Week of rest from writing was refreshing. Let's get back into things.

Cover Art: Terakali

Chapter 31

Adam wasn't used to hiding away from his problems. It felt wrong, and yet he knew going out into the halls and classrooms of Beacon on the morning his past was exposed would be a terrible idea. This was no school; it was a combat academy. All it would take was one student deciding to `arrest the terrorist` and blood would be spilled. It wouldn't be his own, either.

The door clicked and opened. Of all the people who might come to visit the man hiding in his dorm, he both had and hadn't expected Weiss. Perhaps he should have. She nudged the door open with her hip, a tray laden with a plate of breakfast and a glass of orange juice balanced in her hands. A snappy line on how suited Schnee were to serve faunus floated through his mind, but he didn't have the stomach to say it.

"Breakfast is over," she said. "I figured you might want something to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Then you've wasted my time and I'll never forgive you it." She set the tray down beside him. "Eat," she insisted. "You've nothing else to do sitting in here sulking."

"I'm not-!" He sucked in a breath. "I'm not in the mood, Weiss. How bad is it?"

"Eat and I'll tell you." Weiss crossed her arms and waited until he reluctantly picked up and bit into a bagel. "It's not great. If there's anyone who didn't catch the news, they've been filled in by now. I doubt there's a soul in Beacon who doesn't know. The teachers are being fielded for questions left, right and centre, and Ozpin is hiding away better than you are."

Expected. All of the above. Adam trusted the headmaster was less hiding away and more working to lessen the fallout outside of Beacon, but everything else sounded about right.

"The teachers are mostly saying your circumstances were known and you were accepted regardless. That's not going down well with some. There's a vocal minority calling for this room to be stormed and you dragged out to face justice."

Adam snorted. "Good luck to them."

"It's the minority."

"And the majority?"

Weiss cringed. "They want you arrested and out of Beacon."

Of course. He could well imagine Blake leading the charge on that one. The thought didn't hurt as much as it used to, and in fact brought a dismissive little sneer instead. She wasn't worth the effort. While he wasn't too afraid of being kicked out – that would mean Ozpin bowing to pressure – he was less sure what this would mean going on. He couldn't exactly go to lessons while everyone else there wanted him out.

The only option I can think of is to remove me from classes and have some kind of private education. Self-study with tests. That kind of defeats the point of attending Beacon in the first place…

"I don't know what's going on outside Beacon," Weiss continued. "I've missed ten calls from my father, so they obviously know by now. The moment one of our team steps into Vale, we're going to be swarmed by journalists."

"Or well-meaning people wishing to save you from the monster that I am."

"Or that. You know, there have been a few people asking about you in concern. It's not all bad."

Adam could only think of one. "Pyrrha?"

"Among them, yes. I've been approached by quite a few faunus who have asked if you're okay."

That, he hadn't expected. Most of the faunus here were the kind who would never join the White Fang. Why would they be concerned for his wellbeing? Adam hummed, unsure what to say.

"And then there's Miss Tsune. I caught her trying to ask Yang…"

Adam grimaced even more. Weiss noticed and cut off with a wince, but the damage was done. His team… Things hadn't been taken well. He'd come back late last night after his meetings with Qrow and Ozpin to find them asleep, and by the time he woke, they were gone again. That might not have been too suspicious if it wasn't for the fact Ruby never let him eat breakfast alone. She always pushed for them to do things as a team.

"How are they?" he asked woodenly.

"Angry. Confused. Hurt."

He bristled. "I tried to tell them!"

"At the last possible second. I know, I know, that's better than nothing." Weiss sighed and sat on her bed across from him. "There's no point arguing over what should have been done now. We'd better talk about what you're going to do."

"What can I do? If I step outside, I'll be hounded by people. I'm surprised there isn't a mob forming out there right now."

"Aheh…"

"There is a mob, isn't there?"

"There's a couple of people," she allowed. "Only around six. Professor – sorry, Doctor Oobleck – is hovering around nearby to make sure they don't try anything."

"Great. Fucking wonderful…"

"It's the first morning. Things will get better."

He wished he shared her enthusiasm. The pressure would mount on Beacon to do something about him, and the Vytal Festival would only make matters worse. As it was, he was sat waiting for a decision on his fate to be made, and strange as it sounded, he wasn't upset with himself for it. It was better this than giving into the blackmail.

It wasn't lost on him that the White Fang had failed to out Blake at the same time. It almost amused him to think of how offended she'd be if she realised she was so unimportant, they hadn't even cared to get revenge on her. That was the reality, however. He was one of the White Fang's best, a leader and a figurehead, while Blake had only ever been above average. Aside from her parentage, she had little to nothing to offer the White Fang. Certainly not enough to make it worth blackmailing her.

Another knock came on the door. Adam held no hope, knowing neither Ruby nor Yang would feel the need to knock on their own door. "Mr Taurus," Goodwitch's voice came through. "The headmaster would like to speak with you."

"May I-" Weiss began.

"You may not. Please go about your day as normal."

"As if I can," Weiss muttered, shooting him a look as if expecting him to demand she be granted attendance. When she saw he wouldn't, she huffed and rose to her feet. "Very well. I will trust you to return him in one piece, professor Goodwitch."

Goodwitch raised a single eyebrow as if to ask whether that was a warning, then stepped aside to let Weiss leave. "Shall we, Mr Taurus?"

He pushed himself up. "Might as well."

Weiss had played down the number of people outside. There were over ten of them, evenly split between men and women but all of them human. They pointed and whispered angrily on seeing him, then one mustered the courage to shout, "Terrorist! Monster!"

"Get him out!" another yelled.

"Take him to prison!"

"Out! Out! Out!"

"Tch." A lesser man might have faltered but this kind of hatred was nothing new to a faunus, least of all Adam Taurus. He faced them down without a shred of fear. "Is that all you have? Pathetic."

"Mr Taurus." Glynda hissed, exiting the room behind him. "Do not antagonise the other students."

Funny how she called his actions antagonism and yet she didn't think the same of a mob forming to oust him. He glanced back to tell her that, which was why he missed the carton being thrown. It splashed over his chest, dying his uniform shirt purple and making it stick to his skin. The stench of grapes assaulted his nose. "Ugh."

"Who threw that!?" Goodwitch demanded. No one answered. "Go on then, disperse. This isn't a show."

"He shouldn't be here!" a brave soul argued. "He shouldn't be in Beacon!"

"Whatever you or I may believe, Mr Taurus is here, and it is the headmaster's decision as to whether he stays. Not yours. Now move on before I start handing out detentions."

The small crowd dispersed with muttered comments and glares his way. More than a few of them had come armed. He wondered if they intended to use their weapons, or if they were more afraid of what he would do to them if they came without.

"Whatever you or I believe, huh. I don't think a teacher is supposed to support mobs in her school."

"I don't support it," she snapped. "Don't suggest otherwise. Hurry up, Ozpin wants to speak with you, and I have better things to do than escort you through the halls all day."

Adam bit back a sneer and bowed condescendingly. "Lead on."

/-/

"Wasn't she going out with him?"

"Imagine dating a guy like that."

"Maybe he forced her."

"Maybe she knew."

"Do you think they-?"

"I'd be ashamed to show my face if I was her."

Yang slammed her can down on the table loud enough to make it clear she'd heard them. The gossiping bitches further up the table caught the hint and scampered before she could rearrange their faces. Others around the cafeteria looked her way, only to turn back when she stared each and every one in the eye, just daring one of them to come up and give her an excuse to start swinging.

"What if they're wrong?" Ruby asked quietly. "What if this is all a mistake and they'll find out-"

"Damn it, Ruby. This is real."

"But it could be-"

"It's not a mistake!" she said louder than she meant to. Ruby flinched and ducked her head, shrinking in on herself a little. For once, Yang didn't stop to comfort her. Ruby had to get over this stupid holding onto every scrap of hope thing she had going on. "Adam was a terrorist, he was White Fang, and he probably did a lot of bad shit. He as much said so himself."

And, if his words were anything to go by before she decked him, he'd tried to tell Ruby as well. Which meant she'd been the last person he tried to tell the truth to. Her! His own… well, whatever they were. Whatever we had been, she thought dully. You couldn't really say they were together after a revelation like this.

Her boyfriend – or at least the guy she'd been trying to date – was a wanted terrorist. For fuck's sake. Wasn't it meant to be that all the good ones were gay? Just her luck she'd gone the other way and found a former faunus-supremacist psychopath.

What was a girl supposed to think on discovering that!?

I shouldn't have hit him. Groaning, she let her face fall into her arms crossed over the table. Adam had dumped one hell of a shocker on her plate with that confession of his, and anger was fine, but she shouldn't have smacked him. That made her come across a brute. Wouldn't be the first time someone's accused me of that. Damn it, Yang. Why couldn't you have taken the high ground?

The worst part was that Ruby needed her now. Her sister had been hit even harder by this and wanted comfort. Yang needed it, too. For the first time in a long while, Ruby would have to deal with this on her own.

"-you think his team knew?"

"Almost had to. Imagine covering for someone like that!"

Aaand the gossips were back. Different ones this time but still speaking loud enough that they could hear and blatantly within their hearing. Fuckers. It had been like this all day and they couldn't even hide from it in their dorm because Adam had stolen it! I should grab Pyrrha and go work out until my muscles are goo. She would have, if it weren't for the fact Pyrrha would inevitably ask how Adam was doing.

Right now, she really didn't want to hear or talk about him.

"So…" Somehow failing to sense her mood, Coco Adel dragged out a seat across the table from them and sat down, along with her rabbit-eared teammate. "Now you know the truth."

Yang could have strangled her. "Can you not?"

"Velvet recognised him the second he set foot in Beacon. Told us. Apparently, he's a big deal among faunus so it's not unusual they all recognised him. No wonder so many of them stayed away."

"Take a hint and fuck off, won't you?"

Coco frowned. "I'm trying to help."

"You're not doing a good job."

"Coco." Velvet touched the other girl's arm before she could get angry. "They obviously didn't know. You can't blame them."

"Yeah, that much is obvious. Sheesh." Coco leaned an elbow on the table and planted her chin atop it. "Not like he'd come out and tell you the truth about himself, is it? A killer like that in Beacon. You're as much victims as anyone else is here."

Yang's teeth gritted together.

Ruby shrunk even further in on herself.

"I'm just here to say no hard feelings," Coco went on. "We had our arguments and all that, but I'm guessing you can see where we were coming from now. It was never a problem with you and your team, just that bastard. Especially after he started picking on Vel."

"Stop. Talking…"

"I thought he was just picking on her at first, but it makes sense now, doesn't it? He'd the kind who expects every faunus to follow him into becoming a violent maniac. Kidnapping and executing people, ruining lives, making things worse for faunus everywhere-"

Ruby whimpered pathetically.

"-and it must have pissed him off that Velvet had things better, that she proved you can get by and become a huntress by being a good person and not resorting to violence. Ha. Vel pretty much stands for everything he doesn't-"

"As if you could fucking understand!" Yang's hands slammed down, and she was on her feet, shouting at the top of her voice.

Everyone in the cafeteria went silent. Everyone.

Yang didn't give a shit.

"The reason he hated your teammate is because she's helpless! Because she's a victim! Because she sits back and takes all the abuse! You think that makes her strong? You think that makes her principled?" Spitting angrily, Yang got up in Coco's face. "It makes her a coward…"

Coco sat stunned.

Velvet was no better.

"You…" Coco's eyes flashed behind her shades. "You better take that back."

"Make me."

"Oh, I will," Coco growled, standing. "I'll make you choke on them."

"Coco…" Velvet pled.

"Don't worry, bun. You just sit there and let me handle this. Stupid first year doesn't seem to understand. Maybe she's too far up her own ass." Her lips quirked upward. "Or too far up his."

Two could play that game. "Sure. Stay there, Velvet. Sit down and take it like you always have, let Coco be the one to face your problems for you. It's easier that way, isn't it? Easier to let people walk all over you, let them make your own decisions for you. Tch. No wonder Adam hates your guts. You're not principled, you're a weakling. You've learned to be helpless. Accepted it."

"That's my best friend you're insulting…"

"Is it?" Yang swiped the brunette's glasses off her face and crushed them in her fist. Coco's brown eyes burned with rage. "Because from the way you have to do everything for her, I wasn't sure if she was your friend…" Yang's smile grew. "Or your pet rabbit."

"You fucking-"

"Do you hand feed her as well? Do you brush her hair and tie little bows into her ears? Do you clean up her shit after her? I mean, you do all her talking for her, so I can only imagine you think she's nothing more than a cute little animal to be protected by the big… strong… human..."

Coco shook with rage.

In any other situation, Yang would have walked away and defused the fight.

This was not that situation.

"Ca got your tongue, bitch…?"

/-/

Adam wasn't surprised to see General Ironwood and Winter Schnee waiting alongside the headmaster, nor Qrow Branwen. The four of them didn't look happy, indicating they'd come to blows. Not hard to imagine what that might be over. Adam stepped in and away from Goodwitch, letting her ride the elevator back down as he came to stand before the desk.

"Take a seat, Mr Taurus."

No one other than Ozpin had. "I'll stand."

Ironwood growled. "He told you to sit."

"And since when have I been a dog?"

"That's not-"

"Enough." Ozpin interrupted them before they could begin. "I'm well aware of the history you two have. This is neither the time to discuss it, nor the place. We are here to discuss what will happen now that the White Fang have followed through on their threat and revealed Mr Taurus to the general populace."

"Am I out of Beacon?" Adam asked bluntly.

"No."

The one word answer from Ozpin was followed by a frustrated crossing of Ironwood's arms, suggesting the decision hadn't been unanimous. The man had good reason to hate him – better reason than most. After all, their forces had clashed more than once. It was no exaggeration to say they'd been generals of opposing armies, though Ironwood and Atlas would never admit to that. It wouldn't do to make the White Fang sound too legitimate.

"Despite pressure from the Council, the media and… other parties…" Ozpin glanced at Ironwood. "We will not be giving you up. You came here in good will, placing yourself under my care in search of a new life. So far, you have stuck to all I might ask, and I shall do the same."

Adam inclined his head, for once respectfully. "Thank you."

"That said, I hope you will understand that some things will have to change," Ozpin continued. "This isn't my will but compromises I had to make in order to get people off your back. First of all, you are to be confined to Beacon. The Council does not want you roaming Vale freely, nor the panic that would come from you being seen on the streets."

Understandable. This way any problems that did occur would be Ozpin's fault and the politicians could wash their hands of him. Adam nodded. "I accept those terms."

"The next relate to the Vytal Festival," Ironwood said. "This is an international event and there will be tens of thousands of people attending. As such, and as I am in charge of security, you will have to accept several conditions to your entering. Firstly, you will be escorted to and from Amity Colosseum at all times by a member of the Atlas military. You will be cuffed while doing this, and you are not to range more than four metres from your escort under any circumstances other than when you are competing. Failure to comply will result in your immediate arrest."

"Which is bullshit by the way!" Qrow growled. "Hasn't he done enough to prove himself? The guy hand delivered White Fang agents to you. He took a huge hit to protect his team. One of whom is your sister!" he said to Winter.

Winter Schnee refused to answer. They must have been the ones to push for this. Ozpin would have never tried to drive him out by chaining him up, and as important VIPs from an allied Kingdom, they more than had the power to force something like this.

"You want me chained like a wild animal…"

"If you have no ill intentions then you have nothing to fear."

"Is this your plan?" Adam snapped. "Insult me enough that I react, then claim that as an assault and reason to lock me up?"

"You are a criminal and a terrorist." Ironwood said. "You deserve no better than to be locked up for the rest of your life. That I am willing to compromise at all should be enough for you. Believe me, I would rather push for your immediate arrest and deportation to Atlas."

"He's helped us against the White Fang!" Qrow spat.

"That does not absolve the crimes he's already committed. He should serve his time for those if he truly wishes to be redeemed."

"And how much time would that be?"

"For actions against Atlas and the SDC, along with those affected, he would be looking at several life sentences."

"I'll pass." Adam said. "Of all the people I'd ask forgiveness for, you're at the bottom of the list. Fine." His good eye closed and he let out a long sigh. It wasn't like he could expect everyone in the festival to turn a blind eye to his presence. Things would be bad whichever way they did this, but he could at least spit in the face of Atlas and his blackmailers by accepting it. "Chain me up if you wish. I expect the White Fang will use that as material to inspire their people. It'll surely turn more faunus away from you, but whatever makes you sleep easier."

"I will deal with the consequences as they come." Ironwood said. "Additionally, you are to hand your scroll over to us for monitoring. You are not allowed access to Amity without an escort, and you must wear a tracking collar at all times, including during the fights-"

"Collar…?"

"James." Ozpin warned. "Do not cross a line here."

"There are few lines I won't cross when it comes to protecting innocent people. It will be an electronically fitted collar. It will deliver debilitating shocks to you if you go against the instruction of your escort."

Ozpin rose. "James!"

"It's this or nothing, Ozpin!" Ironwood boomed. "You may feel safe letting a terrorist into your school, but I will not unleash him on the people unless I can be sure the threat is contained. I am aware of the connotations. I am aware that collaring a faunus is bad optics. I am aware, but I will accept the implications if it means protecting my people." His arms crossed. "Take it or leave it."

"And if I choose to leave it?" Adam asked. "I presume I will be barred from the festival."

"That, and I shall immediately push for your arrest."

Qrow was moving. "You piece of shit! You agreed-"

Winter intercepted him. "General Ironwood agreed to allow Taurus' presence so long as he truly wished to leave his past behind. If he is genuine in that, he will feel not fear indulging us this."

"And if one of your people should take advantage of this to harm him?" Ozpin asked.

"They won't. The only ones with access to his collar will be myself, Winter and select members of my private staff."

None of which he had any reason to trust. Then again, they didn't have any reason to trust him either. I don't know what I expected. Ozpin is idealistic, but Atlas will do everything they can to bury me. It's a miracle they're even letting me near Amity with other White Fang running around behind the scenes. Even so, he wanted to refuse. If not on principle, then to spite Ironwood.

That would make things harder for Ozpin though. It would also make things harder for his team, all but removing any hope he had of making it up to Yang and Ruby. Adam seethed, shaking with rage and for a brief moment weighing up the odds of killing Ironwood then and there.

It was only a happy dream, however.

"I accept…"

"Hmm." Ironwood didn't even look pleased. He wanted the confrontation, which was all the more reason not to give him it. "Winter. If you will."

Coming forward, the Specialist brought a thin, silver strip of metal out from her white coat. It was thin, barely an inch tall, but it was painfully obvious and would be even more so against his pale skin.

Adam's eye narrowed on it and then came up. "I thought this was to be for Amity only?"

"The festival is soon enough and the panic at your past is current. This will calm the people down, once they see you are under control." Ironwood nodded for Winter to continue.

"I refuse to be collared by a Schnee." Adam spat. "Ozpin will put it on me."

Winter's eyes narrowed. "This is ridiculous-"

"I will do it." Ozpin stood and approached, holding his hand out expectantly. Winter looked to Ironwood and only gave it up once the man nodded. Ozpin approached, and Adam raised his chin, closing his good eye and tugging the collar of his shirt down. "I take no pleasure in this," Ozpin said. "In fact, I think this is a gross display of justice. I hope you will forgive me it."

He wouldn't be letting the man do this if he didn't. That was too soft a thing to say out loud, however. "Get it over with. If this is what Atlas needs to sleep safe at night, so be it."

Never in all his years had he imagined something so humiliating. The cool metal rested on his shoulders and clicked shut behind his neck. It wasn't tight enough to choke and actually hung about an inch off his skin, dangling over his collarbone. He could, if he wanted, fit his fingers between the metal and his neck. Little bumped ridges could be felt inside, designed to deliver powerful shocks at the push of a button.

The White Fang will have a field day with this. Look at what they did to Adam, look how the humans repay faunus who fight alongside them. Ironwood was either a fool who didn't see that or, and more likely, he considered the comfort of the people attending the festival more important. Atlas knows it can win a war with the White Fang if it comes to it. We won the first great war but there's little chance we could come out victorious a second time.

"It is done." Ozpin spoke sadly. "I hope this does not come back to haunt us, James. I do not like rewarding one who has worked alongside me in so cruel a manner."

"I won't lose any sleep over it, Ozpin."

The speaker on Ozpin's desk flared to life. "Sir! We have a fight breaking out in the cafeteria. It's a big one. Port and I are en route to break it up, but we could use some help!"

"Again?" Ozpin complained. "Too many of those already this year. James, if you'll come with me. Qrow and Winter as well-"

"Winter can stay." Ironwood said. "Taurus will need to learn who his escorts will be. Winter, you know the roster. If you could explain it for his benefit, along with the rules he should follow, that will make things easier."

"Yes sir."

/-/

Despite being rejected from the meeting, Weiss had decided to wait at the bottom of the elevator and get the results from Adam directly. There were no rules about who could or couldn't loiter there and as the only one of their team currently on speaking terms with him, it really fell to her to keep him company.

The fact she didn't want to face the comments and questions herself factored into it as well, but it felt more selfless this way. When the elevator came down and the headmaster, General Ironwood and Yang and Ruby's uncle came bowling out, she didn't dare get in their way. Weiss slid to the side and let them go, wondering what the problem was. The elevator went back up, suggesting someone remained. That must have been Adam, so she waited patiently at the bottom.

Adam didn't come down alone. Weiss was surprised to see her sister with him, and not in a friendly manner. Adam was scowling hard enough to make plants wilt. Winter said something and reached for his arm only for him to yank it angrily away.

I'd best step in before it gets worse, she thought, revealing herself.

"Adam. Winter. I take it all went-"

"Sister!" Winter interrupted her quite rudely. "What are you doing here?"

"I am waiting for my teammate to finish his meeting," Weiss said, somewhat icily. The way Winter asked the question made it sound like she shouldn't have been and that irritated her. "Is there a problem with that?"

Winter sighed. "Have you not even read the news reports? I thought you better-"

"I've read them. What of it?"

"What of-? Then you know-"

"I knew long before those came out," Weiss revealed. It was not something she enjoyed admitting, but the truth was the truth. Winter would have found out eventually. Predictably, she wasn't pleased.

"You knew… and you continued to associate with him…?"

"I chose to judge Adam by his actions-"

"His actions are what he should be judged for!" Winter snapped. "The actions he did as part of the White Fang!"

"Then should we not be judged for what we've done as part of the Schnee family?"

"This again?" Winter sighed. "He's gotten to you already, hasn't he? Filled your head with twisted lies about the family. Father is cruel, I'll be the first to admit, but do you really think we would allow something like this? General Ironwood is a fair man. He wants the best for all citizens of Atlas, human or no."

As if father would care about that.

Weiss snorted. "Adam has not gotten to me, Winter. I'll thank you not to assume as such. Is he free to be released to me now? We were having a pleasant conversation before he was called to the headmaster's office."

"He is not free, no. He needs to learn more about the escort he will need for the Vytal Festival. Perhaps I should arrange one for you as well."

"An escort? I'm not twelve, Winter."

"You're acting like you are."

"Adorable." Adam drawled. "I'm stuck between two Schnee arguing over me." He rolled his eyes. "You may as well give it up, Weiss. Your sister has the greater claim on me." He tugged at his collar and Weiss' eyes widened.

"W-What is that!? Why are you wearing that-?"

"Because Atlas cannot sleep easy knowing I am free. Because your sister pushed for me to be contained." Weiss' eyes shot to Winter, who made no effort to deny it. "With the push of a button, she can deliver debilitating shocks to me now. Probably enough to kill me if she really wanted."

"Don't make it sound so personal." Winter said. "This is for the safety of the other competitors and guests attending the Vytal Festival. Nothing more."

Weiss barely heard it. Her eyes were glued on the collar her own sister had forced on her teammate, a collar that all but branded him just as harshly as the scar across his face did.

"What have you done…?"

Yep. No way this goes badly.

Next Chapter: 25th May

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur