Chapter 8
Vale was a city he had never thought he would see much of. Sure he had had that month before Beacon, but he hadn't spent it sightseeing. Although, sightseeing wasn't on today's agenda either. Today's was filled with the bane of all men.
Shopping.
Especially when he didn't have any money. He was only there to avoid his leader's ire. Not that she was scary in the first place. But, an upset Ruby was an angry Yang and his partner could make his life much harder than it needed to be.
Which was why he was here, carrying a bag filled with everything from Dust and bullets to clothes and even a new poster of the Achieve Men.
Who knew Huntresses were so good at wasting money. He kept trying to refuse the things they were buying 'for him'. Random knick-knacks and various trinkets he didn't need or want. Well, the extra clothes were nice. They'd even gotten him a new blindfold. He did wonder where they got the Lien for all this. It wasn't like the Schnee was paying for any of this.
No, she just kept talking about how they were going to be late to see the students that may or may not be coming today. She is a bit obsessed with this huh?
A few hours of walking around following after his team finally led them towards the docks and to a much happier Schnee. Of course, nothing was ever easy in his life, was it?
"Second one this week." Adam turned at the voice. A pair of policemen were talking outside of a broken and cordoned off store.
"That's terrible." Yang muttered.
"They left all the money again!" The other officers said. "Who needs that much Dust?"
"Maybe an army?" The first said.
"What, you thinking it was the White Fang?" Adam's breath caught. His team didn't seem to notice and the pair of officers continued on like they weren't talking about terrorists in the middle of the street.
The Schnee scoffed. "The White Fang! What a bunch of degenerates!"
Adam's hand twitched. He beat down the instinct to protect the name of the White Fang. Well, with violence at least. "Degenerates?"
"Well of course! They're all just filthy liars, cheats and murderers!"
"Oh and the Schnee aren't? How many have died in your mines because you can't be bothered to pay enough money to keep them safe? How many have you cheated out of their businesses? How many times have you lied to people to get them to work and die in your mines so YOU can sit pretty in your little mansion!?"
He'd gotten worked up. He knew it. They knew it. He was losing it. If he didn't get control now…
"How dare y-"
"Alright! Come on guys can we at least not do this in public!?" Yang interrupted. Adam just nodded and turned away. He needed to focus.
"He started it!" And there she went pissing him off again!
"I don't care who started it! You can finish it back in the dorm okay?" Yang's voice was firm, it reminded him of a mother telling her two children not to fight.
"Hey! Stop that stowaway!" A voice yelled from nearby. They all turned to see a boy with a monkey's tail run past them.
"Think he was one of Vacuo's students?" Ruby asked.
"After him!" Weiss shouted before giving chase. Ruby followed after a second, racing after her partner with Semblance enhanced speed. Yang patted him in the shoulder before going herself.
Adam sighed and followed. He didn't try to catch up though which saved him from ending up on the floor like the rest of his team. That's what you get for running into someone.
As much as he wanted to enjoy the sight of the Schnee falling on her ass, every instinct in his body warned him of the girl they had run into.
Ginger hair, green dress, bright eyes, probably around 17. Trained, but didn't show it. At least not obviously. He didn't like this girl.
"Argh, that rapscallion got away!" The Schnee shrieked as she stood up. Ignoring the girl she had run into.
"Rapscallion!?" Adam blurted out. His anger was rising again! Calm it down! You can't jeopardize your position at Beacon!
"Yes, Adam. A rapscallion. He was a stowaway after all." Weiss Schnee turned on him, her eyes narrowed in anger.
"Was he!? All we heard was some human yelling that. How do you know that Faunus wasn't just discriminated against?"
"He ran from the police! You don't do that if your innocent Adam!"
"And what would you know? You don't know discrimination or oppression. The police will arrest anyone they want to! They can make up crimes any time they want!"
"The police are bound by rules just like the rest of us!"
"Guys! Didn't I just say we should do this back in the dorm!?"
Adam's hand twitched. His scar itched. A blood lust he had tried to forget had returned. He wanted nothing more than to dash Weiss' head against the wall and bathe the pavement in her blood.
He turned and left. They all shouted various things but he ignored them. He needed to escape them.
He needed to breathe, before he did something he would regret.
Yang cursed internally. Today had been going so well but of course Weiss and Adam had to ruin it. It was obvious they were both passionate about the subject, but neither could talk about it calmly.
She dreaded what would happen when they arrived back in the dorm. It was only a minute or two away and she could already feel the headache coming on. Weiss was fuming, Adam had run off, Ruby had doomed them to being friends with that crazy girl Penny.
Today sucked.
And she was right. It only got worse once they arrived in the dorm.
"You're helping keep people enslaved!"
"We pay our workers a fair wage as dictated by law!"
"A law that allows you to avoid paying for anything that happens to your underequipped workers!"
"Dust mines are dangerous! They knew that going in!"
"Tell that to the children who are forced into it!"
Weiss back peddled and leaned on the window sill. "Well, at least we don't go out of our way to slaughter defenceless people just trying to get by!"
Adam gripped his head or… no, it was his blindfold. He always seemed to do that when he was annoyed. Yang made to stand up when Weiss continued.
"At least we don't kidnap and murder people just for working in a company! At least we don't use children as hostages so we can kill their parents for being successful businessmen! At least we aren't monsters!"
She breathed for a moment. Yang fell back into her chair. Ruby just looked stunned. Adam… Well, he exploded.
"You made us into monsters! You forced us to become exactly what you thought we were just to be heard! Just for a single person to think for a moment that we were real people! Violence was our only answer!" Adam was taking laboured breaths. It looked like it had taken a lot out of him.
But it was Ruby's words that dawned him. "Us?" There was a pause. Yang could see the panic rising in Adam but before she could get out of her chair or even say anything he was running. Out the door and down the hall and gone.
Ruby made to go after him when Weiss spoke up. "It's no use Ruby. He said it himself. He was just another one of those monsters!"
Ruby turned and yelled back. "No! He isn't a monster! He's just Adam! He's helped Velvet when no one else would! He made friends with Jaune! He's Pyrrha's training partner! He isn't a monster!"
Ruby left. Yang almost followed. But when she turned to look at Weiss she saw the tears that fell. Ruby can take care of my partner, I'll look after hers. Weiss stiffened when Yang pulled her into a hug, but her attempts to escape were more for show than anything.
Weiss was in pain, just as much as Adam was. But they could still fix this.
Stupid stupid stupid stupid! How could I have done that! I let her get to me!
He felt like screaming. But he didn't. That would only bring the teachers to him. It was only a matter of time before his 'team' told the teachers and then they would all hunt him down. His life in Beacon was over.
He would need to find a different way to redeem himself.
Just going to run away? Since when did the Adam Taurus run away?
Since he had left the White Fang. Or was it when he had left the mine? Maybe when he had turned violent. Maybe he had run from peace.
It didn't matter. He had to leave. He passed by the grand statue. He could grab a bullhead, there was always one going between Vale and Beacon. All he had to do was avoid suspicion and-
"Sooooo, tough night?" The blonde-haired monkey Faunus from the docks. Great.
"No." Adam said and kept moving.
"You know it doesn't sound like it." The blonde said as he followed Adam. "Ya know, I kinda saw you and that white-haired chick having a fight after you guys tried to chase me. I'm guessing you had another one."
"Do you always ask strangers questions like this?" Adam's left hand twitched again and he sat it on Wilt.
"Only those who look lost and confused. You need help, I can offer some!" He offered Adam a big and bright smile.
"Whatever. If you want to follow I don't care. Just don't get in my way."
"Cool cool. Sounds like a plan! Oh names Sun by the way."
"Adam." He gritted out.
"Nice! I can tell we are going to be great friends Adam!"
Brothers save me.
She couldn't find him. Ruby had run all over Beacon and he had just gone! What was she going to do now?!
Damn it! Where did he gooooo?
Her team was falling apart. Weiss and Adam hated each other. Were they going to be split up!? What if they were expelled because they couldn't function as a team!?
Everything was falling apart and she was responsible.
If only she had been a better leader!
Ozpin took another sip from his mug. Adam Taurus and Sun Wukong had just left Beacon, off to who knew where.
What was his game? Had he decided he couldn't continue in Beacon? Or had something happened? It would be a shame if he had decided to return to the White Fang.
He had been doing so well too. Let's just see where this goes…
And maybe he shouldn't tell Glynda. She might just use it as an excuse to hunt him down. With James arriving in a couple of weeks, now was the worst time for a hunt.
Even if he does come back, would he be able to stay in control with the general of Atlas here?
It was something he would find out soon enough. He sipped once more and leaned back.
What was Adam Taurus's plan?
A/N: So... that was a thing. Adam and Weiss fight. Adam runs and Sun is Sun. Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!