Perfect Storm
Raven's camp had some new guests. People that the bandit leader hoped to never see. Well, not these specific people, but rather anyone like them. People who work for Salem that is.
Raven heard about this from Vernal who told that they killed their gate guards who wouldn't let them through. This was why Raven now stood outside of her tent, wearing the Grimm mask and staring at the three arrivals.
It was Emerald, Mercury, and Watts.
"I don't remember inviting guests," Raven said while folding her arms, "Nor do I know any of you."
"We're the guys you should be afraid of," Mercury said with a cocky grin.
"I highly doubt that," Raven shot back with a shake of her head.
"Now listen here you-Umph!" Mercury was interrupted by a not so gentle nudge from Emerald.
"Shut it," the mint haired teen whispered.
"Now then Miss Branwen," Watts then opened up the conversation, "I believe you know who we are, or at least who our Master is."
"I know all about your Master," Raven said coldly, "And I know I see two stupid brats who are roped into something they can't comprehend and a disgraced Atlesian scientist."
This earned surprised looks from the three.
"Well," Watts then interjected, "Technically I was also a doctor, but the rest seems spot on."
"Leave us," Raven then shouted addressing her tribe, "Pack everything and prepare to move out."
Watts raised an eyebrow at this as the bandits scrambled to break the camp, "It's too late to run. You have been a person of interest on our Master's list for some time now. So you must understand that we can't just let you slip away. So, let's get down to business, we have information that you have something our Master desires."
Raven glared at the lanky doctor before turning back to his tent, "Vernal."
Raven's second in command came out of the tent and moved to her leader's side glaring at Salem's servants.
"Is she supposed to be the Spring Maiden?" Emerald asked with a skeptical look, "How do we know she's the real deal?"
With those words, Vernal closed her eyes and raised her palms. Then the wind picked up, causing Watts and Mercury to back off a little, while Emerald brought one of her arms to the front on instinct. Then dark clouds started gathering, during which Emerald clutched one of her scarred forearms like it was in pain. Then the display of power ended with Vernal smirking.
"Vernal has done well under my guidance, so I suggest you reconsider engaging us," Raven said, placing her hand on Vernal's shoulder.
"We're not here to fight," Emerald said as she seemed to relax, "We just want her to open the Vault to the Relic at Haven and then we won't bother you ever again."
"Oh?" Raven sounded out. "And why would I do that?"
"Because as long as you have the Spring Maiden then Salem won't stop hunting you," Emerald shot back, "But if we get the Relic then we don't need the Spring Maiden, and by extension you."
"So, all in all, it's a win win," Watts chimed in after dusting his suit, "And the best deal you will get."
"You say that like walking to Haven is easy," Raven then said.
"That's because headmaster Lionheart is now working for Salem," Watts replied easily, "Salem was…very persuasive." That last part was added because Watts felt Raven's surprise despite the mask.
"I'm not helping Salem," Raven said defiantly, "I'm not helping Ozpin. I don't want any part in this."
"And I don't want to work with a bandit," Emerald added in annoyance, "But I have no more choice in this matter than you do. So just help us get the Relic and then you'll never see us again. That's all we ask."
"I need time to think this over," Raven said, slight worry in her voice.
"You don't have time," Watts countered, "In two days Haven Academy will be destroyed by the White Fang."
"Backed me into a corner, huh?" Raven said with an annoyed tone. Then the bandit leader took off her mask, "Deals like these are built on trust. And I don't trust a single one of you."
"You're in a poor position to negotiate," Watts said almost condescendingly.
"I want my brother dead," Raven then said, earning surprised looks out of the three.
"What?" Emerald asked in slight shock.
"He knows that I harbor the Spring, and will cause trouble for me as long as he's alive," Raven explained, "I have enough problems already. And do you know about a Blade with a green crystal on its chest?"
"The Aegis," Mercury mouthed out.
"Aegis?" Raven questioned.
"Mercury, you idiot!" Emerald shouted.
"What is this Aegis?" Raven then asked, now even more curious.
"That's none of your concern," Watts said in annoyance.
"I want that thing and its owner dead too," Raven said, earning more surprised looks.
"Now listen here, miss Branwen," Watts said, sounding annoyed, "While killing Qrow is definitely something we would like to do, he will not go down quietly. And…" Watts seemed to sigh as he decided to come clean, "…the Aegis is the most powerful Blade in existence. We don't know it's full capabilities yet."
This information interested Raven, "Can't you simply reprogram it? After all, you know Atlesian tech better than most."
"You still believe that lie?" Emerald then asked in disbelief, "The Blades are not from this world. They're from a world called Alrest."
"So, it's true," Raven said more to herself than anyone else, "I suppose that makes more sense than Atlas suddenly being able to create living Dust constructs."
All the while Watts was glaring at Emerald for revealing this information.
But the mint haired girl had bigger things to worry about. "Back to the problem at hand, it's not just Qrow that we would be fighting, but Ruby, her friends and their Blades," Emerald explained.
"They also have a Driver from what we assume is from the military in that world," Watts continued, "So as you can guess, the odds aren't exactly in our favor."
"Surely you have something that can counter them," Raven shot back at Watts, "After all, you are a scientist."
"I don't even fully understand how these Blades work, let alone how to stop them," Watts was starting to get frustrated. Then the man calmed down, "Although…someone else did."
"So, you have an idea?" Emerald asked, sounding hopeful.
Watts let out a sigh "Let's just say that I have been working on something to neutralize them, but…I haven't even tested it yet."
"Does it work? Whatever it is," Emerald asked sounding even more hopeful.
"Like I said, I haven't tested it," Watts replied.
"This countermeasure," Raven interjected, "Could it be applied in an ambush?"
"…I suppose it could be," Watts admitted, "If I hide it properly."
"Then we just need to use Lionheart to lure Qrow into an ambush and we get a chance to kill him," Raven said with a smile.
"Sounds like a plan," Emerald said with a small smile, moving to shake Raven's hand. Only to be stopped by Watts grabbing her by the wrist.
"Don't think I don't know what's going on," Watts said angrily, "I will not take fall for your stupid plot to get revenge for Cinder."
"Well then make sure that little trinket of yours works then," Emerald said angrily, ripping her arm from Watts.
"Whoa, Emerald, what's gotten into you?" Mercury asked, actually sounding concerned.
"Nothing, just…never mind," the thief said with a sigh before moving to Raven and the two shook hands. "If this goes well then maybe I won't have to use this," Was the last thought Emerald had even as she felt the unpleasant squirming in her arms that she still hasn't gotten used to.
In Menagerie, Ghira was still fighting the Fang Grunts that were supported by Corsic and Fennec. One of the remaining Fangs that were still standing rushed at Ghira with a spear. But the panther faunus grabbed the weapon by the pole before flinging the grunt into the wall.
At that moment Corsic chose to fire a blast of fire from his dagger at Ghira, who flung the spear at the wolf tailed faunus. The projectiles passed each other and found their marks, the fire shot at Ghira whose Aura finally broke, while the spear pinned Corsic to a wall by his red hood.
"Brother!" Fennec shouted out before firing icy wind from his own dagger at Ghira who brought his arms at the front.
As this was happening, a grunt that was hiding behind a pillar took his chance to fire at Ghira's back. Only to get pounced on by Sun who crashed through the window behind the grunt and knocked the fool down with his staff.
Fennec paused in his firing, while Corsic got out of his hood, revealing his mostly shaven head with a patch of dark brown hair at the top of his scalp. The Albain brothers combined their daggers' respective elemental shots which Sun dispersed with his staff.
"Hurry!" Sun shouted, which prompted Blake to add a new clip to Gambol's pistol and then jump down right in front of the Albain brothers. Corsic and Fennec then tried stabbing Blake in the head, but the feline faunus used an ice clone to get their daggers and hands stuck.
"Dad do you know where mom is?" Blake then asked her father.
"I'm not sure, I got ambushed right away." Ghira replied.
"Once we take down Corsic and Fennec, we can-" "No, go now!" Ghira interrupted.
"We can join Nox and Wu, if they haven't gotten mom to safety first," Blake finished, revealing where her and Sun's Blade are.
"Are you sure they can protect her?" Ghira asked.
"Knowing that ninja, the mere thought of the sorrow Mrs B's death would cause Blake is motivation enough for him," Sun said with a smile.
"Shut it!" Ghira shouted angrily, not liking the phrasing.
"You got it, sir," Sun said before taking a fighting stance.
"Please, Nox, protect mom." Blake thought desperately, but ultimately chose to trust her Blade.
With Kali, she was still shooting at the grunts that were trying to get to her behind a pillar. Unfortunately, the gun soon ran out of ammo. All the while one of the guards was wounded and unarmed. Although one more was still returning fire. Until Yuma crashed from the ceiling window and dropped down on the guard who dropped his weapon in the process. The bat faunus then started strangling the guard.
"Quiet now," Yuma said with a sadistic grin, as he choked the guard.
Only to then hear the remaining two grunts yelping at something jumping on them from the same hole Yuma entered. The bat faunus turned to see that it was that ninja Blade that belonged to the Belladonna girl. That was all Yuma had time to register before getting whacked away by Wu.
"Trickster style: No More Babies!" And the monkey Blade followed it up by thrusting the end of his staff at Yuma's crotch which made the bat scream and go into fetal position. To add insult to injury, Kali picked up a tray and moved in to bash it against Yuma's head ultimately knocking the Fang out.
"Go help my husband!" Kali quickly said.
"Sorry, we were told to ensure you're safe first," Wu said apologetically.
"My lady's order was to ensure you are safe and then return to her, lady Belladonna." Nox showed on his scroll.
"We can take care of that," Said Nia who just arrived with Dromarch and Dagas.
"Nia!" Kali exclaimed, "Are you okay?"
"I'm alright, but are you?" the Gormotti replied easily.
"Do you know of Chief Belladonna?" Dagas then asked as he eyed the beaten Fangs with a look of disdain.
"Our Drivers should be with him," Wu said.
"Go help my husband," Kali said quickly, "And my daughter."
"We will ensure Lady Kali's safety," Dromarch added in.
"I'm going to heal the guards," Nia also added while moving near one of the wounded guards.
"Let's go Nox," Wu said and ran out the door. The ninja Blade followed instantly.
"I'll go through this hallway and take out any grunts I see, you keep going to your Driver," Wu said at a hallway that split into two different directions.
The dark Blade nodded and went to the path that he felt would lead him straight to his Driver.
Meanwhile at another part of Menagerie, in a house by the seaside, Haze was woken up by someone pressing a hand over his mouth. The one antlered deer instantly struggled.
"Calm down," said a familiar voice which made Haze take a look at his attacker. It was Perceval, who's helmet wasn't spewing flames and his banners were folded across his back. "I will take my hand off your mouth now, but please don't yell," the assassin Blade said, which earned him a nod from the young Faunus.
Once the hand left Haze's mouth. "The heck are you doing here?" The boy whisper-yelled, "Trying to give me a heart attack?"
"I'm supposed to kill you, again," Perceval said with a small sigh.
"…What?" Haze asked, now in confused worry.
"I'm here to tell you to take your family and go into hiding while I go and help Belladonnas," Perceval then said, "After tonight, there's no way that the Faunus of Menagerie will sit by and let Adam define their race. So long as the Belladonnas survive."
"Wait, why are you even here?" Haze asked frantically, before catching his words fully, "The White Fang are attacking the Belladonnas?!"
"Shh!" Perceval shushed, which prompted Haze to cover his mouth. "Listen, I will take care of this, but I need you and your family to go hide somewhere until then," the Chroma Katana wielding Blade said again before turning to the door of the small bedroom to move out. "By the way, I see the little girl was sleeping in a room of her own," Perceval then said.
"No one wanted her," Haze said with a sad look, "I couldn't just abandon her, so I took her here. My grandparents love her." That last part was said with a fond look.
"I see," Perceval commented, "That's good." With those words, Perceval moved out of the room quietly, before moving to the front door and opening it. Only to be welcomed by a very unwelcome sight.
Four Fang grunts were waiting outside. One female, two guys and a very large male.
"Did you finish the job?" the female grunt asked.
"Yes, but what are you doing here?" Perceval asked.
"We came to burn this house to the ground," one of the male grunts said with a sick grin.
"There's no point, the traitor is dead, you should go to the Belladonna household now," Perceval said.
"Not before giving a message to all the ungrateful bastards," the large faunus with tusks said in anger.
"That wasn't a request," Perceval said, "Get to the Belladonna mansion now."
"We don't take orders from an Atlesian robot," the female Fang shouted out.
Perceval let out a sigh, "I take direct orders from Adam, do you truly wish to risk him hearing about this insubordination?"
"Adam won't say anything," the large grunt said with a sadistic grin, "In fact, he might promote me to a lieutenant if I do this."
"Dammit!" Perceval cursed internally at his bluff being called out. This just became more troublesome than it needs to be.
Back in the Belladonna mansion, Nox was running through a large room that should lead him to Blake. Until he felt a presence at the rafters above. Turning to look, Nox noticed Ilia was there.
"Shouldn't you be looking for your Driver?" Ilia asked with a small smirk, thinking that it would make the dark Blade leave this mansion to try and save Blake in vain.
"Are you still under the impression that my lady was foolish enough to not consider a trap?" Nox showed on his scroll before turning to walk through the door where he sensed his Driver to be at.
"Hey! Where are you going?!" Ilia demanded. If Blake was loose now, then that meant that she would have to buy time for her comrades to take her out. Which meant that she had to keep the Blade here.
"To my lady. Her orders were clear. I must return to her." Of course, he had to ensure Kali's safety first but Ilia didn't need to know that.
"So, you're just a dumb attack dog that serves that selfish bitch even if it kills you," Ilia asked, hate dripping from her voice.
This gave Nox a pause. The dark Blade gave Ilia a cross glare but kept moving to where his Driver was at.
"Don't ignore me!" Ilia shouted before lashing with her sword's whip. However, Nox simply dashed to the door, deciding to get to his Driver and then take this insolent lizard down alongside her.
Unfortunately, Nox didn't get far before Ilia jumped down and used the whip to quickly wrap it around the ninja's neck. Then she yanked the dark one down and proceeded to electrocute him.
With Blake, she heard the inhuman screech that she heard on her first night back home. "Nox!" Blake sounded out in concern before trying to reach for the door that would lead out of this hallway she was at. Only to have to move away from it when Corsic and Fennec fired at her direction.
"You're not going anywhere," Fennec said before having to avoid an attack from Sun.
Blake had a determined look, she, Sun and her father had to take these two down fast if she wanted to get to Nox.
Back with Ilia, she covered her ears at the inhuman screech this thing let out. "Look how disgusting you sound," Ilia said in annoyance as she retracted the whip with Nox still spasming and his eye closed. "But what else can I expect from Atlas creating something in their twisted image of Faunus." Then Ilia brought the sword down on Nox's head. Or she would have if the dark Blade hadn't rolled out of the way before summoning his Dual Scythes and preparing for battle.
This Faunus skin wearing demon clearly had no intention of allowing him to return to Blake so he had no choice but to take her down. With that thought, Nox dashed at Ilia who responded by swinging her electric whip at the dark Blade. But Nox kept parrying with the blades of his scythes which were made of dark Ether, and therefore didn't conduct electricity. As soon as he got close, Nox swung one scythe at Ilia's head.
The chameleon faunus ducked under the swipe, only to be greeted by his knee to her face. Then she got a taste of the other scythe, before being kicked away. Ilia quickly realized that Nox outclasses her in close quarters combat. So she decided to change tactics. She tried keeping her distance from the dark Blade waiting for a chance to gain the upper hand. Which wasn't easy, because the dark Blade always made sure that the only thing parrying her attacks was the ether energy of his scythes. Finally, Ilia managed to get a strike into Nox's good eye, which made the dark Blade screech for a moment and temporarily blind him.
With that, Ilia quickly made it to the light switch and used it to turn off the lights. After that, she activated her camouflage and blended into the darkened environment. Then she turned to the spot where Nox was last writhing in agony over his eye. Only for her to look confused as the dark Blade had disappeared. Due to her Faunus night vision, Ilia should be able to see him, but she couldn't. All she saw were the shapes of the furniture, pillars and rafters. Then something hit her back. Turning around, Ilia lashed out at the attacker but her sword only swished air. Then she was kicked away to a pillar.
"Dammit, where is he?" Ilia grumbled, still unable to see where the dark Blade was. Then she heard a vague noise of something being sliced. But it was ways away so she wasn't worried. Then she felt another slice, with Ilia once again lashing at where the attack came from, but was only able to slice air again. "Show yourself!"
The only response Ilia got was what sounded like croaky hissing. But then she was able to focus on a slight pattern in the sound. That thing was laughing at her. She didn't realize that behind her was a glowing yellow dot with an X shape inside it. Once again, she felt something slicing at her Aura. This time she tried kicking, but once again, her leg didn't connect with anything. Ilia looked around frantically, but no matter how hard she looked, the dark Blade's shape just wasn't registering in her vision. Then she remembered what Nox's attire was. He was almost completely covered by clothes and armor so dark that it felt like solid darkness. And that was when the poor chameleon realized how she screwed up.
As the gravity of her situation sank in, Ilia quickly ran back to the wall where the panel for the light switch was at in an attempt to regain vision against an enemy that melded into the darkness even better than the chameleon. Then she placed her hand on the switch only to feel a chill as she felt the clean cut on it. Nox had destroyed the switch so that the lights couldn't be turned back on. Then she heard scraping sound nearby. Acting on instinct, Ilia lashed with the whip to the area, only to hear the blade of her whip hitting the wall.
"Stop messing with me!" Ilia cried out, now truly scared as she realized she was in a room with an enemy that was practically invisible to her, while the said enemy didn't seem to have a problem locating her. The terrified chameleon tried everything, she tried focusing on trying to distinguish slightest movement with her eyes. She gave up after a few slices that she was hit with. Then she closed her eyes and tried to hear him, but then she felt something breathing down her neck, literally. "How does that thing not make a sound?" Ilia thought in terror as she lashed out again, only to once again hit nothing. "Come on out you coward! Or are you just a worthless coward that only knows how to run away like your owner!" Ilia screamed into the darkness. Only to then feel something yanking her weapon away before some kind of cloth wrapped around her neck before it was tightened into a noose. Finally, she felt a foot pressing at her back causing her to fall down and making her choke as she was being strangled.
But that wasn't what made Ilia have goosebumps and actually cry under her mask.
"Shadows...consume...you." It was the painfully raspy voice that whispered into her ear.
With Perceval it was getting to the point where the grunts were about to attack the assassin Blade.
"Look here, tall dark and ugly, we're gonna burn this house and no one's gonna stop us!" one of the male grunts said before pulling out a sword. "And if you get in our way, we'll just cut you down."
"You do understand that I recover from anything you inflict on me," Perceval mentioned.
"Then we'll just cut off your limbs," the largest of them said, drawing out a huge axe with what looked like a cannon barrel keeping the axe heads together. "You'll just grow new ones anyway."
Before Perceval could say anything else, the front door opened and Haze came out with a rifle. "Get away from my home!" the one antlered faunus shouted before opening fire on the grunts.
"What?! He was supposed to be dead!" the largest one shouted, tanking the hits with his Aura while the other three moved out of the way.
"Didn't you check if he was-URGH!" One of the male grunts shouted when Perceval dashed in and gave him a powerful punch in the gut.
"What?!" The female screeched before Perceval moved to the other male and kicked his head. "You filthy traitor!" the female screeched as she drew a sword, but she had barely raised it when Perceval was upon her and punched her hard in the gut before following it up with a good uppercut, knocking the female down.
"Die, scum!" the large tusked Faunus shouted before firing the cannon at Perceval. The Assassin Blade deployed a barrier, blocking the shot before going for a punch in the throat. Only for the dark Blade to be disappointed when the guy didn't go down.
"Haze, get your family away from here now!" Perceval shouted as he got away from an axe swing.
"But-" "No buts," Perceval shouted back, "Take them and leave. I will handle this."
Haze looked hesitant before nodding and retreating into the house.
"You're not getting away!" the tusked faunus shouted as he fired the cannon at the house, only for Perceval to block it again with a barrier.
Then, the dark Blade summoned his Chroma Katana and took an Iaido stance. "Your opponent is me!" At that declaration, Perceval's war banners unfolded on his back while his helmet started spewing flames at the back.
"Are you betraying the Faunus?!" the last grunt demanded.
"No, I have decided to stop Adam," Perceval countered, "Something I should have done a long time ago."
Back in the Belladonna house, Wu had just reached Sun, Blake and Ghira.
"Wu, where's Nox?" Sun asked out of curiosity.
"Don't know, I thought he would be here before me," Wu replied as he used his staff to disperse another combined blast of ice and fire from the Albain brothers.
"Blake, go to your Blade," Ghira then said.
"But dad-" "If that scream was indeed him, then he might need help," Ghira interrupted, "Besides, you keep assuring me that your friend isn't a complete waste of space, now go."
Blake nodded at this and once again dashing to the door.
"You're not getting away!" Fennec shouted before firing at Blake. Only for Wu to get in the way and splitting Trick Pole into two nunchuks and smacking the shot away.
"Not on my watch, muttface," Wu said with a smirk, which allowed Blake to leave the room.
Shortly after, Blake ran through a hallway, she wasn't entirely sure but she felt that one particular door was where the dark Blade would be at. Gambol Shroud ready, Blake barged into the large darkened room which now had light from the hallway filtering in. It took her a moment, but then she saw it. Ilia desperately clawing at what the feline Faunus could tell was Nox's loosened bandage, with the dark Blade pressing Ilia down with his foot.
"Nox! Stop!" Blake shouted in distress, causing her Blade to look like a deer in the headlights. But he obeyed, snipping off the bandage around Ilia's neck with his claws, stepping off of her for good measure. At that moment, the doors closed behind Blake momentarily blinding her. Then she heard scrambling on the floor. When Blake's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized that Ilia was gone.
Only to then see something moving towards her quickly. Blake lifted her gun to aim before to familiar glowing shapes started shining, making her realize it was Nox moving to her. Then she heard a loud "Uumph!" from almost next to her.
By this time, Blake's eyes had adjusted enough to realize that Nox kicked something away from her. Most likely Ilia. Blake then started firing in the direction she heard Ilia land. The gunfire briefly illuminating the area for her to see that Ilia was running away.
"Nox can you see her?" Blake asked her Blade.
"Yes. She might as well wear bright colors against a black canvas with me." Nox showed his text, which was now glowing blue so that Blake could read. "But she cannot see me."
"Well I can't see her," Blake admitted, "Could you turn the lights on?"
"No, I destroyed the light switch." Nox showed again.
"Dammit," Blake cursed in her head. "Could you fight Ilia, without me?" the feline Driver then asked even as she rummaged through her ammo clips.
"Not without leaving your side and risk you getting ambushed by her." Nox revealed.
"Why couldn't you just stay away from here, Blake?" Ilia's voice then demanded from the darkness.
As Blake switched a clip, she replied, "Because I run away too much." Then she took aim at the rafters. "Nox do you mind if I take away the darkness?"
"No." Was the short reply.
"Sorry, dad," Blake then said before firing a round of fire Dust into the rafters, causing them to light up. Which in turn illuminated the room. Which also made Ilia in her camouflage stick out like a sore thumb. Which in turn, allowed Blake to attack.
"You used to see things the way I did, the way Adam did," Ilia cried out before charging at her. "If no one is going to stop the humans from attacking us, then the only choice is to attack back! We will keep attacking until they will become so afraid of us that they will never attack us again!" During this, Ilia kept trying to attack Blake, while also avoiding Nox.
"Fear…made…you…lash…out." Nox said through that painfully inhuman voice of his. Surprising Blake greatly, but the feline chose to put it at the back of her mind for now.
Then the Driver and Blade dashed at Ilia, with the chameleon trying to lash with her electric whip, only for Nox to get in front of Blake to parry them until he brought both scythes down on Ilia. But this time, the chameleon retracted the whip into a sword and managed to catch both scythes. Except this was what Nox was counting on when Blake jumped from behind him and pounced on Ilia. Which forced her to lose her weapon before Blake pinned the chameleon down.
"You're wrong! There is another choice! One that doesn't require us to kill everyone!" Blake said, trying to get through to Ilia.
"Shut up!" Ilia screamed as she struggled against Blake.
Blake then used her teeth to grab at a horn on Ilia's mask before yanking it off and flinging it away so she could look her in the eyes. "Ilia, I know you're a good person, so why do you think that killing people is the only way?"
"I don't know what else to do!" Ilia screamed, finally stopping her struggle and letting a fresh wave of tears come out. "I don't know what else to do." Now it sounded like Ilia was desperate.
Then a wall on the room was destroyed when Ghira crashed through it with Fennec in his hands before throwing the fox faunus away. Then he noticed Blake pinning Ilia down with Nox standing by.
"Blake." Ghira managed to say before Corsic pounced on him, stabbing at Ghira's back.
"Dad!" Blake cried out in concern, breaking her hold on Ilia, which allowed the chameleon to punch Blake in the stomach, get out from beneath the feline and then kick her away to a nearby stand. And she didn't get up.
As Ilia got up, Ghira had already managed to throw Corsic off his back while removing the dagger. Thankfully the wolf tailed faunus didn't have time to fire any Dust in it inside Ghira.
Ilia was then startled by that inhuman screech again before she was tackled by couldn't even register the hit before the dark Blade was straddling her upper torso, pinning her upper arms under his knees before grabbing the chameleon's throat with both hands.
"You…will…not…harm…my lady…ever…again…" Nox whispered to Ilia with his pupil now in the shape of an X, tightening his grip at the last two words.
Ilia struggled with all her strength, but the murderous dark Blade had her perfectly pinned down. all the while her lower body flailed uselessly as she was choking. The chameleon faunus tried to plead Nox through her eyes, but as she tried to convey her plead she was disturbed by what she saw in Nox's yellow eye with an X-shaped pupil. Nothing. No hate. No malice. No joy for killing. Just... emptiness, like a bottomless pit that wanted to swallow her. As her vision began to fade, Ilia was having a moment of clarity on her choices that she could've taken in the past few days. Ultimately, she felt that she would have died no matter what. If not by this Blade's hand then by Perceval's.
As Ilia's life was slipping away. Ghira was fighting Corsic and Fennec, the Albain brothers not caring about Ilia being choked to death.
Then Sun and Wu barged in, the two having to take out a few grunts before catching up with Ghira. The two monkeys thrusted their staffs on Corsic who was trying to attack Ghira again.
Then Sun took notice from Blake who was now recovering from the hit she took. The monkey faunus then took note of Nox choking Ilia. As much as the monkey Faunus dislikes the girl, he didn't feel comfortable about killing her. "Hey Nox! That's enough, just knock her out or something!" Sun shouted out, but the dark Blade didn't make any signs of acknowledgement. "He-whoa!" Sun had to stop himself at fire shot from Fennec, which made him to return his attention to their opponents.
Then Blake also realized what Nox was doing. "Nox stop!" But to her horror, Nox didn't react to her. The feline faunus dashed to her Blade in fear now that Ilia's struggling was lessening little by little. "Nox, leave her alone! You already won!" Blake screamed as she was trying to pull her Blade off of Ilia, but he wouldn't budge. Then the thing that Blake feared the most deep down happened, Nox pushed her away. Blake was almost too shocked to move anymore until she decided to use a desperate measure. She quickly reached for Gambol's pistol and got in a position where Nox could easily see her. "Nox, if you won't stop, I will kill myself!" Blake cried out desperately as she brought the pistol to her head.
"What?!" Came out of both Sun, Wu and Ghira. Even the Albain brothers paused.
That was what made Nox snap at attention, his pupil shifting back into star. The dark Blade practically jumped off of Ilia before getting on his knees and pressing his head against the floor. "Please…my lady…punish…me…But…do not…take…your…life…I…beg…of…you!" Nox begged with his inhuman voice.
As Blake let out tears at having to threaten her own life to make Nox stop, Ilia was regaining her vision as she gasped for breath.
"…Why, Blake," Ilia wheezed as she gingerly touched her abused throat. Letting out more tears at someone she had lied to, attacked and even threatened doing something like this to save her.
"Because I want to save you from becoming a monster," Blake was able to say as she lowered Gambol's pistol, "It's not too late."
"Ilia!" Fennec shouted out to the recovering chameleon, "What are you doing?! Fight!" But then the fox faunus had to get away from Wu.
Blake adopted a determined look. "Nox! Stand up, the battle isn't over," the feline Faunus' command snapped the dark ninja back into attention. She knew that this issue would need to be addressed, but only after this fight is over.
As Blake and Nox moved to fight the Albain brothers, Ilia backed off against a wall not sure what to do anymore. On one hand the threat of Perceval, and by extension Adam was looming. But on the other hand, Blake saved her from being killed by her own Blade after everything Ilia had done. "Could she really help me?" was the one thought in Ilia's mind.
Against Corsic and Fennec, Ghira managed to grab Fennec by his wrist, forcing him to fire his dagger at Corsic.
"Brother!" Fennec cried out in concern. Only to then be smacked away by Sun who decided to use Wu's weapon for this. The monkey Blade having formed an affinity link with his Driver.
Blake decided to do the same with Nox.
"Power Thrust!" Sun called out as he charged wind Ether at the tip of the Trick Pole before thrusting it against Fennec's abdomen. The fox faunus was flung back, clutching the affected area in pain.
"Black Maw!" Blake followed it up by bringing both Scythes for an overhead strike, like a pair of fangs clamping down on prey. This caused Fennec to fall down with his shoulders bleeding slightly. Corsic was still downed from the redirected shot earlier.
Fennec walked weakly to his brother's side, looking at him stirring. That was when the fox faunus decided to take both his and Corsic's daggers and charge at them in mad rage now.
Only for a door between all combatants to burst open and a white form to dash through. "Now Dromarch!" Nia shouted from the tiger's back.
The Twin Rings started spinning around the tiger Blade. "Aqua Wave!" sure enough, a wave of water Ether was blasted in all directions. Blasting Fennec back, while Blake, Sun and Ghira felt their Aura's being restored while Ghira's wound on his back also healed. Nia and Dromarch had barely gotten in front of the three faunus when Fennec fell back on the floor unconscious. Not to mention the fire that was still on was extinguished at the contact with water Ether.
"Fennec!" Corsic shouted out, having recovered enough to see his brother's sorry state. "How could you." The wolf faunus growled at one panther, and three Drivers.
"You ruined everything. EVERYTHING!" Corsic shouted before charging at the group despite being terribly outnumbered. Only to be stopped as he was being electrocuted, until dropping down unconscious. Revealing that it was Ilia who had used her weapon to knock the wolf faunus down. Before dropping her weapon and getting on her knees with her hands above her head.
"It seems the situation has been resolved." Commented Dagas who had arrived alongside Kali. The Belladonna matriarch dragging out a tied-up Yuma.
"Dagas, I believe it would have been polite to help Lady Kali," Dromarch pointed out, now that there were no sounds of fighting.
"She insisted on bringing this scoundrel herself," Dagas replied back easily.
During this exchange, Blake ran to hug her mother, dropping Nox's weapons in the process.
Later on. While the fire Blake started didn't have time to do too much damage, the resulting smoke still drew a lot of attention even with the police of Menagerie telling people to stay back.
The police had all White Fang arrested, but were still sweeping the house in case of stragglers.
Blake looked around to see a concerned crowd. Then she glanced at Sun who was resting. Nia, who shrugged at her. Nox who was unable to make eye contact. And then she made her decision.
With a sense of purpose, Blake walked down the steps towards the people.
"Blake." Ghira sounded out, only for Kali to raise har arm in an attempt to stop him.
Once Blake had reached a suitable distance, she took a deep breath. "Humans didn't do this," Blake started, pointing at the smoke that was still coming out of her home. "We did this to ourselves," the feline faunus continued. "Us Faunus are just as capable of violence and hate as humans, but I don't think any of us would be willing to jump and point that out. So why are we letting Adam do that for us?!" Blake let out. "This is Adam's message to the world if he isn't stopped, but we CAN stop him! I know you're all looking for an easy solution for a very difficult problem. But I can't give that to you. I don't know how to make all the hate go away. And I know that asking you all to leave your homes and help Haven Academy means putting your lives at risk. But like it or not, that is what's at stake. And I will stand by myself if I have to." Blake had a firm look as she let out that last part.
"I'll stand with you!" Came out of Ilia who looked to be on the verge of tears. "I mean…if you will have me." the chameleon added.
Blake smiled and nodded at her, all the while the crowd murmured about the "Crazy Fang girl." Ilia then stepped forward, only for the police chief himself to grab her by the arm. "Where do you think you're going?" the police chief demanded.
"Let her go," Blake called out.
"You're just going to forgive her?!" the chief asked in disbelief, "After everything she did?"
"Yes," Blake said firmly.
This caused the chief to look at Ghira, who nodded. The police chief released Ilia reluctantly. Only for her way to be blocked by Nox this time.
"Nox." Blake sounded out, but the dark Blade had his eye on only Ilia. At first the chameleon looked like she wanted to just run and hide from this Blade that mere moments ago wanted her dead. But somehow, the chameleon found it in herself to stay in place with a resolved look thanks to Blake's words.
Then Nox stepped aside, allowing Ilia to walk to his Driver. But Ilia still gave him an unsure look. To which Nox nodded in a silent message of "It's okay.".
As Ilia walked to Blake's side, the police chief whispered to Ghira, "What does she think she's doing?!"
"She has learned a lesson that evaded me until I was much older," Ghira explained with a proud look, "That there is strength in forgiveness."
As Blake and Ilia smiled at each other another voice sounded out from the crowd. "I'll go." It was Mata who had also come.
Then, one by one more Faunus volunteered to help.
"I'm coming too!" To Ilia's shock, that was Haze who was carrying a rifle in hand. "What are you doing here?" Haze demanded from Ilia. Recognizing her despite the lack of mask upon closer inspection.
"Didn't Perceval kill you?" Ilia shot back in disbelief.
"The only one he killed was that huge grunt that wanted to burn my home along with my grandparents," Haze shot back with an angry look.
"What?" Blake asked, "Perceval spared you?"
"Yes, and not for the first time," Haze revealed, before pointing at his missing antler, "Humans didn't do this to me. Perceval cut off my antler to convince Adam that he had killed me many months ago. When all he really did was allow me to escape from White Fang."
"So, wait, that guy saved you twice now?" asked Sun in disbelief. This was the same Blade that tried to kill Blake and Yang.
"Yeah, and now I want to help stop Adam, once and for all," Haze said with a firm look, "It's not just humans who suffer if that bastard gets his way."
"Thank you," Blake said with a grateful look, "All of you." She directed that at everyone else who was volunteering.
Then Ghira and Kali came down the steps to their daughter. "We have about two weeks before Adam attacks Haven Academy," Ghira explained, "We'll need weapons, shields, anything to protect everyone."
"We'll need transportation too," Kali also added in.
Blake smiled at the last part, "I think I know a ship captain who owes us a favor."
Then Haze remembered something, "Oh! Perceval told me to give you a message."
"What's the-" "Ow!" Blake's question was interrupted by a pained yell from Ilia. The chameleon faunus was holding her ears which Nox had grabbed with his claws. "Nox." Blake said in a warning tone.
"She stabbed and electrocuted me. Twice." Nox defended himself.
"You tried to kill me twice!" Ilia retorted with a look of outrage.
"That was for what you said and did to my lady." Nox showed on his scroll, but he wasn't making eye contact with anyone.
Ilia was too flabbergasted at the dark Blade's logic to stop a pinch at her arm. "Hey!"
"You stabbed me," Sun said with a grin, before giving Nox a look. "But seriously dude, don't you think trying to kill her twice makes you even with her on everything?"
"No."
"Umm…," Haze sounded out unsurely.
Blake decided to ignore the problem of Nox for now and focus on Haze, "Sorry, what was the message?"
In Mistral, at White Fang headquarters, Perceval had entered Adam's throne room after few days of travel by the speedboat that was waiting for him at the docks, and sneaking into a few trains.
"How was the mission Perceval?" Adam asked, lounging on his throne.
"The Belladonnas are dead, and the population of Menagerie is under your heel," the assassin replied easily.
"Good," Adam said with a grin, "And Blake?" The look of excitement on Adam's face was prominent even with his mask.
"I'm sorry Adam," Perceval apologized, causing his Driver's face to fall, "She put up too much of a fight alongside her Blade. I was forced to kill her."
"You WHAT?!" Adam roared as he got up from his throne, "Can't you do anything right you worthless piece of TRASH?!" The mad bull then stomped to Perceval, drawing out Wilt from its sheath. "I wanted her to SUFFER FOR EVERYTHING SHE EVER DID TO ME!" And proceeded to stab Perceval multiple times, the dark Blade just standing and taking the abuse as he cried out in pain. "HOW DARE YOU DENY THAT FROM ME YOU DISGUSTING FREAK?!" After one more stab, Adam was able to calm down before spitting at Perceval's recovering body. "Whatever, at least my plans will now go unopposed," Adam then said as he returned to his throne. "Now get out of my sight!"
"How many Faunus must die for you?" Perceval then asked, "Will you keep sacrificing your people until the Faunus are extinct if it means killing humans?"
"Yes!" Adam said like it was obvious, "Our entire race dying is better than living among humans!"
"Is that why you killed Sienna too? Because she didn't wish for extinction upon humans?" Perceval then asked.
"No! I killed Sienna because she didn't want to get the justice we deserve!" Adam said with anger, "Now stop asking stupid questions and get out of my sight!"
Perceval didn't need to be told thrice as he left the throne room, taking his gourd out of his hip and taking a long gulp from it. Before fiddling with a Scroll that was hidden under his folded banners to stop it from recording. "The pieces are falling together on my side, Blake." Perceval thought as he paused in his drinking. "Now Adam will never see you coming." With those thoughts, Perceval went on with his day to endure being Adam's Blade. Just a while longer.
AN: There we go, instead of Cinder it's Emerald who alters the plan to destroy Haven. And surprise surprise, Nox can talk when he wants, but prefers the Scroll. Finally, Perceval lied to Adam and has recorded a confession on Sienna's death. How will things turn out?