AN: A warning for Adam's section. It was uncomfortable to write so it's just to be safe. Chapter's POVs are separated and goes Blake, Adam, Bane. It's not intense but it's enough that I felt uncomfortable writing and reading over it. I'll give a summary in the author's note at the bottom.
Meant to have this out on Thanksgiving but Adam's part fought me the most.
Blake couldn't believe this actually worked. She'd thought she'd end up running from Adam but things had gone so differently than she had even dreamed about. Adam was coming with her. He didn't even hold what happened on the train against her. Let her lead the way after they picked up their bags from their small camp. He only stepped way to make a call to Bane to give him new orders. But he was back in a few minutes and never out of sight after. He trusted her even after what she had done. What she had almost done. She couldn't believe she had thought him lost to the same darkness that had consumed Sienna and the rest of the White Fang.
Of course, Adam was better than that. He just needed a chance to show it away from Sienna and what the White Fang had become. What it had turned into under Sienna Khan.
Even now he was giving sensible orders. She could hear him if she focused on it. The chapter was to split into their small cells and only meet for training. Orders would still be coming down from him. He didn't say where he and Blake would be. Only that they would be busy for a while. She could faintly hear Bane's voice, knowing he was pushing back against Adam's orders for one reason or another.
He could've told them to continue on as they had but he didn't. He ordered them to go underground, keep their actions to a minimum and focus on recruitment and training.
"They should be fine for a few months." Adam ended the call, cutting off Bane's newest objections to his new plan. "Lead the way."
"Really?"
"This is your plan Blake." He adjusted his bag on his shoulder. Having replaced his mask with an eyepatch over the left side of his face to cover the scar she knew laid beneath. "I trust you to lead the way."
Blake couldn't help but smile at the words. Adam always led but now he trusted her to lead them. Trusted her enough to put his life in her hands.
"You sure Bane will listen to you." She couldn't help but frown at the mention of the Vale Branch Lieutenant and former leader. He never listened to her and always fought with Adam.
"I'm sure." He patted Wilt at his side. "And if he becomes a problem, I can deal with it. My orders were very simple and very clear." He clapped his hands. "But enough about Bane. Lets get going. We have a lot of ground to cover."
She didn't need to but she took his hand, leading him deeper into Forever Fall. Towards Vale. Towards Beacon. Towards a better future. A future that they were together in. She had almost stopped imagining it, had thought of abandoning Adam on the train and setting out for Beacon by herself. She was glad she hadn't. Glad she had her longtime partner with her.
Ozpin's words to her rang true. Everyone deserved a chance to change for the better.
He'd have to remind Bane who was in charge of the Vale branch next time they met. He thought beating him down in front of the rest of the chapter when Sienna had first sent him to Vale had been enough. It hadn't. The warthog Faunus hated his demotion in rank and was becoming a thorn in Adam's side more often than not.
Always asking pointless questions and dragging his feet. Faunus like him were the reason Sienna's revolution was stalling on most if not all fronts. Petty egos getting in the way of the bigger picture. It seemed like only Sienna and himself could see the future the Faunus deserved, and what had to be done to make it a reality and not just a dream.
His anger was making him clutch his weapon so tightly that the leather of his gloves creaked.
A deep breath and he was calmed down enough to focus on what was happening now.
Focus on following Blake as she led him through Forever Fall. She had let go of his hand once she was sure he wouldn't run off. That didn't stop her from looking back over her shoulder at him every few minutes. He gave her waves every time, smiling as she laughed. He did whatever he needed to let her know he was still with her and would follow her as long as this madness lasted. She'd get cold feet eventually. She had always got foolish ideas in her head and he was always there to show her the right path again and again.
"Do you have a plan for once we reach Vale?" he asked.
Blake paused, she had a great poker face but her ears standing up gave away her surprise at his question.
"I'm sure we'll figure something out when we get there." she shrugged her shoulders. "It's Vale. It's not like it's Atlas."
She tried to continue forward but Adam grabbed her arm, stopping her cold. He squeezed her bicep with some of the force he had been holding Wilt with, more than enough to get her full attention.
"Don't be foolish Blake." He wanted to shake her but he didn't, his grip was more than enough to keep her from running like she wanted to. More than enough to show her how foolish she had been, like always.
Her head bowed as she went limp, Adam could feel her shoulders shaking though his hand. He let go, shoving her back to give him some space as he took a few breaths.
"Okay," he pretended to check his scroll to give himself a few more moments. "We can still get into Vale, Bane and I did it all the time for recruitment. But you'll have to follow my lead Blake."
"Okay." Her head didn't rise and her voice stayed low. He hated when she got like this. He hit her harder in their spars.
"I'm not mad at you Blake. I just know you can be better." He raised her head, shifting his hand to cup her cheek. "I see it from you all the time." He slid his thumb across her lips. "I just expect the best from you, am I wrong for that?"
"No." her hair flew around her as she frantically shook her head.
"Good," Blake copied him as he leaned forward, closing her eyes as he brushed back her hair before continuing forward. "We still have a lot of ground to cover."
He didn't miss the disappointment that flashed over her face at the lack of a kiss, strode past her with a smirk that fell as he beckoned her forward with a nod.
"Right," Blake adjusted the straps of her pack. "Let's go."
Taurus was gone and he couldn't do a single damn thing with the opportunity such a thing brought. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the chance to retake his chapter from the hands of Sienna's lap dog. Large arms cleared off the table, sweeping everything onto the floor of the tent. Maps, reports, burner scrolls, and everything else Adam required to lead the chapter as he saw fit. All of it fell to the ground around him, falling around his feet.
"Focus on recruitment." His face twisted into a grimace, like he swallowed something foul as he repeated the words to himself. "Uppity little shit."
He was being told to stand down. Wait for Adam's next orders and just serve as a glorified messenger boy for the cells he wanted them broken into. How could he even organize training if they were broken down into cells? They didn't have the manpower, didn't have enough veterans to supervise training the newer recruits.
Large fists pounded on the table, the old wood creaking as it threatened to break under his strength.
That cocky bastard was gone and he was still trying to force Bane to follow his orders. To split his chapter into cells and go underground. Pointless orders from a young fool. Sienna had filled his horned head with lies of his promise, made him cocky by calling him a natural when it came to leading or swinging around that fancy sword of his. The kid was more obsessive than anything. Attacking anything Sienna sic'd him on and even starting to rival her body count. The Vale chapter was functioning fine under his command and then she had sent Taurus at the first stumble.
He had gotten lucky in their fight, he didn't expect him to block his blows and throw that red wave at him. He could handle a defeat but not the demotion, not being forced to admit Taurus was better with the tip of his blade pressed into his throat.
So, he had let SDC convoys into Vale without hitting them. He never had the man power to hit them all and it was a waste of time. They'd just move Dust by sea or air and up security on them. He was waiting for his moment. Not wasting time on pointless attacks that would only up security. He was waiting for the right moment. Waiting for an SDC gala. Then he'd wipe out the Vale Council and any SDC representatives. Maybe even a Schnee.
That brought a smile to his face.
Sienna's and her little toy's interference ruining everything, brought a frown.
"Lieutenant!" a goat Faunus ran into the tent, struggling to pull his hood over his ears while trying to adjust his mask at the same time. "There's a human woman here. She wants to talk to Commander Taurus."
"Here? Where?" he was already sliding his own mask into place, drawing his own weapon from his back as made for the exit. The large chainsaw was held at the low ready, easy for him to attack with or defend from.
"At the edge of camp, where's Commander Taurus?"
"Away, I'll deal with her."
"But she said she wants to…" he started but Bane cut him off, anger and authority in equal parts in his voice.
"I don't care what she said. I'll talk to her." he shoved past him and blinked his eyes as they adjusted to the sun.
His eyes swept over the camp, seeing men and women quickly putting on their masks and grabbing their weapons. Adam was the only one to always wear his mask and keep his weapon on him even in camp. Him and his little follower. His eyes found the human soon enough. A dark-haired woman in a red dress. She was standing just outside the camp, cross from him with her hands folded in front of her and a smirk on her face. A human flanked her on either side. A dark skinned green haired girl and a light skin grey haired boy. The girl at least looked a little uneasy being in the enemy's camp but the boy and woman looked confident and relaxed. The boy thought he could take them all down if it came to a fight.
The boy met his stare and smirked, beckoning him forward before a single glance from the woman had him standing ramrod straight. A single raised hand kept them back as she stepped forward.
She carried a different aura. A warning at the base of his skull had him waiting for the woman to make a move. She had come here for a reason, something other than a fight.
It finally clicked in his mind, she had been here before.
"I remember you." Bane had been there when Adam had met with this woman, he had forgotten her name though. He wasn't sure she had even given it. "You're not here to fight so what do you want?"
"My name is Cinder Fall," she did a small bow as she introduced herself, bringing one arm to her chest as she did so. "I was hoping to speak more on an alliance between the White Fang and my associates, if you have time."
"Commander Taurus…" someone began to speak but Bane quickly cut them off.
"Isn't available so I will see you." he returned his weapon to his back. "Stand down."
"Thank you, last time I came empty handed but this time I come bearing gifts, tools for your revolution." Her followers came forward at her words, each holding a briefcase. One they revealed had valuable Dust crystals inside and the other had Lien to finance their operations. "I assure you this is only the beginning of what I can provide you with."
Adam was truly a fool for turning her away last time. These people were valuable allies to the White Fang.
He led the way inside the tent. Ordering people to clean the floors and bring refreshments.
"I noticed you didn't speak last time, a pity. You are far more sensible than Adam."
"Adam is a zealot. I understand the true needs of the revolution, that not everything can be acquired with force and sometimes it's best to negotiate."
"Should I fear him interrupting our negotiations anytime soon?"
"No. He's away. Indefinitely." He took a seat as the White Fang members finished setting the table and left without a word. "I'm the commander of all White Fang operations within Vale once again." he offered a hand. "Captain Bane."
"I hope we can work together to bring about change Captain." Cinder smiled as she took his hand.
She spoke and Bane was glad he was wearing a mask, the smile on his face would've given away how pleased he was.
This! This was it. Without Taurus to ruin everything again, he could lead the chapter as he saw fit and he had the backing of Cinder and her allies. The more she spoke of her plan, the more his smile grew.
This was what he had been waiting for.
This was his opportunity.
Adam Summary: Adam complains about running the Vale chapter with the former captain, Bane, being a thorn in his side whether its from dragging his feet or ignoring orders if they come from Blake. He sees himself and Sienna as the true architects of the revolution and everyone else is stalling their progress. Focusing on the now he wonders when Blake will see all this for the foolishness it is and asks her what her plan is for getting into Vale. He grabs her arm when she doesn't have one and tells her he expects better from her and that she'll follow his lead when it comes to getting into Vale.
AN: A terrorist organization is a terrible place to start a relationship. Blake is going to change. Adam is going to change. Hopefully they don't stay together.
Bane made up the bulk of this chapter and was a lot of fun to write. He'll play a larger role in this story than canon. He'll do more than introduce Roman and fight Weiss on a train.
Dropping backstory here and there so any criticism is welcomes. All of it makes sense in my head but please let me know if something isn't clear either in a review or PM.
Thanks for reading.