Ilia knew what was about to happen before another word was said, though she couldn't believe it. The vulnerability in Jacques' expression faded almost as quickly as it came, replaced by a mask of calculated indifference as he looked away from her. She was dealing with a man who was never told 'no', or at least, never accepted it on the rare occasion that he was. Any suggestion that he had done wrong, no matter how much evidence was there, would be dismissed with some mental gymnastics. Perhaps he really did think himself superior to everyone around him- smarter, capable of seeing things that others missed. The proof was in how little he had to work in comparison to what he had gained… and when everyone else on Remnant had to deal with the impending war, the man had no real reason to contribute.

A mistake had been made. Ilia realized the subtle implication of what she had told him too late. If nothing Jacques had built really mattered- if it was all intangible, meaningless, and his legacy would be null and void based on his life up to that point- he could easily swoop in during the aftermath and play the hero then with much less personal investment. In Aurora's Cradle, deep underground, Jacques was relatively safe. To get involved would be to gamble… and Ilia had just informed him that he was out of chips.

Jacques chose his path, and Ilia had no idea why she was surprised. The disingenuous way in which he chose that path made her blood boil.

"…if it's all the same to you… I believe I'll stay here, on the ground," Jacques declared, averting his eyes from the faunus. "I would only get in the way, and you seem to have faith in your… friend. She may run the dust company in my absence, and I will allow her to do with my resources whatever she would like. Consider that the extent of my contribution, and otherwise, I leave the future in your capable hands. You've proven yourself as having a good head on your shoulders, and I wish you luck moving forward. Leave me."

Ilia stared, her hand still occupying the space between them. Slowly and with clenched teeth, she balled her fingers into a fist and drew it back toward herself. The urge to move in and begin punching Jacques for all she was worth was overwhelming… but somehow, she managed to resist. She would be better, because other people genuinely believed she was. She would disprove the sudden thought that had leapt to the front of her mind and called everything she knew into question. She would not let Jacques Schnee take anything else from her.

"You… absolute coward," Ilia accused, nearly spitting the words. "What I'm asking you to do is so easy, so natural to anyone with a shred of decency…"

"What you are asking me to do is get involved with individuals and institutions I cannot stand," Jacques explained as he rubbed at his jaw. Finally, he looked back up at Ilia with the sort of expression one might make in the presence of an unpleasant odor. "The resentment you speak of from my family… such a thing will not disappear because I make a few calls and help this ragtag outpost with their management problems. Besides… the animosity between my family and I goes both ways. They made their choices, and I am entitled to make mine. I do not owe them anything."

Ilia closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to try to calm down. Even through her efforts, her fists remained tight. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold back… or if she even should.

"I… hate you," Ilia said, bristling with rage. "You are the worst of Atlas- the worst of humanity. Everything I've ever fought against, internally and otherwise… you deserve to have the life strangled out of you in this cold, shitty little cell, deep underground where no one would ever find your corpse."

"Perhaps," Jacques mused with a small cough. "Such a shame that people so rarely get what they deserve, is it not? You would know."

Ilia took a step forward with murderous intent, only to freeze up as she heard additional steps approaching the cell. Alice's amused tone echoed throughout the cavernous room as she spoke, momentarily snapping the faunus from her blind rage.

"…an' how the hell did you get in there?" the woman asked. "Guess it doesn't matter, but at least let me put a bullet or two in him if we're going that route, yeah? Always had a dream of causing Jacques Schnee physical pain."

Ilia looked out from inside the bars to see Alice, Moss, Shiv, and Emerald standing between Jacques and Robyn's cells. The leader and her human companion looked to be in high spirits, while Shiv looked livid… and far away from Jacques.

"Winter already informed me that a call was made to Ironwood regarding my whereabouts," Jacques let on. "Killing me would only land you all in hot water later… and there's a witness across the room. The people wouldn't take well to getting rid of Miss Hill if you try to cover that up, either."

"Sounds like you've thought of everything… or schemed everything," Ilia said as she opened her eyes. In a flash, she phased through the bars the same way she had entered the cell, depositing herself a few feet away from Alice. With a ragged sigh, she shook her head and wrinkled her nose. "Sorry to bother you when you were meeting with those two. I… thought I had made some progress on getting this absolute douchebag to be useful. Turns out I didn't, at all. He'd rather sit here and rot than help us."

"I, for one, am shocked," Moss said sarcastically as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall next to Jacques' cell. "Sorry you wasted your breath, kid, but I appreciate the effort."

"Let it be the last," Alice suggested as she turned her attention to Robyn. The woman had stood up and approached the bars, gripping them lightly with both hands. "And this one- the charlatan. Anything useful there?"

"Nothing," Ilia admitted. "Not a godsdamned th-"

"Wait," Robyn interrupted with a frown. "You might not have gotten through to him, but I… everything you just said made a lot of sense. It made me feel some things I haven't felt in a long time, and… I've lost family, too. Let's work something out."

"Oh, spare me," Ilia snapped. "Winter already told us that you'll lie through your teeth to save your own skin, and you tried to blame this entire mess of shit on her. I don't believe a word you say."

"You don't have to," Robyn reassured as she stuck a hand through the bars. "Do you know what my Semblance is?"

Ilia hesitated, wondering if she should have somehow known. Fortunately, a quick look to Emerald clarified the matter.

"…you're a walking lie detector," Emerald informed. "Grabbing someone lets you know whether or not they're telling the truth."

"Right," Ilia said more to herself than anyone else. "Sun did mention that after meeting with her…"

"It goes both ways," Robyn informed as she waved Ilia to come toward her. "We touch, and our hands turn green. If either of us says something untrue, then the liar's side turns red. It's pretty simple in concept, and a useful tool."

"…hold a moment," Shiv said, putting out an arm to stop Ilia from approaching the cell. "If that is how it works, how did you hold office for so long while lying to the people about your intent?"

Robyn narrowed her eyes at the faunus and shifted her hand slightly to be more in his direction instead.

"Because I used to believe what in what I was doing before I just… gave up. I stopped answering unscripted questions with my Semblance in public after that. I actually stopped using it at all for quite a while, since… I didn't really like the things it was showing me when I would make statements while connected to someone. If you don't trust me, then come over here. I'll prove it to you right here, right now."

Shiv let out a huff and seized Robyn's hand in a firm grip. The woman gave him a nod and spoke once again, her hand turning a bright crimson as she did so.

"…I'm a natural blonde."

"…fuckin' knew it," Alice declared confidently as she elbowed Ilia in the ribs. "Good enough for ya, moody? Or do you need to run additional tests?"

Shiv sniffed and narrowed his eyes, seemingly unsatisfied.

"…is Robyn Hill your real name?"

"It is," Robyn answered, her hand adopting a green glow.

"And you are willing to assist us, if we let you out of this cell?"

"I am," Robyn replied, the connection remaining green before Shiv finally let go. "Satisfied?"

"Fine," Shiv said with a shrug before walking away and nodding in Ilia's direction. "Have at it."

"I… don't really know what to ask," Ilia admitted as she approached Robyn.

"It'll come to you," Robyn reassured in a soothing voice. "Just take my hand and ask me what you want to know- about my past, about Mantle, about what we can do next… whatever you think might be helpful. I want to do something, so I don't end up like him. Let me try to make up for all of the things I've done… or haven't done."

Ilia nodded and placed her hand in Robyn's… only to let out a gasp of surprise as she was pulled closed to the bars, her fingers seized in a vicelike grip.

"Do you think we actually have a chance against Salem?" Robyn asked, all pretense of pleasantry gone from her face and voice. "Tell me now- do you really think we can somehow all survive this?"

Ilia tried to yank her hand away on instinct as she was gripped with panic. The connection between their hands was a bright green, and though there was no pain… she couldn't bring herself to answer for fear of what she might see.

"Well?" Robyn demanded. "Answer me, if you want my help!"

"I don't h-" Ilia began before a second, larger hand gripped her own.

"Enough of this!" Shiv roared as he forcefully wrenched Ilia's hand from Robyn's grip. Once again, he put himself between the women and fixed Robyn with a furious glare. "What are you playing at!? What kind of question is that, especially when tensions are high!?"

Ilia was breathing hard as she gripped her wrist and took a few steps backward. She had been pulled hard enough for it to hurt a bit, and her heart was pounding in her chest. The nervous feeling only intensified as she noticed that both Alice and Moss were looking at her with suspicion… and she could think only to try to escape. Without a word, she turned and began to run down the cell block, back toward the staircase leading above ground.

"Ilia!" Emerald called as she began to catch up. "Ilia, wait! Please!"

The faunus found herself almost out of breath as she reached the bottom of the stairs and whirled on her friend.

"What? What do you want from me?" Ilia asked, more harshly than she intended. "I don't want to talk, I don't want to be around anyone, I just…"

"That wasn't your fault," Emerald insisted. "None of that was your fault! Robyn's a complete asshole and put you in a shitty situation, and the others will understand that. You did everything you could with Jacques, a-"

"And it amounted to nothing," Ilia seethed as she tried and failed to catch her breath. "Maybe… maybe some people just shouldn't be forgiven. Maybe it's a waste of time to even pretend they're worth saving."

Emerald was too slow to respond before Ilia started up the steps, away from her. Though she knew deep down that Ilia wasn't talking about her, Emerald's entire body quickly filled with a heavy, cold sensation of dread.

Author's Note:

Back to Sun's crew next week.

-RD