A little bit of Gold... And showing some humanity.

"I finally found you! ...You will pay for what you have done Exusiai!" Ironwood points his gun at Exu who just got done playing the Piano for Blake.

"Good god... How are you even alive after a bullet through the temple?" Exu couldn't help but be in disbelief.

"I faked my own death and used a clone body... After months of searching... I found out it was you! And your Salem's lapdog too!" Ironwood's semblance does nothing to keep his fury in check. Now he's just an avenger who is off the hinges.

"...You should have put a bullet through the real deal... You are a blight upon humanity... You should have never even existed in the first place!" Exu aims her Bull-Barrel .44 Magnum at Ironwood.

Ironwood closed his eyes... "Is that what you think? Or are you just projecting yourself onto me?" Ironwood makes Exu's jaw drop making her speechless because he got it in one.

Exu gives an animalistic growl... "You know nothing about me!" Exu unloads all 6 AP bullets in quick succession 2 missed 1 grazed and the other three hit him in his remaining Heart lung and kidney.

"Ugh... Tell me... Tell me... What does it take to take you down!" Ironwood's vice-like grip doesn't even phase Exu... He managed to get close enough to have a gun to her chest making her feel a little cold. He drops the gun as the strength leaves his body.

"You took those three shots intentionally so that you could get close? Are you... Insane?" Exu's eyes are wider than they have ever been.

"Tell me..." Ironwood is on his deathbed and for real this time wants to know why she can't be beaten... He has observed her for months... Everything made him fall deeper and deeper into the pit known as despair... And like a cornered animal he did something stupid he typically never would have done... And that is confronting Exusiai face to face.

"... It is because I hate this world... I hate all the kingdoms... I hate all humans namely my race... The only friend I actually made is a crow... and other animals... I mean what have the Kingdoms of remnant done anything but cause me suffering..." Exu sees him getting paler by the second due to blood loss.

"So... You would just bear your fangs at the Kingdoms of Remnant in some sort of misguided sense of revenge? You have killed so many innocent people... Sure some of them may have been scum but... the innocent blood on your hands is more than tainted blood..." Ironwood coughs out more blood.

"You know... If you bore your heart more you would be more likable..." Exu's smile was like the sun and smelled of flowers to Ironwood making him think he is seeing things and couldn't help but chuckle at how he misunderstood her so badly... He bore his heart a lot in his youth... He was naive and hopeful for the future... But the years hardened him more so than his semblance.

"And if you showed your true self... You would probably be like Summer's child... Stop hiding... Who... You... Ar-..." Ironwood couldn't even finish what he wanted to say before he died but the last thing he saw was Exu touching her cheek and looking at her tears that stained her fingers making him die with a smile on his lips.

[Maybe there is hope for this world after all... Maybe I was all wrong about the things I did... I'll be watching you from up above Exusiai... I look forward to seeing you step into the light...] His soul left his body and he smiled kindly at the crying and wailing Exusiai who was hugging herself he notices that the strange floating crystals on her back and her Halo are going from black to gold slowly... He only ever sported this kind of smile when he was young but now he feels free to just be himself instead of 'General' Ironwood.

He gives a sideglance at Blake who is trying to be there for Exu but awkwardly pulls her hand back over and over again and gives a wry smile. [Blake Belladonna you have your work cut out for you... You're really going for the gold when you set your eyes on Exusiai...] Ironwood closes his eyes and his spirit reemerged in the Pureland.

///

"Exusiai where are you going!? Just slow down! let me help you!" Blake does her best to keep up with Exu who is going deeper into the shady parts of Vale.

"STOP FOLLOWING ME!" Exu lashes out and swings her sword at Blake. Blake dodges in time and starts to feel cold sweat when she sees the aftermath of the attack... A deep slash mark parted the concrete.

"You... Don't know what you're getting yourself into... Just wait for me at Beacon..." Exu walks away.

"I won't! I'm done running! Let me help you!" Blake hugs Exu from behind making Exu go rigid.

~Sigh~ "Sorry... the team will pick you up later..."

"What do y-" Exu punches Blake in the face lightning fast and then gives a kick to the temple knocking the poor kitty unconscious.

"Guess I need to contact 'them' well here goes nothing..." Exu uses Blake's scroll.

"Hey, where have you been!? We're worried sick about you and Sapphire!" Yang picks it up.

"You won't get a response from either of them... I left the girl on the Concrete... Sapphire is helping me out with something for now... It's this girl's fault for sticking her nose in other people's business... Your scrolls have a tracking function... Goodbye..."

"Wait Exusiai! I'm Sor-" Exu hung up.

'I know... I know you are... But... I don't know how to move forward...' Exu tosses the Scroll near the sleeping Blake.

"Please... Don't go... Don't leave me... Exu..." Blake sleep-talks and hits Exusiai right in the feels.

'Does she really like me that much?' Exu shakes her head and hides blake in a corner so that no unsavory sorts find her... and tucks the scroll into Blake's pocket and feels her face heating up when she touches Blake.

'...Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to wait a little bit to make sure she is okay...' Exu leans against the wall and smokes a cigarette.

"Blake!" x3

"Cousin" "Exusiai" Ruby and Yang falteringly step forward.

"I stayed here to make sure no one unsavory finds her... Goodbye..." Exu vanishes but in reality, she nullified her presence making her invisible.

"WAIT! Ugh! why... I just want you to come home!..." Yang punches the brick wall making it shatter with eyes red.

'I know... But I can't... Not yet...' Exu stops but walks away again.