In the daytime at the Branwen Tribe camp, Raven sat alone in her tent, sharpening Omen. Suddenly, Vernal and Kano entered. "Raven, we have a problem." Vernal told her.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Salem's found us." Vernal informed her.
Raven's eyes widened briefly. "Salem... okay." She said.
"Five of her followers are waiting to speak with you." Vernal explained.
"They're right outside of your tent now. There's no sneaking out of this one." Kano said, looking away (Not for all of us, anyway.) He thought, more than prepared to ditch the tribe if things went south.
Raven stood up. "Right. We planned for this... Bring me my helmet." She ordered.
Outside of her tent, Cinder, Azula, Watts, Emerald and Mercury all stood and waited while the bandits surround them, eyeing them carefully. Azula looked around and smirked, seeing their trepidation and decided to up the fear factor by crackling lightning in her hands, causing the bandits to take a step back. Raven stepped out of her tent with her mask on as she addressed her bandits. "I don't recall inviting so many guests into our home. Either I'm losing my memory... Or you've all lost your spines!" She snapped.
"Oh, I most certainly agree. If these were my men, I'd have them tortured to make sure they never back down again. Then again, for simple bandits, that may be too lenient. Maybe instead you could kill a quarter or third of them to set an example against cowardice." Azula said, making the bandits start to sweat. bullets.
"Oh, come now. Both of you are being far too hard on them." Cinder said cordially, looking at Azula, then back to Raven. "Your men simply recognized the power of a Maiden when they see it." She declared with her eye glowing and trailing fire. "Which is why we'd like to have a word with you." She explained.
Raven only looked at them for a moment before addressing the bandits. "Leave us. Pack your things, then break down camp. We're moving." She instructed and the bandits all left to do so.
"Little late to run and hide. You've been on our master's list for some time, so you must understand that we cannot allow you to slip away." Watts explained.
"I know all about your master, but I don't believe we've met." Raven said.
"We're the guys you should be afraid of." Mercury told her.
"I doubt anyone should be afraid of you." Raven taunted him.
"Oh yeah? Tell that to-" Mercury began, before being cut off.
"Quiet." Cinder ordered, to which Mercury relented.
"That's what I thought." Raven scoffed.
"I'm Cinder Fall. These is my associates, Arthur Watts and Azula, as well as my disciples, Emerald and Mercury." Cinder introduced the group.
"Two children you've tricked into following you, a disgraced Atlesian scientist and a Fall Maiden with a surname so appropriate, she probably picked it herself. Something tells me you've got more than a slight case of egomania, is that about right? You and the Revived girl who clearly think the world revolves around her and everyone should fall in line like her perfect soldiers. I'm guessing you were a princess in your last life, dear? It would explain why you seem so high and mighty." Raven taunted.
Mercury and Emerald exchanged a brief look as Azula narrowed her eyes, while Watts clears his throat. "Technically, I was also a doctor, but I must say, the rest was spot on." He admitted.
"Aren't you perceptive." Cinder praised.
"It's what's kept me alive." Raven insisted.
"Then tell me, do you focus nearly as much on your comrades as you do potential enemies? If not, I can imagine how you possibly missed a deserter amongst your ranks." Azula said, suddenly creating a whip of fire and lashing it out. Raven prepared to defend herself, but to her shock, the flame whip went past her and wrapped around Kano's leg and dragged him back. "He almost made it to your camp's gate. Had he climbed over, I'm sure he would've been long gone by the time our little meeting was over." Azula taunted.
Raven glared at the cyber-eyed man. "Kano. You'll be sorry for this." She told him, putting her sword to his neck. "I'll deal with you later. For now, you're still useful. You will not leave my side until they're gone.." She ordered.
Kano gulped at this, but quickly nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He said, getting up and standing beside her.
Azula scoffed at this. "I can't stand traitors. You should've had your Maiden fry him with fire or lightning. Or perhaps frozen him alive." She said.
Cinder looked at Azula, before turning back to Raven. "She has a point. That is, of course, assuming you have the Spring Maiden, as we've been told. Contrary to your beliefs, she's the only reason you've lived for so long. Of course, if I'm wrong..." She began, before she activated her Maiden power again and holds out a small flame in her right hand, grinning evilly.
Raven glared at this, before looking back at her tent. "Vernal!" She called for the younger girl, who stepped out of Raven's tent and walks up next to her.
"So, this is the long lost Spring Maiden. Prove it." Cinder challenged.
Raven and Vernal shared a glance with each other, with Raven nodding. Vernal sighed and closed her eyes. She held her hands out and suddenly, the wind started to pick up gradually. The blue sky turned to gray as clouds covered it. Leaves blew in the wind. Watts, Mercury and Emerald covered their faces as thunder was heard, while Cinder smiled in amazement as she watched the Spring Maiden unleash her power. Azula, meanwhile, stared at the thunderstorm in defiance. Vernal then lowered her hands and opened her eyes as her powers settled.
"Vernal has done well under my guidance. I'd take that into consideration before you try anything." Raven warned them.
Watts and Mercury brushed themselves off as Cinder spoke. "Raven, I won't underestimate you, so please don't insult my intelligence. There is a slim chance you and your Maiden could escape today-" Cinder began.
"Assuming we couldn't persuade your deserter to join the winning side and fight with us, against you." Azula said, looking at Kano.
Kano looked at the other two, who glared back at him, before looking back to Azula. "I'm already on the winning team." He told her.
Cinder sighed at this, before continuing. "If you know our master as well as you claim to, then you know you could never truly escape her. But we come bearing an olive branch." She offered.
Watts walked up to Raven. "The Maidens are merely a means to an end. Salem's true desires are the Relics locked inside the Huntsman Academies. Come with us. Allow Vernal here to unlock the Relic of Knowledge and all previous acts of defiance against Salem will be forgiven." He offered, before stepping closer. "It's the best deal either of you are going to get." He whispered up to Raven's face, before walking away from them to rejoin his group.
"You talk as if walking straight into Haven will be easy." Raven told them.
"That's because it will be. Headmaster Lionheart is loyal to Salem. And now, all we need is the key to the vault." Cinder said, taking a moment to pause and let Raven process this. "You're not the only one to turn your back against Oz, Raven." She said.
Raven gripped the hilt of her sword. "I'm not helping Salem, I'm not helping Oz! I don't want a part in any of this!" She insisted.
"That ship sailed when you chose to harbor a Maiden. But if you come with us to Haven, we'll leave you, your tribe and your little secret to live out the rest of your lives squabbling in the wilderness. We just... need... the Relic." Cinder assured her.
"I need time to think this over." Raven told them.
"You don't have time. In two days, Haven Academy will be destroyed by the White Fang. You're going to choose now." Watts declared.
"Backed me into a corner, huh?" Raven questioned.
"So, are you with us, or against us?" Cinder dropped the ultimatum.
After a tense moment, Raven removed her grip from her hilt and took her mask off. "Agreements like these are built on trust. And forgive me for saying, but I don't trust a single one of you. You're going to need to give me more." Raven declared.
"You are in a poor position to negotiate." Watts said arrogantly.
"I want my brother dead." Raven told them.
Her unexpected declaration momentarily stuns the five. "Qrow?" Cinder asked.
"That's right. He knows I have Spring. And if I help you get your Relic, he's going to become a problem. I have enough problems to deal with. Qrow doesn't trust me, but he does trust Ozpin's other lieutenants. If Leo really is loyal to you, then you can order him to invite Qrow into an ambush. He arrives at Haven, we take him down, you get your Relic and we all leave happy." Raven explained her plan.
"Now this is a proposition I can get behind." Cinder agreed.
"Setting up one's brother to die. You truly are despicable, Raven... I love it." Azula said.
"Alright ladies, let's pause for a moment. We have one objective- retrieving the Relic of Knowledge. Now Qrow Branwen may be on our list of individuals we would very much like dead, but he's not going to go down without a fight and he's not going to fight quietly. Our advantage here is just as you said- we walk straight into Haven, no resistance, no one the wiser. A battle with your brother throws that all out the window." Watts pointed out the flaws in their plan.
"He's good, but not that good. All of us against him? It'll be over in a heartbeat." Raven assured them.
"But it's not just him. He has the students with him. He has Ruby!" Emerald pointed out.
"He certainly does." Cinder said, smirking at the idea of getting revenge on Ruby.
"If we leave that school a bloody mess, we will draw the attention of the authorities! The Kingdom will be on high alert and the White Fang's attack will be ruined!" Watts warned them.
"Then we wait. We wait until the full moon. Leo invites Qrow and his little fighters to Haven the same night Hazel and Adam arrive with the White Fang. As soon as the battle is won, the White Fang demolishes Haven and any evidence we may have left behind is lost along with the school." Cinder told them her plan.
"Then, Salem leaves my people alone. For good." Raven insisted.
"You have yourself a deal." Cinder declared, holding her hand out to shake with Raven's, but Watts suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Wait. Don't think I don't see what you're after. If this falls to pieces over your grudge with a child, I will not be taking the blame." Watts told her.
"Then what are you worried about?" Cinder questioned, glaring at him, before activating her Maiden powers and burning Watts' hand, causing him to remove his grip and hold his hand in pain.
"Watts, as much as I'd hate to agree with Cinder, she has a point. This deal is the only way we'll resolve this matter peacefully. And while we can most certainly resolve it violently, it could result in the death of the Spring Maiden. Then we'll have to track the power down again, which we'll never do before the White Fang obliterates Haven." Azula admitted.
Cinder smirked at this. "Fly back home and tinker with your machines." She told him, before holding her hand out again in front of Raven. "And tell Salem she'll get what she wants- and more." She declared.
Raven stood still for a moment, glaring at Cinder's hand in front of her, but then offered her own hand out and shook it with the Fall Maiden, sealing the deal.
Back in Menagerie, gunfire can be heard from within the Belladonna Family Home, as well as sounds of fighting grunts and efforts.
Yoruichi beat up a White Fang grunt with a couple of swift hits while Sienna wrapped her kunai and chain around the ankle of another, swinging him into a wall. Bane then rushed in at the two, throwing a left haymaker in an attempt to down both of the tiger sisters, but Sienna simply did a back handspring to get away and Yoruichi slid under the attack, delivering a knee to the back of Bane's left leg, bringing him down on that knee, at which point she peppered his back with several attacks as Sienna then jumped and flipped in, striking him across the face diagonally with her weapon from right to left, then spinning and striking him horizontally across the face, delivering several more strikes.
The Albain brothers then interfered, attacking the sisters. They managed to evade the attacks of the fox duo and push them back. However, this gave Bane the chance to recover Ghira was leaping around the entry hall and used his claws to hang from one of the pillars, before pouncing on Bane, wrapping his arms around the jaguar Faunus' neck and repeatedly kneeing him in the ribs. He growled and reversed back into a pillar with great force, causing Ghira to let go. He then turned around and raised both fists to crush the Belladonna matriarch, but then Sienna wrapped her chain around his neck with Yoruichi sweeping Bane's feet out from under him, before Sienna pulled back as hard as she could, causing Bane to fly over Yoruichi's head, at which point she jumped into the air and flew down at him, slamming her fist into his stomach and him into the ground.
A female White Fang soldier charged at Ghira with a spear, but Ghira grabbed it, lifting her off the ground and tossing her into Fennec. Corsac held out his weapon, which started to glow red as Ghira prepped to launch the spear at him. A fireball was launched from Corsac's weapon as Ghira threw the spear. The two attacks managed to hit their targets, with Ghira's aura shimmering from the fireball and Corsac getting pinned to the wall by his hood.
"Brother!" Fennec cried out.
Fennec got back up and activated his weapon, which glowed white as a wind gust was conjured from it. Ghira brought his arms to his face to block the attack and his feet dragged backwards a couple of feet as a result. A White Fang soldier with an assault rifle was hiding behind a pillar and took the opportunity in an attempt to attack Ghira. Suddenly, Sun burst in from the window behind him and knocked him down. Corsac discarded his hood and joined his brother as they prepared to launch a combination attack with their weapons. A stream of wind and fire whirled toward Sun, but he blocked the attack by twirling Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang.
"Hurry!" Sun yelled to someone.
Gambol Shroud was seen being loaded with a new cartridge, getting the attention of Corsac and Fennec. Blake jumped down from the terrace above them, dodging a fireball and a wind attack in the process, performing a three-point landing in front of them as she reached the floor. The brothers attempted to stab Blake, but she used her ice Dust-enhanced Semblance to trap their hands and weapons. She leapt away from them to joined her father and Sun.
"Dad! Where's mom?" Blake asked.
"I'm not sure, I got ambushed right away." Ghira told her.
"Once we take down Corsac and Fennec-" Blake started.
"No, go now." Ghira ordered.
"But-" Blake tried to argue.
"Or!" A voice rang out. Suddenly, before the argument could continue, Yoruichi suddenly appeared by the Albain brothers And quickly battered them with a barrage of strikes, all backed by devastating electric shocks that depleted their aura in mere seconds, before she slammed their heads together, knocking them out. "You can stop talking, beat the enemies literally sitting their defenseless and the you can ALL go deal with everything else." She told them sternly, before re-engaging Bane alongside her sister.
"Oh, yeah... Why didn't we think of that?" Sun asked.
Father and daughter rolled their eyes at this. "Come on!" They shouted together, rushing deeper into the mansion, Sun close behind.
Bane moved to chase after them, but Sienna and Yoruichi blocked his way. However, he only chuckled at this. "Oh, Sienna. You should've let Adam end you. It would've been a lot less painful than what I have to do now." He said, as his as suddenly began to blow bright green.
Meanwhile, Alex had managed to fend off the rest of the White Fang soldiers attempting to assassinate Kali. "Is it safe now?" The Belladonna matriarch asked.
"I doubt it. This is an all-out assault. Meaning that some of the best the White Fang has to offer should be coming after us. Right now, these are just grunts." He stated. Suddenly, his enhanced senses detected something flying towards the house at high speeds. "Get down!" He ordered, Kali and the guards taking cover as Yuma smashed through a wall, flying towards Alex, ready to slam into him with both feet, but the former Prototype created a blade arm and blocked the attack, forcing the bat-winged assassin back.
"Quite impressive. But it's going to take more than that to stop the White Fang's greatest assassin." The winged warrior declared.
"Then it's a good thing I've got a lot more than that in me." Alex declared, the two preparing to square off.
Background Music: "Riot" by Three Days Grace
Alex rushed in at Yuma and slashed at him several times, but the Bat Faunus managed to dodge each time, delivering a punch or the occasional knee to Alex's side, before jumping away from a backwards swing. Alex turned towards him, changing his left arm into the Whipfist and shooting it out at Yuma, who took to the air to avoid the attack. He then dove down feet first at Alex, but the former Virus created his armor and easily absorbed the damage from the kick, before grabbing Yuma's legs, his arms turning to Hammerfists as he slammed Yuma down on the ground in front of him with great strength.
However, Yuma wasn't done quite yet and swung his wing back, striking Alex across the face. It didn't do much damage, especially with the armor on, but it was enough to rattle Alex and allow Yuma to slip free. He quickly scrambled to his feet and collected the sword and a gun from the fallen White Fang soldiers. He then rushed in while slashing, stabbing and kicking at Alex, while dodging the former Prototype's powerful, but slow attacks, as well as firing at Alex's head, once again rattling him despite doing reduced damage. He then flew up as Alex tried to slam both fists down on him, taking advantage of Alex's doubled over state to crash down on him with both feet again, sending him to the floor.
He then stood on Alex's back and repeatedly fired down on him with the gun, slowly but surely starting to put some cracks in the armor. However, before this could continue, Alex shot out countless tendrils from his back to slam into Yuma, sending him flying back into a pillar, slamming into it hard enough to put a giant crack in it. The tendrils quickly withdrew and Alex shed his armor, the use of his powerful attack, along with the damage it took from the gunfire making it difficult to keep the armor up. But he soon switched back to the Hammerfists and slammed them into Yuma, smashing him through the pillar.
"You're not bad. I wasn't thinking I'd have to waste one of my better moves on you. Very impressive for a flying rat." Alex taunted.
Yuma growled at this. "I am the White Fang's greatest assassin. I've killed everyone they've ever sent me to eliminate. And you will be no exception!" He shouted, firing at Alex again, completely forgetting about Kali and the other guards at this point, his sole focus shifted to Alex.
Alex turned his arm into a shield and simply walked through the gunfire until he reached Yuma, simply increasing his bio-mass this time instead of making a dedicated weapon. He then knocked the gun out of the Bat Faunus' hands, before doing the same with his sword. Yuma tried to fight back, but after taking insane amounts of damage from Alex's devastating tendril attack and the blow from the Hammerfists that sent him through the pillar, he was tired and slow, allowing Alex to completely block or counter his attacks while pummeling the White Fang assassin with his own attacks. Finally, an uppercut launched the Bat Faunus into the air against his will for once, his aura depleting before he crashed into the wall, then fell to the floor, completely unconscious.
End Music
After Yuma was finally put down and the guards rushed in to restrain him, Alex went over to check on Kali. "Are you okay, ma'am?" He asked.
"Yes. But my husband could still be in danger. Blake, too." She added.
"I'll find them. You just stay here where it's safe." He said, running deeper into the house.
Blake, Sun and Ghira then made their way into the next room, where Ilia stood on the railing of the second floor. However, the Chameleon Faunus was shocked to see not only Blake and Sun, but the Belladonna patriarch as well. "What?! Corsac and Fennec were supposed to have taken care of you!" She said.
"We had a little help from your old boss. Sienna Khan. And her sister." Sun explained.
Once again, Ilia was thrown for a loop at this information. "Yoruichi is here?! And Sienna?!" She asked in shock.
"It's over, Ilia. If you give up now, we can stop this before anything else has to happen." Blake pleaded.
Ghira stepped up. "Ilia, I know humans have hurt you. Taken things from you, but this isn't the right way. Actions like what Adam wishes to take will only justify the humans fear and anger towards the Faunus. And look where it's lead you. You're attacking other Faunus now. Your people. The people you seek to protect. You're the one who's now putting them in danger. But it doesn't have to be this way. You haven't done anything yet. We could always say you turned against them and did the right thing. You can still be forgiven." He assured her.
Ilia looked uncertain at this, but eventually took a deep breath, jumping down and walking up to them. As soon as she reached them, she looked at Blake and began to tear up. "I'm sorry." She said.
Blake simply smiled at this, putting a hand on Ilia's shoulder. "It's okay. You did the right thing in the end. That's all we could ask for." She said.
Suddenly, the door they came through burst open and the two tiger sisters were thrown to the groups feet. "Sienna!" Ghira said, kneeling beside her.
"Yoruichi!" Ilia gasped doing the same for the other sister.
Then, they looked through the dark doorway to see a pair of glowing green eyes and saw Bane walk through the doors, now double his already hulking normal size, with his veins visible as black lines throughout his body, a green liquid being pumped through them. "What is that?!" Sun asked in terror.
"It's Bane's semblance. He calls it Venom. It makes him insanely strong, but it effects his intelligence. There's going to be no reasoning with him." Ghira explained.
Bane looked down at the two tigers, then up to the chameleon. "Ilia. What are you doing? Kill them!" He snapped.
Ilia looked back and forth between them, the downed sisters in front of her, then to Bane. But eventually, she looked to Bane with a glare. "No. This has gone far enough. We have to stop." She said.
Bane growled at this. "The mission isn't over yet. But if you're abandoning the mission, you're abandoning your right to live!" He snapped, storming over and grabbing her by the throat with one hand, lifting her into the air and choking the life out of her.
Background Music: "Animal I Have Become" by Three Days Grace
"Let her go!" Blake screamed as she rushed in at Bane and struck him in the back of his leg with he sheathe and slashed his back with her sword, but he only slightly buckled from the hit to the knee, turning and throwing the chameleon girl into her old friend. Sun then jumped in and started battering Bane with an onslaught of strikes from his nunchaku, but these seemed to be little more than taps to the behemoth, who punched the Faunus boy in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to drop to his knees, holding his stomach. Bane got back to his feet and attempted to stomp on the monkey Faunus and crush him, but Ghira got in the way, catching Bane's foot and then slashing his leg, causing Bane to roar in pain and pull his foot back, growling at Ghira.
The Belladonna patriarch and the Revived wrestler then began to throw punches, connecting with each other's fists repeatedly. The two of them then locked their hands together in an attempt to force the other back. Unfortunately, Bane was likely already stronger without his Semblance. With it now activated, Ghira was soon forced down on one knee. Bane then delivered a knee to Ghira's head, before raising his hands into the air and taking Ghira with them, before he swung back down and slammed Ghira into the floor. He once again prepared to stomp down, this time on Ghira's head.
However, before he could crush Ghira's head under his foot, something wrapped around his neck and he felt a fierce electric shock going through his body. Ilia had struck him in the back with her whip and Blake wrapped her ribbon around her father's leg and pulled him back into safety. Bane managed to pull himself free and charged at Ilia, but she managed to roll to the side. Bane turned to her again, throwing several punches and kicks at her she narrowly dodged, striking back with her whips several times. However, Bane eventually caught her whip and endured the shock as he pulled her in, punching her in the stomach and knocking her back into a wall.
However, before he could pursue her, Sun leapt into his path once again and struck him in the chin with an upward strike from his staff. With his weapon fully extended, he was now staying just out of Bane's reach as he struck him with stronger blows only slightly slower than the ones from his nunchaku. In addition, Blake came back in again and started striking the hulked out jaguar Faunus in the back with both of her swords. The two of them continued to dole out as much damage as they could on the massive beast before them, but eventually, Bane powered through the strikes, grabbing Sun and spinning around to throw him back into Blake.
He made his way towards the two of them again, absolutely determined to crush them, when suddenly, he was ensnared by a number of tendrils. Looking behind the wrestler, the two of them saw that Alex had finally found them and managed to restrain Bane. At the same time, Ghira rushed in again, with the aide of the recovered Sienna and Yoruichi, the three big cat Faunus striking their counterpart with full force, doing all they could to finally bring down the behemoth. The three of them were finally visibly wearing Bane down, bringing him to his knee once again, the green glow in his veins starting to fade.
However, Bane was nothing if not determined and would try one final time to complete his objective, grabbing Sienna's leg and pulling her off her feet, then using her like a weapon to sweep Yoruichi's feet out from under her, then swung Sienna into Ghira, flinging them both across the room. He then ripped away the tendrils from his left arm, turning and grabbing them off his other arm and pulling Alex into towards him. He grabbed the former Prototype and started choking the life out of him. Alex grabbed his arms and trying to pull him off, before letting go with one hand and putting it to the floor to create a huge tendril that shot up to stagger Bane backwards, before Ilia's whip wrapped around his waist once again, finally managing to knock him out.
End Music
Finally, Bane was finally brought down. Everyone panted heavily, before all looking to Ilia. "You did it. You stopped him. You saved us all." Blake said.
"Only because you all believed I could be better." She admitted.
Suddenly, a section of the balcony collapsed not to far away. "Maybe we should continue this conversation outside." Alex suggested.
Outside of the Belladonna's home, a large crowd of Faunus gathered outside, noticing the damage to the building. "Back! Everyone, stay back! We've got people inside doing their best." A guard assured them.
"Look!" One Faunus called as, from the smoky doorway, Ghira walked out, carrying the motionless bodies of a White Fang soldier and a Menagerie Guard on each of his shoulders. He handed the bodies to two guards as Saber arrived.
"Get in there! Search for any stragglers!" Saber ordered as more guards walk out, keeping Corsac and Fennec restrained, followed by Blake, Kali, Sun, Ilia and others. "We came as soon as we got the call." He said, then looked to the Albain brothers, walking up to them. "Was it worth it?" He asked the fox Faunus as they both looked down, defeated.
As the commotion continued, Blake shared brief looks with Sun and Ilia. Blake took a deep sigh as she went down the steps. Ghira noticed his daughter walking away. "Blake!" Ghira called to her, but before he could go any further, his wife stopped him and both looked on.
Blake then stopped at one of the steps as she began to address the crowd. "Humans didn't do this." She began as she pointed at her heavily damaged house. "We did this: Faunus. We did this to ourselves. We are just as capable of hate and violence as the humans, but I don't think any of us would jump at the chance to point that out. So why are we letting Adam do it for us?! By doing nothing and staying silent, we let others speak and act in our place. And if we're not proud of the choices they make, then we have no one to blame but ourselves." She declared.
Sienna was amazed at Blake's words. "She definitely has her father's speech skills." She said.
"It's because she's speaking the truth." Yoruichi told her sister.
Blake was far from done with her speech, however. "This is the message that Adam Taurus will bring to the world if no one stops him. But we can stop him! You have to understand that all of you are looking for simple answers to a very complicated problem. And I can't give that to you. I don't know how to make hate go away, I don't. But I know that this kind of violence is not the solution. I understand that to ask you to leave your homes and protect Haven Academy is asking you to put your lives at risk. But that's what's at stake. So I'm going and I'll stand by myself if I have to." She told them all.
"I'll stand with you!" A voice rang out and Blake turned around with a surprised look on her face as Ilia stood up, her pained expression then looked down.
"If... if you'd have me." She added.
"Isn't that the White Fang girl?" A male Faunus questioned.
"I thought she hated the Belladonnas." A female Faunus said.
Despite some of the crowd's murmuring amongst themselves, Blake smiled at her old friend. As Ilia proceeded forward, Saber suddenly stopped her. "You're not going anywhere!" He snapped at her.
"Let her come." Blake declared.
"Huh? You're just going to forgive her? After everything she did?!" Saber demanded.
"I am." Blake confirmed.
Saber looked to Ghira, who nodded to let Ilia go. Ilia continued to walk down the steps to stand next to her friend. "What does she think she's doing?" He asked his Chieftain.
"She's learned a lesson that evaded me until I was much older: That there is strength in forgiveness." Ghira explained with a smile as Blake put a hand on Ilia's shoulder, the two sharing a smile together.
"I'll go!" Mata the ram Faunus declared, stepping forward and raising his hand, followed by many more.
"I'll go too!" The Female Aquatic Faunus volunteered.
"I'll stand with you! I'll go! Yeah! Me too! Let's go! Yeah, let's go!" Various other Faunus started to call out.
As more Faunus started to give Blake their support, Sun walked down the steps to join her and Ilia. The crowd was heard cheering as a majority agreed to volunteer. They all smiled at the crowd. "Looks like we've got work to do." Sun declared.
"Thank you." Blake said.
Sun then pointed to Ilia. "You stabbed me." He said in annoyance.
Ilia looked down sorrowfully. "I-" She began, before Sun playfully pinched her arm. "Ow!" She yelped.
"There. Let's just call it even." He said simply.
Ghira and Kali then walked down the steps to join their daughter and her friends. "We have about two weeks before Adam's attack on Haven. We're going to need shields, training, whatever we can do to protect as many people as possible." Ghira told them.
"We'll need transportation too. For everyone." Kali pointed out.
"I think I know a ship captain who owes us a favor." Blake said with a smile, to which Sun grinned and nodded in agreement.
