Hunting or Bust: The Journey Continues
Dust 13: Menagerie's Brightest Night
I'm so glad to have the alerts and notifications back! It's good to have you all back again!
On with the show!
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Every time Blake's ears picked up the sound of faint footsteps or Lightning Lash being prepared to attack, she had to react. The Huntress quickly moved before her former friend could catch her off guard.
Gambol Shroud slipped into its pistol form and she fired several shots rapidly into the banisters overhead. She heard Ilia frantically move and run to find a more advantageous spot to attack. Once Blake lost sight of her, she sighed and lowered her gun so it transformed back into a sword.
"Ilia, please, stop this!" Blake called out, "We don't need to fight! We don't need to do this anymore!"
"Yes, we do!"
"No, we don't! The White Fang aren't going to be able to operate here in Menagerie after what the citizens saw!"
"You think that'll stick?! Do you think they won't find some way to come back from this?! They will, and once they're done raiding your home, there'll be no one left to get in the way!"
Her voice was echoing off the top of the warehouse so she couldn't be pinpointed. And even though Blake could see in the dark, Ilia had camouflaged to match the color of the wall and make it impossible to detect her.
"You know the kind of people they are, Ilia! They made you the enemy of the island to get attention off of them! They're willing to kill my parents and my friends just to make a statement! They're going to give Adam complete control of everything! You told me how scared you were when he came into power - you know this is a bad idea!"
"Yes, I did! And I told you to run! I told you to protect yourself! But you stayed and wouldn't listen! Now you're here in the thick of it and you have no one to blame but yourself!"
"I wasn't going to run again, Ilia! Not anymore! I couldn't just leave my family and friends behind!"
"Friends?! You mean that blond idiot and the humans you associate with?! The Blake I knew never would have given people like that the time of day! She knew who our allies were and who our enemies were!"
"Humans were never the enemies! We needed to make peace with them, not war! And the humans Adam is working with are just using the White Fang to get what they want! You can't agree with-"
"You?! You of all people are saying that?! When you used me to bring the White Fang crumbling down around the island?!"
Blake's breath hitched in fright. Her grip on her weapon faltered for a moment, "Ilia, I-I didn't mean-"
"Yes, you did!" Ilia's voice cracked as furiously yelled, "You knew I was keeping an eye on you! You knew I would find that note! And you used that to get what you want! To track us down and expose us! Even coming here, surrendering, and trying to save everyone - it was just a ploy!"
"The White Fang were never going to leave them alone anyway! I had to do something!" Blake yelled back.
"You talk like we're the worst, most despicable people imaginable - but you're just like us, Blake! You think you got away because you couldn't accept the violence! Maybe you just ran because you realized how comfortable you were in the dirt!"
There was a loud impact behind Blake and she immediately turned to defend. But when she saw just a broken piece of scaffolding that had been dropped behind her, she turned around again and blocked the rapier that tried to cut into her.
She stared into the eyeholes of Ilia's Grimm mask as the chameleon girl grit her teeth and pressed further in. Before Blake could be forced back, she reached for the sheath on her back and brought it out with a slash that made Ilia jump back. With both her blades in hand, Blake faced her former friend with narrowed eyes.
Ilia bared her teeth as her skin turned red, "You might not have liked the way Adam did things, but you can't ignore the truth! It works!" Ilia leaped forward, stabbing and swinging at Blake as sparks flew with the cross of their blades, "Fighting back and attacking is the only way humans will ever listen to us!"
"They're not listening to us! They're afraid of us!" Blake yelled back while parrying Ilia's strikes. She knocked the rapier aside but screamed when she felt an electric shock run up through her arms. Ilia turned to attack but Blake used Shadow to evade and jump back, "This fighting has given them more of a reason to be separated from us than ever! And Adam isn't going to stop there! He'll keep pushing and pushing, trying to crush humanity under his-"
"Stop it!" Ilia yelled as she started firing bolts of electricity at the Huntress. Blake jumped and dodged around the room, "Your damn human friend said the same thing and I won't listen!"
Blake landed and immediately started firing back. Ilia desperately dodged before blocking the shots with her sword. Shot after shot was fired before Blake's pistol finally came up empty. The cat Faunus quickly switched out the magazine and stood up to face Ilia again, "You talked with Tenten?"
"She talked at me! Constantly! I told her to shut up but she wouldn't stop!" Ilia started grinding her teeth, "Saying that what we were doing was wrong! That I knew we should stop! T-That no one should laugh at someone losing their parents. T-That she understood what it was like t-to," Ilia spared Blake a glance before shaking her head, "AH! DAMMIT!"
Lightning Lash swung out like a whip and Blake jumped into the air. Ilia quickly reeled it back and whipped it at the airborne Huntress. Blake fired her gun and created a Shadow of ice with the rapier lodged inside it as she flew forward.
Ilia's eyes widened as Blake's foot came sailing towards her. Her heel slammed into Ilia's face, cracking the mask and forcing the rapier out of her hand as her ice clone fell through the air and shattered on the ground. Blake stood over the downed chameleon as she lowered her weapons to her side, "Ilia, it's over. Just stop."
"Shut up." Ilia groaned as she picked herself up, "It's not over."
"You have to stop."
"I can't. I've come too far already."
"Ilia, you know this is wrong!"
"That doesn't matter."
"It should!" Blake screamed, looking down at Ilia pitifully, "Any change brought on by action and violence like this will taint it like that forever! I know we thought it was the right way - the only way - but Adam is getting worse and worse! If we don't stop him I'm scared what he'll do to the world next! Please…just stop."
Ilia stared up at Blake and stayed silent while entranced by her words. The tension in the air seemed to fade before Ilia's eyes widened and she grits her teeth, "Dammit!" She cursed, "Dammit. Again, I'm just getting pulled in listening to you. I…I never learn."
"Ilia-"
"It all seemed so dark after I lost my parents. I…I didn't know what to do. And when I joined the White Fang it felt a little easier. But then I met you. And I swear that feeling like my lungs were being crushed was finally disappearing. Talking with you. Working with you. Getting to know you. It felt so relieving." Ilia's fingers dragged along the ground before they curled into fists, "Then you started to look at Adam in that way. The same…the same way I looked at you." Blake's eyes widened, "It was a different kind of hurt watching you be so happy with someone else, but I was still glad just to be around you. But then you ran away. I heard everyone deride you and call you a traitor. We saw you working with humans and Schnee and Uchiha to try and stop us. And Adam ordered us to do whatever it took to bring you back to him. I knew that it was over…there was just no chance you would come back."
Ilia looked up at Blake, tears of anguish and frustration brimming in the corners of her eyes, "I guess I should just be used to losing the people I love already."
As Ilia continued to stare up at her as her tears ran down her cheeks. Blake's breath caught in her throat, "I-Ilia, I-"
With a furious yell, Ilia leaped off the ground and knocked Blake off her feet before running past her. Blake looked back and lost sight of Ilia as she disappeared after snatching her rapier off the ground. The young Huntress quickly got back up on her feet and stood on guard as she heard the same frantic footsteps above.
"It doesn't matter what you have to say anymore, Blake! I'm going to see this through to the end, no matter what I have to do!"
Even as her ears twitched with the sound of each footstep and her grip tightened around her weapons anxiously, she couldn't help but think about Ilia's words. The fact she had affection for her, and how she was determined to see this fight through even if it meant hurting others.
Blake was conflicted, but she had to steel herself and fight. If Ilia wouldn't listen and refused to stop, then there was no other choice. She had to…
How many times had she been too stubborn to listen or stop? She was too stubborn until her friends made her.
Yang telling her to slow down.
Naruto promising to stand by her.
Weiss and Ruby giving her hope for change and better things.
Sun and Tenten convincing her that everything wasn't lost.
They stood by and persisted with her even when she didn't make it easy. They reached…and it meant more than they could ever know.
Ilia looked down and saw Blake staring ahead blankly as her weapons lowered to her side. She had an opening to move and attack before the black-haired traitor could counter. Biting her lip and pushing down her hesitation, Ilia dropped to the ground and rushed towards Blake's back. Ilia attacked with a lunge as Blake turned to face her-
And Gambol Shroud dropped to the ground by their feet.
Blake grabbed Ilia's wrist and moved the blade aside as she dragged her former partner into her embrace. Ilia's eyes widened in shock and confusion as Blake tightly hugged her in the middle of their fight. The White Fang rogue was so stunned that she didn't respond for several seconds.
"I'm sorry."
"What-"
"I'm sorry," Blake whispered as she tightly hugged Ilia, "I'm sorry for leaving you behind. I'm sorry for not helping you more when you needed it back then. I'm so sorry, Ilia."
"L-Let go!" Ilia bucked and thrashed in Blake's embrace, "Let go of me! Blake, let go!"
"I'm sorry."
"Stop this and just fight me! Just fight! Let go!"
"I'm sorry, Ilia. I'm sorry-"
"Let go! L-Let go of me! Let go! Y-You can't do this. Let me g-go. Let go already. I-I can't - you can't do this. B-Blake, let go."
Ilia's wrist had already been freed from Blake's grip, yet the shorter Faunus continued to whimper and mutter into her chest as they hugged. Blake's eyes stung with tears as she felt her friend tremble in her arms, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Blake," Ilia sobbed, "I-I can't stop."
"Yes, you can."
"No," Ilia's voice cracked, pulling back from Blake's embrace to look up at her with eyes full of tears and shame, "I-I've gone too far. I've done too much. I-I was going to hurt your family. I was going to give you to Adam. Y-Your friend, I-"
"Shh," Blake gently shushed her, "It's okay. None of that happened yet. It's not too late."
"But I-"
"You didn't and that's what matters." Blake whispered, gently rubbing her hair as Ilia sniffled and gasped for air, "You don't have to worry about Tenten either. She's stronger than you think. I'm sure she'll be okay." She whispered hopefully while pulling Ilia back in, "We'll be okay. We'll all be okay."
Ilia whimpered and dropped Lighting Lash as she hugged Blake and wept into her chest.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
As the battle between the home invaders and the exhausted Huntress ramped up, Kali kept trying to drag the injured and unconscious guards out of harm's way. With each passing second, she heard another rough blow and pained grunt before someone was slammed into something. There was a crash right by her side that made her flinch before looking over, "Tenten!"
"I'm good!" The ponytailed girl fibbed, her breathing belabored as she struggled to pull herself out of the shattered armoire. Once she was on her feet, she lost her balance but quickly regained it, "Didn't even feel that."
"You sure, human?" Yuma probed with a smirk as he started lifting off the ground, "You don't look too good."
"And not just because you look like a ripe tomato! Haha!" She scowled at Trifa as the arachnid Faunus mocked her, "Maybe a little premature to say you could handle us by yourself?"
"Pfft, are you kidding?" Tenten scoffed as she took a firmer stance, "It's gonna take a lot more than some home invaders and wannabe usurpers to beat me. I'd never hear the end of it from everyone if I lost to you."
She was trying to keep up her bluster, but Tenten couldn't deny just how exhausted she felt now that she was out of the desert. The rush back into the city to reach the plume of smoke drained the last of her energy. She felt sluggish and weak like her throat was covered in sandpaper. If she wasn't facing down two bloodthirsty White Fang members then she would've passed out then and there. But there was too much at stake and she couldn't drop now.
Twisting the grips of her sticks, they flowed with lightning Dust that gave them an extra bit of power. Tenten yelled as she rushed forward, swung at their heads, and forced them back. Trifa stumbled back and Yuma quickly lifted into the air to avoid her range. But Tenten connected her sticks and swung up, her staff smacking Yuma's foot and electrocuting him to the ground.
She twisted around and swung her staff to force Trifa back before the Faunus could rush her flank. The White Fang members clicked their teeth in annoyance as Tenten spun her weapon around to keep them back. She started panting and trying to catch her breath as she activated her Dust again-
A glob of webbing flew forward and glued one of Tenten's hands to her weapon. Her eyes widened before she was suddenly yanked in and nearly pulled off her feet. Yuma rushed in with a knife as Trifa continued to pull her closer. Steel spread across her arm and Tenten fended off the knife in a spray of sparks before swinging down to break the thread of webbing binding her. Once she was freed but with one hand still glued to her weapon, Tenten jumped back and gained some distance from her enemies.
"Tenten!" Kali called out, "Here!"
She threw something and Tenten immediately caught it. When she heard the liquid sloshing around inside, she immediately put it to her lips and chugged the bottle as quickly as she could. Once it was empty, Tenten tossed the bottle and smiled, "Thanks, Ms. Kali!"
"Give them hell, sweetie!"
A knife formed in her hand from her Steel and she threw it with incredible force at Yuma. The bat jumped aside to avoid it and Trifa suddenly found herself facing Tenten alone. Even with her hand stuck to her weapon, the Huntress' attack was swift and precise. Blow after blow landed over Trifa's body and legs too quickly for her to react. She persisted and tried to raise her hands and weapon to protect herself-
The tip of the staff slammed into her sternum before swiping up into her chin. The spider Faunus toppled over and Tenten quickly swiped her staff aside before turning to Yuma, "One down. You wanna save yourself the trouble and surrender now?"
Not taking her provocation seriously, Yuma turned his knife around and faced the exhausted human, "You think you've still got the strength, human? You're looking weak on your knees. Why don't you try and take another drink? I'm sure I won't get you when you're-"
With a yell, Tenten swung her staff and sent shards of ice flying. Yuma's wings covered him and blocked the shards before they extended again and he charged forward. His wings flapped and lifted him, giving him extra force as his knife clashed and scraped against Tenten's staff. They fought and pushed each other back before separating.
They both took a moment to catch their breath, Tenten still keeping up her guard and focus while Yuma wiped his cheek. His teeth were grit in annoyance before he forced a smile, "I'll admit; you are better than I expected, human. I hate to think how this fight would have gone if you weren't tired. But do you know the factor that will decide not just this fight, but our entire crusade against humanity?"
'What's that?"
"Unity against our foes."
Something snagged Tenten's arm and yanked her back. She looked back and saw a line of webbing stretching from her elbow to Trifa's hand on the ground. The spider Faunus tried to pull her down and Tenten struggled as Yuma rushed in and lunged at her.
Tenten raised her hand to try and stop the knife, but it pushed through with the rest of Yuma's weight behind it. The knife pinned her hand over her heart and the room went silent in shock at the sight. Yuma chuckled viciously as he and Tenten looked down at where the knife pierced her.
He pulled back the hilt…and found the blade of the knife gone. Yuma, Kali, and Trifa all stared in silent shock before looking at Tenten.
She looked down at her hand in confusion as she felt something strange in the palm of her hand. Spreading out her Steel and pushing out, the metal from the knife started to form from her palm before toppling to the ground.
…
"Oh," She shrugged, "That's pretty cool."
She decked Yuma across the face and yanked on the string of web on her other arm. Trifa came flying towards her and Tenten knocked her out with a lariat.
Once both White Fang members were unconscious at her feet, Kali emerged from behind the pillar and made her way over. Tenten had started picking and pulling at the webbing binding her arm and hand as Kali looked at the young girl in wonder, "Tenten, that was amazing! But what did you do to his knife? Did you absorb it?"
"I-I think so?" Tenten shrugged uncertainly, trying to recollect how and why the knife disappeared into her hand before emerging again when she concentrated. Was that her Semblance? Did…did it change?
With a tired sigh and grunt as she finally tore her hand free, she looked at Kali, "Ms. Kali, you should get somewhere safe. I don't think this is over yet."
"Probably not," The older woman picked up a gun from the floor and steeled herself, "But they ransacked my home, attacked my husband, and still have my baby. No way am I just hiding."
"Alright then." Tenten and Kali turned to the door, "Let's clear this place out."
((((((((Hunting))))))))
The people of Kuo Kuana knew that there was an attack going on and could see flames rising from the Belladonna Manor. They had already called for help from some other guards and wanted to do something to try and quell the unrest and fear.
But no one was brave enough to step in and do anything while two capable Huntsmen were currently fighting a captain of the island guard just outside of the home.
Yagura rushed in towards Jiraiya and Minato, water rushing from his hands and covering his hook as he leaped at the other Huntsmen. Minato flashed away while Jiraiya roared and punched, deflecting the hook with a Shockwave as a spray of water shot out in every direction. Yagura quickly spun his hook around and swung down, stopping the droplets in the air and forcing them to pelt Jiraiya from every angle. The old toad raised his guard and weathered the projectiles for several seconds before releasing a Shockwave to blow it all back.
A yellow flash appeared at Yagura's side and the turtle Faunus moved aside. He quickly raised his weapon to block the rapid slashes from Minato, a knife in each hand as he rushed forward with killing intent. Sparks flew with each lunge and clash before Yagura tried to hook Minato's foot and trip him. The blond Huntsman leaped and spun over his head, ice and lightning starting to gather around his knives as their Dust activated.
Minato landed and swung his knife to freeze the rush of water before it could reach him. He stepped aside and spiked the electric knife at Yagura before flashing away. Yagura knocked the electric knife away with his hook when he noticed another yellow flash behind him.
He raised the hook over his head and knocked Minato back from landing a strike behind him. At that moment, Jiraiya kicked the falling electric knife back towards the blond before rushing at Yagura with his fists chambered. He threw a punch and released a powerful Shockwave that Yagura had to block with a wave of water.
In the resulting explosion, Yagura jumped back and got some distance from his foes. As they all took a moment to catch their breath, Yagura reveled in how much fun he was having. Since coming to Menagerie he'd been part of a long game of conspiracy, manipulation, and secrecy. There was a certain amount of fun to all of it, but nothing since he'd arrived here had pushed him or gotten him excited.
Except here and now! Fighting desperately against two Huntsmen while their long-term control plan was in jeopardy had his heart racing and blood pumping. Behind his cloak of Aura, a gleeful smile twisted his face at fighting such strong and capable opponents.
And it'd only be better if he snagged a victory from them.
Water instantly formed in Yagura's hand and he twisted towards the flaming house. Minato prepared to teleport while Jiraiya screamed for him to stop. Yagura grinned, happy to pry the desperate victory out of their hands by blasting the house and making it topple over.
Yagura released a torrent of water strong enough to bring down the house…and watched in shock as it impacted something and shot off in several directions. Yagura stopped his rush of water and looked for the cause of the intrusion.
A figure cloaked in red Aura and with a long fox tail stood between him and the home. The ground by her feet had been soaked into a muddy slush, but Kushina stood her ground and refused to back down while Yagura was aiming for the house.
As Kushina, Minato, and Jiraiya surrounded the treasonous captain, Yagura stood frozen in place.
Two Huntsmen and a fellow Noble Guard?
Oh, this was so much fun!
((((((((Hunting))))))))
"HA! HA! HA! WRAH! STOP RUNNING, YOU IDIOT!"
Sun jumped back and avoided Mizuki's vicious swings. The tiger rushed in and closed the distance, throwing punch after punch at the blond's head in a wide arc that shattered the walls with their impact. Sun ducked under Mizuki's swing and kicked off his chest before rolling back out of his reach.
Mizuki's nails extended out of his hand, both his natural and artificial claws raring to tear into Sun and slash him up. A predatory smile stretched Mizuki's lips as he snarled, "I'm gonna rip you to pieces, you annoying little monkey."
With narrowed eyes, Sun stood back up and snapped his staff into two. He held a nunchaku in each hand, one hanging over his shoulder as he steadily spun the other at his side. The two Faunus stared each other down and waited for the first strike to be thrown.
"HYAH!"
Mizuki lunged forward with his hand thrusted out and Sun struck it aside into the wall. His metal claws tore through the wall like paper and Mizuki didn't let it slow him down in lunging at Sun again. The monkey Faunus spun his nunchakus around to repel and parry the tiger's barrage of strikes and swings. Chunks of floor, railing, and wall were being obliterated every moment as Mizuki kept pushing forward to attack and Sun kept knocking them aside.
Every few lunges or attempts the white-haired man made would leave himself open and Sun would land a blow across his cheek or into his clavicle. But no blow he struck made Mizuki falter for more than an instant before trying to tear into him again. Even with Aura over his body to protect himself, those blows should have given the tiger pause and made him reconsider how he was attacking. Yet he only seemed to get more riled up and furious the longer he was failing to land a blow.
"Ah!" Sun grunted when a claw nearly grazed his cheek, forcing him to jump back and catch his breath, "Okay, what is with you, man?!" He pointed at Mizuki in baffled confusion, "Your Aura has gotta be getting low, right?! Then stop rushing in like crazy and just give up already!"
"Never." Mizuki seethed, veins pulsing in his forehead as he cracked his knuckles, "I'm not stopping until I choke the life out of you, the humans, and every friend of the Belladonnas on this godforsaken island."
"Yeesh, you have issues."
"Sun?" Both men turned towards the railing and looked over to see Tenten and Kali on the lower level, "Is that you?"
"Tenten!" Sun smiled, "You're here! And oh man, you look extra crispy. Did Blake manage to get you freed?"
"Blake?" Her head tilted in confusion, "What are you talking about? I've been walking through the desert for the last few days."
"But we-"
Before the conversation could continue, Mizuki ripped the railing apart and jumped down to the lower level. Tenten pushed Kali to safety and stepped aside to avoid the tiger's path as he landed and cracked the floor, "You little bitch," Mizuki seethed, "You jumped into the sea and you're still alive?!"
She smirked and winked, "Sorry to ditch you guys like that, but you're terrible hosts."
"I'LL RIP YOUR HEART OUT-"
"HA!" Sun dropped down and slammed his staff into Mizuki's back to floor the tiger before he could strike. He slammed into the ground and groaned as Sun landed by Tenten's side, "I swear this guy is tough to put down. I keep hitting him and he just keeps getting angrier."
"Oh, that'd be his Semblance." Tenten cheekily informed, "Hey, that's what you told me, right? That you can feed your other emotions into your anger and-"
"WRAHHHHH!"
Mizuki lunged at them like a wild animal, Tenten and Sun stepping aside as he flew past them and watched him slide to a stop. Sun shrugged, "Huh, that makes a lot of sense."
"So listen, Ms. Kali and I are going to keep making our way through the manor and cleaning up the White Fang. Maybe stop the fire I saw outside from growing. Can you take care of him?"
"How do I do that? You just told me he's a crazy man fueled by rage!"
Tenten smiled coyly as she walked away, "Just do what comes naturally; pester and annoy him until he can't take it anymore."
"Oh…okay!" Sun waved his friend and Kali away before turning back with a cocky grin, "So you're a pretty angry guy, right? Must tick you off that all your plans kinda came crashing down in a single day, huh? You gonna be okay-"
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Now that Sun knew what to expect, he stayed loose and bouncy as he stepped back and out of Mizuki's reach. He bobbed and weaved around the deadly claw strikes, just wasting time to make Mizuki angrier and even more sloppy, "You know, a Semblance that converts other emotions into anger doesn't sound good for you. Do they have mental health wellness and therapy sessions in your insane death cult?"
"SHUT UP!"
Sun hummed a jaunty tune as he dodged and flipped away. He landed on a drawer in the hallway and grinned as Mizuki panted, his face getting redder every second, "But man, sucks that you have to fight me. You get angrier the longer you fight, right? And I'm just a guy that likes talking. I talk too much honestly. My buddy, Sage – he's a guy on my team – he doesn't talk enough so I-"
"STOP TALKING!"
Sun jumped as Mizuki rushed at him and slammed into the wall. The tiger fell to the floor panting and trying to catch his breath as Sun casually walked around him, "It sucks having a Semblance that actively makes things harder for you. My buddy Naruto had a tough time with his too. But he trained hard and started turning things around to the point where I'd think twice about fighting him. Hey, maybe if you put in a little effort-"
"DON'T SAY HIS NAME TO ME!"
"Heck, I had problems getting my Semblance under control at first too. But now, I can do this!" Sun clapped his hands and summoned two glowing clones with Via Sun. They ran forward, barreling into Mizuki's chest and following up with a punch before the real Sun rushed in and tackled him through a window.
They broke through into the outside and tumbled into the dirt before separating. The Aura around Mizuki flickered and shattered completely as he struggled for breath. Sun quickly picked himself up and dusted off his shirt while looking down at his exhausted foe.
Just then he heard mighty impacts, rushing water, and grunts of effort from around the corner. Walking by the wall he peeked around the corner and saw an intense battle that put the one he was just into shame. Kushina and Minato were working in tandem with Jiraiya backing them up to try and overwhelm Yagura. And the Faunus Huntsman was more than putting up a match as slicers and blasts of water flew out with each attack he threw. Sun steeled himself and prepared to-
"HAAA!"
"WHOA!" Sun jumped back and stumbled into the open, "Dude, seriously, you're still fighting?! Your Aura is gone!"
"S-Shut your mouth!" Mizuki tried to yell between desperate pants. His hand squeezed into the corner of the house to keep him steady before he looked up, "Yagura! We need your help! Now!"
The fighting seemed to pause for a moment, the blue figure sparing a look towards them and then towards the onlookers and civilians watching them fight. He seemed tense before speaking, "I'm not sure who you-"
"YAGURA!" Mizuki screeched furiously, "STOP FUCKING AROUND AND HELP US!"
"C-Captain Yagura?"
"What does he mean?"
"Does that mean Captain Yagura was conspiring with-"
"Ugh," Yagura shook his head and sighed as his Aura vanished around him. The youthful-looking Huntsman scratched his head, a look of disappointment growing over his face before he looked around, "That was the last bit of leeway we had. Now everyone just knows we schemed together. And this…" He looked over at the burning manor before turning away, "I'm done."
"What?"
"What?!"
"WHAT?!"
"I'm done," He repeated, "No point perpetuating the lie when everyone knows. And pretty clear who is going to come out of this on the winning side. What a waste of these months." He hoisted his hook on his shoulder and walked away, "I'm bored. I'm cutting my losses while I can."
"You can't just leave!"
"That's what I'm doing." Yagura said in a bored tone as he kept walking.
"NO!" Mizuki stumbled forward, a new rage burning in his chest as he yelled at the retreating turtle, "You can't just leave! W-We have so much riding on this! So many plans! Adam - h-he we gonna change this damn island for the better! And you were supposed to help us!" Mizuki stomped his foot, "You don't just get to leave! You get your ass back here now and-"
A bead of water pierced through Mizuki's forehead and left a pinhole-sized dot in it. The white-haired man toppled backward and slammed into the ground lifeless.
People watching screamed and gasped after witnessing a murder occur so casually. Sun was immediately down by Mizuki's side, trying to wake him up and get some response as the lifeless man lay on the ground with his eyes wide and void of light.
Blue Aura receded from Yagura's finger and he shook his head, looking disappointed as he shrugged, "I gave him a chance to stop. I'm all fine with working with others, but when the job looks done then that's it. I don't like people forcing me to do anything." He turned and kept walking, "Well, good luck with everything-"
A yellow flash appeared at his side and Yagura felt a knife push to his neck, "You don't think we're just letting you walk away, do you?"
"Should I be your concern right now?" Yagura inquired while nodding back to the burning house, "Your friends and comrades are in there, right? Don't you think you should be saving their lives? After all, 'that's what Huntsmen and Huntresses do', right?" He repeated with a mocking laugh, "I mean if you still want to fight I'm up for it, but now I have no reason not to drag everyone around here into this."
…
"Some day, we'll find you…and you will answer for what you've been doing."
"I'll be waiting."
Minato clicked his tongue and lowered his knife, turning and running back to the manor. Yagura smirked and kept making his way to the coast. Ready to head out and do whatever else came next when he arrived.
Sun closed Mizuki's eyes and looked in the direction Yagura had vanished, "Is that it? Are we letting him go?"
"He doesn't matter right now." Kushina said as Jiraiya and Minato started rushing into the manor to help, "What matters is doing what we can to end this fight and let everyone see what the White Fang truly is for themselves. You ready?"
Sun nodded and grabbed his staff before rushing in with the others to finish the fight.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
In the shadows of the crackling flames engulfing the higher floor and ceiling, Ghira yelled as he charged at the Albain brothers. The treacherous duo stayed alert as the rushing giant approached and reached for their heads. Ghira palmed Fennec's head as Corsac ducked under his arm and tackled into his chest. As the muscular Chieftain struggled against Corsac's grasp, Fennec thrust the wand towards his face and released a spiral of fire and wind.
Ghira screamed and threw Fennec into the wall while wrapping his arms around Corsac's chest and tossing him overhead. As the Belladonna patriarch hissed and rubbed his face, Corsac and Fennec stood up and surrounded him. As they watched the larger man hiss and groan, they shared a look and nodded in agreement.
Fennec swung his wand and released flames and wind, Ghira feeling the rush of heat coming his way. He jumped back to avoid its path but left himself open as Corsac charged into his back. The taller brother started viciously punching Ghira's ribs, causing him to groan and yell in pain before he gripped Corsac's collar and lifted him off his feet.
With a roar Ghira tossed Corsac across the room and Fennec quickly got in the way to catch his brother. Once both Albains were on their feet, Fennec decoupled their weapons and tossed Inferno back to his brother. They shared a look and nodded before rushing in towards the Chieftain as he finally got back on his feet.
Ghira grits his teeth and rushed in to meet the brothers. He punched for Fennec's head and barely grazed his ear while Corsac stepped into his flank and clocked him in the chin. But Ghira stomped his foot and brought his head down, slamming his forehead into Corsac's face and sending the man toppling over before Ghira swiped at Fennec. The fox-eared brother leaned back to avoid his claws but Ghira's foot swung up and buried into his stomach. The shorter brother was sent flying across the room and slammed into the wall with a hard crack.
"HA!" Corsac recovered and jumped on Ghira's back, stabbing at his Aura with Inferno as a rush of flames bled out with each attack. Ghira screamed in pain, trying to reach back and claw the fox Faunus off of him but to no avail. With a roar Ghira jumped off his feet and fell back, pinning Corsac between his back and the ground. The treacherous White Fang leader let out a gasp of pain and let go of Ghira.
As Ghira panted and got up on his knee, a sudden violent surge of wind blasted over his back and sent him tumbling over the floor. Fennec stopped by his brother's side and pulled him back to his feet. Both brothers caught their balance and looked over as Ghira rested on a knee to try and catch his breath.
"He's at the end of his rope, brother."
"Indeed, brother. Our dear Chieftain may have been mighty, but he stood no chance against the both of us."
"I," Ghira panted, "I won't let you two get what you want. Not if it means forfeiting the lives of everyone on this island."
"Again, I believe we have a difference in viewpoint, Chieftain."
"For the sake of Faunus everywhere and the future…everyone needs to do their part."
The Albains stepped forward and Ghira prepared to meet them head-on-
"DAD!"
The brothers looked back in shock as a black figure came swinging down and buried her feet in Fennec's face. As he fell and Blake landed, she pulled on the ribbon and flipped over the torrent of fire Corsac released at her. She landed as Gambol Shroud dropped back into her hand, firing a shot at Corsac's hand and freezing his fingers over Inferno. The older Faunus cursed before Blake jumped and landed two quick kicks into his chest that knocked him back.
"Blake?"
"Dad!" Blake dropped by her father's side in concern and looked him over, "Are you okay? I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner!"
"Blake, look out-"
As Fennec aimed at the Huntress' back with Cyclone, Lightning Lash whipped out and struck the traitorous fox's arm before he could attack. Ilia landed in the room, standing between the Albains and Blake as she checked on her father.
"Sister Ilia?! What are you doing?!"
"You would betray the Faunus now?! After everything else you have lost to these fools and their love of humans!"
"I haven't lost anything else yet, and I don't want to." Ilia defiantly said, her eyes narrowed and her grip on her rapier tightening, "What happened to my family was a tragedy, and you would have me repeat that tragedy over and over again – SAYING IT WAS FOR THE GREATER GOOD!"
After Blake made sure Ghira was alright, she stood back up and faced the Albains with Ilia at her side. Both girls stared the fox brothers down unwaveringly, "We won't let you have this island, and we won't let Adam have his way. So stand down now and surrender," The door behind them kicked open with Sun and Jiraiya bursting in. They quickly noticed the two girls facing the brothers and understood what was happening, jogging up and standing by their side to lay on the pressure, "It's over."
Fennec and Corsac quickly realized they were outnumbered and outclassed. Both of them against a single enemy was a fight they could win, but not against four trained fighters still with energy to spare while they were both exhausted from facing Ghira. Knowing that they had to escape to fight another day, both brothers raised their wands-
"GOT YOU!"
Two hands covered in metal slipped in between them and grabbed hold of their wands before they could activate. The Albains quickly yanked their weapons out of the metallic grasp and knocked their assailant over. They immediately turned and activated their wands-
The two wands let out distressing clicks and sparks before the Dust inside them ignited. A dual explosion of fire and wind erupted in their hands and sent them flying across the room. Corsac slammed into a bookshelf and dropped to the ground as Fennec collided into a table and broke it in half. Their bodies flickered with their Aura before they were depleted completely and both men lay unconscious on the floor.
Everyone else looked down and saw Tenten slowly pick herself up. She rested on her knees, opening her hands as the metal tips she'd stolen from the wands formed in her palms. She tossed them aside and caught her breath before looking up, "I'm so glad that worked."
"Tenten!" Blake quickly ran over and dropped by her friend's side, looking her over and restraining her from hugging her when she noticed how sunburnt she was. Still, the relief she felt seeing her friend safe and sound couldn't be expressed, "You made it back."
"Yeah…and I can see why you're not a fan of that desert by the way. It sucks." Tenten joked as she caught her breath and smiled at her friend. She noticed someone approaching and looked up to see a pensive, ashamed Ilia coming over to see her, "Hey. Did you and Blake finally come to an understanding?"
"You could say that." Ilia quietly said while looking aside meekly, "But it wasn't just her. I…I couldn't stop thinking about what you said too. It…" She rubbed her arm, "I'm sorry-"
"All good," Tenten quickly forgave her with a smile, leaving the chameleon girl stunned by the immediate response, "I'm just glad we had you on our side in the end."
As her two friends conversed, Blake couldn't help but smile in relief. Tenten was safe and Ilia was no longer fighting them. The Albains had been defeated and from the looks of the battle she passed while rushing into the manor, it looked like Yagura was gone. Her parents were okay and her friends were alive.
Yet she knew that this whole matter wasn't finished…not yet.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Once the fighting had died down and the rest of the island guard had arrived at the manor, the people of Kuo Kuana came to see the outcome of the battle.
Water and fire extinguishers were gathered to quickly put out the flames growing across the building, leaving several large holes and burnt blotches around the manor's exterior. Corsac, Fennec, Yuma, and Trifa were escorted out in binds and chains along with several other White Fang members. And there were bodies carried out on stretchers, those who had lost their lives in the raid and placed alongside Mizuki on a tarp outside of the manor.
On the porch of the manor, those who were injured were being attended to. Guards who had been beaten or hurt received first aid. Kali stayed by Ghira's side as he recovered from his fatigue. Tenten was checked for her severe dehydration and heatstroke. Sun and Blake sat by her side, asking her questions about her experience as she steadily sipped from a bottle to help her recover. Minato and Jiraiya were coordinating with the guards about what to do with all the White Fang being apprehended at the same time.
During all this, Ilia found herself nervously sitting beside Kushina, a former leader and Red Death of the White Fang. Before coming to Menagerie, Ilia had only seen the woman wearing a mask or from afar. Unlike Sienna or Adam, she and Danzō didn't take up frontline missions or join them in raids. The only thing she knew about Kushina was that she had worked closely with Adam while he gained power and then turned her back on the White Fang during the Fall of Beacon. Now here they were, sat on the sidelines while the last dredges of Menagerie's White Fang were arrested.
"I remember you from some of the meetings. And Danzō's last fight with Adam." Ilia flinched and looked over at Kushina as the older woman spoke, "Funny that we're meeting again here of all places. And I guess we're both turncoats now too."
"Y-Yeah," Ilia softly nodded and shuffled in her spot nervously, "H-How did you know that you couldn't do this anymore? Did Blake-"
"No," Kushina shook her head, "Didn't meet her until I came to this island. But I was forced into joining the White Fang, threatened into staying a part of it, and finally cutting ties once it was too late. Although," She spared the chameleon a faint smile, "I do think we share the fact that Blake talked us down from doing something we'd both regret."
"Yeah, I guess so." Ilia dejectedly nodded, "So…what do we do now?"
Before Kushina could answer, they heard the sounds of multiple approaching footsteps. They all looked over and saw many citizens of Kuo Kuana approaching and looking up at them, begging for clarity and answers to the madness that had happened today.
Ghira sighed, grabbing onto the wall and picking himself up while Kali tried to make him move slowly-
Blake was already making her way down the stairs before her father could get up. Everyone watched the young Huntress make her way down before reaching the bottom and facing the crowd of people. Faced with all their confused and concerned expressions, she suddenly felt like she had a dry throat and no breath.
With a quick inhale, and remembering all the people who had her back, Blake opened her eyes and spoke aloud for the crowd to hear, "For the last few weeks, we've been scared to tell you what we knew, because we didn't have enough evidence and we didn't want to scare you. And the White Fang has been lying, filtering everything to you so that you would believe and trust them. Now that this has happened, I'm going to tell you the truth!"
"The Albains and all their people were doing this on orders from Adam Taurus! A man I worked with and helped gain power in the White Fang! I was scared of what he was becoming and what he was willing to do, so I turned and ran before I could get dragged further into it! But that didn't stop him! He has carried on and followed through to become the High Leader of the White Fang and the one calling the shots! Now I don't know what you've heard or know about Adam, but I promise you it is worse than you can imagine! And he will drag everything and everyone into his crusade until he is satisfied - and he will never be satisfied!"
"Off this island, the way the White Fang should be led has been divisive, either non-violence through peaceful protest or violence in response to situations and threats. But Adam has chosen a different path – violence as a first and only resort to everything. It's what led to the attack on Vale and the Fall of Beacon! It's what led the peaceful sect of Menagerie's White Fang to attempt a violent, bloody coup! And it's what helped him steal the seat of High Leader from Sienna Khan so that he could make all the decisions without anyone stopping him!"
"I know most of you came to this island to escape from humanity and the problems of the Kingdoms." Blake looked out over everyone, "I won't tell you that those problems you ran away from have gotten any easier. I'm sure I know a few humans who would even agree that the way we're treated is just wrong. But the ones who are happy to make us enemies and look for a reason to hate us? They have it in Adam and his White Fang."
"It doesn't matter that most of us don't want to fight or just want to be left alone. Because all anyone sees or hears is the small group causing panic and chaos wherever they go. Actions speak louder than words and if we stay quiet then Adam will be speaking for all of us! He'll make war with humanity and separation our voices! And he'll start by razing Haven and Mistral together!"
The tension from the crowd was palpable, and Blake knew many of them were probably holding their breath from what she was saying. Her words were the cause of much tension and fear, but they needed to be said and she wouldn't stop now, "I know most of you don't want to get into a fight, and you probably don't see a reason to help humans when you don't feel like they'd do the same for us. But if Adam gets what he wants…everyone will suffer because of it." She clenched her fists, "He and his people need to be stopped. So I'm going to Mistral, and I'm going to stop him before he makes things any worse. And if I have to go alone-"
"Don't you dare." Blake looked back and saw Ilia, Tenten, Sun, Minato, Jiraiya, Kushina, Kali, and Ghira joining her on the stairs, "You aren't going into that alone."
"Let me come!" She turned back to the crowd and saw a young man her age step forward with his hand up, "I-I didn't like hearing about what the White Fang did to Beacon, and if this is more of what they're willing to do, they need to stop!"
"Yeah, me too!"
"And me!"
"I'll come with you!"
"I don't want them speaking for me anymore!"
A wave of influence started to pass through the crowd as more and more people raised their hands and offered their help. Soon Blake was faced with dozens of men and women who wanted to stop Adam's group from wrecking more havoc. And more people were stepping forward as the thought of a madman becoming the face of Faunus everywhere left a pit in their stomachs.
Tears started filling Blake's eyes but she quickly wiped them away before looking out proudly at the citizens of Menagerie. Kali came to her side and squeezed her hand as Ghira gently held her shoulder. Her friends and family came to stand by her side in their moment of triumph as their supporters continued to grow.
The coup was over and their numbers were bolstered.
The next stop was Mistral…and an end to Adam's madness once and for all.
((((((((Hunting))))))))
Done
We bring an end to the Menagerie plot once and for all, and marched forward to the inevitable conflict in Mistral.
So…I think I can get at least one more chapter out before the end of the year. And then the two-part finale sometime in the first month, hopefully. Then we'll be on our way to Vol. 6! I'm looking forward to that!
ReadxReview
Thank You and Bye