Chapter 66

"I'm glad you came to your senses, Ms Schnee." Cordovan smiled as she spoke. Weiss ignored the urge to take her to task with Myrtenaster.

"Yes, well my friends and I discussed it at length. They'll be leaving to find alternative transportation. I however wish to get home as soon as I can, so we decided I would part here." She tried to limit her lies and tell half-truths to keep from getting outright caught. Thankfully Cordovan didn't notice her one lie at the end. She was so patriotic it didn't cross her mind that an Atlesian like Weiss wouldn't want to go back.

"Of course of course! Now I've called upon my strongest and most loyal soldiers to take you across the seas to the homeland! So rest easy while we take care of the work." Cordovan's smile never seemed to lessen.

"Thank you. That is most appreciated." Her strongest? Really? Okay, we aren't foiled yet. A surprise attack should still be enough to-

Her thought was cut off when she saw the soldiers that were going to be her pilots. The two of them had been at the gate previously and had shown off their abilities quite well. Suffice to say that Weiss no longer had any worries about taking over the ship.

The pair of soldiers, who wore overly tall hats that seemed to cover half of their faces, saluted as they approached. "Ma'am!" They called.

"At ease. Well, Ms Schnee, I wish you a safe journey." Cordovan switched gears quickly and easily.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to report your favourable treatment." Cordovan's eyes seemed to almost sparkle as Weiss spoke. Is she really that eager for the chance to be promoted? For the chance to leave Argus?

Weiss held back a sigh as she climbed aboard the Manta and prepared to leave. After securing both herself and her luggage the ship began to lift off. As they passed beyond the defences of Argus Weiss took a deep breath and clicked open the container holding her sword.

Let's get this over with.

"Ma'am! We've got a problem." A soldier called the moment she entered the command centre.

"What kind of problem?" Cordovan growled. What could be going wrong?"

"Our western sensors aren't working anymore."

"What!?" Cordovan's eyes twitched. It was them, wasn't it!? "Scramble the fleet and deploy the Colossus! Do those children think they can get one over on me? While they have another thing coming! They'll pay for underestimating the Atlesian Military!"

"They've left the range of our scrolls. Adam, Yang. It's your turn. Try to be quick." Ruby relayed through their earpieces.

"Copy that." Adam responded with trained ease. This was feeling more and more like some of his old raids. The most well-prepared ones at least. I'm glad we could get Chrysanthos on our side. Getting military-grade earpieces has definitely helped secure our communication.

"Here's your stop." Yang interrupted his thoughts. "Thank you for taking Yang's Bike Service. That'll be one thousand Lien."

"A thousand? For that bumpy ride? What a price gouge." Adam smiled as he hopped off the bike. "I'll be back in a few. Keep the engine running."

"Got it." Yang nodded and waved him off. "Go break a tower already."

"On it." He waved back and then dashed into the forest.

Soon enough he reached the tower, which stood amidst a clearing and reached higher than any tree. However, something felt… off to him. Where are the guards?

The clearing was empty of all life. Adam swallowed and prepared for a fight. He didn't know what was happening, but it was clear something was. But despite that, he remained unmolested as he reached the tower and climbed up near the top.

Alright. Pull a few wires, flick a few switches and we'll be good. Adam thought as he pulled open the metal door hiding the board he needed to mess around with.

A broken mess of metal stared back at him.

What? But this can't possibly be working. His eyes widened as he realised. Shit! Adam pulsed his Aura sense, giving him a perfect image of the blade slashing towards his neck. He threw his Aura up and rolled to the side, taking a glancing blow instead of a deadly one.

As he rolled back onto his feet he got a good look at his assailant. A pit opened in his stomach as he realised who it was. "Blake." He whispered.

"Adam." She spat back. "Finally caught you!" Her face twisted, joy and sorrow conflicting. The fact she hadn't brought her WF mask raised questions in Adam's mind, but he didn't have time. With this broken the sensor is probably already off. The base has almost assuredly noticed. What's my plan here? Warn the others? Run? Beat Blake? Ilia's gotta be nearby.

"You really followed me all the way here? Blake…" He sighed and then lept from the tower. As he hit the ground in a roll he tapped his earpiece and spoke. "The tower was destroyed by Blake! Assume the base knows!" He ducked as he spoke to avoid the whip that threatened to electrocute him.

Ilia had joined the fray.

Blake swung down from the tower as Adam stood and prepared his weapons. "You shouldn't have come after me, Blake."

"Shut up! I have to take you down!" Blake spat back.

"Well… I guess I have to do the same back. It never had to go this way, but it has. Let's get this over with. No more running." Adam fell into his combat stance. She goes down. Now.

"I can't run. I have nowhere else to go. All because of you!" Blake jumped forward, her blades at the ready. Wilt clicked as it came free.

Black and grey blades met a black blade in combat.

Blake was ferocious, almost uncaring for defence. Ilia was picking up the slack in that regard, using her whip to snatch away any openings Blake left. If it wasn't for the mad look on Blake's face Adam would be impressed. As it was he just felt empty inside.

"Rraaaaaaaa!" Blake screamed, attacking with wild, reckless slashes. Wilt parried here and there while Blush barked, forcing her back with a blast to the stomach.

"Give up Blake. You aren't fighting seriously enough."

"I can't! Don't you understand! You ruined everything!" She came in again, blades singing as she struck. "I had all of the White Fang at my back but you made them turn against me! By keeping me from victory! By refusing to return! By not giving up on your foolish school fantasy!"

"It's not my fault you failed to keep control, Blake. If they turned against you it's because of your actions, not mine." Another parry and buckshot to the chest, though this time it hit little more than an ice clone. As ice flew everywhere, Blake began to rant once again.

"I had to take command from the inept Sienna! I had to rally our old squad together! I had to make up for you running away! You put everything on my shoulders! I had to make up for you!" Tears streamed down her face as her blades came for his throat once more.

Wilt parried them away, but Ilia struck his back with a powerful lash. He twisted to avoid the second attack and Blake's next attempt. Adam thrust his leg out to try and trip Blake up, but while he managed to do that she took it in stride and rolled back to her feet. Adam clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Blake. You chose to do all of that. You didn't have to."

"Didn't have to!? What was I supposed to do oh great and wise Adam!? Follow you? When I didn't know where you were going? Should I have just abandoned everything, like you!?"

"You could have."

"No! No I couldn't! I couldn't allow myself to be so weak! My parents abandoned the cause! My partner abandoned the cause! What would the White Fang have thought!? What would people have thought!? You, who abandoned your position, cause, friends and lover don't get to tell me what I should have done! You abandoned everything! You abandoned me! Now I have to take you down to recover a fraction of what I once had! Why can't you understand that!?"

For a moment a lull had entered the battle as Blake screamed at him. Her eyes were red and pouring tears. Ilia looked like she didn't want to be here at all. Adam felt terrible. He didn't want to fight them. Blake's words hit him hard. But what was he supposed to do? What should he have done?

The sound of a motorcycle pierced the air, followed by a roar as Yang stepped off of her bike, grabbed the bars and practically threw her beloved motorbike at his assailants. The pair jumped away as the mass of metal crashed into the ground and exploded, throwing them both towards the forest edge.

Adam coughed as smoke filled the area for a moment. "That might have been going overboard."

"Nah." Yang said, rushing to meet up with him as the cloud cleared. "It was two on one. I had to break it up a bit." They turned to see Blake and Ilia reconvening. Blake looked murderous. "What's the plan?"

Adam thought for a moment. I have to finish this, here and now. She's hurting because of me. I don't have any reason to leave her any longer. With how she's acting, maybe I can get through to her. "Take on Ilia. Just keep her busy. I'll deal with Blake."

"You sure?" Yang asked, her voice filled with worry.

"I'm sure. I'm the only one who can stop her for good. I'm sure of that." Adam looked resolutely in Blake's direction. Blush felt slippery in his hands, but that was fine. A plan was forming in his mind. It's dangerous, but I think it's the best way. "Yang. Whatever happens, don't worry about me. Focus on getting back to the others. Got it?"

"Excuse me? Hell no! We're a team! No way I'm leaving you behind."

"Ah. Right. Sorry. I just-"

"Do whatever crazy plan you've cooked up. I'll keep whip girl over there busy."

"Thank you." Adam shared a smile with Yang before the pair rushed forward.

"I hate you!" Blake yelled as she jumped up, swinging her blade on its ribbon to push Adam back. He blocked and parried with a calm demeanour. His eye was trained on her, never leaving. Ilia was facing his obnoxious friend, so Blake was alone again.

It was a familiar feeling now.

The pain of being abandoned was etched into her soul. It was something that could not escape her. So many had left her. So many had abandoned or betrayed her. Her father and mother. Adam. Banesaw and the White Fang. One day Ilia will too. To her, it was no longer a question of if, but when.

She could already feel Ilia's dissatisfaction at being here, so it would have to be soon. Soon she'd lose her last friend. She'd be alone.

"I hate you!" She screamed, trying to desperately hide her true feelings behind a wall of hatred. Fear was not welcome. If I can just take him down, I can fix all of it! I can keep Ilia! I can take back the White Fang! I won't be alone!

She couldn't feel the tears that fell from her eyes. So focused on a future that might not even be possible. Her mind desperately tried to run from the truth.

Gambol Shroud sang as it cut through the air, slamming again and again into Adam's damaged and spent sword. Her katana and cleaver slashed and slashed, trying to get any hits that she could. Adam was prepared. He'd trained her. He was far more skilled. He wasn't holding back.

She couldn't keep up. She wasn't in the right state of mind to counter his skill with traps or tricks. She just cut and slashed and stabbed and hoped.

It was inevitable that she would lose, but she wouldn't admit it. To herself. To anyone.

Adam's eye flashed, a bright shining light filling the blue iris as his Semblance momentarily activated. His blade was a blur of motion as he twisted and slashed. She brought her swords up to block, but realised too late that he wanted that.

His sword struck her own and, with incredible force, tore Gambol Shroud from her hands and sent the pair of swords flying. With her blades wrenched from her grip, Blake suddenly was left unarmed and open. Adam brought his blade up, and all Blake could do was stare dumbfounded.

Ah… guess I failed… damn it all…

"Blaaaaake!" Ilia screamed in horror. Blake smiled, realising that in the end, someone may have cared enough to stay with her to the end. I can be content with that, right?

Blake closed her eyes and awaited death.

…

Hm?

Her body was filled with warmth that didn't make sense to her. Warmth, but no pain? Had her brain stopped responding because of the sheer amount of pain?

No. Death had not come for her that day. She slowly opened her eyes and to her shock, she found herself in a familiar position.

Adam had pulled her into a tight hug.

"W-what…?"

"I abandoned you. That's true. It was a mistake that I regret. So let me make it up to you. Let me help you move forward."

"G-get off!"

"You're the woman I fell in love with Blake. What we had might be gone, but it was special. You kept me grounded for so long. I thought leaving would let me help you. That was arrogant but… I can fulfil that belief now. I won't ever abandon you again. I promise you."

"You will! Everyone always does!"

"No. Ilia came this far for you. She would never abandon you. I can only hope to follow that effort."

"But! But!" Blake's mind was a whirlwind of confusion. Words began to just slip out without her consent. "But I'm a monster! I've killed! How can you forgive me!?"

"Forgiveness isn't what's important. Nobody should try to redeem themselves for forgiveness. Working hard to make up for your sins, despite knowing you may never be forgiven… that's what's important."

"No, I can't! I can't just change!"

Adam let out a breathless laugh, one of his hands coming up to pat her head. "Of course not. That's why it's work. Redemption is never achieved, but we strive for it anyway. It's that eternal work to make up for our mistakes that allows people to trust us again. You don't want to be abandoned?"

"No! Never! Never again!"

"Then work. Show the world that you don't want to let your mistakes remain. Blake… join me. Please. Join me in protecting this world. In saving it. You've been abandoned and betrayed. Your method to better the lives of the Faunus has failed. So instead… please just try mine."

"What?" Blake looked up with tear-filled eyes. At some point, he had removed his eyepatch so that he could look into her eyes with both of his. Unconsciously her hand moved up to touch the scar, like the day she first saw it.

"We've fought so many times over which was the best path for our race. I've tried your way, my old way. Death and destruction and hate. I've done that and I realized it doesn't work as well as we hoped. Policies changed but minds didn't. I changed a man's mind by showing I wasn't the monster he thought I was. Blake… please come with us. Try my new way."

He pulled back, leaving the hug to instead offer an outstretched hand. "Please Blake. Come and show the world that we aren't monsters."

"How could you just accept me again!?"

"Because I know you were a better person than I could ever be."

"That's bullshit! I'm a murderer!"

"So am I. But they've accepted me despite that. Because I changed."

"You just want to abandon me again!"

"I'll never abandon you ever again."

"I don't believe you!"

"Blake…" a different voice came between them. Ilia, who was being held with her arms behind her back by the blonde brawler, looked at them with tears in her eyes. "Blake… after all that we did they threw us away. We were discarded… maybe… maybe we can find a new place in the world. I don't want to keep running..."

"Blake." Adam spoke firmly to draw her attention. "I ask you to try my way. If it doesn't work… then you can go back to whatever way you want. I want to try and show you the world from my perspective. I want to show you how it's changed since I went to Beacon."

Blake swallowed. What do I do? Should I run and hope Ilia will join me? Where will we go though? So many places will hunt us. The White Fang, the police, the military. Even Huntsmen maybe after us soon. So should I take his hand then? Go with Adam and his friends to see the world from his perspective? There's no guarantee of anything. But...

I don't want to be alone again. I don't want to keep running. I… I always wanted to get him back on my side because…

I want to be at his side…

Slowly, tentatively, she reached out and placed her hand in Adam's. He smiled with tears in his eyes. That smile was so bright that it brought her back to the days they spent in Menagerie. The three of them, friends for so long. The two of them, so close their relationship was inevitable.

"Okay… I'll… I'll give it a shot…"

"Thank you, Blake."

She had tried so hard to ignore everything he'd been saying for so long, but looking at him now… less than a year at Beacon had changed him so much. He had shed his hatred and spite and become something else. He'd… redeemed himself.

Maybe he could help her find redemption too.

A/N: So... yeah. The fifth and final battle between Adam and Blake. A battle more of emotion than real fighting. Blake has been hurt a lot in this fic. Abandoned time and again. A girl lost and broken, chasing after the one chance to regain something. Adam realises how fragile she is, considering she's here without her mask and she looks conflicted or is crying for most of the fight. And so he gets to her and just... hugs her. Tries to get through to her and finally succeeds. Adam finally properly lives up to the title of the fic. I hope the words I've used made sense. Times like this make me wish I still had my beta but oh well. I've been looking forward to this since I started the story. It feels like such a massive milestone to me because of that. Pretty draining as a chapter too.

So uh yeah. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you all next time!