Part One: Hope Is Blue

"Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be Fairy Tail wizards." - After Mark Twain

Prologue:

Earthland-1, Clover Town, X790: Ultear

Meredy pouted at the sight of the untouched manor. "So much for gratitude," she sighed, hands on her hips.

"You know better than that, Meredy," Ultear chuckled, a gentle hand falling on the younger mage's shoulder. "We're all still wanted by the Magic Council."

"We just saved their lives! Again!" Ultear swallowed a laugh. The poor dear, she thought, guiding her teammate into the woods. "Honestly, it's like they can't fight a cold without Fairy Tai–"

"Sh," Ultear urged, and Meredy clamped her hands over her mouth as they rounded one of the larger trees. Jellal stood on the hilltop, watching the Rune Knights cart away the leaders of the aborted assault on the guild meeting center. Arms crossed, cloak blowing in the wind, eyes unwavering, Ultear was once again struck by the extraordinary figure he cut. Gods. The man is like a force of nature.

After the wagon door slammed shut on the last would-be assassin, Jellal turned and strode into the woods. "We're done here. Who's next on the list?"

"No one," Ultear reported. "The Balam Alliance has gone dark." She went from Meredy's side to his, watching the powerful wizard intently. "We can take a few days to rest."

Jellal turned back, watching the Rune Knights stream into the distance. "I suppose we need it," he admitted, his stiff posture as grudging as his tone. "You and Meredy have been at this non-stop for weeks, protecting Fiore from Tartaros' agents."

"So have you," Ultear pointed out.

The blue-haired wizard shrugged. "I need to work," he insisted.

"Even you need to stop and regain your strength eventually," the time-mage retorted. "Look, if you really must keep busy, I've a project I'm almost ready to start." Jellal glanced at her, one eyebrow rising. "I've found a likely timeline. It shouldn't take much magical energy, but it should be an interesting enough intellectual exercise to keep you occupied."

Ultear tensed as Jellal watched the last Rune Knights disappear over the horizon. He sighed. "Very well," he conceded, shaking his head. "I still think it will cause you needless pain."

That got Meredy's attention. Ultear ignored her for the moment. "If I suffer to create a better world, then so be it. Consider it part of my atonement. That is a position you have no grounds to chide me for," she noted with a wicked grin.

"What pain?" Meredy leaped in, red eyes wide.

Ultear hugged her pink-haired protégé on a rare impulse. "He just means seeing the person I could have been," she explained. "I will be fine, Meredy."

Meredy frowned. "Okay. If you're sure." Ultear patted the younger mage on the head. Predictably, Meredy beamed. Oh, Meredy, Ultear thought, careful to keep her mind sealed against telepathy, seeing the people you and Jellal should have been without my cruelty – another self cannot compare to that punishment.