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"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X789]
~ With Shisui ~
Ultear chuckled as well, though her expression remained firm. "We appreciate the sentiment, Shisui. Really. But if you were seen publicly working with us, it could lead to serious problems with the Magic Council. Not to mention you're now a mage of Fairy Tail. And that makes you even more of a visible target for political retaliation."
Shisui wanted to argue, to point out that he'd operated in shadows for most of his life and could certainly continue doing so. But even as he opened his mouth to protest, he realized the logic of her argument.
Fairy Tail was already starting to rebuild their reputation. Having one of their members associated with wanted criminals would set back their progress significantly.
"Before you even suggest it," Ultear added, cutting off his next thought, "we absolutely will not accept you leaving Fairy Tail just to help us either."
Frustration welled up in his chest as he found himself trapped between competing loyalties. Before he could sink too far into self-loathing about his uselessness, Ultear's expression shifted slightly.
"However…" she said, drawing out the word, "we do have someone else in mind who would be perfect for helping us with this particular cause."
Shisui raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite his frustration. "Who?"
A wry look appeared on Meredy's face as she delivered the answer that would change everything.
"Jellal Fernandes."
"Jellal Fernandes..." Shisui repeated slowly.
He looked at both women's faces, searching for any sign that this might be some elaborate joke. But their expressions remained completely serious, which somehow made the situation even more ridiculous. A long sigh escaped him as the full implications of their suggestion sank in.
"You do realize that Jellal is considered one of the most dangerous criminals in Fiore's recent history? The Magic Council has him locked in a cell designed specifically to contain mages of his calibre."
Ultear and Meredy both developed distinctly embarrassed expressions, the kind of look that suggested they were very aware of how insane their plan sounded when spoken aloud. But there was something else there too, something deeper than simple embarrassment about proposing a jailbreak.
"We know it sounds crazy," Meredy said quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her top. "But Jellal has the power and knowledge we need to investigate Tartaros effectively. And he has personal reasons to oppose them."
"Personal reasons aside," Shisui continued, "breaking someone out of a Magic Council maximum security facility isn't exactly a small favour. The kind of prison they'd use for him would be heavily warded, probably staffed with multiple guards, maybe even a couple of S-class ones, and breaking in would make us enemies of the Council permanently."
He paused, studying their faces more carefully. The embarrassment was still there, but it was accompanied by something that looked suspiciously like guilt. Not the kind of guilt that came from proposing an illegal plan, but something much more personal and painful.
"What aren't you telling me? There's something else, isn't there?" He asked warily, his voice taking on the tone he'd once used for interrogations.
Ultear opened her mouth, clearly struggling to find the right words. She started several times, then stopped, her usual eloquence failing her completely. Finally, she gestured helplessly toward Meredy, apparently deciding that a direct approach would be better than trying to explain diplomatically.
Meredy took a deep breath, her eyes focused on the ground rather than meeting Shisui's gaze.
"We were the ones who manipulated Jellal into becoming the criminal he is," she said in a rush, the words tumbling out as if saying them quickly would make them hurt less. "Everything he did, all the atrocities he committed, all the people he hurt. We're the main reason for all of it."
Both women looked down at the ground, their shoulders hunched as if they were trying to make themselves smaller. They couldn't bring themselves to look at Shisui, clearly expecting judgment and disappointment from someone whose opinion they valued deeply.
"He was just another innocent person whose life we destroyed. Someone who's now facing the consequences of our actions while we walk free." Ultear added quietly, her voice now barely above a whisper.
The silence that followed stretched uncomfortably long. Shisui stood motionless, processing what they'd told him while Ultear and Meredy seemed to be preparing themselves for whatever reaction was coming.
Instead, Shisui let out another long, exasperated sigh that seemed to deflate his entire body. When he spoke, his tone carried more fond frustration than anger.
"You two are going to be the death of me someday... I swear, the situations you manage to create." He said, shaking his head with what could almost be described as affection.
Both women looked up in surprise, clearly not expecting this reaction. They'd been prepared for judgment, not what sounded suspiciously like resigned acceptance mixed with gentle teasing.
Catching their confused expressions, Shisui's lips curved into a small smirk.
"What?" he asked innocently. "Did you expect me to start lecturing you about the moral implications of your past decisions?"
He let them stew in their confusion for another moment before his expression became more serious, though still far from judgmental. "Look, we've all done things we regret. Things that seemed necessary at the time but left scars we'll carry forever."
His voice took on a tone that suggested personal experience with the subject. "I'm not going to blame you or judge you for your past. That's something you'll have to deal with on your own terms."
The understanding in his tone seemed to ease some of the tension from their shoulders, but Shisui wasn't finished. His expression shifted slightly, becoming more vulnerable than either of them had seen from him before.
"However," he continued, and there was something almost fragile in his voice now, "in the spirit of solidarity, I'd like to ask the same consideration from both of you. If I ever tell you about my own past, about the things I did before coming here."
For just a moment, his eyes held a sadness and guilt that ran deeper than anything they'd expected. Whatever he was carrying seemed to age him years in an instant, transforming the confident mage they knew into someone haunted by memories he couldn't share.
The glimpse was brief, but both women caught it. Ultear and Meredy exchanged a quick glance, communicating silently before looking back at him with expressions of complete certainty.
"No matter what past you have," Ultear said firmly, "you'll always be our Shisui."
Meredy nodded emphatically in agreement. "Nothing could change that. Nothing."
The simple acceptance in their voices seemed to lift the invisible weight from his shoulders. A genuine smile spread across his face as he looked between them.
"Well then," he said, clapping his hands together with renewed energy, "if we're going to break Jellal out of prison, we'd better start planning. I may not be opposed to breaking laws when necessary, but I prefer to do it efficiently and silently."
Meredy's face immediately lit up with excitement. "Oh! And we should come up with a name for ourselves! Every proper group needs a good name."
Shisui found himself caught up in her enthusiasm despite the serious nature of their discussion.
"An independent guild that investigates and deals with forces in the shadows, from the shadows," he mused thoughtfully. "Operating outside official channels to handle threats the Magic Council can't or won't address."
"A guild filled with ex-criminals seeking redemption," Meredy added playfully. "Trying to make the world a better place through our actions rather than our words. Redemption through Protection!"
Ultear finally joined their brainstorming. "With Meredy and myself as the official members, and Shisui acting as an unofficial shadow ally. We'd be..."
She paused dramatically, a satisfied smile spreading across her face as she delivered the name that would define their future endeavours.
"Crime Sorcière."
~ End of Chapter 53 ~
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