An Assassin's Rose: Heroes

Chapter 31: True Colors

Back with Blake, the young huntress was running through the halls before she bursts through the doors that led to a forked hallway.

She hears the sounds of fighting to her right and proceeds down the left hallway.

And right now, in a large room that had a second story balcony, and on this balcony was Ilia.

Who has now donned her Grimm mask and just stayed there, crouched on the balcony railing, listening to the sounds of everyone fighting.

She then hears the door open and sees someone walk in on the floor below her.

Blake takes a defensive stance as she notices her former friend standing up on the railing above her.

Standing up, Ilia looks down at Blake for a moment before she slowly reaches for her weapon.

And Blake did the same.

With their weapons out, they stared each other down.

"Did you come in here to hide?" Blake asked.

"I told you, I didn't want this." Ilia stated.

"But you're still here!" Blake announced, narrowing her eyes at the Chameleon Faunus.

"I don't have a choice!" Ilia exclaimed.

"Of course, you do!" Blake yelled back and took a step forward.

Tightening her grip on her weapon, Ilia looks away from Blake.

Having enough, Blake decided that this was not worth it. "Just... stay out of my way."

Blake puts Gambol Shroud on her back and starts walking away.

But suddenly, Ilia leaps and charges at Blake but when her weapon made contact, it was revealed to be a clone.

And the real Blake was in fact right behind her a few feet away.

Standing up, Ilia turns to look at Blake and lets her weapon, now in whip mode fall to the floor.

But it only stayed there for a second before Ilia quickly begins to attack Blake.

Thankfully, Blake dodges and rolls out of the way.

Running along the desks and chairs in the room as Ilia tried numerous times to use her whip to hit her, but thanks to the furniture and Blake's own maneuvering skills, she managed to dodge every single attack.

Skidding to a stop on a table, Blake blocks a few attacks before she jumps into the air and uses her ribbon to wrap around Ilia's wrist.

Ilia gasped in shock and before she could do anything, she is pulled toward Blake, followed up with the latter kicking the chameleon Faunus to the ground.

Landing on her back, Ilia quickly gets up and blocks an attack from Blake's blade.

And while they were trying to overpower one another Blake took the time to ask. "Why do you feel like we have to hurt people to get our way?!"

"Because it works!" Ilia replies as she tries to stand her ground, even though Blake was obviously stronger than her.

"That doesn't make it right!" Blake stated.

Ilia pulls the trigger on her weapon, generating an electrical charge that causes Blake to scream in pain and throw her katana a few feet away from her.

Blake pulls out her cleaver, but Ilia jumps from the desk and does a turn kick that knocks Blake over another desk, causing her to drop her weapon.