Seagulls flew overhead as the SS Pride was at maximum Capacity when it pulled into harbor at Anima. "Thank you so much again." Blake bowed to the captain, showing her gratitude.
"Thank you, for teaching me how to speak to your people without sounding offensive." the captain bowed his head. "Oh,I didn't mean it like-"
"It's okay, it's fine." Blake scratched the back of her head and glanced over towards her parents.
"I can't guarantee the people of Mistral will be as understanding of your movement." the captain warned. "I wish i could help you further but you're on your own from this point."
"We'll be able to handle it." Kali assured, speaking up with a nod looking back towards everyone who was on the ship.
It would take a few days of traveling before the faunus Militia finally reached the city on the mountain, Mistral just at the break of dawn. "We'll make our public presence known, and explain our cause." Ghira stated as Blake nodded to him.
Many people on the lower streets of Mistral exited their homes in shock and awe at the sight before them, such a mass gathering of faunus in the streets of this city was unheard of.
Ghira then spoke up. "Attention citizens of Mistral! We are here to provide help and protection to your city!"
"Protection! I don't want no animal protection!" yelled an angry man from his window.
"We only want to help!" Blake spoke up.
"We don't want your help!" a woman yelled.
People were starting to get rowdy and throw stuff at the faunus in the street. "Everyone, defensive positions!" Ghira ordered as the faunus with shields raised them up to deflect rocks, tomatoes and all sorts of objects thrown their way before several police airships flew around them now.
"We demand you faunus stop this gathering in our streets!" the police declared.
"We're trying to help you idiots!" Sun yelled at them.
"If you do not disperse this illegal gathering, we will be forced to arrest you!" the police officer on the intercom demanded.
Ilia looked down before glancing up. "Fine then! Arrest me!" she yelled. "But don't hurt any of the others! I'm the one who's a danger!"
"Ilia, what are you doing?!" Blake was surprised.
"Atoning for my mistakes." Ilia firmly stated as she held her arms up. "My name is Ilia Amitola, member of the White Fang! Take me in for my crimes of violence against your Kingdom! But please, let them"
With that the police started rappelling down from their ships and started harshly restraining the Militia, taking their shields and batons from them.
"I'm Blake Belladonna, member of the White Fang!" Blake spoke up.
"What are you doing?!" Ilia asked in shock as she was handcuffed.
"I'm not going to abandon my friend." Blake stated with a confident smile as she was handcuffed.
"Um... I'm White Fang also?" Sun asked, gladly holding his hands out for handcuffs like they were the fanciest new accessory.
"I'm White Fang as well!" in the militia started speaking up, letting themselves willfully get arrested and charged for the crime of being White Fang operatives.
By the time Blake, Ilia and Sun had arrived, the main holding cell in the Mistral city prison was completely full to the brim with members of the Militia.
"Jeez, they really just packed us in here without a care in the world?" Sun remarked.
Blake looked down at her cuffed hands and sighed. "I honestly expected no less than this."
What felt like a good hour went by as Sun fell asleep, loudly snoring while Ilia, just awkwardly looked at Blake and then away when she was caught. Blake on the other hand was watching the door for anyone passing by.
The moment Blake finally looked away, the door opened and into the room stepped Kali with who appeared to be the Chief of Police in Mistral.
"Mom?!" Blake was surprised to see her mother not in a cell and not cuffed.
The door to the cell opened as all the faunus held within started flooding out.
"I told you, I had a connection here, Police Chief Foley and I go way back." Kali explained.
"Oh yes. Your mother taught me a thing or two about respecting the faunus." Chief Foley laughed as she made sure every last faunus in the cell was released.
"So, do you believe what we're saying about an attack on Haven?" Blake asked her.
"I'm inclined to believe you as all White Fang activity around every part of this city has ceased. If crime patterns from Vale are anything to go off of, when crime stopped like this there, the next thing that happened was the attack on Beacon that lead to it's fall." the Police Chief reasoned. "That's why it's important that we prepare to tackle this situation with tact. Although I'm still not quite sure where to start."
Ilia looked to her scroll that was thankfully not confiscated from her during the mass arrest. "It seems the White Fang still things I'm with them." she held her scroll up that had an urgent message from Adam, detailing the plan to attack on Haven that night.
In the meeting room of the Police Station Ghira, Chief Foley, Kali, Blake, Sun and Ilia all stood around the table, looking over the plans.
"This is insane! If Haven is blown up, and White Fang Riots break out into those marked streets, it'll cause mass panic and no one will be able to escape the Grimm that attracts." Chief Foley shook her head. "And without huntsmen, I'm afraid the Kingdom of Mistral may as well be a dish served on a platter for these monsters!"
"That's why we need a plan of attack." Ghira insisted.
Blake looked at all the points. "So I think it's reasonable to assume that at each of these points is some kind of White Fang Stronghold, filled to the Brim with soldiers waiting for their cue."
Ilia snapped her fingers. "We can clear them out before the attack even starts!"
"I'm afraid even with that in mind, we'd have to arrive at each of these spots at the same time, otherwise they might start the riots early." Kali shook her head.
"Well, we might be able to manage that." Chief Foley reasoned.
"We?" Sun asked.
"Yes, we. As in us and your Militia."
"Wait, you're willing to work with us?!" Blake was surprised.
"Girl, didn't you hear what I said about your mother teaching me to respect the faunus?!" the Police Chief rolled her eyes. "Now obviously those shields and batons will work just fine for your Militia's weaponry."
"Of course, we trained each fighter with how to effectively defend and parry from attacks." Ghira confirmed. "We only taught them how to protect and restrain."
"That's all the skill we need then." Chief Foley then started towards the door. "I'll go tell my officers what's going on and what our plan of attack is, they will work with you. Even if they hate the idea. They need the extra numbers, and I think a little time with a few of you guys would definitely help to fix their outlook."
The Mission was clear and the plan was put into motion.
This time,
The ways of the past we'll get over,
The first Stronghold was cleared out with a total of 30 faunus being arrested in an old burnt bar, waiting for their cue and being unable to attack.
We'll climb,
Enlighten a new state of mind
The second set of Strongholds were cleared out with a few stragglers getting away, however Ilia and Blake made short work of them, restraining them with relative ease.
And now,
I'll stand with you shoulder to shoulder
Sun held his staff firmly as a White Fang soldier was holding a police officer at Gunpoint now.
This encounter would meet it's abrupt end when the soldier was elbowed in the gut by the police officer and a blast of electricity knocked the soldier out from behind, as Neptune, Sage and Scarlet all approached Sun.
Out of the ashes a new Flame Ignites,
Rise up from Shadows and into the Light
"Heard you could use a hand." Neptune remarked confidently with his cheeky smile.
We'll stand undivided our futures aligned,
A new brotherhood,
This time!
Blake threw Gambol Shroud to Ilia who caught it, just in time for a group of fleeing White Fang soldiers to be tripped by it's ribbon. The two immediately got to restraining this group as the holding Cell in the Mistral Police station was full of Countless White Fang soldiers. This operation had gone on well into the late afternoon with only a few escaping White Fang operatives.
"So that's the last of the strongholds?" Sun asked.
"Yeah, there's only one place left and it's... It's no doubt where Adam will be." Blake stated.
"Haven..." Ilia walked over and put a hand on Blake's shoulder. "Look, Blake if you don't want to deal with this, you don't have to, there's more than enough people here than can handle it."
"Ilia. I've run from Adam for the past year. I've been in fear of him for longer than that. If I back down now, he'll win." Blake affirmed.
"Well, you won't be alone if that'll make a difference." Sun pointed out.
"Thanks, Sun." Blake nodded to him. "That will make all the difference."
"We'll be with you every step of the way." Kali assured her daughter.
"I think, you should be the one to lead us at Haven Blake." Ghira stated. "We'll be waiting for you."
"Thanks, Mom, Dad..." she turned towards Ilia and Sun. "You guys too. I wouldn't be here if I didn't have you all supporting me."
"You also wouldn't be here if I didn't try to have you shipped off here and nearly assisted in the killing of your parents." Ilia pointed out with an awkward chuckle. Everyone in the room fell silent and just stared. "W-What? Too soon?"
Sun just pinched her again. "OW! I didn't even stab you a second time!"
"You'd get along well with Blake's friend, Yang." Sun remarked as he stepped out to discuss things with his teammates.
Adam stepped out of the Grand Hall, slightly shaken now. "I'd ask what I just witnessed, but I think it'd be better if I didn't." he shook his head as a soldier approached him,with the detonator in hand.
"Waiting for your cue, sir." the soldier smiled to him and went back to checking around the perimeter.
"Excellent." Adam took hold of the detonator. "We're going to leave at once."
"But High Leader-"
"You heard my command!-" before he could bark anymore orders he found himself interrupted by a voice all to familiar to him.
"Adam!" Blake called out, looking down on him from a roof.
The sound of that voice diverted Adam's attention entirely as he turned to face her. "Blake." he started laughing. "To think I went through all that trouble to ask the Albains to bring you here, when you instead bring yourself to me."
Blake balled her hand up into a fist. "It's over Adam. Give up before you make a fool of yourself!"
"Me? Make a fool of myself?! The only fool here is you, Blake." Adam took a step forward. "I don't know if you heard but I took over as the high leader of the White Fang after Sienna met her untimely end at the hands of a human."
"I know that's a lie!" Blake argued back. "One of your operatives told us the truth!"
"Which one? I need to know who to kill." Adam grit his teeth.
"High leader, that's what I was trying to tell you! Our entire operation around Mistral has gone ground up!" the soldier explained.
"How?! She's just one girl?!" Adam turned towards her now. "You can't stop us by yourself Blake, even if you somehow stopped everything in Mistral. I know you can't beat me!"
Taking a deep breath, Blake looked back towards the darkness behind her. "I know. That's why I didn't come alone."
Out of the shadows stepped the faunus Militia from Menagerie, along with Team SSSN and ABRN.
One of the White Fang soldiers lowered their guns upon recognizing someone from the Militia. "Mata?"
"Please... Stop." Mata pleaded as he held his shield up firmly.
"We're your brothers and sisters!" Ghira stated with authority in his tone.
Adam clenched his fists and was starting to seethe with rage. "These are our enemies! Make no-" before he could finish his tirade several police ships flew by and shone spotlights on him and all of his operatives.
Blake finally jumped down from where she was standing and looked towards Adam. "It's over, Adam."
"Then it's over for all of us!" Adam pressed the trigger for his detonator, but nothing happened.
"What are you doing?! Trying to kill us all?!" one of his operatives asked in a panic.
"I will make all who oppose ME pay for their crimes!" he yelled staring right through the other White Fang member's mask practically as he grabbed their collar before shoving them off.
"We sent someone to confirm your explosives, and when they did... She disarmed them." Blake explained as Ilia appeared out, camouflaged with all the cut wires from the explosives and tossed them before jumping down from the CCT and staring at Adam.
"It's over." Ilia stated firmly.
"This is your fault! YOUR FAULT!" Adam glared daggers at Blake and ran forward at her with his hand gripped tightly on Wilt.
Blake pushed herself forward with a shadow clone and forced Wilt back into Blush with one of her hands and then with her other hand she brought Gambol Shroud down on Adam, hitting him and knocking him back to the ground.
Adam forced himself to his knees and glared up at her. "KILL THEM ALL!" he ordered as the White Fang soldiers began firing on everyone around them.
Blake held a firm stance as Adam started to stand himself up, ready for more when a wall from the Grand Hall exploded out and Hazel was sent flying with a broken arm out of the building, landing several feet away.
"Ah Hazel, maybe now you could help me. It seems things have gotten complicated than we initially thought." Adam stated.
"This is your own problem." Hazel snapped his arm back into place and let his aura heal it before injecting his arms with fire and electricity dust. "Fix it yourself."
He then turned back towards the Grand Hall and walked back in through the opening.
"Sounds like you don't have many friends at all." Sun walked over, firmly holding his staff now.
"Tell me, does Blake always make her classmates fight for her?" Adam asked.
"Nah, we just decide we want to help her out is all." Sun chuckled.
"If you think I came all this way for you, Adam... You're wrong." Blake stated. "I came here for Haven, not for you."
Adam grit his teeth and put his hand over Wilt which made Blake get on the defensive, aiming Gambol Shroud's gun form at him. "Tch, you are still afraid Blake."
"Not as afraid as you are of me, right now." Blake taunted back at him.
Adam then turned towards Sun and unsheathed Wilt, slashing at him. Sun quickly raised up his staff and blocked Adam's attacks before transforming Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang into their gun chuck form, spinning them around as Adam started deflecting the shots fired out of them. Blake then clashed her bladed sheath with Wilt before shooting at him, he managed to deflect all their attacks before getting a shot off on Sun, knocking him back.
Blake held her ground and transformed the main part of Gambol Shroud back into it's Katana form and clashed with Adam more before Sun pulled himself up and hit his face with his weapon back in it's staff form.
A couple of Militia faunus rushed over, with their shields and batons at the ready, but Adam merely sliced through them. "Pathetic!" he yelled before he then attempted to bring down Wilt on the rabbit faunus girl that had made the attempt on him.
Instead he only struck Lightning Lash as Ilia stepped forward, the three now having Adam surrounded as Ilia placed herself in front of the other faunus.
"Thank you..." she looked up at Ilia who smiled to her before glancing over back at Adam.
"You're a coward, Blake. A Coward who hides behind other people!" Adam yelled as his hair was starting to glow.
"The only coward I see here..." Ilia gripped her hand firmly on the trigger of Lightning Lash. "Is the one who's hiding his face!" she whipped out at him, Adam attempted to block it, but the strike cracked his mask and he stumbled back.
His mask shattered off of his face, revealing a blue eye and another eye blinded by a branding with the initials of the Schnee Dust Company, along with the familiar snowflake symbol.
"Adam Taurus, stand down!" an airship that flew overhead commanded as it shone it's spotlight down on Adam.
"Give up Adam, you've lost." Blake stated.
"No... NO!" Adam yelled as he then unsheathed Wilt and slashed at the Airship with his semblance, slicing it in two and forcing everyone to dodge the debris while he ran away.
"After him!" Sun yelled as Blake then grabbed his arm. "We can't take him on our own." Blake shook her head.
"But he's getting away!" Sun pointed out.
"Blake's right. Adam's formidable. Especially when he's cornered like this. The best we can do is hope the Mistral Police are able to apprehend him." Ilia stated as she watched the ships following Adam.
"Besides, now he can know what it feels like to run." Blake affirmed. "Thank you guys."
"Heh, any time Blake." Sun chuckled.
"You should probably check out the Grand Hall, something big seems to be going on in there." Ilia pointed to the door.
"Right." Blake started in that direction when the ground suddenly shook beneath everyone's feet.
Commentary: So this is the Blake centric chapter for the Volume's finale and well I'm actually kind of happy with how it turned out. Sure it's a bit of a cut away from what's going on currently, but I do feel like a little break would be needed after the big reveal at the end of last chapter. Besides that, this is also the chapter with the defeat of Adam and the White Fang. Which I certainly hope Adam's defeat here was less awkward than it was in the original. Blake's big attack on him was different, with her using her clone to push herself forward and prevent him from attacking.
Also, there is the even bigger thing that is Adam's face being revealed here. Yep, I moved his face reveal to here rather than have it happen in Volume 6. I only had reactions from people looking at his face before, mainly Sienna and Weiss. But now with his face revealed, and the attack ruined, Adam was forced to retreat, but not before flexing his power one last time with that moon slice.
With all that said and done, next chapter is the one where things get real down in the vault.