The next morning went rather slow, seeing as no one was keen about getting out of there comfortable bed. Well, except for Drake, but he'd slept in the chair, so he had an excuse.
"Five more minutes!" Elise shouted angrily.
"How about you just get up?" Ultear tried. "Because you're getting on my nerves." Elise mumbled an incoherent insult directed at Ultear, who was so tired she just ignored her. No one spoke during breakfast. They were all too tense about what was going down today. Ultear already knew were the bandits were located, and they were going there immediately. Nashi, however, knew there was no way anyone was more nervous than she was. She`d never had to fight someone who was trying to kill her, seeing as she'd never been on any jobs. Ultear was an S-class, and both Drake and Elise had been on multiple jobs. All she'd done was train and beat up two guild members. She wasn't so sure she could handle it. After eating, which Nashi didn't do much of due too being too nervous, They headed out in the direction of the cave the bandits were located in.
"Are you sure they're in there?" Elise asked as they approached the cave, and Ultear nodded.
"I'm more than certain." She replied. "I've tripled checked that they're secret base is behind that waterfall. Pretty extensive, so we'll have to be quite.
"I can use my sound magic to help us sneak around" Drake reminded us. "I'll make sure we aren't caught." Nashi nodded quietly. She wasn't so worried anymore, hearing her friends being so confident. They approached the cave, and that's when Nashi finally realized they'd approached it the wrong way. The cave was way above them, just barely visible behind the waterfall.
"Why did we approach this way again?" She asked, turning to find Ultear gracefully diving into the water.
"My mother's a water wizard, remember?" Ultear asked, as a bubble of water formed around her. "I'll lift us through the waterfall up, towards the cave" Nashi and the others jumped into the water, and landed in the water sphere. Ultear started raising them up through the crashing water. It was quite a sight so see, rising through the water and seeing it crash around the sphere. They reached the top and Nashi passed through the water, landing lightly on the edge of the cave.
"There isn't a foothold outside" She warned. "Watch your step" The other jumped out of the sphere and landed softly, and Nashi looked wearily down the dark cave. There were no torches or anything, and it went down rather steeply. Nashi lit her hand on fire and held it in front of her as they progressed down the cave. The others followed her, careful not to dislodge any rocks that would make anyone below aware of our presence. Nashi could practically hear Drake concentrating his sound magic to find anyone.
"Anything?" Elise asked him. He shook his head.
"It doesn't seem like there's anything in here..." He trailed off as his ears twitched. " 3 guys, burly, guarding what feels like a door." Nashi froze and peeked around the corner. about 50 meters ahead, Drake's prediction was on point. Three guards stood near the steel door, which was emblazoned with glowing crossed blades with what looked like lacrimas glowing in the hilt.
"The mark of the Enchanted blades" Ultear hissed. "they're in there"
"Well, how do we get passed these chumps?" Elise demanded.
"They are all men" Drake said, pointedly watching them. Nashi felt sick.
"No" They all said defensively.
"Think about it" Drake replied. "They're probably pretty lonely. If one of you strips and wanders over there saying your lost, they'll come over here and we can knock 'em out and take they're uniforms.
"He's got a point" Ultear grumbled angrily.
"But who's gonna go?" Elise asked. Ultear formed three icicles.
" Whoever picks the short one goes" Nashi wrapped her hand around one and pulled it from Ultear's grasp, sighing in relief at the size. Ultear pulled one and it was moderately sized. Elise was sweating as she picked out the last one. It was slightly shorter than Ultear's.
"Shit..." She said.
Elise cowered in her underwear, with Drake tuned the other way. Ultear made him.
"So what do I do?" She hissed, already pissed off enough.
"Walk out there, get there attention, and run back here'' Nashi replied. "Simple."
"This is anything but that" Elise replied. She took a deep breath and stepped out into the open.
"Hey!" The guard shouted. "Your not supposed to be here!" Nashi heard Elise giggle.
"I'm sorry ,but I was running from the man who kidnapped me and I ran in here. Please, help me!"
"Come on, man, she needs our help" The way the other man said help made Nashi shiver. Way too creepy.
"Well" Elise said. "Why don't you big boys come over here and help me?" Nashi heard them approaching, and Elise hid behind the three of them. The men turned the corner, and their creepy grins faded instantaneously.
"Peekaboo" Drake laughed as they knocked them unconscious
"This uniform is uncomfortable as shit" Drake growled as he shifted uncomfortably. Nashi could agree with that. Whoever was in charge of these bandits needed to get their men better uniforms. Ultear sighed as she continued smearing blood from her wound all over her body. They had decided Ultear would act as their prisoner as they attempted to ind this man she was after.
"You guys just have too look the part" Ultear replied, wiping blood on her cheek. "Just ask around for the boss, they'll direct you to him if you say who I am" Nashi hoisted her up and Elise grabbed her other arm. Drake pressed one of the unconscious bandits hand against the lacrima, and it opened loudly. They walked in, and were approached immediately.
"Your guard isn't over, ye fuckin' idiots" One hissed. "The boss is gonna kill ya fer this" Nashi heard Drake snort at their speech, and tried not to do so herself.
"We found this bitch tryna' sneak in" Elise replied, pushing Ultear forward. " Says she here fer the boss. State yer name, ya whore" Nashi was taken aback by Elise's ability to act. Her slurring didn't even sound forced.
"Ultear Fullbuster" Ultear growled, blowing her bangs out of her face. They gasped.
"You guys caught the Fullbuster kid?" One whispered.
"She's been tearin' apart our operation all over the place! Take her to the boss immediately, we'll cover your shift!" Elise nodded and they proceeded.
" I'm a bitch and a whore" Ultear said wistfully. Elise rolled her eyes.
"I was putting on a show for them"
"No shit, that was incredible." Drake replied. They walked up a flight of stairs towards a gold plated door.
"He's right behind that door" Ultear whispered, bloody murder clearly her intent. Nashi knocked on the door, and it opened.
"Enter" They did so, and it shut behind them. The room was quiet for a moment, and then the lights spurred to life. A bald man sat behind the desk.
"Ultear Fullbuster" He said, voice booming. "So you've finally been caught"
"Trying to kill you" She hissed in response. He laughed again. He stood and face them. Nashi was greeted by a face covered in tattoos and his teeth were something else.
"Why? Because I ran that town into the ground?" Ultear growled, and Nashi felt their cuffs around her wrists freezing.
"You killed all those people, you killed children!" He shrugged, and Nashi felt sick. The fact that he seemed so indifferent was really what shocked her the most.
"I did so to teach you a lesson. Using those people as cover as you attacked our outposts, you are something else"
"I wasn't using them for bait, they took me in and helped me! Her family helped me..." Ultear grew silent. "I won't forgive yo... not for her... not for Keiko..." Nashi didn't know who that was, but the man boomed in laughter again.
"That stupid little girl, oh, I enjoyed killing her. screamed bloody murder, too" Nashi and Elise couldn't hold her, Ultear flung herself at him, but he laughed as he disappeared.
"Nice try, Ultear, but you and your little friends will have to wait"
"Why's that?" Ultear demanded.
"Maybe because you have to deal with all my associates first?" Nashi saw Drake glance back, and his eyes widened.
"They're all coming for us" The mans laughter boomed throughout the office again.
"That's the best the Enchanted Blades have to offer. Of course, if you really want to kill me..." A secret passage opened up behind the desk. "Come and get me, Fullbuster" Elise moaned as she, Drake, and Nashi ripped off the uniform.
"Now what do we do?" Drake demanded. Ultear was storming towards the open passage.
"Nashi, come with me" She said angrily. "Drake, Elise, I trust you guys can take care of the lesser?" Drake nodded.
"Yeah, we got them. You guys be careful" Elise agreed as she cracked her knuckles.
"Don't you guys go messing up. I'd hate to go back without you guys" Nashi followed Ultear into the passage, as she heard the sounds of combat behind her