Thank you for the 50+ follows! It's insane to me how many people actually like this!

Some of you really give me more credit than I deserve, I went into this story with a single burst of inspiration and absolutely no real plan in mind lol. But I really do try my best to deliver something enjoyable.

Someone asked about Adam's POV. Technically I do have that written, but it's probably not going to be what you expect it to be.

Finally, apologies for the length chapter! I tried to cut down the content and magically ended up with more.

"So what now?" Weiss was the first to break the awkward silence.

He was sitting to her right, with a campfire crackling loudly in front of them. Their late brunch consisted of wild berries and freshly caught fish, courtesy of Adam. Neither of them said much to each other since waking up from their power nap, with the previous night's events and exhaustion still fresh in their minds.

Weiss was dumbfounded she found herself in this situation. Just the previous day she couldn't stand the sight of him, and now she was not the slightest bit alarmed to be sitting within arm's length of him.

'It isn't too late for him.' She found herself revisiting Violet's confidence in Adam more and more as the strange day went on. And for the first time since she heard it, Weiss was inclined to believe it.

"You need to get to Mistral City?" He asked as if nothing was wrong.

"Um…yeah." She played with the ends of her ponytail.

"Is this urgent or can it wait?"

"I need to get there before my friends leave. I don't know where they'll go afterwards."

He didn't seem happy with her answer but didn't comment any further.

"Is uh…Sienna going to try and hunt me down now?" She asked him sheepishly.

"Probably." He ran a hand through his hair.

"And what about you? Is she going to look for you too?" She asked hesitantly, recalling how he tensed when she confronted him about the issue before.

He didn't answer right away, instead opting to feed another block of wood into the fire.

"I'll escort you to the city." His proclamation made their campfire feel just that much warmer. "I'm already knee-deep in this shitshow. Might as well see it through to the end."

"You're serious?" She sheepishly studied him.

He was doing his best to look at anything that wasn't her. It was almost funny to see him act so awkwardly around her when she's only ever had volatile interactions with him.

"I've never lied to you." He sighed tiredly. "Whether or not you believe me doesn't matter."

Weiss wanted to point out his blatant denial about their shared past together but decided to keep that thought to herself. It was much too early in the day to start another argument.

'It's not too late.'

"We'll call it a temporary truce. You don't hurt me in any shape or form, and I won't bring up anything from the past." She hesitated before holding out her hand to him.

Adam looked at her outreached hand like it was infected. She was about to retract it when he reluctantly accepted her handshake.

"A truce then."

"Umm…" She shifted awkwardly after they let go of each other's hands. "Thanks for taking that hit for me last night. You didn't have to."

"Think of it as getting even for what you did for that Faunus villager." He folded his arms.

"You cut down that Grimm for me."

"It wasn't for you. It was for the village." He answered a bit too quickly.

Not wanting to argue, she simply nodded and let the ambience of the forest fill in the space between them.

That was the start of the tentative alliance between them. Without the threat of him trying to kill her, travelling became significantly more enjoyable. Most of their days were spent in silence, with the occasional small talk to fill in the awkward space.

Adam taught her how to gather food and cook, he attempted to teach her how to hunt until she burst into tears when they were skinning the rabbit they'd just caught (he decided to prepare all the meat from then on), and showed her how to start a fire without using up her Dust.

Weiss, admittedly, didn't have many words of wisdom to pass down to him. Instead, she opted to share some of the lessons she learned about slaying Grimm as he seemed interested in that topic.

Despite the budding comfort between them, Weiss could never shake the unspoken tension left lingering between them. It was always there whenever they fell silent around each other, nearly suffocated them around the campfire during meals no matter how hard they tried to ignore it.

As much as Weiss wanted to tear down the mountain of baggage between them, she also wanted to respect the fragile conditions of their truce. Especially not when she had an extra pair of eyes to look out for her in unknown territory.

Though this Adam was a far cry from the boy she once knew, it was the first time since they met again that she caught glimpses of the friend she still held so dearly in her heart.

'It's not too late.' Was the prevailing thought from then on.

It was around the 2-week mark when they were going to reach their first of 2 big checkpoints. According to Ash's map, their path split into two possible routes. One would lead straight through a mining town while the other took them around it. Weiss wondered if they could follow the latter, considering her luck in the last settlement, but Adam shot her idea down.

"It'll take too long. This isn't a small community." He pointed out. "Unless you want to delay your trip to Mistral City."

Weiss wouldn't have minded if she knew exactly where Ruby would go afterwards.

"You're familiar with this place?" She asked instead.

"I lived there for a bit with Sienna." He answered after a pause.

Once again Weiss found herself itching to ask more about Sienna. It was one of the only topics that made him hesitant to speak.

"Are you sure we can make it through here safely?"

"I'll figure something out." He folded the map and handed it back to her.

It'd been a while since she'd seen him so visibly nervous since their escape from the White Fang. She could see it in the way his shoulders were tense and the curtness of his speech.

"Do they sell Scrolls there?" She decided to do change the subject.

"This isn't time to look for the latest Scroll model."

"My old one broke during the crash. If I can somehow get a hold of Ruby, we can better plan out how fast we need to travel." She explained. "I'm surprised you don't have one."

"I never had a reason to keep one. There are alternative ways to get in contact with someone."

"Like stalking someone in the forest?" She challenged sarcastically.

"It's not stalking. It's surveillance." His completely serious answer only made her laugh.

"That just sounds like a fancy term for stalking." That earned her a small smile from him. She considered that a small victory on her part.

They reached the edges of the town late that afternoon. As the forest smoothed into a well-maintained path, they bumped into more and more travellers on the road. Adam led them off the path and continued the rest of the way fighting through bushes, uneven ground, and hidden roots.

They both stopped just shy of the barbed-wire fence separating the wildlife from the urban space. Bushes shielded them from any prying eyes within the fence's borders. Even with the foliage blocking out the town, Weiss could tell this settlement was completely different from the other two places she'd been to since her journey started.

Where the other communities were relatively quiet, this town was bustling with noise. She heard cars, faint folk songs, and the unending chatter of the crowd. It almost felt unnatural to be surrounded by so many people again.

"Here's the plan," Adam beckoned her behind a tree. "Everyone aligned with the White Fang is going to recognize you the instant you step into town. I'm going to head out to the main road and try to grab you a disguise from any passing travellers. In the meantime, stay here and wait for me. If you hear someone run, even if you can confidently beat them, it's better to avoid being seen."

"You're going alone?" She asked, worried. He wasn't exactly dressed to blend in with the crowd.

"Even humans can recognize a Schnee heiress. I can take care of myself."

"Wait!" She grabbed into his sleeve before he could leave. "Don't you think we should try to go through here at night? It might conceal us better from the crowds."

"Trust me when I say it gets worse at night." He answered cryptically. "Our best bet is to get through here during daylight. The likelihood of getting jumped is lower."

Weiss found herself tightening her hands around his sleeve. Just what kind of environment did he grow up in after being rescued from the mines?

"You're wasting your breath worrying about me." He said when she refused to let him go.

"Well, you're my travelling partner now. I can't help but worry." She murmured awkwardly.

"I'll come back." He turned away from her. "Come on, we're wasting time."

"Before you go." She dug in her briefcase and handed him some extra cash. "To help bribe anyone to stay quiet."

"Smart." He accepted the roll of bills.

"Stay safe out there."

"Worry about yourself first."

The first half-hour of being completely secluded in the forest was unnerving. She jumped at every noise, readied to bolt whenever she heard travellers passing to and from the nearby path.

After a while, she grew accustomed to the noise and found herself relaxing against one of the trees. It was the first time in weeks since she was able to spend most of her day relaxing—or as close to relaxing as she could manage.

She absentmindedly counted her Dust collection, then checked over Ash's map to ensure she was still on the right path, before resigning herself to cloud watching-or what she could make out between the dome of leaves.

Weiss noticed an unusually large cluster of dark storm clouds blowing overhead. Though the wind was still warm from the bright afternoon sun, she wondered how long it'd be before a storm was upon them.

The subtle rustle of footsteps stalking through the grass made her jump to her feet immediately. Weiss breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his red hair sticking out from the foliage like a beacon. She collapsed back into the ground.

"How did it go?" She asked him once he was in earshot.

"It's busy. We can use that to our advantage." He threw a paper bag onto her lap.

She curiously dug inside and found two brown travelling cloaks, a red scarf with a white floral pattern on the ends, and most importantly, two wrapped sandwiches.

"You got lunch!" She beamed. Weiss never thought she would be brought close to tears at the mere sight of a sandwich.

"It'll be easier than hunting." He dropped down beside her, taking one of the sandwiches. "Eat quickly. I don't want us staying any longer than we need to."

"I'm worried it'll rain later." She said, taking a large bite out of her lunch.

"Staying here overnight isn't an option. We better get through here quickly."

They quietly finished lunch without saying another word. By the time they were ready to move the dark clouds were beginning to dominate most of the sky, leaving a slight chill in the air.

"Perfect time to wear these." Adam tossed her one of the cloaks along with the scarf. "The scarf is to help hide your hair. I'd pull up the hood on that cloak just to be safe."

"Won't we stand out if we try to disguise ourselves too much?" She asked, fixing her ponytail into a messy bun to better hide it beneath the scarf.

"We'll be fine." He clasped the second cloak around his neck and pulled his hood up. Though he looked like a regular traveller from a certain angle, his mask practically screamed out his true identity.

"Erm…don't you think you should take off your mask? It's sort of easy to identify you with it."

"No. I'll just keep my head down." He answered instantly.

"But if this place is crawling with White Fang supporters—"

"I said leave it!" He snapped impatiently.

Weiss didn't want to get into a fight with him, especially not now. They could always sort this out after they were safe from danger.

She hesitantly nodded and quickly wrapped the scarf around her head before donning the cloak. Once she was sure her sword was completely concealed by the cloak she followed him into town.

He was right when he said they'd be fine with their attire. Almost everyone was dressed like they'd just gotten out of prison. Weiss couldn't tell the difference between locals or visitors, they all looked like they would rob her if given the chance. Even the mismatching products sold by street sellers on either side of them looked to be stolen items.

"Is the rest of Mistral like this?" She whispered to him.

"Just the poorer parts." He answered just as quietly. "But never let your guard down. Even the rich bastards are slimy in these parts."

Weiss squealed when a loud pop sounded in the middle of the streets. A few curious heads looked for the source of the disturbance, while others went about their business without blinking an eye.

"You better change your fucking attitude or I'll shoot your fucking brains out!" An enraged voice ripped through the murmurs of the crowd.

"Stay close and don't engage," Adam whispered sharply to her.

Weiss nodded but kept one hand on her sword just in case.

"I-I'm sorry, but I can't lower these prices anymore! Rent–"

"I saw you selling these for a discount to a human! Don't fuck with me, bitch!"

As they drew closer to the source of all the shouting, Weiss finally saw what the disturbance was all about. Two women were engaged in a dangerously escalating argument. The human woman, whom Weiss assumed was the street seller, was on her knees while the Faunus women had her at gunpoint.

"I-I swear this has nothing to do with you–"

Another bullet shot out from the gun, shattering one of the vases on display.

"Stop with your excuses and give me the same discount!"

'She's going to get killed at this point!' Weiss readied to draw her sword.

Adam, as if sensing her distress, grabbed tightly onto her wrist.

"Adam–"

"Shut up and keep walking." He practically dragged her away, despite her quiet protests.

"She's going to get hurt." Weiss hissed.

"If she's street smart, she'll give in." He said, not letting her go. "It's pointless to intervene. This is how things work around here."

"What? By threatening innocent people to get what you want?"

"To get equal access to services and prices humans do."

"It seems more like blackmail to me."

"Do you want to argue with me right now?" He snapped.

Weiss held back a heated remark and reluctantly shook her head. Once again that unseen tension fell between them like a wall.

Without saying another word, they proceeded further into the town. Even after giving in to his request, he didn't let go of her. He led her through tight alleyways and confusing streets. They didn't slow down until he guided her to a rundown electronics place.

"Hurry up and buy your scroll. I want to get out of here soon." He ordered curtly once they were inside.

He didn't have to tell her twice.

Adam chose to linger by the store entrance while Weiss went further inside to look for something to buy. They had almost every old model of the Scrolls along with various other older electronics. She picked the newest Scroll model she could find.

"Wait," Weiss said as the owner was packaging her new Scroll. "Can I buy another one?"

"If you have the money, little lady." The owner shrugged.

As she was counting her bills, she heard the soft chimes of the bells attached to the store entrance. Almost immediately the store owner tensed.

"I need a set of new intercoms." A Faunus woman dropped a bag of what Weiss assumed to be cash on the counter. "Now!"

"Y-yes, ma'am."

The store manager sent Weiss an apologetic look before hurrying to the backrooms to get her order. She couldn't help but wonder if the poor man had been subject to the same abuse as the woman she'd seen earlier.

"That's quite a purchase you're making, girlie."

Weiss jumped when the stranger addressed her.

The woman was shorter than her, but she was dressed as intimidating as the crooks on the streets. Tiger marking tattoos snaked around both her arms, complementing the tiger ears on top of her head. Her sharp amber eyes felt like knives as they inspected the cash in her hands.

"Erm…yeah." Weiss sheepishly looked at the counter.

"You don't look like you're from around here."

Weiss could feel the woman's gaze on her. She shifted uncomfortably in place, hoping the store owner would come out quickly.

"Don't you know it's rude to ignore someone when they're talking to you, girlie?" The woman took an uncomfortably close step towards Weiss. The chained blade on the woman's hip clanged softly.

Weiss held back the urge to draw her sword and tell her to back off.

"I'm just a bit tired from travelling," Weiss answered calmly.

"Look at me when you respond."

Weiss swallowed down her nerves and met the woman's eyes. Though Weiss was certain her hair was safely concealed, she couldn't help but feel completely exposed under the woman's scrutinizing gaze.

"Now what's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?" She interrogated Weiss lowly.

That was when Adam chose to join her by the counter, sandwiching her in between them. Though he didn't say anything, the stranger's eyes hardened almost instantly at his appearance.

"I'm not travelling alone," Weiss answered shortly.

"Your friend seems quiet." The woman suddenly leaned forward to look beneath Adam's hood. He turned his head away just as quickly, murmuring a soft curse.

The woman's expression hardened. For a horrifying second, she was certain they were busted.

"Y-your order." The store owner emerged from the back room with a stack of boxes. The stranger sent a cold glare at the man before accepting the boxes.

"I'd watch my back if I were you, little girl. Where I'm from, we don't take kindly to…outsiders." Something about the woman's voice set off all the alarms in Weiss' head.

The tension in the shop lingered even after the woman left the store. Despite her being gone, Adam remained firmly by her side.

"Y-you wanted a second Scroll?" The store owner forced on a smile despite the chilling atmosphere.

"O-oh! Yes please."

After finishing her purchase and putting the scrolls into her briefcase, they left the store to find the sky completely shadowed by rainclouds. Weiss looked nervously up and down the streets, half-expecting to see that woman waiting for her somewhere.

All she found were nameless strangers going about their business.

"Do you think we'll make it out of here before it starts raining?" Weiss asked Adam in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"We don't have a choice either way." He sounded more nervous than before. It was the first time she'd ever heard him so scared.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"You're imagining it."

She grabbed onto her hood as a strong current blew right into her face. Adam cursed as the wind managed to pull his hood completely back, Weiss quickly helped him pull it back up and surveyed the surrounding area. The foul weather reduced a significant number of people that were out, but the few that seemed too occupied with their own problems to notice them. At least that's what she hoped.

"Let's hurry." She suggested hastily.

"Yeah."

Droplets of rain dotted the pavement by the time she could see the tree lines. Her heart leapt with excitement as they inched closer and closer to their exit.

She didn't dare breathe a sigh of relief when they finally reached the threshold of the forest. The familiar scent of freshly bloomed flowers and wild plants eased the knot in her core somewhat, but she couldn't relax until she completely left the horrible town behind her.

The town had just barely disappeared into the horizon behind them when Adam suddenly froze in place. Weiss, mirrored his reaction, one hand on her sword. The soft clang of chains made her drop her briefcase immediately, drawing her sword just barely in time to block a familiar blade from slicing her face.

She cursed, backing right into Adam when two masked White Fang grunts leapt out from the foliage, with the strange woman from the electronics store hopping into the scene between them. Weiss took a glance behind her, noticing Adam was also facing three more White Fang grunts.

Adam was unusually quiet for his part. He faced the group with a single hand ready in his blade, but he made no move to attack or taunt them.

"You've got quite a lovely travelling companion there, Adam." The woman flickered her eyes over to Weiss.

Weiss internally cursed.

The woman must've caught sight of that ugly mask in the store. Weiss made a mental note to have a long chat with him about using such a stupid accessory out in public.

"Is she late-night company? Or maybe it's the Schnee girl we've been hunting down."

The group of White Fang members closed in around them like the impending storm overhead.

"Even with your hair covered I will never forget those ugly eyes, Schnee." The woman sneered.

Weiss looked nervously over at Adam. His unusual calmness did little to make her feel better about their situation.

"I must say, I expected better from you, Adam. I thought you were stronger than to submit yourself to this human scum." The woman addressed him coldly. "You're better than this, but clearly I was wrong."

Weiss felt him grow even tenser from her response.

"You have some nerve to go off on your own after getting us wrapped up with that Cinder woman." The woman continued. "And for what? A Schnee? You disappoint me, child."

"Sienna." He spoke her name quietly, turning to face her.

"This is Sienna?!" Weiss couldn't stop herself from gawking.

This was the leader of the White Fang? The woman who planned the senseless murder of her relatives—who was heartless enough to murder a child?

She'd always imagined the leader to be someone large and fearsome, not a petite woman. The woman standing before her didn't exactly fit the image of an evil monster—she looked so…normal.

'This is also the woman who trained Adam.' Weiss swallowed the lump at the back of her throat and bravely locked eyes with her. 'This is the woman who Violet opposed. The same woman who helped shape Adam into who he is today.

This was the woman who killed Lavender in cold blood.'

It took every ounce of self-restraint to keep herself from charging headfirst at Sienna.

"So the brat knows me!" Sienna smirked. "Colour me surprised, the bitch isn't as ignorant as she looks."

"You're the one who killed my cousin," Weiss said shakily.

"And it was a pleasure," Sienna answered sweetly, it made Weiss sick. "Want to see what I did with her?"

This time it was Adam who unsheathed his sword. He stepped right in front of Weiss, causing a nasty scowl to form on Sienna's face.

"I won't let you do that." He warned.

"Adam, you dare turn your blade against your own family for a Schnee?"

"Slay all the Schnees you want, but I refuse to let you kill this one."

"Adam, my dear child," Sienna spoke to him like a disappointed parent. "Do you really want to spit on the graves of your parents like this?"

Weiss shivered, and it wasn't just because of the large droplets of rain pelting down on her.

"She's different." That was all he said in response. "Just let her go. I don't want to fight you."

Sienna didn't seem the slightest bit moved by his response.

"I think you need a little reminder of what exactly she's done to you." Sienna pulled out a spherical device from her pocket. Immediately Adam pushed Weiss back.

"Duck!" He ordered just as the cloud of white smoke blinded her.

Weiss listened to his advice, coughing as she quickly cycled through her Dust compartments. She was distinctly aware of the sound of blades and gunshots furiously clashing. Though she barely see anything in front of her, the fading sounds of battle told her Adam and Sienna were very quickly taking their fight deeper in the forest.

She finally found the Dust compartment she was looking for and used it in all its glory, dispersing the offending white smoke in an angry twister. As her vision cleared and fresh air returned to her lungs, she found only her and the nameless grunts left on the scene.

Weiss quickly jerked away as one of them nearly shot her with a bullet. Through the smoke, they'd nearly managed to get into reaching distance to her.

"You're not going anywhere, whore." One of the men said.

"You need to watch your mouth." With the rain steadily growing in force, she activated her Light Blue Dust and attacked.

The rainwater made the effects of her Dust more potent, instantaneously freezing anything her blade touched. That's how she disarmed the first two gunmen, first by freezing their weapons before the rest of their bodies.

The last three caught on to her technique quickly and sprang back from reach.

Like many weapons in Remnant, their swords were also guns. The men used this to their advantage, keeping her at bay with bullets.

She cursed as she nearly tripped over her damp, heavy cloak trying to avoid their bullets.

'Two can play that game.'

With the help of her glyphs, she used them to safely "skate" around and over the men. Once she was behind them, she summoned a circle of smaller glyphs, shooting ice projectiles right at the men. Her opponents didn't expect that barely ducking in time to avoid the flying icicles. She took that momentary distraction to charge forward, freezing the last of her foes in an icy prison.

"Next time, watch your filthy language." She chided the frozen men before grabbing her briefcase and taking off in the direction Adam and Sienna had likely gone off to.

The rain was growing heavier by the second, making her clothes weigh her down. She strained her ears to listen for sounds of clashing metal, but she couldn't make out anything through the roar of rainwater.

"Adam!" She tried calling out to him. Maybe he had better hearing than her, he'd already proved his night vision was superior.

Her teeth clattered from the chill soaking right to her bones. It would be a miracle if she got out of this without a cold.

She cried out in pain when something hard knocked into her back, sending her falling flat on her stomach and her briefcase flying out of her hand. She scrambled back to her feet, cursing when a familiar chained weapon wrapped tightly around her arm.

"Attacking someone from behind. That's pretty cowardly of you." Weiss snapped.

"And torturing innocent Faunus children isn't any better," Sienna argued back just as coldly.

"It wasn't me!" She lunged forward with her sword, successfully throwing Sienna off her. "And you're one to talk. You killed an innocent human child!"

"Her guilt was sealed the moment she was born, girlie. As for you," Sienna lowered her voice to a chilling whisper. "I'll make you pay for corrupting him, princess."

Weiss pivoted to the side before Sienna could plunge her weapon into her chest.

"Where's Adam?!"

Sienna moved as fast as lightning. Weiss raised her sword to defend herself, only to have her blade tangled with her chains. Sienna tackled her to the ground, a hand grasped tightly around her throat.

"Oh don't worry. He'll be here soon." Sienna jerked her head to the side.

Weiss glanced in the direction Sienna indicated, relieved when she saw him emerging from the tree lines, breathless but unharmed.

"Leave her out of this." He demanded. "She's not here to bother us. Let her go."

"On the contrary, she's just as bad as the rest of them, sweet child," Sienna answered sweetly. "Don't you remember what she did to your family? Because I sure do."

Weiss winced in pain as the hand around her neck tightened.

"Sienna." Adam took a step towards them.

"If you want her so badly, then come get her." Sienna taunted. Weiss felt her sharp nails dig into her flesh "Or I can finish what you couldn't."

He charged forward like a bullet. Sienna untangled herself from Weiss sent her chained blade flying towards him, one of the three blades detached from the main body of the chain, sending a jolt of purple electricity through Adam as it embedded into his leg. He cursed, backing away as he struggled to even hold onto his weapon.

Weiss was on the move the instant she realized the woman was no longer holding her down. Though her throat burned, she carefully circled the parameters of the fight, loading up her Light Blue Dust for the moment she saw an opening to jump in. It would be suicidal to try and jump in between the two of them.

Sienna moved faster than Weiss had ever seen, her blade screaming with each violent collision with Adam's. The electrical charge forced Adam to stay on the defensive, it didn't take long for Sienna's merciless blows to finally break his aura with a well-aimed hit to his chest.

It was right when his Aura shattered that Sienna's attacks seemed more aggressive than usual. It was a sharp punch to the face that sent him flying back an impressive distance away. Weiss immediately summoned a protective wall of ice between him and Sienna.

The ice barrier shattered the moment Sienna's weapon made contact with it, but it gave Weiss just enough time to summon a Boar Grimm to charge at Sienna. Weiss used that chance to safely manoeuvre right in front of Adam.

Sienna got rid of her summon as soon as it had made contact with her. She glared at Weiss before she burst out in hysterical laughter. The fact that she made no move to raise her weapon or try to attack only unnerved Weiss even more.

"This is sad," Sienna said in between fits of giggles. "This is what I meant, Adam! This is the cumulation of the girl's hard work!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Weiss snapped.

"Don't pretend like you don't know, girl." Sienna was looking at her like she saw Weiss commit murder. "Stop manipulating him any more than you have already."

"Adam—" she nearly dropped her sword when she glanced over her shoulder.

It was the first time she saw his unmasked face since they reunited.