Early release today as I need to go for a business social event this afternoon. Schmoozing with important - sorry, self-important - people as preparation for the stupid awards ceremony I have to host and speak at again, which is happening in March. Damn it. Feels like I only did that a few months ago. Time passes too quickly.

Cover Art: Mystery White Flame

Chapter 44

If the botched raid on the White Fang had taught Jaune anything, it was that staying out of the limelight wasn't as easy as it ought to have been. The whole `not trusting Cinder` lesson didn't count because that wasn't really a lesson and everyone knew it was a bad idea; they'd just been forced to drag her along by virtue of Ironwood – so in a way, it was his fault. Not that Jaune would ever admit that within hearing distance of the man.

Staying out of further attention was the obvious solution to the current problems. Stay quiet and people would lose interest and then Ironwood could step in, take control and claim the credit for dealing with the issue. People would be happy. More important, Ironwood would be happy, and Winter could stop looming over his shoulder like she expected him to suddenly turn into a Beowolf. He didn't, so she was just sort of left hovering and making everyone – especially Weiss – feel uncomfortable.

It wouldn't matter. He had no intention of acting out so she was just wasting her time, but if it made her and the big man feel better, so be it. Jaune was sat with Glynda and Team RWBY in a common room assigned to them, watching the day's news prattle on about the White Fang situation. It wasn't all bad, even if Ruby and Weiss got a good laugh from seeing Yang's spluttering face on the big screen, pinned back by a reporter. A lot of it was stupid commentary on faunus that wasn't quite racist but skirted the line. More was just people wondering how the White Fang had snuck into Atlas in the first place, and whether taxpayer money was being put to good use.

"Stupid," Glynda said. "Sneaking into the city is as easy as removing a mask. What is James supposed to do? Arrest and interrogate every single faunus coming and going? Or do they think the White Fang all have identifying tattoos?"

Ruby and Oscar looked at Blake. Yang did too, intrigued.

"I don't have a tattoo."

"Awww."

"Not even a tramp stamp?"

"Excuse me!?"

Ignoring them and Blake's quickly rising temper, Winter sighed. "Unfortunately, this isn't uncommon. They never seem to realise the logistics involved in security, or the laws we cannot breach. I imagine they believe the White Fang walk in fully masked and cackling about all the dastardly things they're going to get up to."

The best they could do was release photos and ID the main instigators so the guards could recognise those, but Remnant wasn't exactly flush on ID-Cards or census data. No one knew how many people lived in the numerous villages and settlements outside the walls, and that number changed constantly as their relationship status with life would frequently become "It's Complicated" whenever the Grimm got bored. Someone with no background, no past and no identity coming into a city wasn't odd. It was distressingly frequent, especially orphaned children.

"What does Ironwood have people looking for?"

"Weaponry for the most part. Tools with which they can do anything. We can't disarm every faunus that enters the city – that would send the wrong message and people don't wander the lands outside unarmed. Still, we're locking down on any raw dust shipments. If nothing else, that'll ensure that when they do get in, they can't do much."

Not a bad idea. It was how Cinder found her edge in Vale. And if Ozpin had focused on catching Torchwick and limiting the dust, she might not have gotten away with what she did. Then again, that'd also mean he wouldn't be where he was.

"What's Ironwood planning?" he asked.

"You'll forgive me if I keep that to myself. Less chance you can… accidentally overachieve."

The low chuckle from Cinder at the back of the room had Winter going stiff. She didn't say anything and hadn't since everyone came in. Naturally, if they were in the common room then she had to be as well. Rules and all. Team RWBY hadn't liked it, but like any teenagers worth their salt, they'd soon forgotten when confronted with a TV.

"Fine." Jaune rolled his eyes to Glynda. "I guess we'll wait for Ironwood to decide-"

"ADAM!" Blake shouted.

Winter stood. Adam was on the television. The footage was shaky, shot from a hand-held camera, but it was clear and crisp enough and no doubt broadcast to the city, picking up and shown by the news channel. On it, the unmistakeable building that was the Schnee manor was a battle zone. Smoke oozed from an upstairs window and vehicles were burning outside. Bodies of White Fang and security forces both lay strewn across the floor.

At the front of it all stood Adam, a smallish figure clutched to his chest shaking like a leaf with a red sword held horizontally across his throat.

Ruby recognised him with a startled cry. "Whitley!"

Winter's gloves creaked as her hands balled into fists. The room fell into silence, even Cinder standing and making her way over to stand behind the couch he and Glynda were sat on. All eyes focused on the screen.

"People of Atlas," Adam sneered. "Welcome to the first day of a new age. Too long have we suffered under human oppression. Too long have we been silent. The Schnee Dust Company was at the heart of that and stands punished now. Jacques Schnee is dead."

Weiss let off a choked cry.

"His wife and son may soon follow unless my demands are met."

"What could he possibly want?" Cinder wondered, asking the question in all their minds. "He could have ten thousand hostages but Atlas will never surrender. What's the point, other than to prove his strength?"

Maybe just that. But keeping hostages alive meant placing himself at risk. It gave Ironwood time to react and told Ironwood where he was. The SDC manor. Adam had to feel there was some benefit to this. Something he could get.

"Headmaster Arc of Beacon."

Jaune flinched. He flinched again when Winter and Team RWBY, bar Weiss and Blake who wouldn't look away, turned to focus on him.

"You let your woman fight for you in Beacon, hiding away like a coward only to claim victory once the smoke settled. Yet you return now and laud your accomplishments over us. I would laugh if the very thought didn't sicken me."

Adam gripped onto Whitley and forced him down onto his knees. The boy was crying. Given he'd just seen his father killed, it wasn't unexpected. Another woman was held behind, white of hair and fighting her own captors.

"I challenge you to a duel. Come within the next six hours or every hostage we have – including the Schnee but also their maids, butlers and staff – will be executed. Ten will be killed for every hour you delay. Once they fall, our two VIP guests will die. And if we see a single Atlas battleship, they'll die as well. You have six hours, Headmaster." Adam sneered at the screen. "Make them count."

The recording winked off, returning to a news studio with two pale and troubled newscasters who valiantly tried to bring the topic back to kinder things. Their hearts weren't in it and neither was anyone else's. Yang leaned forward and turned the TV off.

Then, without a word, she reached over and wrapped an arm around Weiss' shoulder, pulling the quiet girl into her chest. Ruby instantly followed, scooting over to hug her from the other side while Blake sat and wondered if she should do the same, likely uncertain because of her connections and whether Weiss would accept it. Oscar gave her a little push and she was soon a part of it, the three girls holding onto Weiss. Winter was shaking as well, but her emotions were far easier to place.

Jaune wished the same could be said about his own. His stomach rolled and flipped while his heart hurt and all his muscles felt like goo. He was simultaneously angry and terrified, confused and certain, shaken and unsurprised. Hysterical as his thoughts were, he thought he could be forgiven for the first being a purely selfish one.

Adam, the absolute fucker, had made it all about him again. He'd called out Jaune Arc and Beacon, not Atlas.

Ironwood was going to flip.

/-/

Ironwood's table flipped, smashing glasses, decorative clocks and an ink pot onto the floor. Jaune jumped and trembled, but for once the man's anger wasn't laid on him. Ironwood stormed to the wall, reared a fist back and punched it. Metal gave way with an angry screech. His cybernetic arm punched through entirely, leaving a very startled junior clerk with a growing stain on his pants, scrambling away on the other side.

"Jacques dead!" he roared. "Civilians hostage. Blood spilled. In my Kingdom – and that jumped-up, mass-murdering, psychopathic, angst-ridden bastard has the guts to request an honour duel? He wouldn't know honour if it slithered into his bed and strangled him!"

Winter said nothing. She didn't even call Ironwood out on his wanton destruction of property, which continued as the man gripped his drinks cabinet with both hands and pulled it over, just to hear the shattering glass.

"I want him dead! I want him dead and gone!"

"Sir-"

"Winter." He rounded on her. "Why are you still here?"

"Sir, I-"

"You're on leave. Effective immediately."

Winter gasped. "But-"

"No buts, Specialist. Your father has been killed and your mother and brother are hostages. You're emotionally compromised and you know it. You're confined to quarters." He pressed a button on his collar and whispered something into it. The door opened and the soldiers outside came in. "Take Specialist Winter to her room and ensure she remains there," he instructed. "Her access to Bullheads is to be revoked until the situation is dealt with."

"Sir!" the soldiers saluted.

"Sir." Winter saluted as well, but it was frosty. Her eyes blazed with uncharacteristic rage. Without another word, she spun on one heel and marched away, head high and flanked by her two guards. The door closed behind her.

Jaune was afraid to swallow for the sound it would make.

"I had no choice," Ironwood said. "I know her, Arc. Give her ten minutes and she would have a team assembled and be halfway to the Schnee manor. If she couldn't rescue them herself, she'd trade her own life in a hostage exchange." He marched back and forth, shaking his head. "I can't allow that. Not now. The situation is volatile. No, it's already blown up. I expected some move from Adam, but never this."

Afraid as he was to say it, he had to. "Didn't you think they'd target the SDC?"

"Of course I did!" Ironwood made to slam his hand on the desk and realised it was upside down. He looked for something else to hit but was fresh out. Instead, he clenched his hand into a fist and let it shake in the air. "I wanted to post guards and teams to protect them but Jacques – the arrogant moron – decided it was unnecessary. Too eager to keep his secrets, too afraid I'd see something he didn't want me to. And now he's dead and his family are in the hands of a madman. Was it worth it, you greedy fool?"

Was it wrong to speak ill of the dead? Ironwood didn't seem to think so. "What happens now?"

"What happens? You want me to have an answer to that?" Ironwood sagged into his chair, the one remaining thing in his office. "He has his sword to the neck of a child with the promise to slit it should a single one of my airships enter the area. Though he didn't say it, I imagine the same happens if my soldiers make to surround him. He's chosen the area well. It's not within the city walls, so he can flee in every direction. I can't possible form a perimeter as I could if he'd taken a building of people hostage down below. He's no idiot and he has me by the balls."

"Then…?"

"Then there's nothing I can do," Ironwood said. "I can send a team – perhaps two – but they won't be able to approach without being seen. I could launch dust missiles to eradicate him and however many innocents. I could bombard the area until nothing remains."

Jaune didn't bother saying he shouldn't. Ironwood wasn't going to.

"But there's nothing I can directly do to solve this because he's not interested in negotiating with me." Ironwood fixed him with a stern look. "He wants you."

Damn it, Cinder.

"The ball, Headmaster, is in your court. I hereby remove restrictions on your travel and resources. Do as you see fit but know that Atlas will be watching."

"T-That's it…?"

"That's it." He spread his arms. "What else can I do? Holding you here does nothing but kill them. Even if I tried to, the Military Council would overrule me. It would be chaos in the streets. You're not under my jurisdiction, and once you're outside the city walls, you're not under any obligation to do as I say. Go. Go and deal with this problem your pet psychopath helped create."

"Do you have any advice at least?"

"Accept the duel. Kill him."

Ironwood stared him down. He may still have been under the impression he was faking his weakness or stronger than he let on, but Adam was another matter entirely. That battle, if it happened, was going to get him slaughtered. But if I say no, Weiss' family dies. Adam claims his victory and uses it to kickstart another faunus war.

Damned if he did. Damned if he didn't.

"Advice if I'm not good enough to kill him…?"

General Ironwood let out a long and angry sigh.

"Then I'd get to training ring, Arc, because you have six hours."

/-/

"Jaune. Stop pacing."

"I can't," he hissed. "I'm too busy pacing!"

Glynda sighed and watched him go left and write, wearing a pattern into the floor. Every minute wasted felt like such, made all the more imposing because he was supposed to be preparing for an epic deathmatch. And it was going to be a deathmatch. His. Neo's training had him at a respectable level for a huntsman. He could hold his own against any single member of Team RWBY and maybe even win.

Adam was not a member of Team RWBY. He was on another level.

"How long do we have?"

"Five hours."

"What!?" Jaune gasped and stopped. "I thought I had six!"

"Your meeting with Ironwood took twenty minutes, fifteen more of you screaming in the bathroom and you've been pacing back and forth for the last twenty-five. Keeping in mind that it will also take us half an hour to reach the SDC manor by flight, and you only have four and a half left."

Four and a half hours. Four and a half. He let out a strange warbling sound and staggered to the nearest bed, collapsing onto it.

"Rather than lay down, should you not be preparing?"

"Preparing for what!? I can't beat Adam. And all training is going to do is make me more tired for when I have to. I can't face him in a straight fight, Glynda. I'm going to be killed!"

He couldn't stay either, though. Leaving aside the fact Weiss would never forgive him, Atlas and Vale would be the same. He was the headmaster of Beacon. He was supposed to defend the city. Backing away from this and letting people die would him ousted from Beacon.

"You think I can have Ozpin fight him? Technically, Adam called out the headmaster, not me."

"He mentioned you by name; consider the optics of sending a child to fight in your place."

Yeah. That'd be one way to turn all of Remnant against me.

"Ideas?" he begged. "I'd appreciate them right now."

"Call Torchwick."

"Roman?" Jaune stopped. "Why?"

"Because you need to know how to face an enemy far stronger than you – and he regularly evaded Ozpin, the police and numerous huntsmen out for his head. Because the best advice I can offer is to be strong," she said, "While he will no doubt tell you to cheat, cheat and cheat some more." Sighing, she added, "Right now, cheating seems to be your only hope."

/-/

"I've seen the news."

It was the first words out of Roman's mouth, the thief sat back in what looked to be Jaune's office with a cigar and a bottle of wine. It wasn't even midday and he was drinking. On a school day, no less. I wish I could join him.

"You can't back out from this, I take it? No. Course you can't. Too much riding on it. Well, well, well, he's got you by the dangly bits, kid."

"You think I don't know that? I need advice."

"My advice would be to run, obviously, but I'm taking it you mean advice for something I'd never in a million years advise. I.e. fighting that monster in the first place." Roman made a show of sighing. "Shame you can't have Neo fight for you like you did with Winter."

"Is she still not awake!?"

"No, she's awake. But sick. Nothing fatal, kid. Just working the poison out. She can barely move."

There went another idea.

"Right." Roman leaned forward, setting the scroll down and placing his elbows on the desk. "Let's talk business. Straight up, you can't fight this properly. Lost cause. That's bad because there's no way the theatrical prat isn't going to livestream it. You could end up looking a fool even if you survive. Still, there's advantages to that as well."

"Like?"

"He's going to want to make a show of it. Prove his superiority. More than that, like you, he's not going to be afraid to cheat, so if you can convince him you have the upper hand somehow, there's a good chance he'll break off and make a run for it. To someone like him, the cause is more important than life or honour."

That was… an interesting approach. He couldn't think of a way to make it look like he was winning when he wasn't, but it was a thought. Anything that ended th fight sooner, honestly. "What else?"

"The public will be against him. That's good for you. Means any amount of bullshittery on your part will be acceptable so long as it's against him. Cheat, drag it out or downright throw honour out the window and no one will care – they'll just say you did it to protect innocent lives. That's the main thing, really. Winning shouldn't be your objective. I mean, you can't win. But you can win."

"Roman, please, I'm not in the right state of mind for mind games."

"Decide your win condition," Roman explained. "It's not to `beat Adam` but to `save the hostages`. Since he's going to be focused on you – and to be fair, so is everyone else – that's a chance for you to start working on the other bit."

"Send Team RWBY in to rescue the hostages. Get them out, and there's no reason to finish the duel."

"Bingo. Good you learned how to be a despicable rat like me, huh? Honour. Duel. Pah. You're only agreeing to keep the hostages safe, and people will forgive your slip of honour if it puts down a monster like Adam Taurus. Drag the fight out. Rescue the hostages. Bomb the whole place to smithereens."

"Have Ironwood close and ready to move in," Jaune said, filing in the blanks. "Once Adam sees Ironwood's ships, he'll have to retreat. Killing me won't mean anything if he dies because Adam is more important to the White Fang than I am to stopping it."

"Pretty much. Can't help you on the fight, though. You'll still have to hold out against him. Word of advice? Ask the kitten."

"Who?"

"The one who let big, edgy and psychopathic between her legs."

Jaune grimaced. That wasn't an image he needed or one he imagined Blake would appreciate, especially coming from Roman of all people. "Right. Because she'll know some of how he fights and might know his weaknesses. Got it."

"Keep in mind something else too, yeah?"

"What?"

"This whole duel thing is Adam's ploy. Salem and the others might not be in on it if you know what I mean. You're not the only one willing to stretch the rules to your benefit. This has prime distraction written all over it."

Roman was right. But if so, that was something Ironwood would need to deal with. He was going to be staying behind after all.

/-/

Blake felt sick. Sick all the way to her stomach.

The fact she felt that way when Weiss had her family in danger only made it worse; the sheer selfishness of her own feelings hurt, and not knowing whether Weiss would appreciate her saying anything extra didn't help. How could Weiss stand to be around her when she was once a part of the White Fang? Those thoughts kept her hanging back even as she longed to say something, to promise everything would be okay like Ruby and Yang were.

"Blake, she doesn't blame you," Yang said. "Get over here."

"I… But what if-"

"You think it's fair for you to worry about that? Going to sit there feeling sorry for yourself while Weiss is dealing with all this?"

That was a blow to her stomach and Blake lurched forward. "No. I didn't mean it like that."

"Then get over here." Yang hissed and dragged her forward, forcing her down next to the others. It was all within Weiss' earshot, but the heiress wasn't paying attention. Hard to. She was leant into Ruby, who was holding her head and talking over her, just trying to distract her. Hesitantly, Blake took her hand, her emotions running haywire as she felt how cold and clammy Weiss' were.

Adam had gone too far this time. Much too far.

Something slammed into the door. There was a curse followed by a beep and the thing swooshed open. The headmaster stormed in rubbing his hand. He must have tried to barge in and slam it open before realising the doors here didn't work like Beacon's.

"We're going to save the SDC."

Yang gasped, relieved. They hadn't doubted something would be done, but the thought they might not be a part of it had been there. Blake knew Weiss wouldn't be able to handle that. "Us?" Blake asked. "Our team included?"

"Yes. I'm going to engage Adam and keep him distracted. You're going to be working with Glynda and Cinder to find and rescue the hostages. Or most of you are. I want Blake with me."

"Why?"

"I need as much advice on Adam as possible. Plus, I need him focused on us so the others can run free."

Blake nodded. It made sense – a lot of sense. Adam would be distracted by the fight but add her into the mix and it would be twice as bad. Plus, it would work the other way around. If she appeared with Jaune but then disappeared to rescue hostages, Adam would be more likely to notice her absence. She met Yang's eyes and nodded once, telling her it was okay.

"Weiss," he said. "Will you be able to lead them through the mansion? I know this is unfair on you…"

"I can do it." Weiss' voice was brittle. "I can do this."

"Okay. Glynda will be in charge but follow Weiss if she isn't around. Oscar, I'll need you to do what you can as well, but I was hoping you'd go in alone from a different angle and find the Schnee hostages. Can you do that?"

Oscar tilted his head to the side, not saying anything but lost in thought. After a second, he nodded. Blake watched, confused as to the byplay but remembering that Oscar was, by all accounts, a spy of some sort. If there was ever a time for him to go off on his own, this was it.

"When do we go?" Ruby asked.

"As soon as we're done here. Glynda is prepping transport. This is our chance to plan." Jaune strode in and took a seat, sitting down with his knees spread. Oscar made room for him but didn't get up to do so. "Most of how you do this will be up to you. I'm going to have my hands full dealing with Adam, so I won't be able to help. Once the hostages are out, Ironwood will come sweeping in."

"Won't that break the agreement?"

"Yes," he admitted. "Does that bother anyone? Personally, I'm prepared to let an artillery bombardment deal with him. I don't think he deserves the respect of a proper duel. Do you?" The final question felt like it was aimed at her specifically. Though she could still remember the good times with him, taking a child hostage was the final straw. Blake shook her head. "Good. In that case, I'll need Blake's help. I need to know everything you can tell me about Adam. Anything."

"His fighting style?"

"Anything," he stressed. "Fighting style, dominant foot, lingering injuries, allergies – especially allergies. Anything you can think of that would give me the slightest edge against him. Don't think about fairness. Don't think about what's right." He sighed. "I won't lie to you, girls. As it is, if I go in there to face him, I'm going to die."

A ripple of shock tore through each of them. It hit her too, even if Yang and Ruby took it worse, Ruby almost looking like she wanted to argue but for the serious look on his face. She trembled with her lower lip caught between her teeth. Ruby turned a desperate look on Blake. Yang did too. Not as desperate and more determined.

Adam was powerful; she'd always known that. There was a reason he'd been the shining light of the White Fang and someone so many flocked to. They'd needed a champion. Someone who could be both figurehead and muscle, and he'd filled the role to a tee. The headmaster was strong as well, that went without saying, but his strength was in other aspects. Leadership, persuasion and the knowledge required to run a school. Adam had dedicated his life to fighting.

It really was possible the headmaster would be killed. Blake was surprised to find how much the thought of that had her shaking.

"Blake?" he pressed, trying to be calm but obviously as shaken as she. "Will you do this, Blake?"

"O-Of course. You… I…"

The question shouldn't even be an issue. Wasn't. What was an issue was the blank she was drawing up on how to beat Adam. He wasn't without his weaknesses obviously, but those didn't really apply to the headmaster. Adam focused on close range with even his shotgun blasts being as such. Sadly, so did Jaune. Adam was quick but didn't have the biggest aura. A heavy attack or attack-based Semblance would do well against him. Something Jaune didn't have. Style? Adam didn't have many holes. He'd trained too hard for that. His biggest advantage was in melee, and the headmaster was a melee fighter himself.

It's a terrible matchup, she thought. Adam counters his every move.

Which was kind of the point. Adam wasn't going to call a duel and humiliate himself on international television. Of course he was confident he'd win. Why else do this? There has to be something. Blake bit her lip and closed her eyes, wracking her mind. Not in the fighting, but something else. A weakness that can be exploited.

"Anger." It came out quickly. "Adam has a temper. A bad one."

Jaune nodded. "Is he weaker with it?"

"N-No. He's not weaker, but he's more reckless. A little more aggressive. That has its weaknesses if you can take advantage of it. I-I don't know. It's the only thing I can think of, but an angry Adam has to be better than a calm and calculating one."

Yang was nodding and the headmaster soon did as well. It wouldn't guarantee a decrease in Adam's aggression or speed, but it might at least impact his focus. The angrier he was, the more likely he was to make mistakes.

"I need him furious then. Absolutely livid. Angrier than he's ever been before in his life." All eyes were on her again, not without good reason. "Any ideas? Do I insult the White Fang? Do I need to act racist?"

"Cameras," Yang warned. "Even if we know it's fake, not everyone will."

"Adam is used to racism so it wouldn't work anyway," she said. "It'd need to be something he hasn't dealt with before if you want to get his blood boiling. He was always angry, but you need him more than that. You need him raging. The only time I saw that…"

The blood drained from her face. Then, without warning, it came back.

With a vengeance.

Blake looked away, bright pink and pushing her feet together on the floor. She squirmed awkwardly, an idea forming, but by every notion a bad one. An awful one. A humiliating one. One that she was sure would have Adam go apocalyptic.

"I… I might have an idea… but…"

"Yes?" Jaune leaned in. "I'll take anything at this point. I'll do anything."

She wished his face wasn't so close. "Well, if cameras are watching then it might backfire a little. After the fight, I mean. Are you okay if your reputation… well, is damaged a little bit? Just a little. Not racism," she added, "But, well…"

"Blake." He said her name heavily. "Anything that comes after is fine so long as there is an after. If you have an idea – no matter how crazy – that will get him so angry he can't think, then I am all for it. One hundred per cent."

Cringing, she asked, "But will Glynda be? Or Neo?"

Jaune looked confused. As did her team. All except for Yang, who suddenly had the flattest, deadest and most dangerous look in her eyes. Blake shied away from it, all but hiding behind the headmaster's leg. The only reason Yang hadn't tackled her by now was because Weiss' family lay in the balance.

"What idea is this?" Jaune asked.

Blushing, and hating herself for the fact she did, Blake explained.

Things became rather quiet after that. Quiet and stilted. The only sound was Oscar's breath, which was just a little too fast-paced to be anything other than him hiding his laughter. No one else was laughing. Certainly not Yang or Ruby. Or the headmaster. He had one hand over his face, head tipped back as he stared up at the ceiling for divine intervention.

"It's an idea," Blake squeaked. "My only idea…"

Jaune sighed. "Fuck my life."

Oh dear, Blake. I'm sure we can figure out what this idea is that might end up being shown on international television, but if it's to save Weiss' family – the good parts of it anyway (new top milf, anyone? Rocks the hair better than Weiss does) then we'll forgive you.

And oh hey, look, a story that isn't ending this week. That's new.

Omake:

"How about instead of making Adam angry, we go for confusion?" Yang suggested. The idea was so out there that Jaune and Blake stopped to consider it.

"Confusion?"

"Yeah, like, this is all to distract him, right? If he stops in a `wtf` kind of way, then that's a few seconds bought, right?" Yang punched her fist into her other hand. "So, you and Blake keep him confused while we rescue the hostages, and then bam! Mission success."

It could work, Jaune thought. It wasn't going to be easy, but if it meant not fighting at all then he was all for it. "I'm willing to give it a try. Even if it doesn't work, if it buys you guys a minute or two, that's a minute or two I don't need to hold him off. Not sure how to keep him that distracted, though."

Yang looked smug. "I have a few ideas."

/-/

It was time.

Adam stood in an open clearing before the Schnee mansion. A fitting backdrop for his victory. A captured news crew that had strayed close captured his visage. His mask was polished, his sword sharpened and his hair slicked back. Finally, after all these years, it was time. And here came his prey, strolling forth from the forest.

But not alone.

Blake.

His grip tightened on his weapon. Why? Why was she here? To see his victory? Too beg him not to do this? Too little too late. Adam drew his weapon and pointed it toward Jaune Arc. "You have come. I praise your timing, if nothing else. I am Adam Taurus and I shall kill you. Draw your weapon."

Jaune reached down, but not to his sword. Instead, he produced a… rose?

"Prepare for trouble."

Blake struck a pose behind him, shooting Adam a smile. "And make it double."

Adam's sword fell slowly.

"To protect Remnant from devastation."

"To unite human and faunus within this nation," Blake echoed.

"To denounce the evils of the White Fang."

"To extend justice to this terrorist gang."

"Jaune!" He balanced on one foot.

Blake stamped her feet down next to him, one fist held up. "Blake!"

"Team Beacon arrives at the speed of light," they announced at the same time, twisting their arms around to form a pose, back to back, arms crossed. "Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"ARF!" A grey corgi barked, jumping up excitedly in front of them.

"..."

Adam stared.

The news crew stared.

Someone, a hostage, clapped awkwardly. When no one joined in, they let it die out. Leaves floated by as the camera zoomed in on them, Adam's sword point touching the floor as he tried to process the sheer wrongness of what he'd just seen.

"What was that?" he eventually asked.

"Our introduction," Jaune said valiantly. Beside him, Blake's face was burning red. "Team Beacon stands for love and justice. We will not be defeated by the likes of you, evildoer."

Adam stabbed his sword down, turned away and slapped himself across the face. He did not wake up. "This has to be a dream," he mumbled. "A nightmare. It's the only explanation." He pinched himself. "Why am I not waking up?"

He turned and picked up his sword again.

"Can we just fight? If nothing else, I'll feel better after killing you."

"Not until I transform, villain." Jaune Arc, headmaster of Beacon, struck a flamboyant pose with his wrists crossed before him, the backs of his hands to Adam and the camera.

Adam peered. "Is that nail varnish? Are your nails sparkling?"

"Beacon Headmaster Power, Make Up!"

"No," Adam whispered. "No, no, no."

In front of him. In front of everyone. Jaune Arc began to spin on his toes, holding his hands over his head. Blake pulled out a skirt from nowhere and tossed it to him, and Adam was left to stare as the grown man fumbled into it, still spinning, still sparkling. Blake was heaving handfuls of glitter and sparkling dust all over him, shining a torch with one hand to make it shimmer.

This cannot be happening. My moment. My crowning moment…

"Beacon Moon stands before you now," the very obviously Jaune Arc figure said, now wearing a crooked tiara Blake had jammed on his head while he was spinning. "Prepare to face your demise, evil doer. In the name of love, justice and everything bright in the world."

"Can… Can you not?" He was ashamed how pleading his voice came out. "Can you just not?"

/-/

Adam sobbed, on all fours punching the floor while people slowly dealt with the White Fang and freed the hostages. No one even cared. A hardened terrorist casually allowed his hands to be cuffed behind his back, too busy staring at the train wreck of a scene taking place in front of him. At Jaune and Blake, squatted close to one another, knees bent and equal distance apart.

"FUSION-"

"Not like this!" Adam wept. "Not like this!"

Jaune and Blake crab-walked to each other, bending over to touch fingers. "-HAAA!"

They vanished in a cloud of dust. Or they may have liked to think they did. Jaune Arc could still be seen laying on the floor, albeit with his hands over his head. Blake, meanwhile, was struggling to pull on a blonde wig. It didn't cover her hair fully.

In her best attempt of a masculine voice, which sounded exactly like a woman trying in vain to sound like a man, she said, "Ha. How about this, Adam? Are you ready to face our true power?"

Adam screamed and punched the floor.

"NOT LIKE THIS!"

Next Chapter: 30th January

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