Ayva, look at yourself in the mirror."

Ayva stepped in front of the mirror and her eyes widened. "Wow..."

"That's it, that's the dress." the shop keeper said, beaming at her. "It looks marvellous, my dear."

"We'll take it."

After spending three or four hours with Yukino and Minerva at the dress shop, Ayva left the others to their shopping and headed back to Crocus Gardens.

She set her things- one was a box with the dress and the other was a bag with the accessories and shoes that the shop keeper, Minerva and Yukino had insisted on- on her bed. Knowing they needed to be gathering information and looking for signs of dark guild activity in the capital, Ayva locked her room and left the inn to walk about the city some ore.

Everything seemed normal, but she still had that strange feeling of a familiar presence everywhere she went.

'What is that?'

"Hey, you're that Ranger chick who stopped by Fairy Tail awhile back."

Ayva looked to find a slightly familiar face approaching her. "You're Bickslow, of the Thunder Legion."

"That's right. What are you doing in Crocus?"

"I'm here with the Sabertooth guild."

"I can tell you're not just here for the party."

"We received reports of dark guild activity in the capital. We're trying to determine if this information is accurate and if it connects to our target."

"I see."

"Is Fairy Tail attending the party as well?"

"Ya, apparently all of the guilds were invited by the king. Princess Hisui has quite a few friends in Fairy Tail, too."

"I see." Ayva thought a moment. "When I visited your guild weeks ago, you used your magik on me, didn't you?"

"I, um, I don't know what you're talking about!" Bickslow laughed nervously.

"It's alright, Bickslow. I was just wondering. You saw that I don't have a soul, didn't you?"

Bickslow sighed and nodded. "Ya..."

"You also have the ability to absorb souls, right? That's what seith magik does right?"

"Ya?"

"Do you know how to restore a soul?"

Bickslow looked at her. "I'm not sure. Why?"

Ayva sighed. "Nothing, never mind. Thank you for time."

"Wait, can I ask you something?"

Ayva looked at him. "What?"

"What happened to your soul?"

"My soul was stolen from me by a dark wizard. He's a member of the guild that is our target. If I find him, I could possibly retrieve and restore my soul to my body, but I'm not even sure how to do that."

"There might be a way." Bickslow said, thinking a moment. "Seith magik, particularly human possesion, allows the caster to trap wandering souls into objects and manipulate them. In theory, I suppose, it could also be used to restore a soul to its body. Though, I've never tried so I have no idea if it would work."

Ayva looked at him, a glimmer of hope in the back of her mind. "If I were able to retrieve my soul, would you be willing to give it a try?"

"I suppose I could. But it might not even work. For all we know, it could end up destroying your soul entirely. If that happens, it could kill you."

Ayva sighed and looked away. "Even so, I've spent far too long living a lost life feeling alone, lost, and empty. If there's a chance, even an inkling or sliver of one, to restore my soul I have to try." She looked at Bickslow and bowed. "Thank you, I appreciate your input on the situation."

Bickslow watched as she turned and walked away, leaving him scratching his head. 'Could it really be possible to restore her soul?'

Night was beginning to fall and Ayva made her way back to the inn, having noticed nothing further during her investigative walk through town.

She made her way down the hall, knocking on a door a few down from hers.

"It's open."

Ayva pushed open the door. "Sir, I was wondering if I could have a word?" She looked at Sting and stopped when she saw Rogue was with him. "Sorry, I can come back later if needed."

"No, it's fine, we were just getting in a game of cards before bed." Sting gestured to the seat next to him. "Why don't you join in? We were about to start a new round."

Ayva shook her head. "Thanks, but this will be quick."

"You sure?"

Ayva nodded.

"Alright, suit yourself. So what's up?"

"I ran into Bickslow earlier, from Fairy Tail."

"Oh? That's right, the king invited all of the guilds to the party. How is he?"

"Well, I don't know him personally, but he seemed well enough at a glance." Ayva stood in the doorway, trying not to fidget. "I actually had a discussion with him."

"About what?"

"He may know a way to restore souls."

Sting and Rogue looked at her, eyes wide.

"Seriously?"

Ayva nodded. "He's never done it before, so he's not sure it would work. In fact, he said it's possible that it could completely destroy my soul in the process."

"What happens if it does?"

"I'd die."

Sting looked at Rogue, then back at her. "How would he do it if you decided to try?"

"He uses seith magik- particularly human possession- which allows the caster to trap wandering souls in objects and manipulate them. In theory, he said it may be possible to restore a soul in a similar way." Ayva looked at him. "Sir, I wanted to bring this to your attention because if we find the Hellcry Devils and defeat their master, I may have a chance to restore my soul to my body."

"But it could potentially kill you." Rogue said, looking at her with concern. "Why would you risk it?"

"Because I've spent the last sixteen years- most of my life- without a soul, walking around feeling alone. lost, and empty. It's not really living. I miss being able to experience the joys of life like anyone else." Ayva said, trying not to cry. "I'm done being an empty vessel, forever waiting to be refilled. What's the point of living if I can't enjoy it?" She looked at Sting. "I have to try, even if it kills me. Even if it's an inkling or sliver of a chance, I have to take it. Not just for my own sake, but for the sake of my people. I can't let their memory die like that." She bowed. "Please forgive me, I've taken up enough of your time."

Sting sighed as she closed the door behind her and he looked at Rogue. "Well, shit..."

"What do we do?"

Sting leaned back against his bed, looking to where Lector and Frosch had passed out. "We support her. It's her life, her soul, her decision. Whatever the outcome may be, we're her friends so we need to stand by her no matter what." He looked at Rogue. "Have you talked to her yet?"

Rogue sighed and shook his head. "No..."

"You need to. You can't keep letting this go on forever, you'll regret it in the end if you don't fix things."

"I know."