(Menagerie)
Inside the White Fang's Menagerie office, in particular, the small shrine area somewhere near the back where both Fennec and Corsac are praying at their altar in silence. During their praying to the picture frame in front of them, they hear a knock on the door.
Fennec & Corsac: "Come in."
The door open to reveal Trifa who enters the room with them.
Corsac: "What is it, sister Trifa?"
Trifa: "I came to inform you that sister Ilia has arrived."
Fennec and Corsac share a glance with one another before turning to face Trifa.
Fennec: "Good. Let her in."
Trifa: "Of course,
Outside of the shrine arena, Ilia is greeted by both Trifa and Yuma, sharing a hug with them.
Ilia: "It's so good to see you two."
Trifa: "Likewise, Ilia."
Yuma: "You should get going. Fennec and Corsac are waiting for you."
Ilia: "Okay. I'll talk to you guys later."
They wave goodbye to her as she enters the shrine area as she's greeted by the Albain Brothers.
Fennec: "Ah, sister Ilia."
Corsac: "Good to see you."
In response, Ilia bend to one knee and now to them.
Ilia: "Likewise, sir."
Fennec: "Please stand up."
As instructed, Ilia firmly stands up, facing the two.
Corsac: "Your boat must have been quick because we were not expecting your arrival so soon."
Ilia: "I... I wanted to get a head-start and visit Menagerie and its scenery, that's all."
As she said this, she shifts her gaze a bit as the Albain Brothers share a glance with one another before turning their attention to Ilia.
Fennec: "Is there another reason. sister Ilia?"
After a moment of silence, Ilia then hands them over the data chip, given to her by Adam. The brothers look at for a bit before looking over to Ilia.
Corsac: "Regardless, we'll have you start working tomorrow."
Fennec: "For now, we recommend you getting situated on Menagerie and rest up."
Ilia: "Okay. I was planning to stretch my legs anyway."
This is when Trifa and Yuma enter the shrine arena as Ilia turn to face them.
Trifa: "We can show you around town."
Yuma: "Then you can us some stories over your stay in Mistral."
Ilia: "Sure..."
She then turns to look at the Albain Brothers.
Ilia: "I'll be going now."
They nod to her as Ilia and her friends leave the shrine area room, closing the door behind them. Fennec and Corsac soon retreat to their little sanctuary and start playing Adam's message via the data chip.
[Minus the outfit Adam is wearing. He's still wearing his old outfit.]
Fennec & Corsac: "Adam..."
Adam: "Fennec. Corsac. I'm trusting you as old friends to help me save the White Fang from this wave of moderation oozing into the organization. Our former leader, Kin Onrio being overthrown and arrested has upset a plan that has and will benefit the White Fang greatly. And I need your help to ensure the White Fang's continued success. I need you two to use your unique way with words to 'slander' Ghira Belladonna and tarnish his reputation. When he's at his lowest point, make sure he'll no longer be a factor. Him and the human he and his family are harboring in their home. Y/N L/N, the traitorous ex-Faunus ally. I want them both gone for good and for the cause."
After that, the message shuts off as the Albain Brothers are left to meditate.
Fennec & Corsac: ("Y/N L/N... A human... in Menagerie...")
Corsac: "It seems brother Adam intends to go against Sienna and her leadership."
Fennec: "And with Sienna and Ghira out of the picture, brother Adam will easily fill a power vacuum."
Corsac: "So... what shall we do, brother Fennec?"
Fennec: "Hmm... we'll follow brother Adam's plan... to an extent."
Corsac: "What about sister Ilia?"
Fennec: "Well, it would be horrible if she got herself wrapped up in brother Adam's 'world view,' becoming so subservient to him."
Corsac: "Indeed. It would seem once Ghira is out of the way, we'll have to turn sister Ilia and brother Adam over to the kingdom's authorities for their actions."
Fennec: "Leaving another power vacuum in the White Fang."
Corsac: "That we'll gladly fill in for them."
Glancing each other, the two start quietly laughing to themselves. As their laughter fade, they continue to stare at the picture frame before them.
Fennec: "What about this traitor of a Faunus ally that Adam mentioned? Y/N, I believe is his name."
Corsac: "Hm... it's merely one human... he won't pose much of a threat to our plan... but just in case, we'll have sister Ilia, and the others dispose of him when the time is right."
Fennec: "Agreed."
__________________________________________________________________
(Blake)
After waving Yuma and Trifa goodbye, Ilia gaze upon the Belladonna household in the distance. Taking a deep breath, Ilia starts walking towards it. After some time of walking, Ilia has reached the front door of the household. She stares at it for a bit before begin knocking on the front door. This is when she hears a couple of voices inside the house, one that she's familiar with and another voice she isn't familiar with.
Sun: "I got it!"
Ghira: "No, I'm answering the door."
Sun: "Too late! I'm already closer to the door."
Ghira: "Ugh."
The front door open to reveal Sun, much to Ilia's surprise.
Sun: "Hello."
Ilia: "Uhm... hi?"
Sun: "Can I help you with something?"
Ilia: "I... uh... I'm sorry but, this is household belong to the Belladonnas, right?"
Sun: "Of course! Wait, who are you exactly?"
Ilia: "Oh, my name is Ilia. I'm an old friend of Blake. I came to see her."
This is when Ghira approach the front door to see Ilia.
Ghira: "Ah, a friend of Blake. Please come in."
Ilia enters the house as Ghira and Sun take her to the dining room as Ghira gives them a tray with two cups of tea.
Ghira: "You stay put. I'll go get Blake."
Once Ghira left, Sun and Ilia sit around the dining table as an awkward silence ensues. Not wanting the silence to continue, Ilia proceeds to ask.
Ilia: "So... I have to ask... who are you?"
Sun: "Hm, oh! I'm Sun. I'm also a friend of Blake. We met at Beacon."
Ilia: "I see."
As Sun drink from his cup, the chameleon Faunus then decide to push further with her questioning.
Ilia: "Uhm,,, like... a boyfriend from Beacon?"
This makes Sun's eyes widen before choking on his tea, making Ilia worried.
Ilia: "A-Are you okay?"
Coughing, Sun quickly responds back.
Sun: "Yeah... I'm fine... just wasn't expecting it..."
After Sun compose himself, he places down his cup before facing Ilia.
Sun: "We're not a couple and I don't think Blake isn't really in the right headspace to think about romance and stuff at the moment... considering everything that has happened." ("Especially with Y/N and Blake giving each other some space... but I'm sure they'll work it out.")
Ilia: "Oh... I see. Sorry for... making you choke on your drink."
Sun: "Like I said, it's fine. It happened to me before not too long ago."
As Sun get himself cozy in his seat, he then goes to ask.
Sun: "So, how did you and Blake meet?"
Ilia: "Well, we met while we were in the White Fang. I believe we were around 11 or 12 years old. Blake is one of my oldest friends."
Sun sour at this, narrowing his eyes as he mutters, "White Fang" under his breath. His reaction makes Ilia somewhat confused just as Blake comes into the room.
Blake: "Okay, I'm here-"
Her words are disrupted upon seeing Ilia as she becomes visibly surprised to see her. Both Ilia and Blake lock eyes at one another as Blake becomes a little uncomfortable when Ilia wordlessly stare at her. Ghira, who followed Blake, place another cup of tea on the table for Blake in order to extract himself from the incoming conversation.
Ghira: "I'll go check on your mother in the guest room."
Blake goes to sit across from Ilia as Sun shift his eyes between Blake and Ilia, being aware of the dead silence in the room.
Ilia: "Hey, Blake..."
Blake: "Hey..."
Ilia: "Lovely house you have here."
Blake: "That's what happen when your dad becomes chieftain."
The room becomes silence once more and in a couple moments later, Sun goes to speak.
Sun: "Well... this is awkward."
Ilia: "I'm sorry, Blake. I would have called ahead that I would be here, if I knew your scroll number."
Blake: "I ditch mine on the train to Vale... so Adam or the White Fang wouldn't track me down."
Her response makes Ilia be taken aback before she finally asks her.
Ilia: "Blake... why did you leave the White Fang?"
Her question makes Sun's eyes widen a bit as well as Blake only for Blake to calm herself down as she answers back.
Blake: "You really want to know?"
Ilia nods her head, which makes Blake take a deep breath.
Meanwhile, Y/N slowly walk towards the kitchen to get a glass of water, while clutching his bandaged left arm.
Y/N #3: ("Just a quick drink and I'll go back to my room. Hm?")
He overhears some talking at the dining room nearby. Y/N goes to hide behind the corner and as he peers a little, he spots Blake and Sun sitting with someone he's never seen before.
Y/N #3: ("Who's that?")
Blake: "I left because I saw the changes that were happening in the White Fang. The more violent tactics and even though I went along with them, there was always something in the back of my mind that told me that... it was the wrong path to take, Ilia."
Y/N #3: ("Wait, Ilia? White Fang? She's talking to a White Fang member right now?")
Y/N continues to listen in the conversation, hiding behind the corner, while holding his bandaged left arm.
Blake: "And Adam became the breaking point, because at some point, he went from someone I trusted to being a monster willing to kill indiscriminately to get what he wants. And the worst part is, I saw all of those symptoms slowly spreading through the entire White Fang, not just the Vale Branch like Fennec and Corsac have been saying. When I heard the news that Sienna is in charge now, I feel... hopeful."
Ilia: "What about Sienna?"
Blake: "She always had a good head on her shoulders and while she was always more extreme than me, she had a conscience and a moral barometer."
In response, Ilia shook her head before responding.
Ilia: "While my stomach churns knowing some of the things we've had to do while in the White Fang... I still think all of the successes we made outweighs the bad. Consumer discrimination in Mistral is down 30% and dropping. The Atlesian Faunus Work Bill, cutting the pay gap in Vale. All of those were accomplished while Onrio took a more aggressive stance as our leader."
Hearing her remark, Blake then retorts.
Blake: "Then, what was the cost of that? Hate crimes towards Faunus rose across all the kingdoms. I've seen how the White Fang became the scapegoat for racists and so-called human supremacists to torture innocent Faunus. People are learning to fear the Faunus, not respect them."
Clenching her fists, Ilia snarls back at her.
Ilia: "Humans should be afraid because that's how the Faunus had to live for centuries. It's only right that we get payback from them!"
Her remark makes Y/N irritated as Blake stands up from her spot, raising her voice, and asks.
Blake: "So what?! An eye for an eye now! That's barbaric! We'll all go blind, Ilia."
Ilia quickly replies back.
Ilia: "At least, if we're all blind, we'll be equal!"
Y/N #3: ("That analogy... it doesn't work like that... at all.")
Before Y/N can say or do anything, Sun goes to interject at this moment.
Sun: "Uhm, I don't think that's how the analogy works."
Ilia turns to glare at Sun.
Ilia: "Shut up!"
She then proceeds to stand from her spot and pokes Blake in the chest as they stare each other down, all while Y/N slightly peer around the corner.
Ilia: "Once the White Fang is in charge of things, the world will be a better place."
Blake: "Better how? Better like the Vale Breach? Or the Fall of Beacon?"
Ilia stops poking at Blake as she responds.
Ilia: "If the humans fail to recognize us... then yes. Like the Breach. Like Beacon."
This makes Blake slightly gasp as she points out. As for Y/N, his eyes widen upon hearing Ilia's response, anger and irritation plastered in his face as he quickly turns around the corner to face her.
Y/N #3: "That's not equality!"
His sudden appearance and words caught them by surprise, especially with Ilia.
Sun: "Y/N?"
Blake: "Why are you up?"
Ilia: "Y-You are-"
Y/N #3: "I came to get a glass of water until I heard your conversation..."
He then turns to glare at Ilia.
Y/N #3: "You call it equality but, you're just advocating genocide at this point!"
Realizing who this is, Ilia yells back.
Ilia: "Better you humans than us!"
Y/N #3: "What was that!?"
Ilia: "You heard me! The White Fang will bring true equality, even if it means getting rid of humans like you."
Y/N: "You little-"
Before he could finish, he starts wincing in pain a bit, bending to his knees and clutching his wound, which cause Sun to rush over to his side, followed by Blake.
Sun: "You alright man?"
Y/N #3: "Yeah, just a little pain is all."
Blake then turns to stare down Ilia, utterly appalled from her remark.
Blake: "That's now how anything works, Ilia. Humans and Faunus are in the world together and need each other."
As she said this, Blake gestures a hand to Y/N as Y/N slowly get up with Sun's help. Ilia steps back a bit with a shock expression in her face.
Ilia: "I... I can't believe what I'm hearing. After everything we experienced together in the White Fang, after everything that I told you about my parents dying in the Atlas's dust mines, after hearing about my school friends laughing at the mineshaft collapse... I thought... we understood each other."
Blake: "I can't believe what I'm hearing either... you sound just like Adam."
Ilia: "Huh?"
The still-recovering Y/N cuts in.
Y/N #3: "Justifying your hatred towards humans because you were personally affected by a small group of bad humans. That's something Adam would do and... you're just doing the same thing."
Ilia, in response, yells back as she glares at both Blake and Y/N.
Ilia: "Adam was right! All humans do are mock, degrade, and enslave the Faunus... that bastard over there is no different."
Y/N #3: "Me?! What the hell did I ever do to you?!"
Ilia: "Shut it, human!"
She then turns to Blake once more.
Ilia: "And if you can't see that, Blake... then you really are a lost cause."
She continues to glare at Blake, heartbroken written all over her face as she begins to tear up. Ilia's voice, however, maintains the anger and doesn't waver.
Ilia: "I... I thought you were one of us, Blake."
Tired, Blake slowly replies back.
Blake: "I don't think... I was ever one of you."
This makes Ilia stunned for a bit before shaking her head and stomping out the front door.
Ilia: "Adam was right. Humans like him have filled your head with garbage."
Y/N #3: "I haven't done shit!"
Blake: "Y/N, calm down."
Outside the Belladonna household, Ilia stands in place and hold back her emotions, swallowing them down with a deep breath before marching onward with Blake watching from the doorway the entire time. From the side, Kali and Ghira pops in.
Ghira: "That conversation didn't particularly go well."
Kali: "No, it didn't."
Blake turns to her parents with some level of irritation in her face.
Blake: "You were eavesdropping?"
Kali & Ghira: "Yes."
Blake let out a groan as Y/N, being supported by Sun, slowly walk up to her.
Y/N #3: "Who the hell was that?"
Blake: "That was Ilia. A... former friend of mine when I was in the White Fang."
Y/N #3: "I see. So... what now?"
Kali: "You, young man, need to get back to your room."
Y/N #3: "I just wanted to get some water."
Ghira: "I'll get a glass. Sun, take him to his room and don't drop him."
Sun: "On it."
Blake: "I'll be in my room if you need me."
As Blake walk off, all Y/N can do is stare after her as Sun helps him go to his room.
Y/N #3: ("I hope she'll be okay. That whole exchange with that Ilia really upset her and me too. Hope I don't run into her again.")
__________________________________________________________________
(Yang)
Over to Patch, Yang and Neptune are doing some light sparring nearby the clinic as part of their rehab. Occasionally, one of Yang's punches with her mechanical arm will go off target, making Yang to ponder that she needs to make some kind of adjustments. As for Neptune, he tends to ask her for breaks in-between their sparring to sit down and rest his back. Despite that, none of this stops Neptune to make light chit-chat with Yang.
Neptune: "You know, you've been quite sluggish these past few days, Yang. I wonder... are you still thinking about your teammates or with Y/N-?"
Yang: "Shut it."
She immediately flexes to punch him only to stop mere inches away from him before calming herself down as the flickering of some fire on her hair begins to fade. This is when Tai steps in.
Tai: "Look, you two. Things has been... tensed around rehab lately but, I'm hoping that having a new friend along for the ride may break the ice. Say hello to your newest rehab buddy, Jane."
When Tai step aside, Yang and Neptune see a certain short girl, using her parasol like a cane as Y/N, who's left arm is bandaged up, hold her free arm and hand to support her in walking.
Y/N #4: "Easy now. Don't want you to fall."
Yang: ("Neo...!")
Upon seeing this girl, Yang's eyes widen and her hair flicker into small flames as she launches forward and smoothly pins Neo to the wall, much to the shock of Y/N, Tai, and Neptune.
Yang: "You! What the hell are you doing here?!"