Chapter 14
The Emerald Forest was vibrant as always. The trees tightly packed together to form what looked almost like a sea of leaves and the sounds of the wildlife lent a serene atmosphere to the area. The stairs down the cliff face were just as steep as they had been after initiation. The long walk down was nerve-wracking, while he was confident he could beat Cardin, he didn't want to get into a fight in such a confined space and he was sure Cardin didn't either. But Adam kept a hold on his weapon, just in case.
They had left Cardin's flunkies at the top and descended alone. Cardin seemed confident that he wouldn't go flying off the edge to his death.
He was right, but Adam was still tempted. It would be so easy. It would also ruin everything he had been working for. He wouldn't waste everything just to get rid of some bully no matter how much he pissed Adam off.
After reaching the floor of the forest and walking for what felt like half an hour they arrived at their destination. A clearing with a few logs laying about. Not the perfect battlefield, too high a chance of tripping on the roots or the logs, but it would do.
"So, what rules will we be fighting by?" Adam asked.
"We fight until the other person's Aura breaks." Cardin replied, drawing his mace.
Adam hummed. "Alright then. Ready to start?" He asked.
"Just waiting on you."
They faced each other and waited for several beats.
And then, Cardin charged.
"Have you seen our teammate Adam? Tall guy, wears a black blindfold, has horns?" Ruby asked a passing student.
"I'm far too busy to pay attention to animals." The girl replied with a laugh as she walked away.
"What's her problem?" She asked before turning and continuing down the hall. They had made little progress in finding their errant teammate and had decided to split up.
Where is he?
She approached a group of older students and asked them, once more she received a chorus of no's. She moved on to another group and got the same. And another. And another. And another.
"Oh yeah, I saw him! He was being taken to Vale with the rest of the trash!" One girl responded.
"That animal? Why do you ask, is he your boyfriend or something?" Another replied.
"I know where he is! In the kennel with the other animals!" A boy laughed before his friends told him his joke sucked.
Ruby was not happy between her lack of progress and the degradation of her teammate, her day was looking a lot worse. But Ruby being Ruby ignored them all and kept on trying. After what felt like hours she finally got a message from Weiss.
Someone said he left the locker room with CRDL. We should talk to them.
Ruby sent back a quick ok meet at their room and rushed off, she dashed through the halls, leaving a trail of falling petals. Yang was already waiting outside the dorm when she arrived. Weiss arrived not too long after.
Ruby knocked on the door and after about a minute it finally opened. Russell's eyes widened and he made to close the door but Yang's foot in the door proved a problem.
"We haven't done anything!" He cried.
"We just wanted to ask you guys a couple questions. Answer and we'll leave." Yang said, pushing the door open. Russel went stumbling back into the room.
"Where's Adam?" Ruby asked as ahead entered the room. The room itself had few changes from the standard design, namely a couple of posters on the wall.
"Who?" Russel asked. Sky Lark facepalmed.
"Russel…" Dove groaned out. Yang stomped forwards.
"He's out with Cardin. They're settling their differences." Sky said before he got a taste of Yang's fists. Yang grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him off the ground.
"Where?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Would you like to see the nurse today?"
The room was quiet for a minute as Sky thought hard on his options. He finally just gave up and said: "a clearing in the Emerald Forest. I don't know where exactly but-"
He didn't finish before Yang dropped him to the ground and the trio of girls left.
Ruby couldn't help but wonder why Adam didn't at least tell them, or why he would go off with Cardin of all people.
What was going on?
The ground erupted into a wave of dirt and grass. Adam lept backwards and ducked when Cardin swept his mace through the thick cloud. Adam parried Cardin's mace and knocked it off to the side.
He then cut into the underside of Cardin's arm which caused him to stumble back with a growl. Adam followed with a kick to Cardin's knee, which staggered him for a moment.
Adam was unrelenting, he flowed into a graceful combo which left Cardin no time to retaliate, he was at Adam's mercy. Eventually, he was able to lash out and force Adam to separate from him.
Cardin stumbled to his feet and growled. "Bastard!"
"You challenged me, Winchester."
Cardin just growled and charged again, he swung for Adam's head. He managed to parry the blow and return fire with a shot from Blush. Overall it didn't do much but further anger the larger boy, who then charged in once more with a wild swing. Adam once more moved to intercept it.
He regretted it this time, however. The crystal at the centre of Cardin's mace glowed and then exploded, it sent Adam crashing through the dirt and into a log. He pulled himself back up as Cardin rushed in with another swing.
This time Adam ducked under and tried to sweep Cardin's feet out from under him. Adam's leg slammed into the heavy armour. It didn't budge.
Adam cursed and rolled to the side, he managed to narrowly avoid the mace as it slammed into the ground. Another explosion heralded another wave of dirt.
Adam rolled to his feet. Cardin was surprisingly quick and had excellent staying power. I wouldn't say he was holding back in class. More like he's fighting like his life depends on it. Adam opened fire as he ran to the side.
Cardin spun The Executioner in a circle, blocking the bullets not unlike how Adam might.
I should finish this quickly. He's strong and can last pretty long. He won't go down easy.
Adam knew what he had to do.
He rushed Cardin continuously, he slashed towards his opponent, as he looked to take the initiative. Cardin smashed the head of his mace into Adam's blade, knocking it off course. Adam used the momentum and spun, extending a foot for another attack. Cardin grabbed it and used it to pull Adam off balance.
Adam kicked off the ground and used his newfound height advantage to bring his sword down onto Cardin's shoulder. He screamed and dropped Adam, who hit the ground with a roll.
Adam turned and rushed back to Cardin. As he turned, Adam unleashed another ability he hadn't used in a while. Three black shades of the bull Faunus rushed ahead. The first slashed at his opponent's face, the next attacked his legs and the last kicked Cardin's chin.
He then leapt off of a log and dropped onto the mace wielder, bringing him to the ground. He then unleashed fist after fist upon the boy.
Cardin managed to regain himself and strike back against Adam which caused the man to pull back and give the orange-haired boy some room to breathe and stand back up.
Adam backed up and placed his hand on Wilt. He closed his eyes and focused. The red began to glow and Adam opened his eyes. Cardin roared and charged, wildly swinging his mace.
Lower the power. He can't die from this. Focus. Disperse the attack over his whole body. Destroy his Aura. Now!
Adam lunged forward and drew his blade.
The world seemed to fade for a moment. It became nothing more than shades of black and red.
And then it was back to normal. Adam had lunged past Cardin and turned to see the boy had collapsed over a log, panting heavily. The air sparkled as his red Aura shattered.
"Just remember to keep your side of the deal, Winchester." Adam said as he sheathed his sword.
"Damn it! Beaten by a monster!" Cardin grumbled before standing and turning to Adam. "Why!?"
"Hmm?"
"Why don't you kill me!? You've been killing for years but I'm some exception?! I hate the Faunus but you let me live!" Cardin's eyes were wild.
"A part of me wants to. But I'm trying to change. To become better."
"Bullshit! People don't just decide to change! There has to be something! You're being forced to or it's just some ploy or… or…"
"There's no ploy Cardin. I realised my mistakes and want to fix them. Even if I don't deserve it."
Cardin fell to his hands and knees, tears welling up in his eyes. "Damn it! What is this? How can a monster like you just decide to change!?"
"Is it so hard to believe?"
Cardin stood once again and stared at Adam with hate-filled eyes. Eyes Adam was all too familiar with.
"Yes."
"Why?" Adam didn't know why he stood there, listening. He should just walk away but he didn't.
"Since I was born I've been told about people like you. The monsters in human skin. Those just as bad as the Grimm. If not worse. They never changed. They were always monsters."
"The Faunus aren't monsters. We're people. Just like you."
"Are you so sure? My great grandfather fought in the Great War and the Faunus Revolution. And you want to know what he told his son? The Faunus were worse monsters than even the cold assholes from Mantle."
Cardin sat down on a nearby log.
"He always went on about how horrible those wars were, he told my grandfather, who told my father who told me. The Faunus didn't just use their vision to fight. They attacked with fangs and claws. They tore people apart. They trained animals to let loose in battle. They brought Grimm down on unsuspecting soldiers! They brutalized people!"
Adam sucked in a breath. There were those in the White Fang who had wanted to do the same thing. Even at his worst, he had despised that idea. They wanted equality. That kind of violence wouldn't get them anywhere.
"He fought under General Lagune, you know the guy that lost the damn war because he forgot some Faunus can see in the dark. Damned idiot didn't even pay attention." Cardin spat to the side. "Forgot how his enemies had been fighting the entire time."
"So you think I'm like them? The ones that brutalized humans?
"Yes. No. I don't know. I thought you were. Everything my dad had collected on the White Fang pointed to you murdering so many people. But I don't know anymore, supposedly you killed plenty of innocent people, yet you're letting me live. He stopped for a moment and let out a hollow chuckle. "Me of all people, you should want to put me down where I stand but yet, I'm spared."
"I did kill many who didn't deserve it. But I don't want to kill anyone. Not anymore." Cardin looked at him, analyzing him.
"My great grandfather lost so many friends in those wars. He saw the worst of the Faunus. I couldn't see them being anything more than animals who would slaughter us if they could. And the White Fang just proved me right. Protests that turned violent. The attacks. The murders."
"Humans haven't been so kind to us either."
Cardin scoffed and looked away. Adam sighed. I don't know if anything he has said is true but he's opened up to me. He hates the Faunus because of what his great grandfather lost… He thought for a minute and then internally cursed at his decision.
Adam reached up and pulled his blindfold off. Cardin's eyes widened in shock at what he saw.
"A human did this to me. He scarred me for life because I wanted to be treated like a person. It isn't the same as what happened to your great grandfather. But this is what led to me joining the White Fang. I wanted to make sure nobody could ever do this to anyone again."
"SDC… the Schnee? And you're teamed up with one…" Cardin let out a hollow laugh. "That must have been tough."
"Both Weiss and I suffered and hurt others because of it. Just like you. She and I both have decided to change and you can too. You've already decided to become a Huntsman. What would you do if you were asked to save some Faunus?"
"I… what do you want from me?"
"To keep your end of our deal. But I hope that you will change just like I'm trying to do. I don't want humans and Faunus to be at war. We should be fighting the Grimm, not each other."
"Do you really expect me to just change overnight?"
"No. I didn't. The White Fang didn't. It took a change in leadership and many smaller steps over a couple of years to become what it is now. I didn't realise while I was inside just how far we had gone until we were terrorists."
Cardin looked out into the forest.
"It's your choice, Cardin. It always was. Nobody can force you to change. Any attempt would just confirm your beliefs." Adam turned to leave.
"What made you decide to change?"
Adam looked back at Cardin. The boy's face was wet with his tears but his eyes held a fire. Adam considered for a moment.
"Love."
"Really?" Cardin seemed confused.
"Yes. My love for another. She's in a dark place. The same place I was. Looking at her made me realise how bad I had become"
Cardin laughed. "So the monster changed for love? What is this, some kind of fairy tale now?" Adam just turned away once more.
As Adam went to leave the clearing Cardin yelled one last thing. "Good luck." Adam stopped, stunned.
"You too." He called back. The trees almost felt like they opened up as he left. Adam pulled his blindfold back on.
Adam didn't know if anything was going to change because of this. Whether what Cardin had said was true or not he believed it. A history not told. Because it wasn't true, or because the Faunus had won the war?
He didn't know and doubted he would ever know for sure.
The walk back felt long but it gave him time to appreciate the forest. He hadn't had a chance during initiation. The whole forest felt so very alive. Though he noticed, despite the amount of negativity he and Cardin gave off, there didn't seem to be any Grimm.
"Adam!" Ruby shouted down as he reached the cliffside once more. They were almost to the forest floor when he stepped out from beneath the trees. He lazily waved at them.
"What happened with Cardin?" Yang asked when they got all the way down.
"We settled our differences."
"Do we have to help hide a body?" She continued.
Adam laughed. "No, no. We'll be fine. We just had a bit of a fight and then a chat." The trio of girls looked at each other and back to him in disbelief.
"You just… talked it out with the most overt racist in Beacon?" Weiss said.
"Yes. I've had plenty of training talking with you, Schnee."
Sadly Weiss didn't snap back with a witty retort. Adam sighed. "I'm heading back to the dorm. I'm tired." He walked past them and started the long walk back up. "I really hate whoever decided stairs were the best way up and down a cliff."
The others soon followed him, discussing amongst themselves on what had happened.
Had he been replaced? Mind control? Blackmail? The list went on. He just smiled. Did it matter that they didn't believe him?
Not really. He could just prove them wrong later. He was perfectly able to talk things out.
At least these days.
He just needed to find the right way to go about it. Which was why he was so stumped with Blake. How could he convince her?
The room was warm and cosy when Cardin returned. His team sat there playing games. They waved to him when he entered but didn't stop.
It wasn't hard to miss the rest of Taurus' team on his way back. They'd gotten his team to talk. He'd have to think of some way to get back at them for the betrayal.
But that just keeps the cycle going, doesn't it?
Maybe those thoughts could wait. He was tired after all. It wasn't every day you fought until your Aura broke.
He took off his armour, showered and cleaned his gear of the dirt that had gotten everywhere.
And he went to sleep long before the others. He had a lot to think about after all.
A/N: Well this was a thing. A difficult subject is a difficult subject. I've tried to make a believable reason for Cardin's hate but I wouldn't say this is his only reason. I want to expand more on him and his thoughts later on. How well I did here is really up to you guys. If I had to relate it to real life, I would probably say it's like a soldier from WW2 passing on their hate for the Germans to their kids. Sure, the Germans did horrible things but that doesn't mean every single German is some monster in disguise. It's a difficult and complex subject. I hope I can do it justice here and in future chapters.
I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time!