Light Outshining the Darkness ( Blake Belladonna x Reader)

Chapter 40

- Adam POV-

I sit in the bullhead with Cinder as the two of us fly to return to a White Fang base so we can tell Sienna everything we found. Neither of us say anything to each other for some time, not knowing how to speak with each other. At several points, the energy in the air changes like one of us wants to speak, but neither of us end up saying anything to each other in the end. The flight is quite a long one, which makes the situation more tense and more uncomfortable for the two of us. " Something on your mind," I manage to ask her eventually.

" Just thinking," Cinder says, which might have been the least helpful answer she could have given to me. She then thinks about it for a little bit and then turns her head from glancing out the window to look directly at my mask. " Thinking about the plans I have for Beacon. For Jason Branwen. For the silver eyed girl. To make them burn." She murmurs, again making fire in her hands and snuffing it out. " And also I was considering how I could best factor you into the plans. We're going to need all the manpower we can get."

" Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it. Anything I can do to get closer to my own goals," I tell her simply, and then she tilts her head curiously, wondering what I mean by that. I then realize how little the two of us know of each other, and so I sigh. Trust has to be a two way street. If I expect her to begin to tell me her plans and goals, I must do the same in time. " Faunas equality. The White Fang is how I plan to achieve it. Beacon and the other academies all oppose that goal of ours. If they're not with me, then they need to be overrun."

Cinder nodded a little at me, and then made some fire in her hands, seemingly a habit of hers, but she doesn't snuff it out this time. " I can understand that. The need to be strong to achieve an end. For me it's protection. I want to protect all of those who are unable to protect themselves. I want to take power from the shadowy cabal who rule this world. Power is a means to the end for me."

I nod and then think for a little more about what to say to her. " What do you need power for? For faunas, we need it for equality. That's what the White Fang is for us. But what does a human need power for," I ask, not wanting to start a fight, but it probably comes off that way, and the anger in my voice causes my eyes to flicker purple with power from Belial under the mask. Cinder tilts her head at me, her eyes hardening with anger and the fire on her hands grows more intense.

" Being a human doesn't mean everything is going to be easy for us," Cinder says, almost warningly to me. " I grew up poor. Incredibly poor. In a town where none of us had been able to go to schools or have our Semblances unlocked. They killed my mother, suspecting her of using black magic. I was left to pick up the pieces, and learn to survive." I give her a soft, sympathetic smile, knowing what it's like to lose a mother for something the two of them wouldn't have been able to control. She nods softly, and the fire grows less intense. " We're the same Adam. After our revenge, can come our strength."

I look at her and shake my head, which causes the curiosity to return to her eyes as she wonders what I'm going to say to her. " I don't want revenge. For me, this isn't about punishing the humans. It's about making them understand us, making them respect us, and exist with us. This isn't revenge. Not for me. This is justice. This isn't about ruling the world, it's about making it into what it should have always been," I tell her, and she nods and chuckles softly.

" Well. I think that's enough debate about philosophy. We can figure that out later how it's going to work in time, the clashes between the two of us. At least in terms of ideals. For now, all you need to know is that my plans involve the Beacon dance. I need to insert a computer virus onto the station. Why that is will come later. But there's a chance we're going to be intercepted. All of us have masks and disguises. But I imagine there are going to be people who can't just enjoy the dance. People who will want to try and stop us. Branwen....Rose....your brother. I'm going to crush the Branwen myself. But I need you with me."

I nod, and then give her a small smile. The truth is, my mind couldn't be further away right now. A dance seems like the perfect distraction, but there's a part of me which feels conflicted about it. Belial might want to fight everyone and make the world his own, and it seems like Cinder and Salem want the same thing. But it's like I told her, and I meant it when I said all I wanted was equality. But, I supposed some times you had to get your hands dirty to get what you wanted. " You'll be able to rely on me." I promise her.

Cinder gives a small, almost sad smile in response to my words. " Rely might be too strong of a word Adam. A piece of advice. There's a storm coming, I can feel it in the air. One way or another, things are going to be changing, and soon. I want to warn you that in time we may all find that we have no one we can truly rely on. Except for maybe ourselves."

The two of us return to sitting in silence after that happens, and then the two of us glance out the windows as the bullhead finally lands. Glad to be free of the awkward silence, the two of us head out, and I turn over her words in my head, wondering if there was any truth to them.