Sun swoops in before Ilia can make a choice

Blake's declaration of love was a signal for Sun Wukong to intervene. Sun had been waiting atop a nearby building for Blake to use the word "sun" at some point in her conversation as a code for help. They both knew that Ilia's request to meet at night was possibly a trap. The element of surprise was in their favor, not Ilia's. Sun leapt onto Yuma's back. Yuma hits the dirt hard, knocked out by the **** of Sun's stomp despite his aura being active.

Through sheer brute ****, Blake tore apart the webbing that bound her the moment Trifa turned to engage Sun in battle. They rise to their feet and sucker punch Trifa, striking her square in the jaw. Trifa's body twists before slamming against the ground **** with a loud thud.

Ilia gasps with astonishment upon seeing Blake's KO punch. It quickly dawns upon her that she never stood a chance against Blake. She trained with Adam! She has combat training as a huntsman too! She had to survive the Fall of Beacon just to reach Menagerie. Plus, Ilia was fighting Blake on home turf! Both of Ilia's allies were downed in a matter of seconds. They had never fought anyone like Blake or Sun. The worst that an average White Fang operative would have to fight are security guards for dust depots and basic Grimm.

Blake's gaze sharply turns to Ilia. Panic sets in. Fighting was a lost cause. Her only option was to run! Ilia squeals before high tailing it. Blake moves like a shadow, chasing her through the streets of Menagerie close behind. Her yellow piercing eyes are locked on Ilia, unwavering in their conviction.

Ilia can feel Blake gaining on her with each stride. Her legs were longer. Her kick, more ferocious. Her form was more fluid. In a straight forward sprint, Ilia was toast. She had to lose Blake in the alleys. Her best shot was to outmaneuver them on twists and turns.

Blake gets so close she could almost touch Ilia's shoulder. Ilia looks back to see Blake's nails at her arm. She screams in terror before darting into an alleyway, narrowly escaping their clutches. Blake had the eyes of a predator. Ilia was prey. Tears wallow in Ilia's eyes. She bolts frantically through a maze of passages. The smallest glimmer of hope arrives when she looks back again- Ilia has managed to create space between her and Blake. But Ilia hasn't been paying attention to where they are going. Ilia is so fixated on running away that they hadn't thought about looking for an exit. More and more pathways reveal themselves. Ilia can hear Blake's panting getting further away from her.

However, she takes a left turn into a dead end.

The walls of the homes surrounding her are higher than most homes on Menagerie. If Ilia were thinking straight, she could have jumped out of the alleyway. But she felt closed in. A prisoner to her fear. The walls became mountains, stretching high heavens. Breath caught in her lungs, Ilia concludes that she is doomed.

Blake rushes into the dead end, closing it off. She walks her way towards Ilia hastily. With nowhere left to run, Ilia is backed into a corner. Her trembling legs give way once her back is against the wall. Ilia's slides down to the ground as Blake's shadow looms over them. She is powerless. She was always powerless. Ilia joined the White Fang for a sense of autonomy. Now she must resort to methods of the conquered- begging.

"Mercy! Have mercy on me!" Ilia cries.

Blake stretches her hand forward but Ilia immediately curls into a fetal position.

"Mercy..." Ilia pleads quietly.

Blake withdraws her hand. This was a time to be sensitive. The last she wanted was to give Ilia the impression that she wanted to hurt them. Minding Ilia's personal space, Blake kneels down in front of her. She rests her hands on her knees and takes a deep breath in.

"Ilia... I am not going to hurt you. I need you... I need you to tell me if there is anyone else in Menagerie that I should be worried about tonight. I need you to tell them all to go away! Can you do that for me?"

Ilia looks to her side, finding Blake sitting at her level. Tears boil in her eyes. They feel ashamed to even look at Blake... They turn away to huddle back into a shivering ball of regret.

"Corsac... Fennec... the Albain brothers have a squad to take out your parents. I'm sorry for all of this..." Ilia mumbles.

"Call them. For me..." Blake commands.

Ilia peeks past arms at Blake. Ultimately, she is puzzled as to why Blake would want to call them rather than finding them. She notices how Blake's pupils have dilated. Her eyes are wide like the sky and deep as the ocean. The colour of Blake's eyes shines brighter in the dark thanks to her night vision. Her long eyelashes flap like the wings of a majestic dragon.

Time begins to slow down.

A lot of people have been infatuated by Blake over the years. Ilia was reminded why. It wasn't her personality- many people found Blake to be bratty and abrasive. It wasn't her physique. It wasn't her skin. It wasn't her cat ears. It wasn't her 'assets'. Nor her fashion sense or her money or an eloquent way of speaking.

No. It was her eyes. The window to her soul that shone so bright. Like the full moon, the glow of her eyes was mystifying. Look too long and you could find yourself in a trance. When Blake looked upon the object of her desire, it manifested a certain gravitational ****. Her eyes pulled you like the tides. They made her become the center of mass; the point of which your world revolves around. They could lead you to obsession! The beauty of the beast was in its eyes.

"Ilia, your scroll..." Blake whispers.

Ilia shook herself alert. She got lost in Blake's eyes. They were irresistible. Ilia wipes her tears from her face and reaches for her scroll. It was impossible for her to deny Blake's request. It doesn't matter if she didn't understand it fully. Ilia calls the scroll which the Albain brothers both use to maintain communication with the White Fang secretly.

"Is it done?" says Corsac as he answers the call.

"Corsac, the mission has gone horribly wrong..." Ilia responds sorrowfully.

"What do you mean?" Corsac asks sharply.

"Yuma and Trifa... the Menagerie guard got the drop on us. You need to leave Menagerie..." Ilia continues.

"Why?" Corsac says indignantly.

"Because I said so!" Blake shouts as she snatches the scroll from Ilia's hand.

"Blake?!" Corsac asks.

"I have captured Ilia! She's mine! Understand? She belongs to me! Not you, not Adam, not the White Fang! Me! Run, or your ass in mine too!" Blake shouts.

Blake cuts the call after her outburst. Ilia had forgotten how fiery Blake could be. Seeing her on TV during the Vytal tournament would give some the impression that she was a bland, cookie cutter "role model" that the kingdoms wanted Faunus to emulate. Her passion was frightening... and magnetic. It was quite the turn on to see Blake all riled up.

Blake passes Ilia back her scroll with a smile. She then holds Ilia's wrists and motions for her to stand with them. Ilia had the undivided attention of Blake at last. Her claim to Ilia was made loud and clear.

Meanwhile, Corsac and Fennec look at each other with confusion. When the reality of their failure mission settles in, frustration escalates quickly.