Chapter 8

Morning Darkness

It was early morning in the house.

Hiroki and Shade were facing each other in the Training Room.

"I dont get why you want to do this."

Shade said, looking at his Teammate.

"We've grown a lot since Beacon, I want proof that you're still right to lead our team."

Hiroki said while grabbing his katanas.

"But Erika isn't"

"Erika will return."

Hiroki said making Shade have a puzzled look.

"You know as well as I do she will return to us."

Shade chuckled a little.

"You're right, she is very determined."

Shade grabbed his blades out of his gauntlets.

"I'm ready."

"You better be."

They both took a stance before running at each other.

Hiroki stretched his arms out and when he got close to Shade.

He slashed at Shade who held up his gauntlets in their shield mode to block the attack.

Shade flipped his Blades so they were aimed at Hiroki.

He fired and Hiroki quickly leaned back to dodge the attack and kick Shade's jaw, sending him back a few feet.

Hiroki activated his Semblance and flew at Shade.

Shade used his shield to block Hiroki's next slash but before he could react to the next Hiroki slammed Shade into the ground creating a minor crash.

He stood up as Hiroki landed in front of him.

Shade responded by punching Hiroki.

Hiroki quickly blocked with his enhanced sword.

But before Hiroki could attack with his second blade a shadow arm raised from the ground and held his arm down.

Hiroki saw this then looked at Shade before he was punched into a wall.

Shade took advantage of this and ran to his swords.

Hiroki recovered and charged his aura into his sword and slashed a blade beam at Shade.

Shade noticed the wave of energy heading towards him.

He quickly raised his shield up and made his Shadow go inside the shield.

The energy hit the shadow shield and it was pushed back at Hiroki.

Hiroki put his swords together to block the attack but ended up getting pushed outside.

Ruby Yang and Weiss were outside and saw Hiroki floating in front of them.

Shade walked outside.

"What was that?"

Ruby questioned.

Shade looked at his shield as the shadow left it.

"I'm not exactly sure myself."

"My energy clashed with Shade's shadows sending it back at me."

Hiroki looked at his blades.

"It was more powerful than normal."

Shade returned his blades to his gauntlets.

"When I send a shadow into you it increases your power."

"Shadows are full of negative emotion and power."

Hiroki put his weapons away.

"Perhaps this is a similar concept except you use the energy."

This made Shade think.

Meanwhile…

Erika was sharpening the spear part of her weapon.

Blake had gotten a note from Ilia and she had a feeling it was a trap.

'Ilia cannot be trusted, not yet anyway.'

She thought to herself.

'It's what they taught me.'

Erika looked at a picture of her with her team.

'I wonder, did they meet up? Did you return to the team Hiroki?'

Several Months ago…

"Where are you going?"

Erika asked Hiroki who was walking away with a bandage over his eye.

"I lost one of my only chances for revenge."

He said coldly.

"So, you just lost your eye, the last thing you need is to go off on your own!"

"Funny you should say that."

Hiroki responded while looking at her.

"Dawn's going after Weiss, that's different."

"And you're tracking Blake and Shade is unconscious. The way I see it, all of us have our own journey to complete."

"You don't have to go alone though, you can help me track Blake."

He shook his head.

"I lost something when Adam stuck me, something I need to find."

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure yet."

Hiroki turned his back to Erika and walked away.

"I left Shade a note from all of us. If all of our paths cross again, then we will be a team."

Hiroki disappeared into the forest.

Back in the Present…

Erika shook out of her thoughts and noticed Blake left.

"Damn it."

She immediately ran out of the house and started tracking her.

Erika ran fast until she heard Ilia talking.

"You and your family are holding the Faunus back."

"Because we're trying to protect people!"

Erika quickly jumped onto a nearby roof and looked down at the Faunus below her.

Blake was tied up with Spider Webs.

Ilia was in front of her and three Faunus were behind her.

"What world do you live in that attacking the innocent is the right thing to do!"

"The same one as you. There's no such thing as innocence. There's no right thing to do. Only what's best for us There's the Humans that still hate the Faunus and the others that stand by and let the hate happen!."

Ilia aimed her weapon at Blake's neck.

"But you know what snaps out of hate. Fear!"

"That's enough Ilia!"

Erika shouted while standing on the roof she was on.

"Why don't you join us Erika? You're a killer. Adam told me what happened to your village. What you did"

Ilia responded.

'That snake.'

Erika thought to herself.

"I was a child then, I've grown to know a better way!"

She raised her hand and plants rose from the ground under the three Faunus and restricted them.

"Adam Taurus is worse! He did exactly what those Raiders did to my friend's village! You say there's no such thing as innocence!"

Erika jumped and pushed Ilia away from Blake.

"Then tell me what is the point of the slaughter of those people and my people? Is that really what's best for the Faunus? To let the cycle continue!"

"I don't like hurting people, but it's gotten us results."

"Yeah look where it's gotten you."

Blake responded from behind Erika.

There was hesitation in Ilia's eyes but she quickly shook out of it.

"We all have to make sacrifices for the greater good. No matter how much it hurts."

Erika aimed her weapon at Ilia.

"I'm not going to kill you Ilia,but I am going to open your eyes."

Erika ran at Ilia who readied her weapon.

She quickly kicked under Ilia causing her to jump above Erika.

Ilia landed behind Erika and quickly disappeared.

"You can't hide from me Ilia!"

"I have to get rid of you and the Belladonna family for the good of the Faunus."

Erika quickly spinned her spear around her feet and tripped Ilia causing her to lose her camouflage.

"You wouldn't dare."

Erika said with a scowl.

"It's for the greater good."

Ilia responded and ran at Erika.

This time Erika shot at her beforehand.

Ilia quickly dodged the shots and was met with a bark aura-covered fist in her face knocking her into a nearby building.

"Keep telling yourself that. Murder is still murder."

Erika said as the plants around her arm vanished.

"I know too well what it is."

Erika noticed Ilia was gone.

"Damn it she's gone."

She quickly cut the web that tied Blake up.

"I was hoping this wouldn't happen."

Blake said while grabbing her weapon.

Suddenly Sun jumped down.

"I'm surprised, you didn't even need me."

He said to Erika.

"I had a lot of 'stress' built up."

Erika said while a little embarrassed.

The three quickly ran to the Belladonna residence.

Unaware that a fight has already started.

AN:Alright so i'm going to be honest here there's a couple reasons this chapter took so long. One big reason is I've been going through a lot of mental struggles lately and I just got over most of them to a point I feel comfortable writing again. Two, this and the next two chapters are a bit boring. I'm trying my best to make them entertaining but I'm running on fumes. I have a lot planned for the Haven fight but for now I'm going to be trying my hardest to get the last Volume 5 chapters written.