Team SHDW Volume 1 [REWRITTEN]

Chapter 15: Burning the Candle

I would like to once again apologize for a late chapter, even if the wait wasn't as long. Of course, I say this as if two months wasn't a long wait... but hey, compared to the entire year the last one took, a chapter not even a thousand and a half words, this one, which is definitely well over a thousand words more, taking me not even a quarter of the time is darn impressive to me. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
______________________________________________
Skyler liked to think of himself as a logical human being. That whenever something came up to trouble him, he'd solve it through sheer common sense and thinking it through. This showed through his and Yang's little "confession war", as his plans usually only occurred multiple days, or even weeks, after his last one.

But even he had to admit that at the end of the day, his emotions can run rampant often. When faced with a situation where immediate action is required, his mind couldn't keep up with his body. Which is why a good number of times, his instincts pretty much amounted to "hit them a lot and improvise along the way". And so far, this strategy has worked well, so he never fought against it.

Unfortunately for him, this strategy only worked on the battlefield. So when a guilty-looking cat Faunus walked up to him and spoke, his mind nearly stopped processing.

"We..." Blake hesitated for a moment, "We need to talk."
______________________________________________
Once they sat down in a private section of the library, Skyler spoke up, "So, I'm guessing this has nothing to do with the upcoming dance?"

"Of course not." Blake replied. "I just think that... you know... there's this unspoken connection between us."

He raised an eyebrow at the wording, but understood what she was getting at, "So, we're finally having this conversation... What brought this up?"

"I had a talk with Yang. It just brought a few things into perspective, and then I learned... well, that your parents were killed by the White Fang."

Skyler's eyes slightly widened, "...So Yang told you, huh?"

"And ever since we met, I've gotten the strange feeling that I know you. But despite all of my efforts, I just can't place where I've met you. And I get the feeling you have the same issue. So with the connection between us being the White Fang, I thought you may have come to the conclusion by now that... well-"

"That you might have been involved in the murder of my parents?" Skyler finished.

Blake nodded, "I just want to clear that up. I... I don't remember being involved in anything like what's been described, much less killing anyone in general, but still. The connection is uncanny."

"Well, you said you left the group a long time ago, right?" Skyler pointed out. "My parents were killed about five months before our first day at Beacon, during the previous Vytal Festival. Is that long enough ago?"

A shiver was sent down Blake's spine, "...No, actually. You see... I wasn't exactly telling the truth back then... it has felt like a long time since I left, but in the grand scheme of things, it's not that way at all. I only managed to leave the organization about one and a half months before Beacon."

"...Oh. So, you very well could have been one of the Faunus who were there that night, but you can't seem to remember, same as I, right?"

"Right. So, is there anyone you do remember seeing that night? It might clear things up if I know them or not."

The Huntsman in training was silent for a moment before answering, "Only one. I know he was with a group, but I can only remember him clearly. He wore a mask over his eyes, and his hair was red. And his sword seemed to glow the same color when it..."