Chapter 24

The sounds of combat echoed in the distance as Weiss barged into the final train car just behind the caboose, Myrtanaster in hand. The room was empty, however, the next door was wide open and offered a perfect view of Torchwick as he broke some lever in two.

A glyph spawned under her feet and sent her gliding along the floor towards the thief. He turned just in time to block her rapier and slam his cane into her face. Weiss hit the ground and jumped back onto her feet.

"Damn kids!" Torchwick growled as he raised his weapon. The bottom opened with a pop and sent a screaming ball of fire towards her. Another glyph sent her to the side, the projectile went flying into the previous car. The explosion that followed heralded a third glyph that sent her flying towards him.

They fell into a dance. Their movements were flowing into one another. She was far more graceful but Torchwick was much larger and stronger than her. The fight seemed pretty even.

Torchwick grunted as her blade glanced off of his shoulder. He stumbled backwards. Weiss followed and attempted to skewer his eye.

She realised her mistake when the head of his cane slammed into her cheek and sent her flying back and to the side. Weiss stumbled to her feet.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You kids never learn, do you? Not every fight is as fancy and rule-abiding as your little sanctioned fights! Down here we fight for keeps." He smirked and raised his cane once more.

A white glyph formed underneath her, launching her to the side again to dodge his blast. As she rolled along the floor she summoned another pair of glyphs. A white glyph pushed her up to her feet. A golden glyph, created to look like the mechanisms of a clock, was spawned at her landing point.

Torchwick seemed to slow down. Glyphs spawned all over the room. On the ground, in the air and even upside down on the ceiling.

Weiss launched into action.

Adam grunted as his back hit the wall of the train car. He immediately rolled to the side, he narrowly dodged the pair of blades that had attempted to impale his chest. Wilt flew up, and blocked Blake's followup attack.

"Just die!" She screamed as she lashed out with her katana and cleaver. He blocked one with Wilt and the other with Blush. He pushed her blades away and kicked her in the stomach, forcing her back.

"Blake! Damn it! You don't have to do this! Please!" He tried but she didn't answer. Instead, she jumped back and opened fire. He spun Wilt into a circular blur, deflecting the bullets.

Blake turned and fired up, destroying the room's lights and sending the room into darkness. A small amount of light came through the cracks in the door frames, but otherwise, it was pitch black.

I'm at a major disadvantage now. She always had better vision than I ever did. This blindfold doesn't exactly help either. He could take it off…

Adam concentrated and pulsed his Aura. There! He turned just in time to block Gambol Shroud. But just as soon as he had it was gone. She was gone. Another pulse and he just managed to dodge another strike. Pulse. Block. Pulse. Dodge. Pulse. Parry.

She's… faster! Way faster than she used to be! It was like she was the darkness itself, striking out at him from all sides. Adam didn't know how to counter it. My sensing is too slow to catch her and even if I took off my blindfold I doubt my natural eyesight could keep up either.

"Blake!" He blocked again. "Violence won't convince them!" Roll out of the way. "People don't change their minds so easily!" Parry. "All you are doing is forcing them to keep quiet, to operate where we can't see them! All you're doing is proving them right!"

He blocked again and fired into the dark. For a moment he thought he had hit her, but it was just a clone. "I met a boy at Beacon. He was a racist and bully but he's been changing! We can get what we want without violence!" He yelled into the darkness.

Her response was to try and cut his throat open. He parried and kicked out to gain some distance but hit another clone instead. He growled. He wasn't getting anywhere like this. I need a little light.

Adam sheathed Wilt and focused. A red glow filled the room as he drew his blade once more. For a moment he could see Blake, mid-attack and worried she wouldn't dodge in time. But he wasn't aiming at her. Instead, he turned and sent a wave of red and black energy at the metal behind him. The sound of screeching heralded the light that shone into the room.

Thank the Brothers that they decided to light the entire tunnel. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough. The majority of the room remained in darkness while light shone around Adam as he put his back to the hole.

"Blake! What are you trying to achieve? Bringing Grimm into Vale will only make humans hate the Faunus!"

A low chuckle came from the darkness. Blake stepped partially out into the light, but remained close enough to be shrouded in shadows. "Oh Adam, you think I care about what they think of us?" Another laugh. "Please. We are the White Fang, our goal is the betterment of all Faunus. We don't care about Human lives!"

Adam clenched his fists. "Do you really think murder is going to help!?"

"You did! You started all of this! You gave Sienna the idea when you protected my father. You are responsible for all of this Adam." A cruel smile came over her. "It's not too late to return Adam. We don't have to follow humans rules anymore! We can create a new home for all Faunus! One that isn't some inhospitable island in the corner of the world! We could be all true Kingdom!" She looked genuinely excited at the idea.

"Blake…" Just how far had she fallen? He couldn't remember ever wanting anything like this… Although didn't I think humans were inferior? He gulped. "I can't let you do that. You're going to hurt too many people." Tears streamed down his face. His hand fell to the hilt of his blade. "I have to stop you!"

He charged.

Another Paladin mech fell, it slammed into the ground and quickly fell behind the moving train. Ruby watched as it was consumed by the horde of Grimm.

She gulped and pushed forward, she used her scythe to knock White Fang out or overboard. She didn't take pleasure in that but there wasn't much she could do on top of a train.

She dashed forward and cut into the leg of another Paladin, causing it to trip and follow it's brother into the horde. A ball of flame passed her by with a loud bark as it slammed through another of the mechs.

Zwei yipped happily as he wandered back from the carnage. Oobleck zipped over as a blur of motion.

"Ms Rose! The enemy's numbers have been heavily reduced! Please go and assist your team! I will take care of the rest! We are dangerously close to Vale!" He then zipped away, using his weapon to bat Zwei into more of the White Fangs stolen mechs.

Ruby pushed herself, speeding along the top of the train towards the front.

Hold on, guys!

Roman Torchwick had seen many things in his life. Especially when it came to crazy Semblances. So many in the criminal underworld had unique Semblances. But he had only ever met one other person who could manipulate time.

That guy had been a mob boss who could skip time. He had died to some up and coming punk.

This was something wholly different. This wasn't skipping time or anything like that. This was closer to a big middle finger to time in general. And of course, it came from a Schnee. Because their semblance wasn't powerful enough already!

As this white-haired girl zipped from glyph to glyph she stabbed him. Repeatedly. With no remorse and far faster than she should have ever been able to.

Beginning to wish I had retired before meeting Cinder. Everything would have been so much easier…

He tried to strike her but hit nothing but air. He tried to catch her with Melodic Cudgel but by the time he had acted she was already gone. He tried to preempt her but she just. Kept. Dodging!

Super fast with spinning white bullshit that could appear anywhere and throw her in any direction.

How was he going to beat that!?

It didn't take long for his Aura to spark and crack. It was even less time after that for it to shatter completely.

The greatest thief in Vale crumpled to the ground, weak and broken by one damned girl. How many times was that going to happen!?

"Sooooo… wanna make and deal?" He tried with his signature smile. She smiled back.

And then smacked him round the head. His vision faded to black.

Yang huffed as she jumped onto the final train car. She was getting pretty tired now and was really hoping the others were close to stopping this damned train.

She also hoped that multi-coloured girl was gone for good. She'd lost. Hard. Harder than she ever had before.

I was sure that was Raven who saved me. But why? Why does she have to come back now? She was angry. Angry and tired. She just wanted to get back to Beacon and sleep for a week!

A flurry of petals surrounded her as Ruby arrived. "Yang!" The girl yelled as she gave her a quick hug.

"Ruby! Glad you're safe."

"Same! Where's the others?"

"They went on ahead while I fought off someone from the Fang. I was hoping they'd've reached the front by now" She was cut off by the roof hatch opening. The pair raised their weapons but quickly lowered them as Weiss climbed out.

"Weiss!" The sisters yelled in unison.

"Ruby! Yang! I'm sorry. I couldn't stop the train. Torchwick broke the controls. It can't be stopped."

"Then what do we do?" Ruby worried put loud.

"Think fast! The tunnel's about to end!" Yang said, pointing to the rock wall ahead.

Weiss stepped in between the sisters, spun a part of her sword and stabbed the metal they stood on. A great shell of ice formed around them, protecting them from the crash.

Yang hoped Adam was okay.

Metal scraped against metal as Adam pushed forward. He didn't allow Blake to retreat further than he could reach. Even with her clones and speed, he had experience.

Another slash was parried. He twisted and came in from the other side. As it was blocked he fired Blush, blowing pellets all over her stomach. She cried out in pain and tried to disengage.

As tears wet his blindfold he gave chase. He had to stop her. He had to. He was going to be a Huntsman. And they stopped villains. They protected the innocent.

And right now Blake was threatening them. He'd stop her here and now. Then he could bring her to Beacon! She could be saved there!

With a roar he charged forward, he knocked Gambol Shroud to the side and headbutted her. The mask was harder than he remembered however and he stumbled back slightly.

She capitalized on it and retreated into the shadows and out of his sight. He cursed and fell back into the light.

She was still fast and with her hiding again she could come from anywhere.

With a moment of quiet, he started to wonder if he was going about this the right way. Should he really best her in a fight and drag her to Beacon? Wouldn't that just prove violence worked?

Damn it! Stop second-guessing yourself! This isn't the time. He took a deep breath and refocused.

As she burst from the shadows behind him he twirled around and brought his blade up to block.

Only for his world to turn sideways which sent the pair of old lovers crashing into the undamaged metal wall. Adam's head swam. Everything was blurry and dark.

They had arrived in Vale.

A/N: And so the battle on the train comes to an end as they reach Vale. The Blake and Adam fight was pretty tough honestly. Had to make it interesting while also having Adam talking a lot and showing Blake's own progress. Because unlike Adam she's been focused on training. Whereas he's been helping others get better and trying to figure out how to redeem himself and others. I could have shown Yang Vs Neo, but really it would have gone just like canon. Maybe a couple of minor changes but not enough to warrant it. The Breach is here. How will they deal with it?

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