Walking through the market, I looked around for anyone that was on the list. The list being people who were on Ilia's scroll that spoke of overthrowing the current High Leader of the current White Fang. I stopped once I saw a Fannus purchasing a switchblade from a shop keep. Looking at the list, he was one of Ilia's associates. "Target found spotted, Iron's Market." I informed as I placed a finger on my ear.
"I see him." I heard Blake, with me looking in her direction and seeing her approaching him. Blake narrowed her eyes and reached behind her.
"Easy, don't scare him off." I said as I approached from the other side. "It's just us, Sun and your father went to go speak to Corsac and Fennec, if he gets away-"
"He wont." Blake interrupted, where she looked at me. Blake and I nod at each other and continued on, moving forward and maneuvering our way through the crowd as it was building up. It was the busiest time of the day after all.
The Faunus identified as Ilia's associate pays for the switchblade and tucks it into his back pocket, smiling and satisfied with the transaction. The shopkeeper behind the booth suddenly looks toward Blake. Noticing this, Ilia's associate follows his gaze, and his expression changes as he spots Blake.
Blake takes out Gambol Shroud and her jaw drops a bit when she realizes that she has been made. The male Faunus grunts and immediately draws his revolver and shoots at Blake twice. One shot is blocked by the wide side of Blake's sheath while the second one misses. The associate flees, but before he could run my way he stopped and changed directions, with us giving chase. Around them, as we run, other Faunus are drawing back in alarm at the unexpected fight happening in their midst.
Blake and I continued chasing the associate, who turns around and fires two more shots before they were pulled out of his hands and into mine. He looks at his revolver, then quickly runs down another street.
The chase lead to a less populated area, down an alley where someone is under their tractor doing some maintenance or repairs. The fleeing Faunus takes out the switchblade he had just purchased. With a flip, he uses it to detach the tractor from its hitched-on wagon. The wagon came rolling downhill toward us, while the associate continues down another alley.
Pedestrians jump out of the way of the runaway wagon while Blake stops and tensely assesses how to handle it. Before she can do anything, I dropped the revolvers and held my hands out, slowing the waggon. Once it came to a complete stop, I looked at Blake. "Go!" I ordered as Blake leaps into the air and tosses the kusarigama form of Gambol Shroud at the crates on the wagon.
Once it sinks into the wood, she swings herself through the air, runs along a wall to keep up her speed, and slings herself into the alley that our target retreated into. Looking around, I did my best to find something that I could ise as a stopper. Seeing some bricks, I let the wagon go and moved the bricks over to the wheels. Once they were in place, the Wagon stopped, with me running after Blake.
Hearing a crash, I entered the alley, with me seeing Blake standing there, looking up. Rushing up to her, I looked at the wreckage before turning to her. "Are you okay?" I asked, with her nodding.
"I'm fine... He got away is all." Blake said, with me looking at the roof and then to Blake, where she turns and walks off, not giving me any further explanation. Though not looking back, Blake lowers her face and briefly speaks over her shoulder. "I'm sorry." She said, with me walking with her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder, doing my best to cheer her up.
I could feel someone in the area, and as I turned to look at Blake, I could of sworn I saw someone looking down at is from the rooftops. If I had to guess, it was Ilia.
Later
Sitting in the middle of Ghria's study, I meditated, taking apart the lightsaber and putting it back together. One thing I learned, was that Kyber Crystals and Dust Crystals are the same, but different at the same time. Dust Crystals were the early forms of Kyber Crystals, and if left untouched and alone for thousands of years, they can evolve into Kyber Crystals due to the will of the force, or through strong emotions. That was how I was able to Bleed the Dust Crystal into a Red Kyber Crystal.
The crystal that was in this lightsaber was most definitely a Kyber Crystal, a black center with a white outline. It was incomplete when it was changing into a Kyber Crystal from a Dust Crystal, but because of this it has given it the properties of both Dust and Kyber Crystals, meaning I can use it as a Dust based weapon and use it all up or keep it as a Kyber Crystal and keep it forever as such.
Hearing the door open, I cracked an eye open and saw Blake walking in. She sat down across from me, looking at the parts of the lightsaber. "Why is this one more complex than the one you made back then?" Blake asked as she placed her saber in front of her, placing it on the ground.
"Is it?" I asked as I put the lightsaber back together and set it down. Lifting her saber, I took it apart. Blade Emitter Shroud, Blade Intensity Adjust, Recharge Socket, Activation Lever, Power Cell covered by the Handgrip, Belt Ring, Diagnostic Systems, Blade Length Adjust, finaly the Dust Crystal. On the inside, it was more wires than body, and because of that the blade was weaker. "Do you remember how this blade was made?" I asked as I had no memory of constructing it.
"Sadly no." Blake said while shaking her head. "Weiss only got her hands on this through Glynda, but said you used it to save her when you first met." She said, with me nodding my head as I put the saber back together. "From what I know, Glynda sent you to Atlas to see Weiss's show, and took your weapons from you as it was supposed to be peaceful. So something must of happened between the time you left Vale and reached Atlas."
"I see." I said as I grabbed the handle, looking it over. "It looks rushed, especially with how smooth it is." I said as I stood up and pulled my lightsaber up as I did. "These lines... they aren't decorative." I said as I undid the saber once more. "The metal frame was bent to fit its needs." I said as I unbent the metal, aligning them up to form a symbol.
"The... Schnee Dust Corporation logo?" Blake said as she stood next to me and looked it over. "You made this with schnee parts?" She asked as she looked at me.
"I think... he built it in a rush, because something was going on, and only used this as the case." I said, looking at the inner linings and saw that it was still together.
"Why do you refer to yourself as he?" She said, where she thought about what she said. "Why do you refer to your old self as he and not I?" She rephrased, more confident in herself.
"Because he and I are still two different beings." I said as I put the saber togetger and placed it in her hand. "He died. I was born in a lab. We're not the same person." I reminded as I watched her head lower.
"Right... I get it." She said as she turned around and walked over to the door. "I'm... going to get some air." She said as she stopped at the door before opening it and stepping outside. Sighing, I sat down again and meditated. I needed that answer as well. Was I Dakota even though I was his clone?
Feeling that Blake was still outside the door, I opened one of my eyes and saw that the door was cracked open. Getting up, I walked over to the door and was about to open it when I heard her speak.
"-and Fennec blamed you. We confronted them tonight, and they deny knowing anything and everything found on your Scroll. They talked about how disappointed they were to hear that you'd sided with Adam. But you and I both know they're guilty." Blake said, where I pulled my hand back and turned around, leaning my back against the wall next to the door.
Ilia was her friend, and she wanted to save her from the darkness. "You can't prove anything." Ilia said, not sounding too confident but confident nonetheless.
"That Scroll might not have been enough to lock them up, but it's enough to sway the Faunus here. When we go public tomorrow, they're not going to stand for any of it. And neither should you." Blake informed, with me closing my eyes.
"Your plan isn't gonna work, Blake... Please... just leave Menagerie before it's too late." Ilia begged, with me looking at the door and seeing Blake looking off to the side.
Blake stares in silence for a few moments. "You're going to have to make me." Blake threatens, with me smiling as she was going to stand up for what was right.
Ilia remains silent for a few moments before responding. "I know." Ilia said sadly, with me hearing a step before Blake turns away and gains an angry expression, her cat ears folding. After a moment, the anger fades, and she sighs, taking on a saddened expression. Pushing off the wall, I walked back over to my position to go back to meditating.