Gotta' say, I was fairly surprised with the amount of favorites and alerts I got for this on the first day. I'm still on the fence about this, but we'll see where it stands after this chapter. I will say now that this will be a mix of canon and original plot. On top of that, before we get into the canon bits, there will be a few preliminary chapters to set up the story because there will be time skips, but the time skips will be told throughout the story in a unique way. Anyway, let's get to it. Thanks for the support. Drop a review if you're feeling generous.
Italic: Thoughts/Letters/Journal Entries/Flashbacks/
She was not sure how many times she had done it now. A dozen? Maybe more? No matter how many times she had gone to the docks to see a ship come in, she was met with the same result. Her mother was nowhere to be seen. Each ship brought fewer and fewer refugees from Menagerie. It got to the point that the ships were only doing one run a day. They would leave early in the morning and be back by sunset.
Blake held her teddy bear close as she sat on the bench at the edge of the docks. The seagulls cried as they flew overhead. The smell of salt water wafted into her nose and she could hear the gentle splashes of the waves from the tide as it hit the posts and crashed on the rocks. A ray of light would spin in and out of her vision from the lighthouse that sat on the crest of the hill overlooking the harbor.
Her eyes would occasionally flick around to the other children that would congregate near the harbor in hopes to be reunited with their parents.
A loud horn in the distance caught her attention and she perked up. Squinting ahead she could see a large ship emerge around the gulf and steer towards the port. She held on to the teddy bear tighter than ever as her heart picked up as hope filled her being. She should have known better than to be filled with such a cruel hope by now, but she could not help it. The small chance that her mother would finally be aboard the vessel suckered her into it again and again.
She would tell herself it would be different. This would be the day her mother got off that boat and she would be there waiting for her. Then they would go find somewhere else to settle down and start anew. A clean slate where she could figure out what she wanted to do with her life.
When the ship pulled up to the dock and dropped anchor, she stood up on the bench. She was too small work her way through the crowd of older kids and did not want to get knocked around trying to find her mother.
The ramp locked on to the deck and allowed the passengers on board to file off and make their way to the registry. She could see that latest group of refugees was smaller than yesterday and her hopes were quickly blown away. Even more so when she could only see four women in the group. They looked around her mother's age, but none of them had raven hair.
A tight not formed in her throat and she could feel tears building in her eyes. She wiped them away in an attempt to stay strong for her sake, but it was almost impossible. She sat down on the bench and looked on at the reunions between some of the parents and their kids. Tears of joy racing down their faces as they held one another.
"It's not fair!" She brought her knees to her chest as if to shut out the world around her.
Her shoulders shook as a light sob escaped her and the tears fell freely. She made no effort to wipe them away and cried silently.
The head of her teddy bear grew damp as the tears nestled into it. She buried her face into the stuffed animal and another sob escaped her.
"Your mom still hasn't come?" A voice came from her left.
She lifted her head and wiped the tears from her face. She did not want to look vulnerable to the one who talked to her. When she turned her amber eyes in the direction of the voice, she saw a boy with dark red hair. Two horns protruded from his forehead and curved back just over his hair. He looked a couple of years older than her. Nine, maybe ten?
Blake only shook her head, not trusting her voice.
"My parents haven't come yet, either." His eyes looked at the diminishing crowd.
"Who are you?" Blake asked.
The boy turned his eyes back to her and offered her a small smile. He held out his hand and she took it. His grip was strong.
"Adam. What's your name?" He answered.
"Blake," she said wiping her eyes free from tears.
Adam sent another look at the thinning crowd and rolled his shoulders.
"What are you going to do now?" He asked her.
Blake blinked and lowered her head again. Not in sorrow, but in thought. She was unsure of what she should do next. Her instinct told her to continue waiting for her mother to show up and continue on with the plan, but deep down she had a gut feeling that it was a lost cause. It was always her mother that made a plan and she just followed her without question. Now that she was on her own, she had to think for herself and it scared her.
What was she supposed to do? Where was she supposed to go? She had arrived to Vacuo like they originally planned, but she was not sure where to go. She did not even know where to start.
"I… don't know. My mother and I were supposed to start over here, but I'm not sure what to do." She shook her head.
Adam frowned a little bit at hearing that.
"So, you're just going to sit here?" He asked. "You should start taking care of yourself."
Her eyes narrowed just a bit and she met his in a challenging stare.
"Yeah? What are you going to do?" She retorted.
"I'm heading for Vale. At least I have a better chance of surviving there than a place like this," he said as he gestured to the rundown harbor.
Blake rolled her eyes. The confidence in his voice when he gave his answer was almost too good. He was in the same position as her. He was separated from his parents back on Menagerie, and they may even be dead after that explosion at the docks. There was no way he was not scared.
"And where will you go when you get to Vale? It's not like you know anyone there that can help you," she said.
"The city of Vale is supposed to be very open to Faunus like us. So that's where I'm going. I'll figure everything out as I get to it," Adam said with ease.
This boy was unbelievable. How could he say all of that without so much as breaking a sweat? It was crazy, but she could almost believe everything he said. If he was scared, he was doing a great job of hiding it.
"Well, good for you. At least you have a plan," she said.
"And you don't. So, what does that say about you?" He crossed his arms.
A scowl spread across her face. So what if she didn't have a plan? It was not the biggest thing on her mind at the moment. Her biggest concern was finding her mother.
"I think you should come up with something fast, because you'll be waiting for your mom for a long time," said Adam.
"I'm not leaving without her!" Blake glared back.
"You better know how to fight. Dad says this place is only where the strongest survive. If you can fight, you got a chance. If you can't… well, let's just say it won't end well."
"Do you believe everything your dad says?"
"I do. If you're done, let me suggest something to you. You're on your own, and I'm the only friend you got. You have a better chance of being safe if you stick with me."
Blake took a step back at his bold words. The boy before her was truly something. They had only just met and he was already calling her a friend. He didn't even know her that well yet. Yet here he was offering her a chance to be safe, and as tempting as it was, she was hesitant.
Part of it had to do with her mother, and the other having to give her trust to some boy she hardly knew. Her fingers dug into the stuffed bear she was holding and her brow furrowed in thought.
"Why should I trust you?" She looked up at him. "You don't know me and I don't know you."
Adam's eyes seemed to harden just a bit at her retort, however his look was not one of anger or annoyance. It was one of confidence. A small smile spread across his lips.
"Us Faunus have to stick together, right?" He gave a light shrug.
Stick together? Was that all he really had to say about that? She was about to challenge his beliefs again, but a small voice echoed from the back of her mind. It was the words of her mother. The woman she trusted more than anyone in the world.
"Find people you can trust!"
She flinched a bit at her mother's final words as they circled her brain and vanished as soon as they had come.
"If you don't want to come, that's fine. I'm only trying to help," said Adam.
He gave her another smile and nodded before he turned on his heel and began a slow walk up the street. Her window was closing fast and it made her mind race. This would be the biggest decision of her life to that point. Follow Adam for a chance at a better future, or stay and wait for her mother?
She bit her lip and another tear trickled down her face.
"I'm sorry."
Blake started running after Adam and did not dare look back at the docks. She ran, and ran until she caught the red haired boy, almost devoid of breath from her quick sprint.
"You want to come with me?" He asked.
"Yes." She panted back.
"Okay. Well, we got a long walk ahead."
"We're walking?"
Adam laughed just a bit and shook his head.
"We're not walking to Vale. We're hitching a ride," he said with a grin.
Adam was not joking about the long walk, much to Blake's disappointment. He had led her from the small harbor and out of the town into the desert. The scorching sun and blistering heat was now replaced with the cool night air and bright, shattered moon. It was wild how quick the weather changed in the desert wastes and it made Blake shiver when the breeze graced her exposed skin again.
Their trek had led them to the top of a large sand dune. Adam had stopped at the top with his eyes staring out ahead. Far in front of them was a large airstrip. Dozens of Bullheads were stationed off to the left of the runway and being worked on by the mechanics to be kept in working condition. On the other side of the runway were five large cargo ships. One of which was being guided out to the runway to be loaded up.
"See that large ship pulling out there?" He pointed at it.
"Yes," she said.
"We're getting on that. The ship will be full of people, so we'll have to sneak on."
Blake turned to look at Adam and watched as his eyes moved around each section of the airstrip. The wheels in his head were turning and she was curious to how he would get them on board the ship without being spotted.
"How are we going to do that?" Blake asked. "In case you haven't noticed, there's no way in except that entrance over there and it's guarded."
A small grimace formed on the boy's face. It was the first blemish on his otherwise confident demeanor since she met him. He had no idea how to get inside the airstrip without being spotted. Sure, it was impressive that he found the airstrip and that he knew the transports went to Vale, but it was useless unless they were able to get inside in the first place.
His head perked up just a bit and his lips curved into a smirk. This caused her to raise a brow at the possible plan he came up with. She followed his gaze to the far west side where the gate was and could see a large trail of dust kicking up down the road. It was a small convoy.
"Let's move!" He took off.
"Adam, wait!" She hurried after him.
The sand was everywhere and it was starting to irritate her. It blew with the wind and clung to her skin and hardened like a shell. It flooded her shoes and buried itself into the nooks and crevices of her clothes.
She and Adam came to a stop behind a large rock and held fast as the convoy drew closer. She peeked around the rock, staying low to avoid being spotted by the drivers. There were five vehicles in the convoy with each of them being spaced out a car's length between each other. Four covered trucks and one armored car. The car sat in the center of the formation, ready to deploy the guards inside in case it came under attack.
Adam nudged her and nodded at the last truck in the convoy. If they got inside the back, they had a higher chance of getting into the airstrip. From there they could make their way into the cargo ship.
The convoy was moving slowly and it almost felt like an eternity as the last truck went by the rock. Adam gave her a firm pat on the shoulder and burst out from behind the rock using the dust as cover from the wing mirrors. He got behind the truck and hopped on and turned back to her.
"Come on!" He waved.
Blake stumbled and coughed as the dust hit her in the face. Her eyes began to tear up from the itching sensation that flooded them.
Her fingertips swiped at the air as she got within range of the back hatch. They graced Adam's fingers and she growled when she swiped at them and missed again. Her arm stretched out as far as she could get it and a loud clap met her ears when Adam grabbed a hold of it. She was surprised when her feet left the ground as he used unknown strength to hoist her up.
"I got you." He smiled.
She offered a small smile in return and followed him towards the back of the truck.
There was a large stack of sealed crates carrying various goods.
"Here, we'll get inside this one," said Adam as he rested his hands on the nearest one.
A breath left him as he tried to push the lid open to no avail. He growled and his red eyes scanned the darkness of the truck. He bent down and stood up a second later with a crowbar in hand. Wood splintered when he stabbed the tongue under the lid and gave a hard pry. The lid cracked open and a triumphant smirk spread across his face.
"There we go!" He dropped his hands to give her a boost.
She stepped on to his hand and he lifted her up. Her eyes peered down into the crate and she could see a large Dust crystal. It would be a tight fit, but there was just enough room for both her and Adam to hide inside.
Blake eased herself in and stood to the side to make room for her new friend.
The crate thumped lightly when he landed inside. He pulled the lid over the crate and nestled it the best he could to keep attention from being drawn to it. Once it was set, he let out a sigh and tucked his knees into his chest as he sat down beside her.
"Now we wait," he said.
"What if we're caught?" She whispered.
"We won't be caught. I got us this far, didn't I?"
Blake rolled her eyes and gave a curt nod. Be it luck or skill, Adam had gotten them on the truck and their journey to Vale was in sight so long as the crate did not get opened.
The truck came to a halt, but it was short-lived as it moved again. They had reached the gate were being guided in by the personnel.
She closed her eyes and remained silent. The sound of the loud engine met her ears, but she tuned it out enough to think about the airstrip's layout. They just went through the gate on the west side. They should have been passing the line of Bullheads at the moment. Then came the runway where the cargo ship would be.
Her brow furrowed a bit when the convoy continued its trek well across the runway before it stopped. They were near the other four cargo ships. This was a little unsettling.
"Adam," she whispered to him.
"I know," he whispered back.
"What are we going to do? There wasn't much cover to hide behind and we'll easily be spotted if we go for the ship."
He agreed with her with a small hum. This was not good.
Adam put a finger to his lips when a pair of voices came from the hatch of the truck. A small clunk came as it dropped and a pair of boots landed on the steel.
"Okay, boss says these crates are getting set for shipment tomorrow. We'll set them behind the second ship," said one.
"Got it. I'll go get the forklift," said the other.
Blake's eyes screwed shut and she held her bear close. The heavy footsteps stopped just beside the crate and she could almost picture the man's eyes on top of it. Her heart hammered in her chest and she silently prayed that he did not notice the loose lid. Beside her she could feel Adam tense up as if ready to move if that was the case.
She jumped when the crate shifted and was slid towards the hatch. They came to a stop a second later.
"Damn, these things get heavier every day!" The man sighed.
A smaller engine met her ears and she could feel something slide under the crate and hoist it into the air.
"Hey, you'll need to fasten the lid on that one again! It came loose!" Shouted the first man.
"Got it!" The other hollered back.
Adam lightly nudged her elbow again.
"We'll have to get out, so get ready to move," he said.
"Okay. I'll follow you." She nodded.
The crate was lowered to the ground and Adam stood up. He lifted the top of the crate and his eyes scanned the area. He motioned for her to stand up, but kept her from peeking through.
"Now's our chance!" He slid the top open.
He climbed out and she was close behind. They crouched beside the crate and looked ahead at the ship on the runway. There was no cover to hide behind between them and the ship, but they could make out a few crates that needed to be loaded directly behind it.
"We'll have to make a break for it. You ready?" He glanced back at her.
"Ready when you are," she said.
He held up three fingers for a countdown. When he let his last finger drop, the two of them took off like a pair of startled birds. The pavement thumped loudly beneath their feat as they dashed for the runway, but it was almost nonexistent with the loud humming from the aircraft surrounding them.
The ship got closer and closer and soon became a giant monster before them. The loud hum of the engines swallowed all the noise around it.
Adam took a chance to look back to see if anyone saw them, but no one was in sight.
They peeked around the crates and could see the light in the bay of the ship. It was dimly lit and offered them a chance to sneak in using the shadows. They waited to see if anyone came out of the ship per Adam's suggestion. It was a good thing they did. Two crewmen came down the ramp and made their way to the crates to load them.
"We'll have to follow them in. Stay right behind me." He looked at her.
She nodded again. He got them this far, so there was no need to fix anything that wasn't broken.
The crewmen loaded two of the crates on the cart and wheeled it to the ramp. Adam waited until they both went to push it up the ramp and stepped out from the cover. He was almost catlike with his steps. Swift, yet quiet. They stopped just below the ramp and he led them up slowly.
Blake peeked over the top and could see the crewmen vanish around a stack of secured crates to drop off the other two. She felt Adam pull her to the side of the bay into the shadows. They crawled behind the thin path between the crates and the wall, slivers of light hitting them as they moved down the cargo hold.
"Alright, get the last two. I'll go let them know we can take off in five minutes," said the first crewman.
"Sounds good. By the way, don't let that little brat down here. He keeps steeling my snacks," said the second crewman.
The first laughed after hearing that.
"Don't let the captain hear you say that. He'll tear you a new one."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just humor me, please?"
Two pairs of feet moved down the bay. The first went towards the small stairs leading into the cabin and the other went outside to collect the rest of the load.
"We made it." Adam grinned at her, leaning against the stack of crates.
"Yeah… we did," she said with a light laugh.
Her lips curled up into a smile and she turned her eyes back to Adam. It was almost hard to believe they had met just a few hours ago. The way they were able to infiltrate the airstrip, communicate and not get caught alone was impressive. It was an anomaly, and a good one at that.
"Who are you?" Another voice broke them from their thoughts.
Their heads whipped around to the side and they spotted a young boy at the end of the space. He had messy blonde hair and his eyes were an electric blue. His head was tilted in curiosity as he looked between the two of them.
Blake instinctively put a finger to her lips to silence him. His eyes widened and he quickly looked back towards the end of the bay when he heard a loud clunk. The crewman had returned with the last of the crates. Would the boy rat them out and get them thrown off the ship? She hoped not. They had come too far to not make it to Vale now.
Her eyes met his and she saw him give a wink in their direction. What was he going to do?
"You looking for my snacks again, you little brat?" The crewman asked.
The blonde boy sheepishly scratched the back of his head and let out a nervous laugh.
"No! What makes you think that?"
"You stick out like a sore thumb, kid. You're not good at hiding your emotions," the crewman answered back.
The man's footsteps drew closer to the blonde boy who shifted to the side so that the crewman's back was to them. Taking the chance, Adam grabbed Blake's wrist and pulled her towards the aisle. It was clear.
He then pulled her to the other side and up along the bay until they were under the stairs, safely out of sight.
The door above the stairs and the first crewman's voice filled the bay.
"Hey, close the door! We're ready to go!" He called down.
"Hang on! The captain's kid is here!" The other shouted back.
"Seriously?"
The blonde boy's nervous laugh garnered sighs from both crewman.
"Come on, Jaune. You're not supposed to be down here," said the first.
The boy, now known as Jaune let out a groan and his footsteps reverberated in the bay as they carried him up the stairs. Blake and Adam looked up between the grates of the staircase and saw the boy looked down at them. He gave them a subtle nod and hurried up to the landing. The door closed soon after he reached the top.
The second crewman let out another sigh and he went back down to the ramp. An alarm sounded and an orange light flashed in the bay as the ramp closed.
"Guess I can spare the kid a bag of chips," he said.
The crewman rummaged around a small crate on the desk beside the stairs and pulled out a large blue bag of chips. He closed the crate and hurried up the stairs and the door slammed shut, leaving them alone.
Adam looked at her and gave her another pat on the shoulder.
"Next stop, Vale."
There we go. So Blake meets Jaune and Adam. Now, I will say this, Jaune is actually the protagonist and Blake is the deuteragonist. Their early meeting will set them up on their respective paths for the story and their own goals. I'm looking forward to the task of developing Blake and writing her since she's kind of a challenge. Adam may seem OOC since we've only seen him agro as hell so far, but I'm exploring a path that may have made him become the guy he is. I doubt he was a kid just born with a lot of hate.
To continue, I'm actually in search of a good beta for the story to give me guidance and suggestions. If any of you readers know a good one, or would like to help, send me a PM and we'll talk there. I'd rather have one that is well versed with story telling and character development. I'll choose my beta and announce it in the author's note of the next chapter.
With that said, I'm gonna play me some Titanfall 2 and watch some college football. On Wisconsin!