It had already been almost a week since Takara and Jason had escaped from Tartarus, and they had yet to come across any kind of civilisation. She was honestly starting to doubt that the cabin was actually near any sort of town at all.
That was, of course, until she saw smoke stacks in the distance.
"Jason!" She said, pointing out the smoke to him. He broke into a grin as he saw it.
"Finally," he said. "Come on, let's go!" The two ran with renewed vigour, happy to finally see other people and buildings. It took them another hour or so for them to actually come across a wall of buildings. Seems they had approached from the woods around the town. Circling around to the gates, the two former prisoner stood in awe of the towns main street as people bustled around. The snow that felt was immediately trampled over the black stones that made up the road, and children ran throughout the people, playing cheerfully.
"Wow..." Takara breathed. "Never thought I'd be so happy to see...This, I guess."
"I agree," Jason said. "I never thought I'd see a crowd again. Come on, let's try and get some information about where we are?" Following his lead, Takara entered the town and made her way through the people as quickly as she could. Despite them being visitors, she received her fair amount of smiles and kind greetings as she walked among the people. It was such an alien feeling after ten years in prison.
"Over here," she heard Jason say. "An inn." The pair made their way inside and were greeted by a stuffy entry way with a front desk, an old man with glasses manning the front desk. He looked up as the bell above the door signalled their entrance, smiling.
"Greetings!" He said. "Welcome to the Lucky Baroness Inn! How may I help you today?" Was that manners Takara heard from him? She'd almost forgotten what they sounded like.
"Hello," Jason said. "I know this will sound strange, but given my last week it's something I need to know. Could you tell me where we are?" The innkeeper made a face at this, confused.
"You two lost or something?" He asked.
"More than you know," Jason said. "I'm actually going to need the country, too." The innkeeper whistled at this as he sat down.
"You two must be mighty lost to not even know the country you're in."
"Trust us. we know." Takara said. "It's been a wild week." The man snorted.
"I can tell," he said. "You two are in Minstrel. towns name is Silaris."
"Recognise that?" Jason asked under his breath in Takara's direction. She curtly shook her head. She knew of the country, but the town was unknown to her. Jason turned back to the innkeeper and smiled.
"Thank you," he said. "It's nice to at least know that."
"You two must be a heap of trouble," he said. "I can point you to the local guild hall, if you want. The White Wolves will certainly help you." Some part of Takara hoped he would say Fairy Tail, but that would have been too good.
"That would be great," Jason said. "Can you point us in that direction?" The man nodded and gestured to his left.
"Keep going down the main street, and turn right," he said. "You should see a big building with marble wolf statues out front. That's them."
"Thank you so much." Jason said. "I wish I had some money I could give you for your help, but..."
"I get it," The man said with a smile. "You're in deep trouble. No money to give. Good luck to you both."
"Thank you," Jason said as he turned to leave.
"Thanks," Takara added, flashing him a smile as she turned to follow Jason out. As the two left, they walked side-by-side town the street and turned as instructed. She could already see the statues.
"I don't know if this is a good idea," Takara admitted.
"Why's that?" Jason asked.
"I don't know, don't guilds usually ask for payment?" She asked. "I don't know how this whole thing works, but I do know were asking a lot. We don't even know where we're going."
"Sure we do," Jason replied as he walked ahead of her. "To Fairy Tail."
"Yeah but, where is that?"Takara asked as she jogged to catch up with him. "Are we even in the same country? Same part of the continent either? Hell, even the same continent? I never asked where Fairy Tail was from."
"It's apart of this continent, relax." Jason told her. "The Olympians are only operating near their objective, so it stands to reason that Nashi came from around these parts." Takara supposed that made sense, but she was unsure. After all, how do you help someone who just walks in and says find me a guild? It was surely a ridiculous request.
Coming to a stop in front of the building, Takara looked up at it. It wasn't as massive or impressive as she had supposed it would be. It was only an average sized building, it's only telling signs of being a guild hall being the statues outside of it and the overall shape of the building being more circular than rectangular.
"Ready?" Jason asked.
"Sure," she replied. The two entered the building, and were immediately greeted by a very bar-like atmosphere. Long tables lined the floor all over the building, people of all builds all over the building. No one immediately stood out to her as the Master or a leader, so the two just stood their awkwardly looking around.
"It seems we have some visitors!" Some one shouted. Takara looked up as a mountain of a man walked up to them. He was easily twice or even three times the size of Jason in terms of muscle, with a man of white hair on top of his head. The guilds mark, a white wolf, was emblazoned on his neck. "What can the White Wolves do for you two?"
"Uh, hi." Takara said. "We just wanted to ask for, uh, directions?"
"You sound unsure," the man said. "Come, sit! We'll fetch you a drink!" Both of them were swept into the guild hall by the man, who made them sit and ordered a woman to being over two beers. Takara didn't have the stomach to admit she'd never had a beer before, having been in prison since she was young. The drinks were brought over, and her nose recoiled at the smell. People drank this stuff?!
"How rude am I?" The man asked as he sat down opposite of them. "My name is Eric Evans! You can just call me Eric, though. What brings you two to Silaris?"
"Well, that's the thing," Jason said. "We actually didn't come here of our own free will. See, we were in a fight with some bandits when one of them used portal magic on us. Sent us deep into the woods near here." Eric hummed at this, stroking his face as if he usually had a beard.
"I see," he said. "So you've both been sent way off course, is that it?"
"Yes exactly," Takara said. "Do you think you could point us in the direction of the guild named Fairy Tail? Have you heard of it?"
It was at this Eric's sky blue eyes narrowed.
"Fairy Tail?" He asked. "That your guild?"
"We have friends in it," Jason answered quickly. "They could help us get home." Both of them had established outside Silaris that this was their story. And so far they'd stuck to it. Eric watched both of them curiously for a moment before he turned over his shoulder.
"Hey, Decker!" He shouted. His call made a scrawnier man sitting near the bar turn around. He seemed to be the polar opposite of Eric, having loose dark black hair and eyes that watched lazily
"What?" He asked.
"What guild did those two kids say they were in yesterday?" He asked.
"I don't fucking know, ask them yourself."
"Gah, you useless prick!" Eric shouted. Takara jumped as Eric tossed his empty mug at the back of Decker's head, who dodged it easily.
"You're too obvious, old man." Decker called as the guild erupted in laughter. Eric just growled as he turned back around, scratching his head.
"Useless little bastard," he hissed.
"What kids are you talking about?" Jason asked. Eric huffed and crossed his arms.
"Yesterday a couple of kids came in here," he said. "Said they weren't from this country, just visiting or whatever. Showed a picture around, asking if we'd ever seen the guy. No one had, so they left. It was late, though, so odds are they're still in town somewhere. You must of passed the Lucky Baroness on the way into town, right? They might be staying there."
"We saw it," Jason answered, tactfully leaving out that they had already been there. "Did they say they were from Fairy Tail?"
"I don't remember, that's why I asked Decker." Eric replied. "Turns out the piece of shit won't answer me!"
"Go to hell, Evans." Decker's voice came. Eric just snorted.
"I can't remember the name, but I could place them a mile away." He said. "One was a guy, darker skinned than the girl. He had spiky, maroon coloured hair and purple eyes. Other was a woman, short, with black hair and green eyes. Had piercings all over her face. Seemed to have an attitude." Takara didn't recognise either of them by description, but that didn't surprise her. Nashi hadn't exactly told them stories of home. "I swear they may have mentioned their guild, if Decker wasn't an asshole this wouldn't be a problem."
"If I say they mentioned Fairy Tail, will you leave me alone?" Decker demanded.
"Did they?" Takara asked him. He nodded to her.
"They did," he said. "Both of 'em were from the guild, they said."
"Thanks so much," Jason said as he stood. "We should go and see them,"
"Better hurry," Eric said. "They seemed to be in a rush." Taking his advice, both of them got up from their seats and rushed out of the guild, hurrying back the way they came.
"I swear if we have to go back to that guild hall to find them..." Takara hissed as they returned to the inn.
"That would be annoying comical, yet somehow fitting." Jason agreed. Walking back in, the innkeeper looked up at them with a smile.
"Back eh?" He asked. "Did you need anything else?"
"Funny enough, we do." Takara said. "Did a man and woman take a room here recently? One was taller with darker skin and maroon hair, purple eyes. The other was shorter with black hair and green eyes, piercings in her face. Had an attitude, maybe she argued with her friend?"
"Sure, I remember them." The innkeeper replied. "Man paid me well for the room, but they just left. Said they were leaving to move inland, mentioned looking for something. Friends of yours?"
"Yes, we've been looking for them." Jason said. "Thank you so much." Both of them quickly left the inn, and Takara was starting to feel like some kind of errand girl. Running from one place to the next, then back, now somewhere else. What next, would they have to return to The White Wolves and take a delivery from them?
Both her and Jason walked down the cobblestone road that led away from Silaris, soon finding themselves back in the accursed forest they'd found themselves in after their escape. They walked the path swiftly, hoping their speed-walking would let them catch up to the pair quickly.
Seems they were to catch up to trouble first, as an explosion sounded ahead of them. Sharing a look, the pair ran faster in the direction of the explosion, smoke now rising in the distance. Once they reached the flames, they were greeted by quite a scene.
A carriage had been knocked over on the road and was currently engulfed in flames, a pair of horses running away down the street. At least a dozen men were littering the road, most of them sporting bruises covered in purple liquid or bruises so dark they looked deadly. Ahead of them, standing near the carriage were two people in dark cloaks. One was shorter than the other, but both had their hoods up.
"Guess it doesn't matter where you go," the man said. "Bandits always try to take what you've got."
"Maybe we can go tell the White Wolves we cleared their own damn road," the shorter woman said. "Maybe then I can punch Decker in the mouth."
"As fun as that would be, you know we have other things to do." The man said. "C'mon, I want to reach Kyrana before sunset. And if you hadn't gone right for their 'broken' carriage we could used it..."
"Save me your sarcasm, Cyanide Breath." The woman hissed. "Maybe I just wanted to torture you with a long walk stuck with little ole me."
"Little is right, munchkin." The man retorted. "Have you grown since we were ten years old, or-?" Takara watched as the man dodged an attack from the woman, her arm having turned into an iron sword.
"Uh, excuse me?" She asked weakly. Both of them turned at her voice, meeting her gaze.
The man matched the earlier description, with tan skin and purple eyes. His whole body was covered up, probably because of the cold, but he watched them with suspicion. They had just shown up after a brawl with bandits.
The woman also matched her description, with green eyes and two piercings above her left eyebrow and one in her right nostril. She seemed irritated, presumably due to the mans short comment.
"Can we help you?" She asked.
"Uh, maybe?" Takara asked, now feeling out of place. Both of them had intense stares. They had seem more than anyone their age should have, she could tell.
"I know this sounds weird, but we've actually been looking for you two." Jason said, taking the lead.
"That does sound weird," the man said. "Wanna explain yourself? Or do I have to set Elise on you both?" The woman, Elise, looked irritated even more by this comment.
"You don't order me around, Cyanide Breath." She said, brandishing her bladed arm at him. The man seemed indifferent to her threat, he just watched them both warily.
"We're looking for the Fairy Tail guild," Takara said. "Eric and Decker mentioned you two had been to their guild."
"Decker said something helpful?" Elise asked. Jason nodded. "That doesn't sound like him."
"He didn't give it up very willingly," Jason offered.
"That sounds more like him," Elise agreed.
"Why're you looking for Fairy Tail?" The man asked.
"I-I was told they could help me find my brother," Takara said. "A friend told me that."
"Did they now," the man said. "I mean, I suppose we could, but you're a long way away to be asking us. You already saw The White Wolves, right? Go ask them."
"I-I was told to ask Fairy Tail," Takara said, knowing how dumb this sounded. No way would they believe her.
"Why does it matter?" Elise asked. "We operate in Fiore mainly, we're only out here because we're on a mission. You'd be better off asking a Minstrel guild for help."
"I mean, I guess it doesn't matter but-"
"I know The White Wolves will help you," the man said as he turned to leave. "C'mon Elise, we should get moving."
"See ya. Good luck finding your brother," Elise said as she turned to leave with her friend. Takara watched them go weakly, not sure what to say.
"The Olympians took her brother," Jason said. "That's why she's asking for Fairy Tail." Both of them stopped dead in their tracks, the wind whipping at their cloaks. Both turned to watch with wide eyes.
"The Olympians?" Elise asked. "Is that what you said?"
"Yes," Jason said. "Surely you know the name."
"We do," The man said. "Are you certain it was them?"
"Yes," Takara said. "I've been stuck in a prison because of them for ten years, I'd know if it was-"
"Did you just say a prison?" Elise cut her off, sounded bewildered. Takara nodded.
"Yes, why?" Elise looked over at her friend incredulously, who looked shocked himself. Finally, he let out a little laugh.
"There's just no way our luck is this good..." He hissed. "Former prisoners just show up in front of us?"
"Weirder things have happened," Elise said. The man nodded.
"You're right on that," he said as he looked up at them again. His face was kinder now, more boyish.
"Sorry for being so cold before. My name's Drake, and I think we can help each other out."
Chapter 354: Mutual Transaction