"You can't do this Adam" is a phrase that commonly falls in the same category as 'Hold my beer' or 'Hey, watch this'. It is begging for trouble. Blake, however, wasn't exactly calm or in a right state of mind while saying this to, believe it or not, Adam. Raiding a high security train and fighting death spider laser robots might do that to you, or perhaps watching the man of your dreams devolve into the demon of your nightmares.
"I can and I will. If we don't blow this, the Vale chapter will be undoubtedly outgunned and outmatched. You see what they're bringing. Do you honestly think they're buying death spider laser robots for any reason besides some great and soon approaching battle?"
He's insane. These people running the train were barely white collar workers, and undoubtedly lower class Atlas citizens. The justice the White Fang stood for was not blind enough to see they both struggled from the upper class. Adam seemingly was.
"You can't. You're asking these humans to die for your cause, a Faunus cause. Isn't that why you turned down that other chick?"
Adam turned to face Blake.
"I'm not asking anything. If I cared about what they said, we wouldn't be jeopardizing their paycheck right now"
Adam stared at Blake as she still stood in the doorway to the conductor's cabin.
"Blake, move"
"No! These people are just trying to live!"
"So am I. If they die, we save the entire Vale chapter"
"We signed up for this knowing the risks. They didn't"
"Well now they will"
"There has to be a better way!"
"What is it? Huh?! What better way do you have? This train is on a fast track to deliver murder weapons trained on our people- your people! We can stop the train from delivering if it doesn't exist. Dead men tell no tales, and destroyed trains move no cargo"
Adam faced Blake. A yellow light against the lightly blue SDC train made the world look warm and feel colder than ice. The light off his mask made the monster more pronounced.
"Last chance Blake. Were you ever truly prepared for this life? Because if you weren't, it's too late to leave"
Blake stood her ground. To the very ends with you, she would go.
Adam shoved Blake to the side, and with it their first date. It was just a picnic out on the beach. The simplicity held a special place in Blake's heart, hurting all the more as it was violently torn from her soul. The world took on a red hue as Aura gathered in his blade. The energy saved from the last fight began to resonate in the air. With a slash, the door flew off, instantly killing one of the workers behind it, splattering his blood and gore onto the control panel.
As he approached to end the rest, a ribbon wrapped around his wrist. With a tug, Adam was ripped from the room. Before he fell, he grabbed the ribbon and pulled. Blake flew at him, sword in hand and positioned to strike; almost as if she expected it. She struck Adam's mask, leaving a deep scratch in it; a permanent reminder of Blake, when her rapidly approaching and inevitable death came. The second slash was caught by his blade, now that the ribbon was removed.
Blake jumped back just as he fired with his scabbard. She loaded an earth dust round into her pistol. A red blur followed Adam's sword, approaching her ever quicker. She left a clone, shot, and trapped the blur into a single red blade, now entombed in a stoney catgirl.
Gambol Shroud's ribbon was flung around Adam's neck. Blake grabbed the other side, twisted, and pulled back. She strangled him, hanging each moment between them. She wrestled him down to the ground, putting her knee between his shoulder blades and her other foot at the base of his back. A scene of their first kiss flashed into her eyes, the crimson sunset over the foamy waves.
'I'm sorry Adam'
Adam Taurus was less sorry. Struggling to breath, he flailed his legs. By chance, one struck the earthen clone, shattering it. Adam grabbed the sword with his feet, threw it up, and kicked it at Blake. It severed part of her ribbon—another cut tie— allowing him breath and movement. He quickly head-butted her, jumped up, roundhouse kicked her to the head, and grabbed his sword. Blake turned and shot at Adam, hoping to strike true. With superhuman speed, he deflected all the shots, each one charging up his sword more. With a slash, a torrent of power washed over her. Crimson dashed above as she limboed under the cutting wave. She tripped and fell, as if she had chosen the red pill.
Frowning, Adam turned away from Blake, and strode toward the conductor's cabin. The world lost color, only to be replaced with red. Adam swung. Blood flew from the door. Blake screamed.
She jumped, left a clone, then dashed behind him. Adam ignored the clone, turning in favor of facing Blake. A poor choice, considering it was rigged with fire dust. It hit him from behind, staggering him. Blake swung upward, destroying the Grimm mask and slashing the already scarred eye. Blake converted the weapon to VBCS mode, and wrapped it around Adam's ankle. With a heave, she threw him out of this closed car onto the flatbed one behind her. Somehow he retained both his sword and sheath. Blake jumped out of the car. With a few shots, she knocked off a small amount of Adam's aura. There wasn't much left, but he could collect it from his Semblance instead of unleashing a death ray. It had terrible conversion rates, however; inefficient to the degree of millions.
Eventually, Adam regained focus and blocked her shots. They began to spar. Sparks flew as blade struck blade. A vengeful force slowly grew with each exchange. Poste, parry, riposte, disengage, shoot. Each slash a spark, each slice another mangled memory. Adam slowly backed up from the pressure of preserving his Aura, seeing as it was running thin. Blake sent another clone at Adam. This time, he did not ignore it, and chopped it's head off. It was an ice one, trapping the sword once again. With an angry heave, he threw the ice sculpture at Blake, sword and all, and fired off his rifle sheath. The fire dust rounds made steam with the ice, though it was quickly blown away. Adam's sword wasn't
He grabbed the sword. Blake fumbled with her mags, and loaded a new one in. With a few well placed gravity shots, Adam was flung back again, onto the other flatbed behind the one she stood on. She charged him, throwing the chain scythe at him. It caught his shoulder, but didn't cut through his Aura. Adam caught the ribbon and pulled.
A knee met Blake's face. Stars danced in her eyes, mocking her inability to stop a monster, and reminding her she was its maker. As the world turned red, Blake felt Adam's wrath strike her identity. Who was she anymore anyway?
She fell onto the 1st flatbed. Out of desperation, she shot her last gravity dust round. He was pushed back far enough for Blake to sever the connector.
With a slash, the last moment between them severed.
"Goodbye, Adam"
"While I appreciate the information, why are you telling me this Ms. Belladonna?"
Blake mentally frowned. Why did she? Ozpin probably had no immediate use for this.
Eh, bs it and you'll find your way eventually.
"I thought you should know"
"Know what, that the White Fang is growing more militant by the day and the Belladonnas oppose direct violence? No, I didn't. I'm very glad you told me"
Asshole.
"No, I mean you let me in the school for a reason, and while I'm thankful for the opportunity, I needed to be sure you knew I would be a target"
"Again, I am aware. I knew everything you told me. I also know we can't do anything about the White Fang camp officially, because they still technically are a civil rights group, and as such the Schnee's where in charge of the security detail. They had commands to neutralize insurgents before any rioting occurred. It was going to be 'attacked' by the Schnee PMC."
"Professor, hold on. Why the air quotes?"
Ozpin shook his head.
"It's print form. I didn't actually make air quotes. It was supposed to sound implicative, not have an actual action. Cut!"
"... it was going to be 'attacked' by the Schnee's PMC."
"What do you mean attacked? Are you saying those men died for nothing?"
Ozpin giggled a little. At death. The fucking headmaster laughs at pointless death. What the fuck am I doing here?
"No. They died so those robots wouldn't fall to the White Fang. If they were sent there, they would almost certainly be stolen. I can almost guarantee the Fang had or has a mole at the SDC, especially when you look at these"
The headmaster pressed a few buttons on his scroll. Blake sat there while he did so.
Ozpin finished his business on his scroll, and looked at Blake expectantly. She tried her best attempt at a one eyebrow lift. It made her look more scared than questioning.
He moved his hands in a circular motion, beckoning Blake to do something. She didn't.
The headmaster looked at a small black bird on his desk Blake somehow didn't notice before. The bird pointed a wing at his own scroll, then Blake.
"Blake. Where's your scroll"
"Ah, right here"
Blake pulled out her scroll. There were 5 received messages.
Each one was a news article detailing how SDC robots were being captured and stolen on Fang raids. With this kind of firepower, the Fang could level Vacuo.
"Why… how… what?"
"I won't pretend to know how the hell thi- sorry, pardon my Frenc-, sorry, pardon my Freudian sli-, sorry, pardon my Ozminian slip and my Atlesian."
"...what"
"No wait, Atlas is supposed to be Northern Germany and Austria… is there no France equivalent in Remnant… ah, right. The Grimmlands."
Blake coughed as if trying to get the professor's attention
"Yes Blake?"
"I think you mean the Philippines are the Grimmlands"
"Ah, you're right. You are right. But then, what is the Remnant equivalent of France?"
"Sir, there is none, and can we please get back on topic?"
"Again, you are right. On your way out, grab a cookie"
"Professor-"
"You're right, sorry. Now, where was I?"
"Something about Atlesian robots?"
An imaginary light bulb popped over Ozpin's head. It was quickly pecked by the indignant bird.
"Of course. So, I have no idea how on Remnant this is all flying under the SDC radar as not suspicious at all, but it would seem as well that Adam is somewhat distant to the interests and/or knowledge of Sienna Khan, considering these are happening everywhere except Vale"
Blake looked over the articles again. Sure enough, most of the camps had either been in Atlas or Mistral. One had been in Vacuo. None in Vale.
"Either she doesn't trust Adam, or Adam doesn't care. You make sense of it"
"No offense professor, but that seems like an awfully rude way to ask for my help"
"No offense brat, but starting any sentence with 'no offense' does not make it less offensive"
"Now why did you use air quotes there? I thought you said they would be implied?!"
"No, look here, my script gives me the option do decide between which is which so long as you don't bitch about it"
Blake looked. And scowled.
"That's stupid. This asshole in charge even made me share my feelings for Adam in my story to you, and is still giving you more creative freedom? What a dick"
"Leave. I'm sure things will change for you soon, just be sure to keep an ear or four to the ground"
Blake physically flinched at that.
"Fine. You can fuck off to hell and back for all I care"
Ozpin smiled as the elevator doors began to close.
"I'll be back"
"Why the fuck are you letting her near my nieces! She admitted she is part of a terrorist organization, she admits she's a target. What the fuck are you thinking?"
The wizard sipped his wizard juice from his mug. It looked like coffee, but it was actually vodka with chocolate powder mixed in. He needed it for the coming conversation.
"Adam Taurus is undoubtedly the strongest member of the Fang. Blake almost beat him. Ruby could certainly hand his ass to him" Ozpin stated
The man before Ozpin almost laughed. It was more of a self deprecating chuckle.
"Adam seems to fundamentally understand people. He almost bested me; would've if he didn't get unlucky. If he wants a weakness, he will find one. Ruby may be skilled, but that's the only polished facet of the gemstone. The rest is rough"
"I see puns are genetic then. Good thing you aren't Ruby's father, Qrow"
"Oz, my nieces' lives are at stake here" Qrow said, "I don't have time for your Steve Harvey bullshit!"
"Fine. But, I think Ruby will handle him just fine. She has something you don't: friends"
Qrow scoffed.
"What, and the radical terrorists are going to be defeated by the power of friendship?"
"And rainbows"
"... I'm leaving. Don't make me regret not killing the cat girl"
A bird flew out the window.
"'We shall see"
I have returned. From my huge project. Without boring you with details, the main event is over and I'm basically free to do whatever I want... until this time next year.I'll enjoy it while I can.So a few updates for the three people that enjoy my work.The mercury fic is on indefinite hiatus due to planning issues. While reviewing it, it was far too OC oriented. It didn't flow well, and some characters felt the same. I probably won't pick it up again until we see his return in what I assume is Volume 9. Because it isn't really going to be important to anyone for a long time, the crossover I was going to work with was Tower of God. Read the manhwa if you get the chance.I updated my profile so you can see what's in development at any given time.For a short synopsis, here ye goWe have a new series, one with a concept that I haven't seen done well.The scythes, the Wiz, and the Maiden.without spoiling too much, it's Ruby raised by Raven.next is the next crossover that I like a lot more, especially the more I think about what to stick into it.Foul LegacyGenshin Impact x RWBY, expect to see Tartaglia, his fam, and a few other select individuals make appearances under the shattered moon.Check the profile for more info.also...I'm 'getting rid of' one of my genshin accounts with Tartaglia and Diluc on na and eu respectively for a price. if anyone has any interest pm me.that's all folkscheers!