Chapter 31

The first round was over and pretty much everyone Adam was interested in had already fought. From JNPR to SSSN and CRDL. Even that older team Ruby was friends with, CFVY, all of which had won their fights and gone to the next round. Beacon was doing pretty damn well, all things considered.

Amity had shut its doors now while the Atlesian trained technicians set it up for the doubles round the following day. Most people had gone home but quite a few still lingered on Beacons grounds, taking in the stalls and one of the few chances to see the illustrious academy.

"And then they all were set up perfectly for Neptune to shock them! And the faces! Ahh I'll never forget their faces." Sun said with a satisfied sigh.

Sun had wanted to celebrate his own victory and pulled Adam along. Something about catching up. Adam could recall promising something along those lines during the Breach. Now was as good a time as any so here they were, at a small time cafe stall drinking tea.

Blake always did enjoy tea. I don't see the appeal. "I did see the fight, Sun. I can't say I'm all that impressed."

"Whaaaat!? But we did so well!"

"Well you didn't fight much like a team. More like four people who happened to be in the area and on the same side. You had less teamwork than CRDL." Adam sighed and took a sip.

"Now that's a low blow." Sun sounded hurt. "So oh wise master Taurus, what could we do to fix such a problem!"

"As leader, it's your responsibility." Adam sighed and thought for a moment. "You don't strike me as a team that would use big strategies or set moves. You are far too independent for that. Perhaps look to make sure each member can predict how the others will act and react. That way you'll be fighting alongside each other like you can read minds."

"That does sound pretty awesome. Is that our only option?"

"It is if you don't want to do what everyone else does. That would be learning to communicate effectively during battle and making sure you, the leader, can come up with tactics and strategies on the fly." He leant back and folded his arms. Sun gulped.

"Right so we'll go for the former."

"I thought you would."

"So how do I go about it?" Sun leaned forward, arms resting on the table as his golden tail lifted his cup to his mouth.

"I don't know. Outside of lots of practice I can't really tell you." Adam shrugged.

"You recommend it!"

"I didn't exactly lead that way in my previous job. Back then we set a plan long before we started and every tiny detail was plotted out. It was different to how Huntsmen typically operate. You don't get to scout out a Grimm horde over the course of a few weeks, plotting out their guard patrols and layout of the area."

"You do that a lot?"

"That was how we operated. It led to successful raids. But you've… encountered my old allies. Would you say they could learn to perform moves like my team does, or to know exactly how every other member of the team will act?"

Sun hummed as he thought for a moment before he shook his head. "Nah. They kinda just fired their guns and tried to stab me. No real strategy or anything, I think a few of them even hit each other."

"Exactly. The closest we had to actual teamwork was firing lines and basic plans for holding or taking a location. Which amounted to 'take cover and try not to die when you pop up to shoot'."

"Only the most detailed and unique plans for the White Fang huh?" Sun said after taking a long sip of his tea.

"Pretty much." Adam grumbled.

"So I have to talk to them about it?" Sun asked.

"Won't get far if you don't. Communication is important." Adam leaned forward and picked up his cup. "Just be honest and tell them how you think you all can improve."

"Right. Honest. Improvement. Mind reading." Sun nodded along, a smile on his face.

Adam sighed. "Well, you seem to have the idea down. Good luck."

"I'll probably need it. Thanks for the advice." After a moment of silence and a sip of his tea, he continues. "So, how have you and your team been going?"

"Well enough I suppose. No major issues. Ruby complains about Weiss nagging her to do homework early. Yang and Ruby fight over foolish things. I think it's a sibling thing? They make up almost immediately anyway. Biggest issue left is… well Blake."

"Hmm. No plan on that yet huh?"

"No. I'm still caught on whether or not I should try to arrest her or defeat her. It would stop her from causing more pain but it would prove that violence was the answer."

"Which makes it harder to convince her, which is the goal."

"Exactly."

Sun hummed for a moment, swished his drink and took a sip. "Maybe you should enlist some help. Look to other people who could help you convince her."

"There is a couple who could help…"

"I'm sensing a 'but'?"

"Well, they hate me. I don't know if they would help me, but if it's for her they might be willing."

Sun shrugged both his shoulders and tail. "Well you gotta do something. Arrest her or convince her. You'll keep beating yourself up otherwise."

Adam looked down at his cup. The porcelain stained back.

"Sooooo about that fire thing you did during the Breach-"

"I haven't figured it out."

"Maybe I can help? Everyone figures out a way to do their whole shtick and get stuck in that way of thinking. Maybe a different perspective could help."

"Maybe… fine. I can't do it on command and I can't replicate how I did it the first time."

"Well, what did make it work?"

"I thought of… I was picturing negative events. Deaths of comrades and the like."

"And?"

"And Blake. Her hating me and fighting me but also… I pictured our first kiss. That was when I did it."

"And picturing that kiss doesn't do it again?"

"No…"

Sun hummed and looked thoughtful. "To use my Semblance I remember something I saw once. In Vacuo I saw a tree in the desert. Nobody else saw it but I swear it was there. Maybe it was a mirage, but it was so vivid, so real. That image of a tree standing proud and undaunted by the desert around it is what I use. I picture it and it let's me concentrate on using my Semblance."

"Using a memory to concentrate?"

"Yeah. You used one without meaning too. It might not work now, but picking another one might help."

"So thinking of Blake will let me throw fire?"

"From the sounds of it, remembering positive stuff you did with Blake, maybe even focused on your relationship, will do it. Or it could be something else entirely. I don't know."

"It's an idea I didn't have before. Thank you, Sun." Adam smiled at the monkey Faunus.

"No problem! Helping people is what I do!" Sun beamed back. "Anyway, I should go catch up with my team. Gotta talk strategy for the Doubles round!" Sun hopped up and ran off with a wave.

Adam waved back as the Vacuan ran away. He sighed and downed his drink. As he made to leave a waitress gave him the bill.

Damn it Sun.

"You did very well Weiss." Winter spoke as if it was to be expected. Which it was, really. Weiss had agreed to another of these cafe talks as long as Winter didn't try and pit her against Adam, or use her for information on him.

"Thank you, Winter. We're looking forward to competing in the next round."

"I see. How has your training been going? Any progress on your Summons?" Winter inquired in between bites of cake.

"No… no progress there… I've started on Time Dilation though!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Weiss… a Schnee who cannot use all of their Semblance is not worthy of the name! You must be able to use your Summons. It is one of the strongest abilities in our arsenal."

"I understand…"

Winter sighed. "I would be willing to assist in your training Weiss. All you need to do is ask."

"I know. I don't want it interfering in my team's training, however."

"I see." Winter took another bite of her cake. "I hear you have been ignoring Father."

"I haven't been answering his calls."

"And why is that? If you wish to take over the company then you cannot ignore him."

"Well I… I do not wish to be under his thumb! I came here to be free of his control." Weiss hesitated.

"So you are fine with losing your funds and any chance of taking over the company?" Winter quirked an eyebrow up.

"I... I don't know. I want to change the SDC. Make it what Grandfather wanted. Make it better for its workers."

"For its Faunus workers?"

"Yes. For the Faunus that are used and abused by our family's company."

"I see." Winter didn't sound pleased. Probably because she was thinking Adam had brainwashed her or something equally overzealous. "Are you going to tell Father your plans?"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll figure it out."

"Weiss. What are you planning?"

"Well, Adam and I will be going into the next round." Weiss smiled and took a sip of her drink, watching from the corner of her eye as Winter's eyes twitched.

"Weiss… that isn't a good idea."

"Oh, I think it is. We complement each other quite well."

"When Father hears… he will find out about his… past! He will be furious Weiss!"

"He's allowed to be." Weiss placed her cup down on its plate and stared her sister in the eyes. "What he is not allowed to do is judge Adam for his choices. Father is one of the reasons for what Adam has done, so when he comes to complain to me I will be prepared."

"You're playing with fire Weiss! It won't end well. For you or your friend."

"That's a good way to put it. Dealing with Father is like dealing with fire, but Schnee's aren't fire. Our symbol is that of a snowflake. And just like the fact that he isn't like us, he never was meant to be in charge. He never followed the ideals our Grandfather instilled into the company. I'm going to show Father that I care about the origin of the SDC. I'm going to remind him that the company wasn't made to use people, but to help them."

Weiss stood and smiled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I should be getting an early night. We have a very important match tomorrow."

Winter slowly stood. "Yes… goodnight Weiss.

"Goodnight Winter."

The crowd roared as Adam and Weiss stepped out into the field, opposite of their opponents. Two members of team FNKI. A broken cityscape came up on one side with a field of geysers on the other.

"Weiss Schnee." The trumpet wielder called out.

"Yes?" Weiss called back.

"You don't look like much." He spat to the side.

"Excuse me?"

"Y'know I've been wanting to talk to you since I got here." He pulled his sunglasses down. "Your family kicked mine out of business. Little mom and pop Dust shop that couldn't compete so got thrown to the curb."

"I'm, sorry to hear that."

"Yeah right. I'm gonna enjoy beating you. Maybe then, you and Jacques will regret stepping on the little guy"

Adam laughed. Weiss looked at him in shock. Flynt Cole and his teammate Neon Katt looked angry. Adam just laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

"What's so funny!?" Flynt growled.

"You, obviously!" Adam laughed again, whipping fake years from his blindfold. "I mean really. You? Beat Weiss? Hilarious!"

"Are you that overconfident!?"

"Oh but you've fallen into a familiar little pit. The big problem with your little revenge scheme." Adam lowered his head and tapped his horns. "I wonder if you're blind or just an idiot! Did you not see the horns?"

"What of them?"

Adam straightened. "If Weiss was anything like her ass of a father she wouldn't have ever let herself be teamed up with a Faunus, especially me of all people." Adam drew his crimson blade and pointed it towards Flynt. "Trust me when I say this. Weiss Schnee is nothing like that man. Besides, the only one that can give her shit over her father's actions is me. Get your own Schnee punching bag!"

Flynt looked annoyed and angry while Weiss facepalmed. She struggled, and failed, to hold in her laughter. "What is wrong with you!?" She whined. "Did you think that was going to sound cool or something!?"

"I'm sure Jaune will think it was."

"That's your metric!" Weiss exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in a fit. "What's next, are you going to base the appropriateness of punishment on what Nora thinks is a good idea!"

"Nah. I'll judge my success on how pissed your dad is." Adam said with a smile.

Weiss took a deep breath and turned back to their opponents as the clock ticked down. A huge smile on her face. "Well if that's the metric, then I suppose we'll be very successful." She drew Myrtenaster and readied herself.

"Now that's what I like to hear, Schnee."

"Ready to win the round, Taurus?"

"Of course."

"Good."

Flynt and Neon prepared themselves as the countdown closed to zero.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

"Begin!" The Professors roared with the crowd.

A/N: Sorry for the delay there. A bit of a cooler chapter before we get into more matches. Sun and Adam do a little catch-up and maybe Sun will learn something that took him a while to learn in canon, that he has to actually talk to his team. I do have to say that it is kind of sad Weiss hasn't used Time-Dilation again in canon, though I think the reason is that it didn't help at all when she fought the WF LT on the train. And then she got the super-powerful summons. Weiss and Adam have started to form their own banter, which I'm sure will horrify old Jaques. Also a reminder: Weiss' grandfather is Nicholas Schnee AKA Santa. Love it. New volume at the end of the week! So excited!

I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time!