A Prison of Ice

XIII.


"… I was the one that killed your parents."

Makoto blinked as his mind began to fully process what Blake had just said. For a brief moment, a flash of raw anger pulsed through his veins. Like a smoldering flame, it burned within him, threatening to turn everything around him into ash. Just as quickly as the anger had come though, he swallowed down the frustration and let the fire within him die out.

Perhaps it had been the look in her eyes when she had uttered those words. Or perhaps it was because she looked so much like how Aigis had when she confessed her sins to him that night. Either way, it didn't matter in the end. It wasn't in his nature to give vent to righteous fury. That was not who he was.

Only a few seconds had passed by in reality, but it felt like hours in his mind.

"I know it changes nothing, but…" Blake continued; her voice wavering. "I never wanted this to happen! Adam, he— we were supposed to evacuate the building first, but then he just pulled the trigger…" She averted her eyes and cast them down towards the ground. "I-I never wanted this…"

"Why…?" Were the only words he uttered towards the girl.

Blake bit her lip. Her hands shook; and it looked like it took her every fiber of her being to stand her ground and not run away into the shadows.

"… Adam wants revenge. You've seen the mines when your father was still in charge." Blake forced herself to raise her head. "Adam used to work in an SDC mine."

It wasn't hard to put two and two together. It was a cycle that he had seen before. It was all too similar to what happened with the members of Strega and the Kirijo Group.

"… It wasn't supposed to be like this." She continued; her eyes glazing over a bit as she stared off into the sunset. "We never relied on violence before but… Adam changed… and the White Fang changed with him."

The White Fang; he had a feeling they were involved. Makoto didn't think their ideals were wrong, he had seen how the Faunus were treated. He disagreed with the way they tried to achieve their goals though. Doing evil to stop evil would only create more conflict in the end.

"I— I know that it doesn't mean much, but… I still wanted to apologize." Blake dropped to her knees and lowered her head until her forehead touched the ground. "I'm so sorry."

Makoto could see her body quake. He simply let out a small sigh.

"If you want to kill me…" Blake softly murmured. "I wouldn't blame you for it."

"Stand up, Blake." He tiredly replied. "I'm not going to kill you."

"Can't say I feel the same." Mercury coldly remarked.

"Mercury. Be quiet for a moment."

The other boy frowned, but otherwise kept silent. He normally didn't mind Mercury's flippant attitude and smart mouth, but there was a time and place for everything. And this was not the time.

"You don't want revenge?" The cat girl asked as she slowly rose to her feet. "Even after what I did…?"

"What's the point of revenge? You weren't the one that pulled the trigger, anyway."

"I was the one that planted the bombs!" She argued back frantically. "I… I was the one that let Adam talk me into it..."

"Revenge won't bring them back. What would revenge do for me? Other than twist me into a spiteful monster like your colleague." Makoto shook his head. He would not become like the members of Strega, twisted by their desire for vengeance. "All that would do is contribute even more to this cycle of violence. I've seen the wrongs that my father committed. I won't say that what your people did was justified, but I can understand the reasoning behind it."

It was why he wanted to make things right. So he could end this pointless cycle of hatred. The last thing that he wanted to see was for something like this to happen to Weiss.

"What should I do then…?" Blake asked him as her voice cracked. "I can't get that day out of my head! It eats away at me like a festering wound that won't heal!"

Makoto looked at her and just sighed.

Blake's eyes were frantic; unfocused, as if they were staring at something in the distance beyond the horizon. The fact that she could feel this much guilt over her actions said a lot about her character. Aigis had once looked at him the very same way. It wasn't a sight that he liked to see.

It was a rather cruel twist of irony, how things turned out to be so similar to the past.

"… You seek judgment, but I'm not the one who can give that to you." Makoto simply replied before he smiled softly. "All I can offer you is my forgiveness."

He turned around to leave, but Blake had latched on to his arm with a quickness that surprised him. Mercury looked ready to pounce into action, but he waved him off with his free hand. There was no need for that. Blake wasn't trying to hurt him; if anything, it seemed like he had been the one hurting her with his words.

"What should I do then?!" There were tears in her eyes. "Every day I see them; all the graves I helped dig..." She gripped at his sleeves even tighter. "And then I see what you've done for the Faunus, even after what happened. Gods, do you know how much it eats away at me?" Her whole body shook. "How can I atone…?"

Ever so slowly, Makoto pulled himself away from her grasp.

"I think that seeking out death would be the easy way out..." Makoto softly replied. "If you really want to atone, then live, Blake. Live and try to make the world a better place." He began to turn away but paused; to offer one last piece of advice. "Don't forget to live your own life as well. Otherwise, it would be a disservice to all the people that no longer can."

And then he walked away.

Mercury stared at the girl for a brief moment before he stabbed the sword in his hands into the ground and followed him. As they both walked away, he could hear someone crying in the background. He looked back one last time and saw Blake on her knees, sobbing. He could see the tears flowing out as she cried. It was a woeful sound that threatened to tear at his heartstrings.

Even so, that was all he could offer her; she needed to find her own path to absolution. Otherwise, that guilt she carried with her would destroy her one day. And that would only be another tragedy.

Mercury finally spoke up once they both made it back to their airship. "It would have been better to just kill her." The silver-haired boy remarked. "Would have put her out of her misery."

"… I disagree. Death would not give her the absolution she seeks." Makoto simply replied as he looked out the window. "It would just be an easy way out."

"Heh." Mercury chuckled. "You can be surprisingly cruel at times, you know that?"

"Am I? Would it not be better to live even if it's painful?"

Mercury just shrugged in response. "I've seen people kill themselves over less."

"Death isn't the release that she thinks it will be." Makoto softly replied. "It is cold and unforgiving. An absolute end where you are left with naught but to wallow in all of your regrets."

"You talk like you know from experience."

Mercury wasn't wrong about that. He had died once. He had passed on and become the seal that prevented humanity from meeting its demise. It had not been a pleasant experience and he wouldn't wish it on even his worst enemies.

Makoto couldn't give Blake the release she desired, nor did he want to. It would have been simple to give vent to his anger. Blake would have welcomed it even; anything to escape the guilt and shame that seemed to hover over her like a dark cloud over her head. He did not want that blood on his hands though, and that was not who he was.

Perhaps he was simply seeing Aigis in her, but he hoped she could find her own path to redemption soon.


Jacob Pastel had served the Yuki family for almost three decades now.

He had the chance to watch the Yuki Corporation grow from a small business into the massive global enterprise it was today. All of that growth could be attributed to one man; the now deceased former head of the company. Hiro Yuki was not a good person, he was a cutthroat businessman that was willing to even wade into the depths of the Mistral underworld to succeed. Assassinations, blackmail, and taking advantage of the Faunus had all been a part of his portfolio of crimes.

And yet; he had still been his friend.

They had spent years working together after all; Jacob would not have stayed at this job otherwise. Even 'bad' people had those that cared about them. The news of his former boss's death had stunned him of course; even more so than it had the young master himself. The father and son duo had never been very close. Hiro provided for Makoto; mentored him even, but that had been the extent of their relationship. It almost felt like he was watching a business transaction unfold rather than a family.

Makoto had simply been a way to ensure the Yuki Corporation's future.

The young master had always been a quiet child as well; a reclusive soul. With neither the father nor the son willing to put out the olive branch; their relationship had been doomed from the start. Jacob had been the only friend of the young master until he met the young heiress of the Schnee family. He was grateful to Miss Schnee for reaching out to Makoto when they were kids; who knows how he would have turned out otherwise.

A child shouldn't have to spend all of his time alone or with some old butler.

Jacob was able to watch Makoto grow up from the reclusive child he had once been to the young man he was today. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel pride swell in his heart at how well the boy had conducted himself, even after the tragedy that befell them. Hiro had provided for the young master, but it was Jacob that had raised him. Jacob had no family of his own, but at times, he had to stop himself from forgetting that Makoto wasn't his own son.

The boy had inherited his father's aptitude for business, only without the cruelty.

In a cutthroat world like this, Jacob feared others would take advantage of the young master's kindness. It was fortunate that Makoto became friends with mister Black. The other boy had an edge to him that Makoto lacked and could shield him from the darker aspects of the world. Was it wrong for Jacob to ask Mercury of this? When Mercury himself was but a child as well? Perhaps, but he did not want the young master to suffer for his father's mistakes.

He would gladly sacrifice the world if it meant that the young master would be safe.

The door to the room slid open, and the boy in question stepped inside. Mercury glanced around the room once before he took a seat at the table. He kicked his legs up and put his hands behind his head, leaning back against his chair.

"What's up, Jacob?" Mercury casually greeted. "You wanted something from me?"

"I would ask for a favor, mister Black."

The boy furrowed his brow "… Is it about Makoto?"

The boy was perceptive. Was it a result of his upbringing with the now deceased Mr. Black? Or was it something else? It did not matter in the end; Mercury would listen to his request out of his loyalty to Makoto.

"It is." Jacob reached into his desk and pulled out a folder. "I'm sure you know, but the young master's father had his fair share of enemies."

"Naturally." Mercury dryly replied. "You don't get this filthy rich without ruffling some feathers."

"Some of those enemies and former… associates see an opportunity to collect on some unpaid debts now that the late master is out of the picture."

"Let me guess, you think they're going to pay Makoto a visit soon."

"Oh, they will, mister Black. You can rest assured about that." Jacob replied as he slid the folder over the desk. They were like predators that smelled blood in the air with the newly established CEO. "The young master doesn't need to know about this. He has enough on his plate as it is with his Faunus equality plans."

"Even I know that much." Mercury said as he flipped through the documents in the folder. He let out a low whistle half way through. "The spiders? And the brotherhood? Makoto's old man sure must have pissed off a bunch of people."

"They aren't all enemies. Some of them were associates of Mr. Yuki." Jacob explained as he folded his hands. "I don't doubt for a second they see a chance to take advantage of the young master's youth and inexperience, however."

"So… what? You want me to put a hit on them?"

"Only on a select number of them; certain leaders and what not." Jacob continued explaining. "I realize it is a lot to ask of you. Naturally, I'm willing to compensate you myself; as the young master won't know of this."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I know how soft-hearted Makoto is more than anyone." Mercury replied as he lazily held a photo in front of him. "I'll take care of it."

Jacob lowered his head.

"Thank you. If you require assistance—"

"I'm good." The boy interrupted. "I work better alone."

"I see." Jacob nodded in response. "Then I wish you luck, and once again; thank you."

Mercury simply waved him off as he slipped the documents back into the folder.

"Don't worry about it. There's no need for Makoto to have to dirty his hands." Mercury chuckled darkly. "Stuff like this is more suited for no good villains like me."

The empty look in his eyes did not belong to someone as young as Mercury.

Marcus Black really did try to create a merciless killer, and perhaps if it hadn't been for the young master's intervention; he would have succeeded. That was a chilling thought. It was wrong for him to use Mercury's loyalty for the young master like this, and yet, if it would help protect him; then Jacob would gladly do it again. If he needed to wade into the darkness himself for the young master's sake, then so be it.

Jacob would become the very devil himself if that was what was required.


Author's Notes- I felt kind of bad for leaving everyone with that cliffhanger… So here I am with an early update! Sorry there's no Weiss fluff in this chapter though :(

Also, here are my thoughts while writing this chapter. Makoto isn't the type to hold grudges; especially when Blake regrets what happened. He never held a grudge against Aigis or Ryoji for their parts in his parents death in P3 and they had a lot more to blame for it than Blake does in her situation. I mean hell, Aigis even used him as a container for Death against his will. At least Blake has the excuses of not being the trigger man and that Adam had lied to her about the plan.

And speaking of Blake… Well, maybe we'll see her again in the future. Haha. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews everyone and I'll see you all in the next chapter.

If you like what I write and want to buy me a drink: ko-fi dot com/specialfx