Author's Note: Sorry…It's been a while. Thank you for all your support and patience ,)
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Spells and attacks will be written in bold fonts.
Thoughts, flashbacks, and emphasized phrases will be italicized. I recommend you re-read the italicized Moon District flashbacks from the previous chapters to make sense of the ones that will be present in this chapter and previous chapters in this arc to make sense.
Wayfarers X790 arc - Chapter 21 - My Promise To Protect You
~Inside Porlyusica's House, East Forest, X790~
The interior of Porlyusica's humble abode retained a fraction of its arboreal nature. Smoothened tree bark lined its walls Hardened roots anchored the polished stone floor place. There were spare seats made of stumps from lesser trees. She even had a small herbal garden inside.
Aside from these natural aspects, Porlyusica's house still showed human elements. By one of the windows, there was a chestnut desk topped with vials, flasks a mortar and pestle alongside other contained concoctions. There were two cabinets lined extensively with medical books and the occasional potted plant. Across the desk lay a singular bed with orange sheets. Underneath the bed was a large pill-shaped tea-green colored rug with alternating brown circle and triangular patterns on the rim.
Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy stood by Porlyusica as she sat on a chestnut chair next to the bed where a young, pink-haired girl lay unconscious. Shinji was resting behind them, sound asleep on a floor-level mattress on top of the rug. Each of them looked at the pink-haired girl with concern imbued in their eyes.
Since arriving at Porlyusica's residence, the Crime Sociere Mages were able to patch themselves up. Their cloaks were all hung by a chair stationed by the desk Porlyusica's. Ultear sported bandages wrapped around her stomach over her black and white body suit. Jellal had removed his shirt and armor to apply a few patches to his back and shoulders. As Meredy's injuries were mostly nerve-related, she was able to reach baseline prior to arriving at the East Forest.
The Fairy Tail Medical Advisor began conducting a physical on the unawake pinkette. She first checked the young girl's pulse and respiration rates, "Hmm...all good..."
Shen then moved onto examining her new patient's pupils, shining a light into her eyes with a small blue lacrima she procured from one of her coat pockets, "Hmmm...her pupils remain dilated in the presence of light..."
"What does that mean?" Meredy interjected.
"Sssshhhh! Keep it down!" Porlyusica turned and glared daggers into Meredy, "I'll kick you out if you dare interrupt me one more time!"
"S-sorry" Meredy apologized in a hushed tone whilst bowing.
"Hmph!" Porlyusica scowled as she proceeded to pinch the skin on the girl's arm. She then twisted the skin while pinching it. She made a fist and rubbed her knuckles along the girl's sternum.
Ultear, Jellal, and Meredy sweatdropped uncomfortably as they watched the Fairy Tail Medical Advisor conduct her examination.
"Hmmm...no response to painful stimuli...This girl...she's catatonic..."
"Catatonic?" Ultear put her hands to her lips understanding the severity of the girl's situation.
"Yes, catatonic. Didn't you hear me the first time?" Porlyusica turned around to them once again glaring daggers at the Crime Sociere mages, "Where the hell did you find this girl?"
Jellal, Meredy, and Ultear exchanged glances before they collectively sighed.
Ultear then stepped forward to speak up, "She was one of many children trafficked by the dark guild Amdusias. This girl was under the control of a Seith Magic user who specializes in Human Possession."
"Ughh...how revolting..." the elderly woman's scowl deepened," She must have been possessed for some of time for her to turn into a total vegetable after the spell had been undone. Speaking of, what happened to the mage who was manipulating her?"
Ultear and Meredy worriedly looked to each other. They then switched their worried gazes to Jellal.
The blue-haired male sunk his head such that his locks shadowed his eyes. Avoiding conversation, he walked towards Shinji's sleeping figure and crouched by his side to watch over him.
"Deceased," Ultear's lips hesitantly twitched, "The enemy headquarters was destroyed in a massive attack, taking out everyone else inside- traffickers and trafficked children alike...This girl was the only one we were able to save."
"Hmmm...I see." Porlyusica sternly noted before she returned her attention to the young pinkette, "Then what of the rugrat sleeping on my floor?"
"He was nearly trafficked by Amdusias members in Brugmansia, "Meredy chimed in with explanation process, "Before Jellal saved him."
"Brugmansia? You guys traveled a long way just to reach me..." the medical advisor was naturally suspicious of these characters.
How could she not be? Jellal and Ultear were notorious criminals who toppled over the former Magic Council with their attempt to revive the R System back in X784. Ultear and Meredy are former members of Grimoire Heart, a former pillar of Baram Alliance. The most recent crime to the list was Ultear and Meredy jailbreaking Jellal out of Era's confinement.
"Oh when it rains, it pours...I should have refused them instead of giving them entry..." Porlyusica internally grumbled her predicament.
But as she looked at the young girl they rescued, a different thought rose to the surface. Her expression softened, "Despite their crimes, these people are seeking to redeem themselves by taking down the dark guilds in Fiore and saving those affected by them..."
"I heard through the grapevine that you were the one who gave Erza her replacement eye," Jellal spoke up.
"Erza..." the pink-haired elder had a series of flashbacks. Recollections of Makarov introducing her to him and being shocked by what transpired in the Tower of Heaven resurfaced. Rob's face showed up somewhere along the lines.
"Rob..." She quietly muttered a long-deceased friend's name before looking away from the two women, "That's right...you were one of the Tower of Heaven's initial captives just like Rob was."
"Mmm..." Jellal solemnly nodded but he could not bring himself to look the woman in the eye, "But I was not around to witness his last moments. I'm deeply sorry ma'am."
"Don't be...you were only a child back then..." Porlyusica looked to Jellal with a hint of sadness in her eyes before a vein popped on her forehead, "But I cannot forgive you for trying to revive that same tower all those years later nor for causing all that tumult with the Council. You and your witch friend really ran Yajima through a lot of unnecessary nonsense..."
Jellal and Ultear lowered their heads in shame.
Life works in mysterious ways. It was fascinating how the one they were seeking help from was peripherally affected by their past actions through those she was connected with. Such is the interwoven web of relationships that connect everyone on the planet. Nothing they could say could excuse what they did. It was best to grit their teeth and endure the chastisement for it was merciful compared to the real judgement awaiting them ahead.
"I ought to beat you both up with my broomstick, but I don't think I will for now," Porlyusica calmed herself, but still retaining a minute shred of disdain, "Calling the Council would only make things messier than they need to be. So for now, I'll watch over these two..."
Jellal and Ultear lifted their heads.
Meredy's aquamarine eyes gleamed with joy, "Y-You will?"
"D-Don't make me repeat myself!" Porlyusica narrowed her gaze at the Maguilty Sense mage.
"A-Ah right, sorry ma'am!" Meredy apologetically bowed, "Thank you so much!"
"Thank you, Miss Porlyusica, "Ultear joined Meredy in paying her respects.
"T-Thanks," Jellal nervously bowed in tandem.
"I remember this missing feeling now..." Porlyusica glowered, "The feeling of why I utterly hate having visitors."
~Yorugao Dojo, Waxing Gibbous District, Caelum, X787~
Surrounded by the pristine, emerald bamboo forest, the students of the Yorugao Dojo were enjoying another day of honing the art of Bladesmith in their signature training nagagi and was Shinji's first day of Bladesmith training under Guren and Aoba.
Atop the stone platform outside the main dojo, Aoba and Guren had commenced an instructor demonstration. Midori was observing their process, sitting on the grass a few yards back whilst sipping cozily on some green tea in a black ceramic cup.
Aoba and Guren traced the grooves of their plain, steel katanas with the tips of their middle and index fingers.
"Bladesmith: Owatatsumi!"
"Bladesmith: Ko-Enjin!"
Both blades flashed as they became imbued with their wielder's respective magic energies.
Aoba's katana acquired a tsuka (A/N: hilt) with deep blue bindings over a black base. A cerulean tsuba designed like a sea dragon secured itself as the handguard. Alternating navy blue and silver wave patterns etched themselves along the groove of the enchanted weapon. The pommel was adorned with what an ornament bearing the semblance of a silver, three-pronged dragon claw clutching a sky-blue orb. Water particles from the atmosphere coalesced around the blade's edge, forming sharp overcoat made entirely of water.
Guren's katana acquired a vermillion coating with an intermittent orange-yellow glow, akin to magma before cooling. A golden, bilayer tsuba replaced the baseline's single layered handguard. The blade's hilt was brown with white cord wrappings. The blade's pommel sported a cap bearing the same bright red at the blade's body. A tuft of white-to-red gradient feathers adorned themselves onto the posterior pommel.
"Aaaand that's how it's done!" Aoba cheekily smiled to Shinji as he showcased his blade for the younger apprentice to gaze upon.
Shinji's sapphire eyes were widened in awe at his seniors near effortless execution of his uncle's sword art, "Wow..."
"Got any questions about the process?" Guren raised an eyebrow at Shinji, "Or maybe any about the concepts behind the art?"
Hearing Guren's queries, Shinji crossed his arms and tried to think of something to ask. He noticed how Aoba's and Guren's creations had distinct attributes. Aoba's Owatatstumi was clearly a hydrokinetic blade whereas Guren's Ko-Enjin endowed a fiery countenance.
"What decides the type of blade you make when first enchant it?"
"Oh, a good question," Guren pointed an index finger upwards, "Rule No.1! The power of the blade we forge is determined by the amount of magic power we pour into the blade. Successful inscription of new properties of the baseline and maintenance of the enchantment for a succinct amount of time is a testament of strong magic reserves."
"Magic input..." Shinji noted this while nodding attentively.
"Wow..." Aoba rolled his eyes at Guren, "You sound like you're reciting things directly from the teaching scrolls and Master Tetsuya's lectures. And what's with this bookworm persona? It's giving me the creeps."
"I wouldn't say these are the exact words. Just the gist," Guren glared at his fellow classmate," As Master Tetsuya appointed me to help Shinji learn the way of Bladesmith, I have no intention of slacking off. Care to take notes, slacker?"
"Tch..." Aoba clicked his tongue and looked away in annoyance.
"Ehe..." Guren grinned awkwardly as he turned back to Shinji, "While this next tidbit is not related to the type of blade forged. The quality of the 'baseline' blade is still an important factor that must not be neglected."
Before proceeding with his explanation, Guren reverted his enchanted vermillion blade back into a regular steel-bodied katana with a black tsuba, black cord bindings, and a metallic pommel.
"If the baseline is crappy, it will require more magic input to uphold the enchanted state or hold risks of completely breaking when enchanted. This poses risks that could put us practitioners at risk. That's why we need to forge, maintain, and refurbish our baseline blades properly."
"Right," Shinji nodded.
"Your swordfighting skills are at a great place right now, "Guren encouraged Shinji, "We should definitely start exposing you to smithing and maintaining blades. When taking a break from forging and blade refurbishment, we can try gaging your magic reserves...Oh boy, you have a long road ahead of you..."
"T-Thank you, Guren-dono,"Shinji sweatdropped whilst nodding. For the life of him, the ten-year-old could not hide how nervous these new forms of training would be.
"There's a secret rule you're missing blockhead, " Aoba rudely interrupted.
Guren protested the wavy, blue-haired male's pestering, "T-That's not exactly a rule, Aoba"
Aoba reverted his blade back to normal before approaching Shinji with a semi-hushed tone, "While this rule isn't an official rule, the first blade a Bladesmith forges tends to embody their wielder's innate affinities to certain magic types. Learning how to enchant a specifically desired property into a blade is very advanced. A technique out of mine, Guren's, and Midori's reach for sure..."
"Wow, that's the humblest thing I've ever heard you say about yourself in... forever," Guren feigned a perplexed expression.
"My innate affinity..." Shinji thought inward as he looked at his opened, blistered palms.
...
Just like how moonflowers bloom and wither, time passed flowed onwards.
In the following weeks hinji learned how to forge and maintain a blade to keep his baselines weapons in peak optimal condition at the Yorugao Dojo's smithy Guren's watchful tutelage.
Next to a fiery forge, Shinji repeatedly hit hammer against a long piece of glowing-hot metal with one arm while the other held it securely with metal tongs over a metal anvil. The clanging of Shinji's hammer echoed throughout the smithy and the dojo grounds as he flattened the hot metal into an ideal shape and length.
"Alright, that'll do," Guren nodded as he observed the younger apprentice's progress, "Let's let it cool for now. Then we can move onto applying it to the grindstones and whetstones."
Shinji cautiously moved the flattened metal rod onto a stone table to cool momentarily before setting the other tools down at their respective places. Upon returning to his senior, the raven-haired male wiped some sweat off his forehead.
"Tired already?" Guren smiled.
A tad flustered, Shinji simply bowed, "A-Ah no, Guren-dono. My apologies."
"Hehe," the red-haired swordsman lightly chuckled before he pat Shinji on the back, "Acting like this is not tiring is pointless. Once we go over this process the next six times, it'll become second nature eventually."
"What happens after we grind the metal against the whetstones?" Shinji inquired.
After running the blade through the whetstones comes lacquering the blade; the final heating; dipping it in cold water; cleaning it with special, non-rusting water; fastening the tsuba; attaching the tsuka; wrapping the tsuka cords; and, finally, making a saya to fit the new blade.
Guren's extensive list of katana forging and crafting activities made Shinji feel dizzy, "Holy crap, that's a lot."
"No kidding," the older red-haired Bladesmith user responded, "But as Master Tetsuya said weeks ago, 'our blades are an extension of ourselves'. So by proxy, we are nurturing that part of ourselves. Now, let's carry on!"
"R-Right" Shinji nodded before proceeding with Guren to the grindstones with the cooled metal rod in hand.
...
On the days Shinji was not busy forging katanas or crafting related items, Aoba would keep him company as a sparring partner and fitness coach to ensure his sword fighting skills would not lose their edge.
While in the dojo, the two mostly let their shinai do the talking:
"C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" Aoba continuously egged Shinji on while maintaining his offensive advantage, "You can't keep blocking me forever! Don't tell me you've gotten rusty from frolicking with Guren in the flames!"
"Nghhh..." Shinji grit his teeth as continued to block and guard himself from the wavy blue-haired swordsman's near-incessant strikes, "!"
Having assessed Aoba's attacking pattern this time, Shinji took two steps further back than usual in anticipation that Aoba would try to lessen the gap.
"Oh? Is that a challenge?" the blue-haired swordsman's interest was piqued that the younger pupil was attempting to switch things up on him.
Unwavering and unperturbed, Aoba advanced towards Shinji
Shinji then switched the grip on his shinai to thrust rather than swing before leaping towards Aoba.
"Too slow!" Aoba weaved out of the way in the nick of time before bonking Shinji on the head with his bamboo shinai.
That brief sense of pain nearly caused Shinji to fall onto the floor while losing his grip on his mock blade. His bamboo shinai dropped onto the straw dojo matting.
"Ack..." Shinji brushed the top of his head to soothe the pain away.
"Gahaha! Nice try, little man," Aoba chuckled aloud, "Luring me in and switching to a thrust was risky. It's easy to counter if your opponent has good footwork."
Aoba kneeled next to the fallen Shinji and scuffled his raven locks, "I'll give you points for guts though. Keep the surprises coming."
"R-Right...Aoba-dono," the raven-haired mage sweatdropped.
...
The last ingredient was learning how to access his magic container and build up his magic container. Despite being designated as a sideline observer by Master Tetsuya, Midori was unusually eager to volunteer his assistance for this task.
The two sat crisscrossed across each other on a grassy patch by one of the dojo's Zen gardens, next to a bush of blue hydrangeas and twisted, decorative pines.
"Thank you for offering your help, Midori-dono," Shinji politely nodded his head to the more amicable and modest of his three upperclassmen.
"The pleasure is all mine," Midori held two black cups filled with green tea.
He gleefully offered a cup to the younger swordsman," Here, I poured this tea just for you."
"Thank you," Shinji reluctantly accepted the cup.
Compared to the sweltering heat of the forge with Guren and Aoba's grueling sword fighting bootcamp, this fraction along the journey of learning Bladesmith was off to an oddly less stressful start. The imposter syndrome had clearly set in.
"You seem really tense. Have Guren and Aoba been too tough on you?" the green-haired disciple asked innocently.
"Katana-making is a crazy long process, but Guren-dono has been a really patient teacher with me," Shinji sighed, "Sparring with Aoba-dono is its own hell. I do owe him my thanks in making sure my blade skills don't diminish with all the time I spend at the forge."
"It's very mature of you to find those positives. I hope you can continue to do that throughout your life," Midori smiled endearingly at Shinji, "For today, we'll do a simple meditation practice. The green tea I brewed was infused with nerve-calming herbs I plucked from the Lady Sasara's herbal pots. With her permission of course."
"I had no idea you were so acquainted with Mother," Shinji was slightly perturbed.
"Where do you think I get all my green tea from?" Midori sarcastically asked, "Anyways, let is proceed. Lay the back of your palms over your knees and close your eyes."
Shinji did just as Midori calmly instructed.
"Now focus on your breathing while listening to my words."
Shinji nodded.
"Feel the land, the air, and energy inside you with your flesh. Then breathe...as if you are becoming one with nature..."
Midori's calming voice recited something seemingly taken from someone else's training arc from an entirely different training montage.
Regardless, Shinji tried to do as he was told and breathed as Midori advised.
He cleansed his mind of distracting thoughts pertaining to swordplay, the hammerings of hot steel at the forge, and those early memories of his time as a prostitute's child raised in a brothel.
All that mattered at the moment was syncing his breath to the beating heart of the natural world.
Gradually, Shinji felt him became more attuned with the environment. He felt as if something intangible form within was leaving his body with every exhale. Blades of grass in his immediate vicinity resultatively rustled.
Midori nodded as he observed the younger disciple's progress, "Good, keep focusing on your breathing."
In...and out...In... and out...Shinji continued as Midori instructed.
"Now, let's try exhaling a little stronger," the green-haired disciple advised.
Slowly, this exercise began to feel draining as if he was working out a new muscle for the first time. Beads of sweat started forming on his forehead. After ten minutes, it became all too unbearable to synchronize his breathing with his surroundings. Shinji felt he was on teh verge of slipping, until...
"Nghhhh...Aggh..." Shinji's concentration abruptly snapped.
Exhausted, the raven-haired male toppled over onto the grass on his back
"Not bad for a first session," Midori supportively grinned at Shinji, "Let's have a tea break before we try again."
"Again?" Shinji's eyes widened incredulously.
...
Unbeknownst to both Bladesmith users, Sasara and Tetsuya were watching them from afar by the sliding door of the residential building next to a black ceramic tea set.
"His efforts are coming along swimmingly...Maybe in a few years, he'll become a formidable swordsman worthy of inheriting the dojo." Tetsuya flashed his older sister a cheeky grin.
"Shinji would still be too young to shoulder those responsibilities..." Sasara weakly smiled and stared off into the distance, "Besides, that outcome would not be desirable for this dojo's future."
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Tetsuya inquired, perturbed by his sister's foreboding words.
"I-*cough* *cough* *cough*"
Before she could explain herself, Sasara started hacking uncontrollably until she spat out some blood.
"Ane-san," Tetsuya frowned as he patted his older sister on the back, "Your condition...It's gotten worse..."
"A few more years..." the light in Sasara's eyes dimmed as she looked down, "A few more years...is all I can hope to keep living for. Hopefully that will be enough to watch Shinji grow strong and independent."
"He would still be all too young to shoulder that kind of pain," Tetsuya frowned as he poured his older sister a new cup of tea, "Please, Sasara-nee, take care of yourself..."
Unbeknownst to them, Shinji and Midori had witnessed them from the moment Sasara started coughing.
The older green-haired disciple slowly turned to Shinji, "Ah...Shinji-san, perhaps we should end this session early..."
Shinji looked back to Midori. His sapphire eyes lost their light, "No...let's continue..."
"But Shinji-" concerned for the boy, Midori tried to raise an objection.
"Please..." the younger Bladesmith practitioner felt his eyes become watery, "Let's keep going...I have to get stronger..."
...
Two years passed in the blink of eye. The year was X789.
Shinji spent those two years pouring his efforts into katana forging, swordplay, and building up his magic stamina. His mother's ailing health only pushed him to strive towards greater heights, disregarding the strain he was putting on his body in the process.
Alas, came the awaited day that Shinji would attempt to imbue his blade with a property based on his own affinity.
All the Bladesmith disciples gathered on the stone platform while Master Tetsuya and Sasara sat inside on the dojo mats. Sitting next to them were Midori, Aoba, and Guren who all took part in honing Shinji's skills over the past two years. The three older disciples grinned pridefully from mouth to mouth as they were excited to watch the fruit of their beloved kouhai's progress.
The then twelve-year-old Shinji stood on the platform in front of everyone with a newly-crafted, steel katana with a black tsuba and purple tsuka in his hand.
From his seat, Tetsuya nodded, "Show us, Shinji. Show us how far you've come."
Heeding Midori's words, Shinji closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He inhaled as if he was becoming one with nature, allowing himself to feel the air on his skin and the sound of cicadas. He emptied his inner turmoil and entered a blank state. Exhaling, he channeled his release into his right index and middle fingers as he used them to trace the edge of his katana.
Shinji's baseline katana glowed as it reconfigured into an iridescent, lavender katana bearing a black tsuba designed like a new moon, silvery cord bindings, and a similarly lavender pommel.
An eerie purple radiance emanated from the blade as a similarly colored magic circle bearing a crescent moon insignia formed behind Shinji. When the strange light cascaded over the area, most of the sword disciples suddenly collapsed, falling near unconscious.
"W-What's...happening?" Guren felt greatly fatigued after being enveloped by the strange light from Shinji's blade, "Why do I feel like hitting the hay so soon?"
"Our magic levels...they're depleting..." Midori weakly looked to the purple blade Shinji forged using the Bladesmith art as he fell to the straw mat.
"Shin-ji..." Aoba vocalized as he tried to recuperate, "What the hell...is this?"
Tetsuya and Sasara sat unaffected by the lunar iridescence. Sasara cast her gaze downwards as she dreaded this day would come. Tetsuya glared in Shinji's direction as if he was looking at a harbinger of disaster, particularly eying the magic crest behind his nephew," So that's what you've been hiding from me, Ane-san..."
"Tetsuya...I'm sorry..." Sasara was choked up as her secret was finally unveiled, "I wanted to tell you earlier...I just didn't know how to convey it without causing trouble..."
"That magic crest...The fact his first blade shows his clear affinity for Moonlight..." Tetsuya clenched his fist as he was keenly aware of what these traits meant, "Ah hell...Never in my wildest dreams would i have fathomed that my dear nephew would be an illegitimate child of the Lunar Shogun, himself."
~ Porlyusica's House, East Forest, X790~
"!"
Shinji jolted from slumber to find himself in an unfamiliar, rustic setting.
The sounds of birds chirping, rivers flowing, and tree rustling cascaded his ears. A gentle sunbeam shone down through each of the houses' circular windows.
Scanning his surroundings, Shinji could ascertain he was in someone's residence.
He noted he had been sleeping in a white floor mattress and blanket with a pillow set over a weird tea-green rug. The hakama and nagagi he had entered the country with had been badly torn up during the fight against Amdusias. All articles of clothing had been removed prior to better apply bandages to the minor and major lacerations he sustained, save for his dark blue boxer briefs. His katana was nowhere in sight.
The vialed concoctions on the chestnut desks, the sweet-savory fragrance of herbs, and the cabinets lined with medical literature made it clear to him that he was in a healer's living quarters as a patient. But he wasn't the only one.
To his left, A-1 was sleeping soundly in an orange-quilted bed towering above his quilt. By her bedside sat a tall elderly woman with pink-hair tied up in a high bun with a golden pin. The healer was dressed in a white blouse with a red ribbon tied around the collar. Her legs were covered by a long black skirt with white frills on the hem.
"You're awake..." the older woman sternly looked at the unarmed teen.
"There's no need to worry, your friends brought you here," she clarified, "And they certainly wouldn't have taken you here if they didn't trust me. Your sword is outside as I do not permit weapons on my premises."
"I-I see..." Shinji responded before slowly switching to a kowtow, "T-Thank you kindly for looking after us..."
"Get up. There's no need to prostrate yourself like this. Jellal and the others did enough of that already," the woman replied coldly.
When Shinji stood up, the older woman handed him some clothes she had folded on her bedside - a navy button-up, brown pants, and brown leather shoes.
"My name is Porlyusica. I am grateful your recuperation did not require much effort on my end. Now please, get changed and make yourself useful by leaving...You'll find what you're looking for outside."
"R-Right..." Shinji was shocked by how straight-to-the-point this medic was. Nonetheless, he accepted the clothes and made haste.
...
After fastening the last button, Shinji stepped outside Porlyusica's residence making sure to gently close the door behind him so as not to disturb the medical specialist's process or incur her wrath.
"Woaah..." the thirteen-year-old basked in the sight of the East Forest's verdure. The bright greens of the tree leaves contrasted from the deep green bamboo forests he grew accustomed to back in the Waxing Gibbous District.
"Shinji..." a male voice calmly called to him.
The young raven-haired mage looked down the staircase to see Jellal, Meredy, and Ultear dressed up with their signature dark-blue cloaks. In Jellal's hand was Shinji's katana.
"Here," the blue-haired male returned the young swordsman his blade.
"Thank you, Jellal-dono," Shinji bowed his head to his older acquaintance before accepting his property.
By the look of things, Shinji could tell the three crime Sociere mages had exchanged every tidbit of information about what transpired while he was out for the count.
A grave silence ensued between the four.
Although they had successfully destroyed Amdusias's headquarters, things took a turn for the worse when Jellal was under the control of Arvesque's Blood Puppetry. That turn being Jellal's Heavenly Body magic destroying the manor and everyone else in it. If it weren't for Ultear's quick thinking, Shinji, Meredy, A-1, and herself would not have survived.
What they saw after re-emerging from Ultear's ice felt a scene straight out of an apocalypse.
Glimpses of corpses belonging to trafficked children and Amdusias traffickers alike - bloodied, punctured by splintered wooden beams, broken ivory tiles, bones and vital organs exposed, and limbs bent in all sorts of weird directions all the flashed through the three's minds.
Jellal's blue locks covered his forehead. He felt like screaming and cursing at himself into oblivion. He felt so heavy that he couldn't fathom the right words to muster. If there was a silver lining, he was grateful that no harm came to his guildmates.
But he was supposed to save those trafficked children. And yet... it was his magic that was used kill to them. Never again would they see their families. How horrid to spend the last moments of your life locked away in a damp, musty holding cell concealed within the catacombs void of any sunlight...
The four of them silently basked in those golden rays unsure if it was even fair for them to do so given was transpired. The road to redemption and solace was difficult for anyone with a muddied past trying to clean their slate. Sadly, some stains can only remain stains despite time's apathetic passage.
"Sorry..." Jellal was almost too choked up to speak audibly, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."
At those words, Meredy and Shinji turned to him. Teary streams reflected the morning sunlight as they trickled down his face. Jellal immediately tried to wipe them away, but Meredy stopped his hand and held it.
"It's over, Jellal," Meredy looked into Jellal's eyes with tears forming into her own, "Yes, things could have been much better. But that's not your fault or ours. Our enemies were formidable, yet we took them down for a much greater good...So please, it's okay to cry. I'll...cry with you..."
"I'm sorry..." Jellal embraced Meredy as she sobbed into his arms.
Ultear grinned at the heartwarming scene in front of her before wistfully looking up at the clear sky.
Likewise, Shinji felt a little out of place, he calmly looked at the shadows of the trees cast by those rays.
"I heard about what you did to save Jellal," Ultear broke the silence with the raven-haired swordsman, "I'm half-impressed, but also half-horrified. Seeing you is almost like looking into a mirror with my younger self. Kids your age usually don't have an instinct to kill unless they grew up in adverse circumstances or were taught how to..."
"I don't appreciate what you're implying, Ultear-dono," Shinji dryly replied, "I was never taught how to wield my sword to assassinate or debilitate people."
Ultear found herself amused by his gall, "Never took you for the type who could give others lip."
"I just wanted to save him," Shinji looked into her eyes in earnest, "Someone like him who is has truly changed and is putting in the genuine struggle make the world a better place to make up for his past wrongs surely deserves a second chance. Not everyone in life will put in the effort to do the difficult, but right things. And I would gladly cut anyone down who dared get in the way, if you would be willing to have me..."
"Oh? You're the first person who has ever asked to be a part of our little syndicate. Master Jellal is quite pleased," Ultear pointed a finger to something behind Shinji.
Shinji turned around to see Jellal and Meredy had ceased their sobbing and started listening to their little conversation. Both Jellal and Meredy blushed madly at the young teenager's uncharacteristically bold words; Jellal more so than Meredy.
"Oh my..." Meredy put her fingers to her lips.
"Ah-!" the raven-haired swordsman's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, "I-I-I-"
"I'm touched that you think of me, of us, like that...Honestly..." Jellal smiled after wiping the tears off his face, "Ahem- but I have to reject your request. You're too young, Shinji. You shouldn't have to live to be someone else's sword. You should be your own sword."
"My own sword?" Jellal's words felt stingingly foreign. How could someone like him who had desperately and continuously searched for a place to belong to become his own sword?
In his earliest formative years, he was threatened with beatings by the brothel owner if he even made a sound while he and his mother resided at Tsuki-no-Yubari. When he moved to Yorugao, he had the freedom to choose taking up the sword and learning the ways of Bladesmith magic. Those bygone days back in the dojo were blissful: forging new katanas with Guren, sparring with Aoba, drinking green tea with Midori, and getting jovially noogied by his uncle.
Ironically, all of that crumbled the moment his efforts bore fruit. His mother's secret, His uncle's disdain, and the way the other disciples' views of him changed when that horrid event occurred all crushed him.
"I don't know how to be my own sword...I'm only thirteen..." Shinji pouted, a tad downcast, "No one wants me back home in Caelum...So I came here, in search of a place to belong..."
"Cheer up," Jellal patted Shinji's black locks, "There are many things out there in this world. You could work for guild or become a member of the Magic Council. Maybe start a new dojo here? Even if we aren't as bad as we used to be, Ultear, Meredy, and I are still wanted criminals. If you were to travel with us, you'd only be caught up in our mess or to be considered a criminal yourself for colluding with us. I don't want that for you."
"I wouldn't mind that if it meant I wouldn't be alone!" the raven-haired mage protested angrily.
"No means no!" Jellal crossed his hands.
Shinji looked to Meredy who sadly shrugged, then to Ultear who sighed. The raven-haired swordsman was utterly crestfallen, having arrived back to square one, "What...do I do now...just go back to aimlessly wandering and snacking at taverns until the next batch of weirdos kidnap me?"
"Jellal's concerns aside..." Ultear interrupted their argument, "I'd be willing to make you member."
"Eh?" Shinji suddenly perked up from his slump like a magic beanstalk rising from the soil, "For real?"
"Finally a new member!" Meredy's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Ultear!" Jellal raised his voice as he crossed his arms in protest, "What are you plotting this time?"
"Relax, relax," the dark-purple haired lady raised her opened palms suggesting he calm down, "Please hear me out, Jellal. As co-founder of this guild and one of the few who busted your ass out of Era, I think I have a higher say in our order of operations. I have a separate solo-mission for him in mind to see if he's worthy of becoming a full-fledged member."
"Why you!" Jellal was about to throw hands in frustration but was held back by Meredy.
Ultear then turned to Shinji with a Crime Sociere stamp pulled out from who knows where, "Can you promise me you'll look after her after she wakes up?"
"Her?"
At first, Shinji was confused, but in seconds the dots connected as a certain sleeping pinkette puppet came to mind, "A-1?"
Jellal stopped struggling against Meredy. It became clear to him that Ultear was simply maneuvering things for the sake of the bigger picture, including that one variable they neglected to elaborate on.
"It's true we wouldn't know what to do with her after she wakes up. And taking her along with us would pose its own risks towards her..." Jellal pondered aloud, "I hate to admit it, but good thinking on your end, Ultear..."
"Ooh, a compliment from Jellal himself," the Ark of Time mage jested, "How flattering."
"Ul..." Meredy was unsure what to think of this situation.
"You want me to look after A-1?" Shinji was astounded by Ultear's request, "H-How am I supposed to know how to take care of someone else? I-I'm only good for cutting things with my sword..."
"What's that? You don't want to be a part of Crime Sociere?" Ultear taunted the young swordsman.
"Oh man, it's like she hasn't changed at all in these past 6 years..." Jellal and Meredy sweatdropped as they observed Ultear's fine-tuned skills in manipulating and pressuring people at work
A flustered Shinji grit his teeth as he bowed his head, "W-Wait...I'll...I'll do it..."
"Thank you for not making this more difficult than it needed to be," Ultear smiled a slightly devious smile before she held up the Crime Sociere stamp, "Now, where should I put this?"
Shinji lifted the bottom hem of his navy-blue button up, exposing his abs.
"Here you go," Ultear stamped on Shinji's left oblique. When she lifted the stamp, a black insignia of a ghoulish witch face with her hat and robe forming the curves of a letter-S appeared.
"So this is it...I'm a bonafide member of Crime Sociere?" Shinji asked as he looked up to Ultear.
"Not quite," Ultear then touched the guild mark and cast a light from her hands onto it.
When the flash subsided, Shinji's guild mark vanished.
"Wait...what did you do just now?" Shinji asked, rather shocked.
"I enchanted your guild mark," Ultear stated, "If people in the future were to learn you possess this mark, evidence that you are a part of our guild, that would spell bad news for you. I agree with Jellal that you shouldn't be dogged down by our sins just because you want to join us. Understood?"
"Understood," Shinji bowed his head, "I guess this means that this is goodbye?"
"I still have one thing to give you before we part ways," Ultear pulled a jade communications lacrima and presented it to Shinji.
"Just because we won't be with you doesn't mean we have to lose contact," She looked at him with earnest eyes, "There might be things you see during your travels that might be of use to Crime Sociere's purpose - such as info on the Dark Guilds or other Zeref cults. More importantly..."
Golden rays touched them all as Ultear spoke these closing words, "Knowing that you both are still out there well and alive would give us something to look forward to. Something to keep living for."
"Ultear-dono..." Shinji was taken aback by her words.
"Ul..." Meredy's eyes became watery again.
"Ah-" it was now Ultear's turn to blush in front of everyone, "D-Don't contact us every day though. That would be annoyingly obstructive. Just once in a while should be good...Preferably at night."
Jellal grinned as he looked upon his guildmates, "It takes a lot for Ultear to say anything remotely sentimental...I guess your earnest desire to walk this road with us has thawed us all out more than we anticipated. Please, take care..."
"Take care, Jellal-dono, Ultear-dono, Meredy-dono," Shinji bowed to them one last time as he saw them walk off into the shadowy shroud of the woodlands created by the near afternoon sunshine. When the three were completely out of sight, Shinji lifted his head and sighed as he tightly clutched the jade communications lacrima Ultear had gifted him.
"May we meet again under better circumstances..."
...
Nearly a week had passed since, Jellal and company departed.
Shinji visited Porlyusica's house to check up on A-1, often granting the elder time to go to Magnolia to acquire living necessities or to carry out her own antics undisturbed.
While Porlyusica abhorred his company as she did anyone else, she found him more tolerable than most due to the lack of racket he made compared to her guildmates back in the golden days before X784. When Shinji broke the news that Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy had left taking care of A-1 in his hands, she fumed like an active volcano before letting her more pragmatic side settle in slowly.
"Goodness, I have plenty of qualms about this!...But I can see where they are coming from. It is best for everyone's sake that those three numbskulls don't stay in one place for too long," Shinji recalled Porlyusica's words back then, "Personally, I'd rather not deal with the Council and their unruly men storming my home with accusations that I am housing wanted fugitives..."
Shinji's heart sank for Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy. Although Crime Sociere was acknowledged for their efforts in bringing down many dark guilds prior even to dealing to with Amdusias, the infamous reputation of their individual members preceded their guild's achievements. Redemption was truly a thankless, brutalizing path.
He looked through one of the circular windows at the morning glow cast upon the serene East Forest and sighed, "I hope they're doing fine out there."
"Who are you talking about?" a young female voice curiously asked from behind him.
"Just some friends I made who I might never see again," Shinji sighed.
"Awww, that's really sad..." the girl's voice expressed a node of sympathy for him.
"Ah-!" The thirteen-year-old's sapphire eyes widened. He quickly turned around to see A-1 was sitting upright in the orange-quilted bed, awake at long last.
Shinji's instincts screamed to high heaven for him to grab and unsheathe his blade. His consciousness flooded with the memories of his prior encounter with A-1; recalling how she was the nefarious Pierrot's prized puppet who fought formidably against him with her eerie crystalline blades.
But something about this A-1 was different...Her red eyes were not lifeless and marionette-like anymore. They were gleaming with life like sparkling rubies. Her expression was gentle like a cherry blossom tree gently blooming in spring; a far cry from the rigid monotony she bared when she was under possession.
Recollecting himself, Shinji bowed to greet the pinkette, "A-1! I'm pleased to see you're a-awake...My name is Shinji...Shinji Tsukiya. I made a promise to my to look after you after a rather unfortunate incident...But I don't know the first thing about you..."
"A-1? Is that my name? Kind of odd don't you think?" A-1 giggled at him.
"You're...right..." Shinji sweatdropped. Referring to her by the label her one of her kidnappers gave her was downright disrespectful, "U-um, if A-1 isn't your name, then what is?"
"I don't remember..."
"Come again?"
A-1 looked down a tad saddened "I don't remember anything about myself...My name, who I was, where I came from, my family...None of it comes to mind no matter how much I think about it. It's all blurry, staticky, and filled with white noise."
"No way..." Shinji's eyes widened at A-1's revelation, "Not even your name...That's awful..."
While meeting the true A-1 turned out to be better than anticipated, the predicament of her lost memories was a critical strike to the blind spot.
As if on time, the door to the interior opened. Porlyusica entered her house, carrying a newly potted herb. Upon seeing Shinji and A-1 conversing, her usual scowl softened, "You're awake..."
A-1 turned to her, then to Shinji, "W-Who is that?"
"That's Porlyusica-san," the raven-haired male clarified, "She's the medical specialist who looked after you while you were out."
"O-Oh," A-1 turned back to the pink-haired elder, "Thank you so much, Porlyusica-san. I am beyond indebted to you."
"Ma'am, something urgent has come up," Shinji tried to get the elderly woman's attention.
"What is it now?"
"It seems A-1 has lost all her memories..."
"Amnesia..." the medical expert looked at A-1 carefully, "That's horrible."
A-1 sheepishly looked away and twiddled her fingers, "Do you think I'll ever be able to recover my memories at some point?"
"Our knowledge of who you were is strictly limited to the incident that occurred prior to your arrival here. We know nothing of what occurred in your life before that, "Porlyusica explained cautiously, "While I understand your eagerness to remember who you are. I would not advise loading you with anything that might resuscitate your memories until you are physically and mentally stable. Understood?"
"Understood..." A-1 responded with minor despondence.
"But I do suppose we should give you a proper name to go by since A-1 is rather drab?"
"That was seriously my name at some point?!" the young pinkette was flabbergasted by the fact.
"N-not really...that's a long and complicated story..." Shinji shuddered at the thought of explaining everything to her.
"You! Boy!" Porlyusica then pointed to Shinji, "How about you pick a name for her?"
"M-Me?" Shinji looked shocked, "Why me?"
"She'll be in your care after I discharge her from mine, might as well call her by something that works for you..."
"Do I even have a say in any of this?" A-1 flailed about in the background, "What if he picks something really lame?"
"Uh..." Shinji paused and pondered, "How does...Aria sound?"
"Aria?" Porlyusica had major bad flashbacks to a certain member of the Element 4 who created unnecessary trouble for her by casting that wretched Drain spell on Makarov all those years back.
"Aria..." the pinkette paused before she smiled sheepishly and started to curl her hair, "That name sounds...really pretty actually..."
"Whew..." Shinji sighed in relief as he held out a hand to official welcome her, "Then I'll call you Aria from now on until we find out your real name. It's nice to meet you Aria. My name is Shinji Tsukiya."
"L-Likewise, " Aria's cheeks were tinged with the subtlest pink as she shook his hand.
...
The days following Aria's miraculous awakening felt more mundane and relaxed than usual. Despite losing the memories of her past, Aria's muscle memory and ability to use magic did not fade.
Once Porlyusica cleared the amnesiac girl to engage in physical activities, Shinji took sparring with her in front of the house. Shinji made sure to keep his blade sheathed when sparring out of caution. Considering Aria was out of commission for nearly a week, Shinji made sure to go easy.
"Hiyah!" Aria conjured two amethystine daggers and lunged towards Shinji. Unlike when she was Pierrot's puppet, the pinkette moved with a certain grace and dexterity almost akin to a subpar kunoichi or an assassin. Still, her speed was lacking. With time and possibly more training, she could become a dangerous opponent.
Shinji simply practiced weaving, dodging, and blocking while the girl worked up a sweat.
After about half an hour, Aria's crystalline knives shattered and dissipated into Ethernano particles.
"Ahh...I'm beat..." the pinkette expressed her exhaustion as she dropped to the grass, "How are you not tired?"
"I was trained in the art of the sword since I was eight."
"No wonder..." Aria lightly huffed as she caught her breath.
"Despite your memory loss, how is it that you can still remember how to use your magic?" Shinji asked.
"Oh? Have you finally taken an interest in me?" Aria was delighted by his inquisition," I can tell you've been meaning to ask me that for a while."
Shinji sighed, "Porlyusica advised not to bring up too much. Sorry, if I'm prying."
"It's okay," she smiled sweetly before proceeding, "My magic is like a part of me. Just like your discipline with the sword, my magic must've been something I have been practicing intensely for some time before my memories were lost."
"So even when the mind forgets, the body remembers? " Shinji grinned.
"Something like that," Aria responded.
The two looked out at the East Forest's scenery for a moment.
...
"Good riddance, I thought you two would never leave, " Porlyusica growled at Shinji as she stood by the entrance stairway of her arboreal house with a broomstick in her hand. A second week had passed before Aria was finally discharged from Porlyusica's care.
Shinji wore the same blue button-up, brown pants, and brown leather shoes lent to him. A small black pack was strapped diagonally to his front while his sheathed katana was strapped to his back. The raven-haired swordsman held his hands in surrender towards the grouchy medical specialist, "Once Aria finishes changing, we'll be out of your sight as soon as possible."
The door behind them opened and Aria stepped out. Her new attire was a total upgrade from what she wore as A-1. The pinkette's hair was tied into a braid. She wore an army green jacket over a white-shirt and a magenta skirt. Like Shinji, Aria wore matching brown leather boots. Strapped to her back was a brown, leather sack.
"Wow...I guess what uncle said about girl's changing clothes was real..." Shinji scanned her from head to toe five times over.
"Hey, Shinji-san?" the pinkette interrupted his daytime reverie as she scaled down the stairs to face him.
"Ah...Y-Yeah?"
"We should get going!" She excitedly smiled, "Adventure awaits!"
"R-Right..." Shinji nodded, "But there's one thing we need to do before leaving.:
Aria nodded cheerfully.
Simultaneously, both Shinji and Aria bowed to Porlyusica.
"Thank you, Porlyusica-san, for taking care of us."
The pink-haired elder nonchalantly sighed, "You're welcome. I hope I never see either of you again as patients. Especially you, A-1!"
The two raised their heads and giggled at her joke.
Just like the group before, Shinji and Aria walked off into the forest shade cast by the day's light while waving goodbyes to Porlyusica who stood at the bottom of her house's front staircase.
Once the elderly woman was out of sight, the two had ceased their waving and looked forward.
"What do we do now?" Aria inquired aloud.
"Since it's my duty to watch over you, I think we should try traveling and exploring the nation, " Shinji suggested as he looked up with a hopeful, excited look in his eyes," Staying at guild isn't half bad, but we would be able to cover more area if we wandered around for a few years before settling. Maybe along the way we can find some clues about your past or something..."
"Haha..." Shinji paused to catch his breath and reorganize his messy thoughts "Sorry...In truth, I don't have any real clue on how we should go about this. I only arrived here from another land a few weeks back."
"You're not from Fiore?" the pinkette's eyes sparked with curiosity.
"Yeah, I came from the Moon Province of Caelum, a nation of multiple archipelagos off of the south coast of Fiore."
"Woah...Why did you leave your homeland?"
"That's another long and complicated story..." Shinji transiently glowered.
"Boooo. It's not good to hide things from people who care you know?" Aria pouted, "How can I even trust you when you lock yourself away?"
"I'm sorry. In due time, I'll tell you all about it. It's just that I'm horrible at opening up to people. I hope you can find it in yourself to be patient with me," Shinju struggled to muster the ideal, correct response.
"It's fine. I won't ask anything prying anymore. Your space deserves to be respected, "Aria smiled.
"R-Really?" Shinji was perplexed by how mature and kind-hearted this girl turned out to be. Perhaps subliminally comparing the real her to the mind-controlled puppet version he first encountered was unfair.
"Really, Shinji-san. You're all I have right now. So, I'll believe in your resolve to help me and watch over me. Please don't betray me," Aria looked earnestly into his sapphire eyes with her rubies.
"I made a promise after all, "Shinji curtly nodded, " So I'll do my utmost to fulfill it."
"When do you suppose that promise will be fulfilled? "Aria asked.
"That depends on what happens when you recover your memories," the raven-haired mage replied.
"I guess so..." Aria felt mildly down at the thought of the one who gave her this new name leaving her, "Still, I'd be sad. It sounds like you'll leave me if I find a place to belong."
"Until then, I'll be by your side through thick and thin," Shinji tried to console her, his sapphire eyes glistened under a singular morning ray that cascaded through the trees' shades as his sapphires stared into her rubies, "That is my promise to protect you."
This chapter felt cozy, yet incomplete at the same time...
When working with established characters, playing with their themes (i.e. Jellal with his struggles for redemption and Ultear with the golden rays) is so intrinsic, especially given that this arc chronologically takes place before the GMG arc.
More importantly, I needed to drop the OC lore of how the OCs met in a way that was semi-consistent with elements the main story line. It was also interesting to have an arc that was within the harrowing "7 years time gap". Although Romeo was definitely alive and nearby watching the sea from Hargeon at the time, I felt that including him in this arc would detract from the main focus.
After all, we gotta have adequate backstory as no one simply comes from "nothing" per se. We are shaped by nurture as much and if not more than nature.
That being said...
Next Arc: Hanami Jomakushiki
Next Chapter: Sakura Bloom On Mountaintops
In Japanese, Hanami Jomakushiki means "flower-viewing unveiling ceremony". That hint is more than telling. As for what will specifically be unveiled, I wish you the best of luck in determining that. Feel free to leave your guesses in the comment section.
Per usual, feel free to give me your constructive criticisms, feedback, suggestions, etc. but please don't be too harsh with me. If you cross the line Crime Sociere is gonna punish you.
Author: "Whom I gonna call?"
Jellal, Ultear, and Meredy: * on beat* "Crime Sociere!"