Guess what, it's Monday! And I am super excited to share this week's chapter with you. We've got a very special cameo and I hope you have fun with it. Things are starting to pick up. :)
- K. Chandler
It didn't take Ultear long to figure out what Jellal was planning. This was surprisingly bold of him, but she definitely approved. He could be as devious as she was.
"Where are we?" asked Erza, hugging her arms around herself.
The stench of mildew and despair wafted towards them. The setting sun only served to make things even more eerie.
"At another state facility," shrugged Jellal. "Sort of like your Rosemary Orphanage, but a little different."
Erza's eyes widened in horror as she took in the dilapidated building. "There are children here?" gasped Erza, frowning.
"Sometimes," said Jellal, giving an easy shrug.
A shadow darted across her peripheral vision.
"What was that…?" Erza asked.
"Looks like we're in luck," said Ultear. "This way," she said, without waiting for a response. She knew that Jellal and Erza would be following closely.
Like a shadow herself, Ultear slipped into the darkness, following the mysterious figure. Having grown up on the streets of Brago, sneaking about was nothing new for Ultear. This was just the sort of thing you learned to do if you wanted to survive. Fortunately, her days being respectable as part of the New Council hadn't affected her reflexes.
When they got closer, Ultear was surprised to realize that the intruder was female. She was dressed like a bartender or a waitress. She had her skirt hiked up in one hand as she cut her way across the lawn, keeping to the shadows.
"Good evening, Citizen," Ultear called softly.
The girl whirled around, her serious, green eyes startled. "I haven't done anything wrong," she said. She took a step back, pressing herself against the wall. The universal sign of guilt.
Amateur.
"We're not going to hurt you," said Ultear.
"Who are you?" the girl demanded, her voice quivering.
"Depending on what you're doing, I might be a friend," said Ultear. "All three of us, actually," she added, gesturing over her shoulder at Erza and Jellal.
The girl bit her lip, conflict clouding her gaze.
"You won't be able to get in and out without my help," said Ultear. "Why don't you tell me who you're trying to get to?"
"How do I know I can trust you?" the girl demanded.
She was a smart one. Unfortunately, she didn't have a spark of magic in her. Otherwise, Ultear would have insisted that they choose her as their Eira imposter. She was a much better choice than Erza was.
"You don't," said Ultear honestly. You couldn't trust anybody these days. Everyone thought they were a vigilante and people were turning their neighbors over to the authorities. "But seeing as we're still talking, and I haven't alerted the guards…"
The girl frowned, her eyes pinching shut. "My boyfriend," she sighed. "He was accused of using magic," she said, her mouth pressing into an angry line.
"Accused?" echoed Erza. "But didn't he get a trial?"
"Trial? What trial?" laughed the girl bitterly.
"It's been years since we've last had tribunals for accused wizards," explained Jellal softly. "These days, the accused are brought here and kept until their magical potential can be assessed. If they're found to have no ability, they're set free."
"That's fair, isn't it?" asked Erza. "They at least assess a person before they convict him."
"Erik comes from a family with a strong magical lineage, so, of course, he failed that sort of assessment. There was no way he didn't inherit some of that power."
"So, he actually is one, then… You're dating a wizard?" asked Erza, her eyes wide.
"Is that a problem?" the girl asked fiercely.
"I thought all wizards were dangerous," said Erza.
Those were the lies that had spread about wizards. Being born with special talents was supposedly unfair to the average Citizen and the existence of magic was some sort of threat to freedom and equality. And in some twisted sense of justice, the persecution of wizards became an accepted behavior. Of course, the brainwashed masses couldn't see who the real oppressors were.
"Erik didn't do anything wrong. He never hurt anyone. How is punishing him fair?"
"Then why—"
"It's like you said. Wizards are dangerous," the girl hissed, her tone bitter. "He faces execution. I have to get him out of there."
"Execution?" whispered Erza, her eyes wide.
Ultear rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure why Jellal had chosen this wide-eyed innocent to play their Eira. She may have reached her majority, but she was still little more than a child. How did he expect to pass her off as the daughter of a famous guild master?
The girl had slipped back into the shadows, keeping to the prison wall.
"You're not going to get in there by yourself," said Ultear.
"I'll find a way," the girl replied, looking back at them. Her eyes were desperate. "I have to."
Jellal sighed, turning towards her. "Are you always hopeless at expressing yourself, Tear?" he asked. Then he turned to the girl. "What my friend means is: we'd like to help you, if you'd let us," offered Jellal.
The girl frowned, as if considering.
"It isn't like you have any other options," Ultear reminded her.
"What did you have in mind?"
Jellal and Ultear exchanged glances.
"There's got to be a back way in," said Ultear, taking the lead.
"You sound like you know what you're talking about," observed Erza.
"Who me?" asked Ultear. "Oh, no. I'm making this up as I go."
Ultear scanned the stone wall, trying to find any point of entry. She didn't want to use her magic here if she didn't have to.
Towards the back of the prison, Ultear's eyes fell upon a small window, so low that the edge touched the ground. It was barred by a solid-looking metal grate.
Ultear squinted at the window before narrowing her eyes at Jellal. It might have been a bit of a squeeze, but it was probably fine. Then she smiled to herself.
"Hm, it looks like we've found our way in," said Ultear.
If she used just a tiny bit of her magic, she could probably age the bars enough that Jellal could snap them without getting caught.
"We?" asked Erza.
"Through there?" the girl asked, pointing.
"Of course, what else?" shrugged Ultear. "Well, what are you waiting for, Sieg? Lend a hand."
Jellal snorted. "You expect me to… what, exactly? Pull those bars out of the wall?"
"Well, what else? You know I'm not strong enough to do it, but I'm sure you could manage it."
"They're made of metal."
"Yes, and they look a little rusty to me. I'm sure they'll give," said Ultear breezily.
"They aren't rusty," frowned Erza.
"They're rusty," insisted Ultear. "Now, hurry up," she said to Jellal. "Each to the best of their ability. Isn't that what they say? Why don't you show us ladies how it's done? Unless you want one of us to try our hand at it?" smirked Ultear, waving at Erza.
"Honestly," muttered Jellal. He shot her a scathing look, but he didn't argue. He always had been easy to influence, especially with that noble, bleeding heart of his.
He squatted down next to the window obediently, latching his fingers around the bars. He tugged on them.
"Pull," commanded Ultear. "Pull harder!"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" snapped Jellal.
"You aren't trying hard enough," complained Ultear as crouched next to him, putting one hand on the grate. She sent a trickle of her power through the metal. Weakened by her magic, Ultear could see the bars start to give under the force of Jellal's strength.
A sharp creak sounded as the metal bowed. The metal scraped harshly as it came free from the stone. Jellal tumbled backwards as it came loose, the grate clutched in his hand.
"Well, it seems you're stronger than you look," commented Ultear.
She got on her knees to crawl through the hole. But before the others could follow, Ultear held up a hand.
"We've found you a way in," Ultear told the girl. "The least you could do is give your name in exchange."
"I thought you said I couldn't trust you," said the girl suspiciously.
"I said you couldn't tell yet. But you should know by now," said Ultear, shrugging. "Besides, we're taking a risk here too. You haven't given me any reason to trust you."
The girl considered this for a moment before nodding.
"I'm Kinana."
So what'd you think? A little bit of Ultear's PoV, a little bit of the mysterious Kinana.
Next time, in Journey to the Past, a little Kinabra reunion: "No, this is enough. All I wanted was to hear your voice again," he mumbled. "Just one last time…"
Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.
