Chapter 42

Forget the potential for a physical beating. Mitsuru knew she was in for one hell of an emotional one and decided to preempt it. She charged straight at the shadow before it could say a word. Just before reaching it she slammed into an invisible barrier, bounced off and fell on her back. "I don't think so." Thanatos taunted. "The shadow has something to say and you're going to listen."

Her facade of confidence shattered, Mitsuru stood and waited for the shadow to speak. "Just get it over with!" She growled.

"Anything for you Senpai." The shadow said, its words dripping with sarcasm. "How have you been? Still crusading? Still burdening innocents with your shame? You have the nerve to call them friends. You claim to be righting the wrongs of your family's past but you just add to them."

"I've been carrying on by myself thank you." Mitsuru said.

"By yourself?" The shadow said. "I see three others you dragged here. Are they so insignificant that you don't even consider them? That's hardly surprising coming from you. Just look what you did to me, without the slightest worry. First your family destroyed mine, made my life a living hell, then you put a gun in my hand and made me fight monsters."

"Yukari volunteered." Mitsuru protested. "I was trying to make things right."

"By keeping secrets and putting my life in danger?" The shadow countered. "It seems to me like you were trying to tie up loose ends. Maybe you were always just looking for people to use. You're very good at that, using people. You drove Shinjiro to his grave. You sent a 10 year old into combat. Makoto's dead because of you."

"We saved the world." Mitsuru said. "I did what I had to."

"The world wouldn't have been in danger if not for you." The shadow said. "None of it was necessary. Then you got the notion that you were helping into your head and every step pushed us closer to the brink. So many lives destroyed, for nothing! You're are your grandfather's granddaughter. At least he didn't have the chutzpah to pretend he was anything other than a monster. You greet your 'friends' with a smile then force them straight into danger. Hasn't your family done enough damage?"

"Just stop it!" Mitsuru demanded. "I don't force anyone to do anything. We fight together to make the world a better place. I share every danger they do. I would never ask them to do anything against their will, and I certainly wouldn't just throw their lives away."

"And yet here you are." The shadow said. "You're all going to die here, and it's all your fault."

Mitsuru sighed. "Are you done?" She asked.

"I'm done." The shadow said. "Now it's time for you to die." The shadow drew three arrows from its quiver, nocked them and drew the bow. With a wicked smile the shadow released the bowstring and the deadly projectiles sailed through the air toward Mitsuru.

Mitsuru lifted her left arm in front of her and a shield made of ice crystalized around it. The arrows embedded themselves in the shield as Mitsuru stomped toward the shadow. She was angry and intent on taking out that anger on the shadow. She swung her arm to the side and the shield slid off, shattering on the ground beside her. The shadow drew and fired another arrow. Mitsuru used another ice shield to catch it too but something was different this time. This arrow was beeping. It exploded, slamming Mitsuru down on her back. Her arm hurt badly but appeared undamaged. Like Akihiko she was now convinced on the whole aura thing.

Mitsuru jumped to her feet just in time for an arrow to whiz past her head. The shadow smiled and laughed. It drew three more arrows and fired. Worried bombs may be among the latest volley, she created a wall of ice between them with a wave of her hand. The arrows slammed into the wall and stuck. One exploded, blasting a small chunk out of the barrier. No longer having things its own way, the shadow stopped smiling. Mitsuru patched the wall as the shadow prepared to fire again. It let loose its arrows but did not stop there. It thrust its arms forward and a blast of wind propelled the arrows. With the powerful tailwind the arrows easily sliced through the ice. Mitsuru hastily attempted to dodge. She managed to avoid one arrow and deflect another with her sword. The third hit her in the chest and splintered on her aura.

The shadow fired another wind-accelerated salvo. Mitsuru ran forward toward her ice wall. As the arrows made contact she vaulted over it, letting the arrows pass harmlessly. She continued running straight at the shadow. The shadow tried to move but a wave of Mitsuru's hand encased the shadow's foot in ice and locked it in place. Mitsuru stabbed forward with all her might. The shadow bent over backwards to dodge the attack, snared Mitsuru's blade with its bow and then with a twist sent Mitsuru flipping forward. Mitsuru landed on her shoulder, and lost her grip on her weapon. The shadow stabbed at her with an arrow and Mitsuru rolled over onto her stomach and out of the way. She reached for her sword but the shadow pushed it away with a blast of wind. Mitsuru got to her knees and lunged forward into the shadow, knocking it off its feet. She sprung up and encased the shadow in ice. As the shadow struggled to free itself, Mitsuru rushed for her sword.

Mitsuru reached her sword, picked it up without stopping and kept moving. The shadow broke free of its frozen bonds and began to fire arrows at Mitsuru as she ran. Even with wind powering and adjusting the flight of its arrows, the shadow was unable to hit its target. Mitsuru circled around, slowly closing in on the shadow. She was not going to repeat her mistake by being overly aggressive. She again locked the shadow's feet in place with ice but this time did not charge. The shadow lifted its bow to fire but Mitsuru froze its arms in place. As it struggled to break free Mitsuru increased her onslaught until she had entirely encased the shadow. Now was her moment and Mitsuru charged. Just before reaching the shadow an explosion showered her with ice chips.

At the cost of absorbing the force of the explosion the shadow had freed itself. Mitsuru hesitated. The shadow did not miss the opportunity and hit her with a powerful blast of wind. Mitsuru sailed across the arena and slammed into the retaining wall. She fell to the floor on her stomach and did not get up. The shadow walked over with a confident smile. "The last Kirijo falls here." The shadow hissed. Standing over Mitsuru it drew back and arrow, aiming for Mitsuru's head.

"Not a chance!" Mitsuru yelled. She rolled over and blasted the shadow with ice. In seconds the surprised shadow was encased again. Mitsuru stood before it. She took a deep breath and kicked it with all her strength. The shadow shattered into innumerable pieces that clattered across the arena floor. The pieces burst into glowing ash that evaporated away.

"A cold heart wielding ice." Thanatos sneered. "You've won."

Mitsuru ascended the ramp to rejoin the others. "My expectations were shattered." Yang laughed. Mitsuru drew her blade and held it to Yang's throat. "Uh...was it something I said?"

"Calm down." Akihiko said, grabbing Mitsuru by the arm to pull her weapon away. "Sorry, she really doesn't like puns."

"Why?" Yang asked. "Puns are the best!"

"The asshole who tricked us into almost causing the end of the world told puns all the time." Akihiko explained. "They still make her a little touchy."

"Sho, the guy who started the incident with Labrys, is big on puns too." Rise explained.

"I apologize." Mitsuru said. "I'm still worked up after the fight. That shadow was...unpleasant."

"When you've had as many guns pointed at you as I have, having a blade at your throat isn't that big a deal." Yang laughed. "I'll try to control myself with the puns."

"So, did you notice anything important?" Naoto asked.

"I certainly felt something as the shadow was being created." Mitsuru replied. "I can't really explain it. It felt a bit like something was being pulled out of me, but it wasn't painful. I didn't feel any weaker either. I'm sorry, if I'd been able to keep my emotions in check more effectively I may have noticed more."

"Don't worry about it." Blake said. "Until Naoto had her turn, none of us noticed anything. Besides, we did learn something. Thanatos is willing to change the rules on the fly. He wouldn't let you fight until the shadow had an opportunity to speak."

"Yes, about my shadow…" Mitsuru trailed off. With a huff she turned to Akihiko, Aigis and Labrys. "I'm sorry for putting you all in danger."

"Would you cut it out?" Akihiko said. "Quit apologizing for stuff you don't need to apologize for. We're not here because you made us. We're here because we want to be."

"Still, I've been selfish and done a lot of damage." Mitsuru said.

"You were just attempting to do what you thought was best." Aigis said. "You cannot be blamed for making an honest attempt at doing what is right."

"And don't let that shadow make you think you're like your grandfather." Labrys added. "You're nothing like him. You're a good person and a good friend."

"Thank you all." Mitsuru said. "It really means a lot to hear that."

"We're here for you no matter what." Akihiko said. "And we know you're here for us." He paused and turned to the others. "So, who's fighting next?"

"I think that's me." Weiss said.

"Worried?" Rise asked.

"A little." Weiss admitted. "My family has a sordid history too. I guess I'm a bit like you Mitsuru, trying to right my family's wrongs. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm in for but my shadow said pretty much all of it the last time. Truth be told, I'm actually more concerned about the fight itself. Historically I've been hit-or-miss. I'm probably better supporting someone else than fighting on my own. I'm not great at taking hits."

"You're a great fighter!" Ruby encouraged her. "I'm sure you'll do great."

"You'll be fine." Blake added. "You're more than capable of defeating any opponent."

"Weiss Schnee, it's time." Thanatos announced. "Enter the arena."

Weiss walked down the ramp to the arena floor. She immediately took up her stance, breathing in a calm and metered manner that benefitted concentration and relaxation. She would be ready. A mass of black liquid rose from the arena floor and began to pile on top of itself. It resolved into the form of a very tall masked man wielding a gigantic chainsaw. It was the White Fang lieutenant Weiss had fought aboard the train. That fight had gone exceptionally poorly. "Wonderful." Weiss grumbled under her breath.

"He was so excited by his chance to kill a Schnee the first time." Thanatos said. "How could I not give him a second chance?"

"This time your traitorous friend can't save you." The shadow growled. "I'll strike a blow for every Faunus. Every Schnee killed is one step closer to justice."

"You do realize that unlike my father I actually recognize that the Faunus are treated unfairly?" Weiss questioned. "I'm not an enemy."

"Funny, your actions lead to the deaths of many of my comrades in those tunnels." The shadow said. "That sounds like an enemy to me."

"Give me a break." Weiss said. "They were trying to kill people, innocent people. I don't care if you're a Faunus or not, I can't let that happen."

"You talk about your sympathy for the Faunus and how much you want to change things, but I know how you really feel." The shadow said. "You fear the Faunus. You hate the Faunus. How could you not after all they did to your family? You can't even trust your own teammate. No matter what she does, no matter how much she helps you, you can't help but keep an eye on her. She's probably just waiting for you to let your guard down so she can stab you in the back."

"That was once true." Weiss admitted. "But now I would trust Blake with my life and I'd put my own on the line to save hers, even knowing about her past."

"But do you really know about her past?" The shadow asked. "If you knew the whole truth you might change your mind. It doesn't really matter though. As a Schnee you'll eventually join your father in oppressing the Faunus, Blake included. It's not all your fault, you're just born evil."

"I'm different." Weiss seethed. "I am nothing like my father!"

"You might have a point." The shadow said. "He is alive." The shadow revved its colossal chainsaw and ran at Weiss.

Weiss waited as the shadow approached. As it swung its weapon around she crouched and leapt over its head, landing behind it. Weiss had intended to attack the shadow's back but it continued its rotation, quickly swinging its chainsaw around. Weiss backflipped away as the weapon whipped past, continuing in an acrobatic series of flips and tumbles until she was several meters clear of her opponent. She cycled Myrtenaster and with a whipping motion lanced a line of fire at the shadow. The line of flames slammed into the shadow and erupted in a massive fireball.

The shadow stomped out of the smoke and flames, parts of its clothing still on fire. It produced a disturbing laugh as it inexorably advanced toward Weiss. She created a glyph just below the shadow. With incredible speed it jumped back as a column of ice shot out of the ground. It grunted and swung its weapon, shattering the thick ice column as easily as if it were made of tissue paper. Weiss cycled Myrtenaster and fired a series of icy projectiles at the shadow. The missiles impacted the shadow and burst, but still it kept advancing.

The shadow lunged forward and swung its chainsaw. Weiss was not expecting the attack. The weapon struck her in the stomach and sent her flying into the nearby wall. She glanced off the wall at an oblique angle and rolled across the floor. Using her sword as a crutch Weiss pushed herself back to her feet. The shadow was already upon her. It grabbed her by the throat and slammed her back to the ground. The shadow swung its chainsaw around and over its head and brought it crashing down. Weiss rolled out of the way, planted a foot and threw herself toward the shadow. She crashed into the shadow's leg. Already off balance from its missed attack, the shadow tripped and fell on its face.

Weiss jumped to her feet and began furiously slashing at the shadow's back with her sword. Her attacks had no discernable effect. The shadow flipped over, whipping its weapon around. It connected with the side of Weiss' head hard enough that she flipped over completely before crashing to the floor on her side. She groggily rolled onto her back just as the shadow brought its chainsaw down. Weiss lifted Myrtenaster and managed to catch the strike. A battle of strength ensued as the shadow tried to force its whirring blade down onto the heiress as she struggled to resist. It was not a fight Weiss could win and she knew it.

The blade slowly descended until it was only inches from Weiss' face. Weiss kicked the shadow in the groin. It did not react, only pressing harder. Weiss tried to twist her face away from the blade but still the shadow persisted. A glyph appeared below the shadow. A column of ice shot up and sent the shadow sailing high into the air. The shadow was unable to adjust itself in the air and slammed down on its face. Weiss took the opportunity to retreat, putting as much distance between her and the shadow as she could. Being forced into close quarters was what had almost gotten her killed aboard the train and again just moments before.

The shadow roared with anger as it stood. "You're dead Schnee!" It screamed. "You're only delaying the inevitable!"

Weiss waved her hand toward the shadow and a series of glyphs appeared around it. A moment later a torrent of ice projectiles erupted from the glyphs and bombarded the shadow. The shadow struggled to shield itself from the onslaught. It tried to move but the glyphs moved with it. Weiss saw her moment. She skidded forward on a line of glyphs, heading straight for the shadow. As Weiss focused her energy the ice attacks abated. The shadow turned to face Weiss but was too late. She slammed into the shadow, her blade plunging into the shadow's chest and bursting out its back. Momentum carried the pair all the way to the wall that surrounded the arena. The shadow smashed into the wall hard enough to crack it. Weiss drew her blade back and out of its chest. The shadow crumpled to the floor but Weiss was not satisfied. She thrust Myrtenaster's blade into the shadow's neck and with a violent twist severed its head. The shadow burst into a cloud of glowing ash that evaporated away.

"Looks like you were the one to get your revenge." Thanatos said. "Exit the arena."

Weiss walked up the ramp to rejoin the others. She was exhausted as a result of the extended use of her semblance. She immediately sat on one of the benches and struggled to catch her breath. Yang walked up to her with a big smile. "Please don't." Weiss said.

"Revenge, a dish best served…" Yang looked around to make sure Mitsuru was not nearby. "...cold. Eh? Eh? Cold? Come on."

Blake covered her face with her hand and Weiss rolled her eyes. "You've got to stop." Weiss said. Yang shrugged and walked off, feeling very good about her joke.