Adam stood in the Team AJCS room, facing Team RWBY and Team JNPR, his fists clenched at his sides as he gazed at them forlornly from behind his ribbon. That blonde boy from the docks - Sun Wukong - watched with Sam and Dora from the sidelines. He felt a light nudge to his side, and he looked over to see Jenna looking up at him with crossed arms and an eyebrow raised.
"Well?" She asked, frowning. Adam blinked, then sighed and looked over at the others.
"... I'm sorry, okay?" He asked, annoyed, and Jenna deadpanned. He looked down at her, glaring. "What?! What else do you expect me to say?! Sorry I was a powerful figure in the White Fang who left because he was guilt-tripped by an edgy seventeen year-old girl!" Blake scoffed, looking annoyed. "Sorry I came to Beacon with her because I was worried about her safety - and, I don't know, I figured that this was some sort of phase and she'd end up going back to the White Fang eventually - and ended up getting thrown on a team with two aggravating humans and a Faunus with a martyr-complex!" Dora and Sam blinked while Jenna's hair bristled, her eyes narrowing. "Sorry that I was forced to lead that team, and that my partner ended up getting the shit beat out of her because I let my guard down!" Jenna blinked, her eyes widening slightly as her hair calmed down. "Sorry that I ran off once the edgy teen who started this whole thing decided that she couldn't keep her mouth shut any more because - guess what? - humans don't typically like the White Fang, and shoot first and ask questions later!" Ren and Nora exchanged glances. "Sorry that I eventually realized by watching from the outside that the White Fang's become nothing more than a bunch of common criminals-slash-terrorists that the whole world is fucking terrified of and that I helped to foil a robbery of theirs at one of Ice Queen's family's shipyards - you're welcome, by the way!" Weiss placed her hands on her hips, letting out a loud hmph!. "Sorry for running off again when Science-Girl brought up sentimental bullshit thirty seconds before the cops arrived, and sorry for making my stubborn teammates hunt me down and convince me to come back because - guess what? - I figured out that those two particular humans aren't like the monsters I've dealt with all of my life and my partner is a guilt-tripping little shit!" Adam threw his hands up into the air, looking genuinely pissed-off as he looked down at his partner. "I, ex-Major Adam Taurus of the White Fang, am sorry for being an asshole! Are you happy now?!"
"Quite." Jenna replied, a smirk forming on her face. Adam's right eye twitched, then he shouted in surprise as a laughing Sam jumped onto his back, hugging him.
"Love you too, Adam!" Sam grinned, and Adam scowled and went to retort before Dora hugged his side. Adam looked down at her, glaring venemously.
"Why, you-!" Adam blinked as Jenna leapt up, threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him, then he sighed and pat her head twice, closing his eyes. "I hate all of you. Individually."
"No, you don't."
"Well..." Blake looked back at the other amused observers of this scene. "Think he deserves a second chance?"
"I think he's getting his due punishment." Pyrrha chuckled as Adam tried to shake his teammates off to no effect. "And if he's trying to change his ways, I believe he deserves the chance."
"Yeah, guys." Jaune agreed, smiling as he rested his hands on his hips. "I mean, could we really kick the guy out? He's like a big, quiet, scary, judging older brother..." Jaune slowly raised an eyebrow. "New thought: he and some of my sisters would get along pretty well."
"Hmm." Ruby raised a hand to her mouth, holding back a giggle. Then, she looked at Adam. "I feel the same! You know, minus the part about having a quiet, judging older sister."
"Uh..." Yang raised an eyebrow. "You didn't take out big or scary." Ruby grinned nervously. "Why, you little-!"
"Adam and I still have to break Cardin's legs like we agreed to, so he can stay!" Nora announced, grinning. Everyone looked at Adam, and he deadpanned at the girl.
"Nice going."
"While I don't approve of the violence-" Ren honestly looked like he was trying not to laugh. "I believe that Adam's transformation is genuine. After all... He hasn't snapped Sam's neck, yet."
"Yet." Adam agreed, finally having managed to get Dora and Jenna off and now holding Sam by the back of his shirt. The boy was laughing and waving nervously, then he slowly reached over and tapped Adam on the nose.
"Poke." He said simply, and Jenna covered her mouth to avoid laughing as Dora sighed and shook her head. Adam sighed, shaking his head, then he looked at Dora.
"How the Hell do you put up with this guy?"
"Years of practice."
"Ah, he can stay." Yang waved it off, grinning. "The big guy still owes me a rematch after last time." Adam looked over at her.
"Yang, I almost cut your arm off."
"Meh. I would have been fine."
"Yang, your weaponry involves both arms!"
"Meh. Just a flesh wound."
"Yang, that is not just a flesh wound! Your arm would have been off!"
"I've had worse."
"No, you haven't!"
"'Tis but a-"
"Enough!" Weiss threw her hands down, showing her annoyance. Adam sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Here comes the veto."
"Yang, you're arguing with a militarily-trained ex-leader of a violent faction!" Weiss glared at Yang. "He could have seriously injured you, you do realize that?!"
"Weiss, I would've been alright." Yang waved it off, then smirked. "Or..."
"Don't-"
"All left!" Yang laughed, placing her hands in her hips as everyone else groaned. Jenna crossed her arms, frowning.
"Yang, losing an arm is a serious deal. My dad lost his, and-"
"Anyway!" Weiss looked back at Adam, her eyes narrowed. "Adam Taurus... I should have remembered it. You tried to kill my little brother." At that, everyone blinked in surprise. Adam didn't react. "He was twelve years-old and out with friends, and you led a group to try and kill him since - well - everyone knows that Father loves him best." Weiss' eyes narrowed. "Three of his hidden, on-site bodyguards died before the authorities could arrive and chase you off. My father has hardly let me or him out of the house since. We lost what little friends and freedom we had in a single order... You ruined our lives, then just waltzed up and asked for a second chance." All was silent as Weiss glared up at Adam, then she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, lightly shaking her head. "... I'm a horrible person if I say 'no', aren't I?"
"... No." Adam replied, and Weiss looked up at him, surprised. "Don't get me wrong, Schnee. I absolutely despise your family, and if it weren't for Blake, you would have been dead the moment I first saw you upon arriving at Beacon... But I know that what I did to your brother, along with everything else I've done against innocent people, was wrong." Adam looked down. "I'm not going to lie to you. There are parts of me still loyal to my old philosophies. But I'm trying to eradicate those parts to the best of my ability, and being here - as much as I hate to admit it - has proven effective. After all-" Adam gestured to Sam, who laughed nervously. "He's still alive, and so are you."
Weiss gazed up at Adam for a long moment, then she slowly let her hand fall and clench into fists at her sides as she gazed up at him. More time passed, her eyes examining his resolve for any cracks, then she gave a small sigh as her expression relaxed.
"My name is Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." She began, and Adam blinked. "I am seventeen years old, and from the time when I was small, I have been taught to hate and fear the Faunus and told that - as a Schnee - I stand above everyone else in the world." She looked away lightly. "For a while, I completely believed it. But then, through the story of my grandfather and the example set by my sister, I realized that things were far more complicated than that." Weiss looked up at Adam. "I trained for years and went through countless trials in order to gain my father's permission to attend this academy because I told him that I believed having another Huntress in the family would better the family name. I believe that, but... I really just wanted to get away from him and his influence so that I could see the world for what it really was. I wanted change, and after everything he put me through - from oppressing the people in the mines to driving my mother off of the deep end and ordering the event that scarred my face -, I just wanted to get away from him." All eyes slowly widened, and Adam's face fell as his eyes went to the girl's scar. "And... I wanted to become the best. And, as people have told me since I've arrived here, the best could mean several different things." Weiss looked up at Adam. "I want to be a better person, too. My father was not the start of my family's name, and he won't be the end of it. When I take control of that company, I won't make his mistakes. My grandfather's company wasn't meant for this - it wasn't meant to oppress and destroy - and I won't let it continue. I want change... So, Adam Taurus, to spare myself the title of hypocrite, I won't protest to your staying here." Weiss' eyes narrowed slightly as she held a hand out. "Just don't make me regret that choice, alright?"
"... All lef-" Blake elbowed Yang in the stomach before she could finish the pun. Adam gazed at Weiss, surprised, then gave a light smirk and reached out. Everyone tensed, but he actually shook her hand.
"Alright... Just one question." Adam raised an eyebrow as he let his hand fall (discretely wiping it off on his pants). "Why didn't Blake have to pass this sort of trial?"
"She's not as terrifying as you are." Sun offered, and Adam shot a glare at him. "... See what I mean?"
/\
Adam eventually left to go and train at the arena while Jenna said that she had work to do at the library, leaving Sam and Dora with Team RWBY, Team JNPR, and Sun. Dora finally decided to challenge Weiss, Yang, and Ren to poker, and as they played, Sam played video-games with Ruby, Nora, and Sun. Pyrrha and Blake simply watched, amused.
"So." Yang shifted her cards, smirking lightly as she looked up at Dora. "You and Sam a thing, yet?"
"Tch." Dora looked up at her, smirking. "Me and Sam? Please. Little twerp's the most annoying thing alive."
"How did you two even became friends, if that's what you really think?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow. Dora blinked, then she looked down.
"Well... That's actually a bit of a long story." Dora admitted, and everyone looked at her. "Sam and I were born in Mistral, and our lives were pretty much polar opposites."
"How so?" Weiss asked, growing curious. Dora slowly looked up again.
"Sam's mother came from a rich and powerful family known for their hand-to-hand combat and chi-blocking prowess, along with cold personalities, and his dad came from a poorer family known for skilled marksmen, mischievous and fun-loving personalities, and flirting." She began quietly. "His mom hated his dad at first, but he loved her right away and was kinda relentless about it, and she finally gave in. Her whole family - outside of her older sister - cut her off, but they didn't care. But they did have to live in the rougher area of Mistral's capital, so that's where Sam got all of of his street-smarts. The rest comes from his parents."
"Interesting." Ren seemed pretty intrigued. Dora nodded, then looked down.
"But while Sam was mostly happy growing up, being on the rough side of Mistral exposed him to some pretty messed-up stuff. He saw a lot of what went down in the Mistralian Black Market." Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at her cards. "Especially the Faunus Slave Trade." All went silent at the table, and Blake and Pyrrha were now paying their full attention. The others were still playing video games. "Faunus were either kidnapped and sold all or killed around him, and it really messed with his head... Then, one of his neighbors, a kind old cat-Faunus called Mrs. Lane, who used to babysit him, was killed and he saw it happen. He was six."
"What?" Blake asked, shocked. Dora nodded gravely.
"Yeah. After that, Sam changed. His parents had unlocked his aura to keep him safe, and he ended up using it to hunt Mrs. Lane's killers down, punish them, and make sure that they were waiting for the authorities to arrive." Dora's hands shook slightly. "I remember seeing the report on the news. A mysterious vigilante taking down three fully-grown men. They didn't have aura, but still - I would have never expected someone who was my age being capable of pulling it off." She closed her eyes. "As the years went on, more and more Faunus-attackers wound up in jail due to the vigilante, or they simply fled the kingdom. No one knew it was Sam behind it... Then, when he was nine, he decided to take on something big."
"Big?" Pyrrha asked, a little intimidated as she looked over to see Sam laughing in a carefree way while he was playing video games with Ruby. Dora nodded, looking up.
"Yes... He took on the Faunus Slave Trade, all by himself." She replied, and their eyes widened. "He didn't get far, but..." Dora looked down. "He still dreams about what happened."
...
A cage door was opened, a young woman in ragged clothes and covered with dirt looking up with wide eyes.
"Go!" A voice spoke, a tiny hand pointing. "Now's your chance! Go with the others, and-!"
"Hey, kid!" A voice snarled. A nine year-old boy in old and baggy clothes looked up to see a man in black. "What the Hell are you doing?!"
"Go!" The boy shouted at the woman again, and she scrambled to her feet and ran off with several other people. Now, all of the cages in the warehouse were empty, and the boy - Sam - was alone. But he wasn't afraid as he turned towards the man who had shouted at him. "You, you're a slave-trader! They're not animals, they're people!"
"Why, you little-!" The man grabbed for Sam's wrist and caught his hand instead. Sam struggled until the man was barely holding onto his fingers, then his thumb. Focusing and drawing power from the walls behind him, Sam slowly smirked, his eyes glowing blue as he was surrounded by crackling electricity.
"Big mistake." Sam announced simply, the man's eyes widening, then Sam yelled and channeled the power through his body, the man screaming as he was electrocuted. Sam laughed through the pain he himself felt at the electricity, finding some pleasure in seeing the man suffer, then he pulled away and letting the man fall to the ground, where he convulsed in pain. Sam laughed as he fell to his knees, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "How does it feel, being the hunted?"
...
Weiss, Yang, Ren, Pyrrha, and Blake stared at Dora as she finished the story.
"He was caught that night, and sent to juvie for several years." Dora looked up at them. "Now... I suppose I should tell my side of the story." Everyone slowly nodded to give her the go-ahead. "Well... I was born into a family with great honor, privilege, and wealth. The Caixas are powerful - not Schnee powerful, but VERY powerful. We're in Mistral's government, their law enforcement. We had connections to all lawyers, most businesses, and almost everything in the stock-market." Dora looked back at her card. "I grew up with only the best clothes, going to the best schools, learning from the best combat-instructors. I lived in a world of silver and gold, and I was told that I'd always live in a realm of greatness and contentment." Dora looked up, her expression blank. "I hated it."
"What?!" Weiss asked, her eyes widening. Dora looked at her.
"There was no self-expression!" She complained, annoyed, and Blake snickered at Weiss' expression. "Nothing that stood out among the drab, elegant house I lived in! Everything had to be color-coordinated, we couldn't have any peasant-stuff like televisions! It was so boring!" Dora slowly calmed and shrugged, smirking. "So, what's a girl to do? I went out in the night and made my own, colorful world."
"Your graffiti." Ren assumed, raising an eyebrow. Dora nodded in response.
"I did everything I dreamed of, everything I was never allowed to do. I was free, for the first time ever..." Dora slowly deadpanned, and she rolled her eyes. "Then, one night on the streets, I met someone."
...
Dora stood in an alleyway, smiling as she worked on something. She was wearing a grey hoodie splattered with multiple paint splotches, paint-covered blue jeans, a purple-t-shirt, and purple sneakers, her blonde hair in messy curls.
The painting was a burst of gold and silver coming from a hand, and Dora seemed rather proud of it as she added the finishing touches. Then, she heard something to her left.
"What is it?" A voice asked, and Dora spun around to see a boy with messy black hair and green eyes. He wore a black hoodie, black jeans, a navy t-shirt, and black boots, and he looked a little... Rough. The boy leaned against a wall, his arms crossed and his eyebrow raised. He looked to be her age, thirteen.
"What's it to you?" Dora asked, glaring. He didn't reply. "... Who are you?"
"Just a fan, gorgeous." The boy teased, smirking. Dora scowled, on edge.
"Don't call me that."
"It's the truth." The boy shot back flirtatiously. "But, if you don't like it, give me something better to call you."
"... Pandora."
"Well, Dora... My name is Sam, Sam Bidaiari." At that name, Dora tensed. She had heard it, before... The boy walked over, looking at her work. "It's good. Mind explaining it to the artistically-challenged?" Dora, calming down a little, frowned slightly as she gazed at him.
"I will when you drop the act."
"Act?"
"The tough-guy act." Dora elaborated, and he looked at her. "I can see that the muscles on your face are used to smiling, and you can't pull off emo to save your life."
"You sure you want me to drop the act, Doctor Dora?" The boy asked, raising an eyebrow and seeming... Concerned. Dora crossed her arms.
"Positive."
"Alright..." The boy took a deep breath, closing his eyes, then his eyes snapped open and he beamed brightly and pointed at the painting. "What is it?! What is it?! What is it?! What is it?! Is it a semblance?! Who's it it?! Did you make it up?! You're SOOOO creative!" Dora immediately freaked out.
"Put up the act! Put up the act!" She pleaded quickly. Sam instantly resumed the cool-guy act, smirking.
"See?"
"God... You're so annoying..." Dora rubbed her aching forehead. "Damn..." Sam laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, and she scowled up at him.
"Get used to it, Dora! This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"
...
"And then, I kicked him in the balls and ran." Dora abruptly finished the origin story. Her audience blinked, surprised. "... Sam was a little messed-up, after juvie. You can blame the solitary confinement for that... And, you can blame his insanity for our next meeting."
"What?" Yang asked, raising an eyebrow. Dora looked at her.
"When I ran off, Sam saw a pin on my backpack. A Sanctum pin... He literally became a Huntsman just because he wanted to see me again."
...
Dora walked up the long pathway to Sanctum, sighing and shaking her head. She had trained for years to go there, to have a chance to become a Huntress. But how was she going to do this? How could she prove that she was more than what met the eye? How would she make any fri-?
"DORA!" Someone latched onto her arm. Dora's eyes widened, and she decided that she didn't want to look down. But curiosity won over, and she finally looked down. Black hair, green eyes, that playful smirk...
"Sam?!" Dora asked, stunned. The boy nodded, standing up.
"Hi, Dora! How's it going? How've you been? You excited? I'm excited!"
"Where's that tough-guy act when you need it..?"
"Long gone, Dora! Now, I'm being me! And me wants to be your friend!"
"What?!" Dora ignored his error in grammar in favor of freaking out. "No!"
"Yes!" Sam grabbed Dora's hand and raised it into the air. "Sam and Dora: ultimate dynamic duo, best friends - beings of true, unadulterated beauty and skill! This is only the beginning!" Dora wrestled her hand away.
"I am NOT being friends with YOU!"
"Too late! We've been seen together, you're stuck with me!"
As Dora stormed off, Sam waving and laughing as he ran to catch up with her, she rolled her eyes and sighed, closing them as she deadpanned heavily. She sensed him arrive by her side, and...
"I hate you."
"I'm stubborn." Sam replied, and Dora looked over at him. He wasn't acting crazy or cool, now. He was just smiling. "I can wait a thousand years for you, Doctor Dora."
...
Dora finished the story, smiling fondly at the memory as she looked down at her cards. Then, she looked up at Sam as he continued playing his video-games.
"He stayed with me four four years, then followed me to Beacon." She finished, not noticing the stunned gazes of those who had heard her tale. "I guess he's really hellbent on keeping that promise."
"... Priority one." Yang announced quietly, everyone but Dora looking at her. "Get Team Samdora together. ASAP."
As Pyrrha, Blake, and Weiss scolded Yang and Ren inconspicuously switched some of the cards in other people's hands for some from his, Dora gazed at Sam with a light grin.
'He's an annoying little shit.' She thought to herself. 'But...'
...
Sam and Dora, age sixteen, looked up at the stars from the roof of the girl's dorm at Sanctum. He'd snuck over, just to be with her.
"Hey, Dora?" Sam asked, and Dora looked at him. "You thought I wouldn't know?"
"Huh?" Dora raised an eyebrow, frowning. "What?" Sam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, grinning down at her.
"Happy birthday." He told her, and she blinked, her eyes widening. "Now, I know you're gonna be pissed about it, but I did manage to get you something."
"Sam, you know I hate you spending money on me." Dora's eyes narrowed. "I let you buy lunch once, and you didn't eat for three days! Sam, what did you-?" Dora blinked, surprised, as her lips were paused. Sam pulled away, giving a slight laugh as he poked her nose.
"Couldn't find anything you didn't already have." He announced, then closed his eyes and winced. "Incoming punch in three... Two... O-" Sam opened his eyes, stunned, as Dora kissed him, then he smiled and kissed back, wrapping his arms around her. A few moments passed, then she pulled away and looked up, glaring despite a blush.
"Idiot."
"Tsudere."
"I wish I could quit you." Dora deadpanned heavily. Sam just smiled, raising a hand to the side of her face.
"No. You don't."
...
'... But he's my annoying little shit.' Dora thought to herself, smiling as she looked back at her cards. Then, she raised an eyebrow before scowling.
"WHO TOOK MY CARDS?" She saw Ren's eyes widening. "REN, YOU LITTLE-!"
"Hey!" Someone suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind, Sam laughing as he rested his head on her shoulder. "Easy, warrior goddess! His name is literally Lie, and-" Sam raised an eyebrow. "He is bad at swapping cards for his own benefit." He looked up at Ren. "Damn it, dude - you need help. Luckily for you, I know all about the art of card-swapping."
"Of course you do." Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, deadpanning. "Why aren't I surprised?" Sam raised an eyebrow.
"Why aren't you surprised?" He asked, confused. "I mean... Have I been giving off that sort of vibe?" As Weiss tried to cover for knowing so much about Sam all of the sudden, Dora blinked and looked down at her cards. Slowly, she smirked and pushed all of her money to the center of the table.
"All in, bitches."
/\
Later that night, in the library, a girl sat at a computer, frowning slightly as she went through file after file, her eyes scanning page after page of information. There wasn't much to go on. Sightings with a name never given to the public. It was like he lived in the shadows. But, slowly but surely, Jenna Elurra began piecing together every piece of public information that there was on him. And, once that informational wellspring ran dry...
"Ozpin." Jenna held her scroll to her ear, her eyes narrowed. "You have three minutes. Patch me into the locked criminal databases, or I'll hack it myself. Library monitor five." Jenna lowered her scroll and waited, then the screen flashed yellow and Jenna began searching through the files on her screen again.
'Where are you?' The girl thought to herself, frowning, then she found what she was looking for and clicked. Slowly, her eyes widened in disbelief. 'Who are you?'
...
Name: "Major" Adam Taurus
Age: 23 (estimated)
Allegiance: White Fang
Psychological Analysis: psychopathic, sociopathic
Type: terrorist, murderer
Confirmed Kills: 50+
Strategy: Do not engage. Has been known to destroy the most advanced military technology in seconds, will kill on sight. Hide.
...
Jenna stared at the screen, stunned, then slowly sat back in her chair.
'But... If this was the case... Why would Ozpin have me anywhere near him?' She wondered to herself, stunned. 'Or anyone, for that matter. But for what's at risk... What is he thinking?' Jenna closed her eyes. 'And Adam... Is this who he really is? Or was? How can I trust him?'
...
"By no means does this make us friends. I'm only partnering with you because Blake is taken and you're the least annoying person here besides her."
...
"I want to be strong enough to bring about the change I see in the world."
...
"You are completely insane."
...
Adam held Cardin Winchester's wrist, forcing the bully to drop a rock.
...
"I fucking hate you."
...
"I have a strong dislike for those who look down upon others for circumstances that cannot be changed and should rather be accepted with open arms."
...
"Why aren't you telling anyone that you're being picked on because you're a Faunus? You're not properly standing up for yourself, and whatever's up with you right now will only continue if you don't get help."
...
"I'm not standing by while another Faunus - my partner - is getting all this shit!"
...
"I don't believe you. And until you tell me the truth, I won't be able to trust you."
...
"We might not be BFFs, but I think this makes us friends, Science Girl."
...
"The Hell are you doing here?!"
...
"Come on. We have to head back if we want to be home before curfew."
...
"My partner ended up getting the shit beat out of her because I let my guard down!"
...
"I, ex-Major Adam Taurus of the White Fang, am sorry for being an asshole! Are you happy now?!"
...
Jenna sighed, shaking her head before opening her eyes and frowning at the image of Adam that was used for the file. It made him look like a complete monster...
"I must be out of my mind." She spoke quietly, then she deleted her search-history and stood up, grabbing her scroll She turned and left the library, closing her eyes and sighing before making her way through the halls.
Jenna arrived back in the dorm and blinked, surprised, seeing that Adam's bed was empty. Then, her eyes widened as she looked around in a panic before turning and leaving the room, running off.
"No! Not again!"
Jenna searched about thirty percent of the grounds before she - exhausted, by then - found his scent and ascended a set of stairs to a small, flattened-out portion of the room and opened the door to see Adam sitting on the ledge, looking up at the sky.
"... Ugh!" Jenna threw her fists down in a very Weiss-like gesture, and he looked back at her. "What the Hell, Adam?!"
"What?"
"You were out of the room past curfew! I've been looking for you for the last hour, thinking that something had happened-!"
"It was you who was out of the room past curfew, partner." Adam corrected, and she blinked. "I searched for about two hours before I had to take a break... Looks like you came to me." Jenna blinked again, surprised, then she laughed and rubbed the back of her neck, grinning nervously.
"Oops. Guess I took too long at the east library..."
"The east? Isn't the west library where you usually do your research?"
"I couldn't find a book I needed in the west, so I tried the east." The lies came out as easily as ever. Jenna waited a moment, then he seemed to buy it.
"Tch." Adam smirked lightly, looking up at the sky again. "You know, you really are such a troublemaker."
"Are you really in any position to call anyone else a troublemaker?" Jenna asked, crossing her arms as she walked over. Adam scoffed, likely rolling his eyes behind his ribbon.
"Plesse. I was commander-in-chief of Vale's sector of the White Fang."
"So... You were King Troublemaker." Jenna put it together, and Adam paused before deadpanning as Jenna laughed and sat down next to him. He looked over at her, and she imagined that he had an eyebrow raised.
"Must you always be so annoying?"
"Part of my charm." Jenna smirked lightly, then she looked up at the sky. "Whoa." The sky looked amazing - o itch-black, with hundreds of stars lighting it up as the reforming shattered moon glowed brilliantly above their heads.
"Yeah." Adam nodded in agreement. "Not bad, is it?"
"Hm." Jenna nodded, smiling lightly. "Not bad."
"... You're not going to howl, are you?"
"Ugh! You jerk!" Jenna jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, and he did not react. "Isn't that sort of thing why you hate humans?"
"What?"
"The stereotyping! Wolf-Faunus howl, eh? Do lose your temper and run into battle head-f-?" Jenna suddenly blinked, then she looked away and looked up at the sky. "You do kinda do that."
"Tch." Adam rolled his eyes. "Can't you take a joke?"
"Would you have taken it if a human said it?" Jenna inquired, and he paused. Then, he sighed and shook his head.
"I'm not sure... You've got a point."
"Hm." Jenna nodded, then she looked up. "That's why my parents didn't really like the White Fang. Mom considered them hypocrites because of things like that, and when Dad saw them tipping towards violence in some areas, he believed that they needed to be stopped. He considered it too late for talk without action, and he had lots of ideas."
"Oh, what then? Did Daddy want to stop the Big Bad Faunus?"
"No. He wanted to help them." Jenna replied, and Adam seemed surprised. "His wife and his children were Faunus, Adam. He didn't want them to live afraid, but he also didn't want them to live being feared." Her expression turned forlorn as he gazed at the moon, frowning. "He used his research to try and find a way to bring peace."
"Tch. A human biologist, trying to bring peace?"
"He wasn't just a biologist. It was his specialty, but he was probably one of the greatest minds on Remnant... And all he ever wanted was justice and peace, no matter what that cost." Jenna gave a small smile. "And, even though I disagree with some of the steps he took... He's always been my hero because of that."
"Is that why you care so much about justice?"
"I guess so." Jenna looked at him, sighing and giving a wry grin. "Though I'm following in my mother's footsteps, I'm my dad's daughter. It was inevitable, though."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." Jenna looked back at the sky. "... I miss him." Adam hesitated, then he looked forward, frowning.
"... Yeah." He spoke quietly. Jenna slowly looked back at him.
"What was yours, like?" She asked quietly, and he looked at her. "Your family."
"Tch." Adam looked away again, scowling lightly. "None of your business." Jenna blinked, then nodded and looked away.
"Right. I'm sorry."
"... They and my older brother died when I was eight." Adam spoke up, and Jenna looked at him, her eyes widening. "We lived in Mistral, and my two younger brothers, my little sister, and I were taken and... And put up for sale on the black market." Adam looked down, frowning. "They were sold first, and I never saw them again. I was sold later, put to work right away... But the White Fang eventually raided the camp and rescued me and the others there. I became loyal to the cause and joined almost immediately - but I must admit, despite the peaceful message they still had at the time, I wanted the violence that eventually came." His eyes narrowed. "I wanted them - the humans - to pay for all they'd done. All of them."
"Adam, I..." Jenna stared at him, stunned, then looked down. "I'm so sorry, Adam."
"I still think of them, sometimes." Adam confessed, and she looked back at them. "My dad, he was a laborer and proud of it. He didn't believe that anyone should be as rich as CEOs are, and that the people who were willing to dig deep and work hard for a living were the ones who deserved to make lives like that. He threw a table and three chairs at the group before they shot him... My mother, she was extremely protective." Adam looked up at Jenna, giving a light smirk despite the forlornness in his tone. "You messed with her kids, and you got a frying pan to the face. She took down two of the men who came for us with a butcher-knife before the others took her down..." Adam looked up at the sky. "My older brother, Minos, was around eleven, and he had Dad's shotgun in his hands. He managed to kill a guy before they got him..." Adam's pained smirk fell. "Dustin, Reiner, and Rowan... I wonder if they're even alive."
"... Adam." Jenna placed her hand on his, and he looked back at her. Her eyes had actually teared up. "I..."
"... What happened to yours, then?" Adam asked quietly. Jenna blinked, then she looked down.
"My mother was killed by Grimm, trying to protect us." She replied, looking down. "I was four, and I saw it happen. My father covered my older brother's eyes and looked away, but I looked back... It was a pack of Apathy, and she was so tired. They drained her, then they tore her apart." Jenna closed her eyes, taking a deep and shaking breath. "I... Admittedly haven't been the same, since. I still have flashes from that day, and others."
"Others?"
"My father, he... He eventually snapped, and he tried to kill me, but he killed my brother instead when he tried to protect me. Then, he killed himself." Jenna opened her eyes. "... My mother was quiet, kind, and she always seemed to understand what you needed and when - she was a great Huntress, and a great mother... My brother was smart and strong, and he was protective - too protective for his own good." She opened her eyes and looked forward. "My father, before he changed, was... Amazing. He was a great man, and... And he was brilliant, and I trusted him. But he lied to us and used us, and-"
Jenna blinked as Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. She slowly realized that she had been growing angry, her hair bristled and her ears flicked back as she glared across Beacon's grounds.
"Well... Your brother and I wouldn't have gotten along well, so I guess I have to be grateful that he kept you breathing." Adam looked up at the sky. "Ani, is it? You sound like a smartass and a walking cliché of an older and more-successful sibling... But you did good." Jenna blinked, surprised, then gave a small frown as she looked up at the sky, her ears perking up.
"Minos, right?" She asked, and Adam looked at her. "You sound like an awesome guy... Thanks for keeping this big softy safe for me." Adam elbowed her in the arm, and she laughed. "Bet that my brother could take yours!"
"Oh, is that so? My brother could lift a cart loaded with Dust."
"My brother could figure out how to ignite that Dust with nothing more than a paper clip."
"That's because your brother was a giant nerd!"
"Hey!" Jenna laughed, and Adam smiled down at her. Then, he looked up at the sky and Jena slowly calmed down at joined him, gazing up at the moon. "... Ah-wooo!"
"Jenna!"
"Sorry, I couldn't resist!"
/\/\/\/\
In the days after Blake and Adam's return and Adam's subsequent trial, things slowly returned to normal. Team AJCS, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR spent more time together, and there seemed to be more trust between the twelve.
The worst seemed to be over. Lots of secrets were brought out and shared. Jaune had apparently snuck into a Beacon (which came as no surprise to Adam), Blake and Adam were once in the White Fang, Sam and Dora were criminals - one convicted and one wanted -, Weiss' childhood wasn't the glamorous Schnee life that the others had imagined it to be, and... Things just seemed better overall... Then, as more students from the other schools began arriving at Beacon for the Vytal Festival Tournament, things got a little chaotic.
Team AJCS was sitting at lunch with Team JNPR and Team RWBY (minus Ruby, for some reason), and Dora noticed Nora launching grapes at Yang with a spoon, Yang catching them in her mouth. The artist suddenly felt something hit her forehead, and she looked to see Sam sitting across the table with a spoon in his hand, another grape loaded and a guilty smile on his face.
"You're supposed to catch it!"
"I wish I could quit you." Dora deadpanned heavily. Her partner could only laugh.
"No, you don't!" Sam insisted, and Dora blinked before she smiled and rolled her eyes. Then, she sighed and looked up at him.
"No. I don't."
Team RWBY and Team JNPR started a food fight for some strange, unknown reason, and a confused Team AJCS watched from the sidelines.
"They are all taking this WAY too seriously." Jenna commented, seeming concerned. Adam nodded, frowning. "Should we, I don't know, intervene?"
"Yeah!" Sam threw a pineapple into the fray, and it hit Yang's hair, becoming tangled. His team slowly looked at him, their eyes wide in alarm, and Sam let out a small shrieking noise. "I'm a dead man..." The members of Team AJCS all knew to duck as Yang looked around for the culprit, her eyes now glowing a brilliant red.
"WHO THREW THIS PINEAPPLE?!" The Blonde Brawler asked, livid. None of the four witnesses revealed their hiding spot, so Yang took out her anger on Team JNPR.
Ruby eventually won the battle by utilizing her semblance to send all the debris flying as she ran towards the enemy, coating Team JNPR in food. Dora noted that Pyrrha appeared to have control over polarity and Ruby had amazing speed. Then, Dora laughed slightly as she noticed two boys at the end of the cafeteria, one glaring as he was covered in grape soda, the other - Sun, wasn't it?- laughing at him. Then, Professor Goodwitch stormed in, looking livid.
"Our idiot friends are going to die." Jenna stated, and Adam nodded solemnly in agreement. Goodwitch used her semblance to set the cafeteria right, then she glared at RWBY and JNPR.
"Children, please... Do not play with your food." She ordered sternly, and Jenna snorted with laughter. Then, Yang fell from the ceiling and broke a table, all of the witnesses letting out a synced ooh. That had to hurt... But Yang, energetic and invincible as ever, just stood up and laughed.
"Dang." Sam stared at the blonde. "Pyrrha isn't the invincible girl. It's like Yang gets stronger with every hit!" Sam suddenly blinked, then looked at his teammates. "... Hey, what are you guys' semblances?" His teammates all blinked, seeming somewhat surprised by the question "I have this thing I can do that's kinda crazy, but..." Sam pointed at an outlet in the wall, and slowly, blue electricity was pulled from it, the lights above flickering as the energy curled around his arm. Adam and Jenna's eyes widened as he looked up at them. "I can't create electricity, but I can - I don't know - control it where it already exists."
"Nora can produce and channel electricity to charge her muscles." Jenna notes, then she blinked. "Oh, gods... You two can never be allowed to-"
"I can heal." Dora announced, stopping Jenna from even putting the idea of that team-it out into the world. "When people get injured, I can force the cells in their bodies to regenerate faster. I just can't do it to myself, and it takes up a lot of my aura to pull it off."
"I can absorb energy from an opponent's attacks and use it to charge attacks from my sword." Adam explained simply, and everyone looked at him in surprise. "What?" He looked at Jenna, hoping to break the tension. "And you, Science-Girl?" Jenna looked down, biting her lower lip.
"I don't know." She admitted, and everyone looked at her. "I just... Haven't found it, yet."
"... That's nothing to be ashamed of." Dora smiled kindly. "Some people don't find their semblances until after they've graduated. It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us."
"Yeah." Jenna frowned slightly, then she looked up at them. "Well, we've got Goodwitch's class next. We better get moving so that we don't piss her off even more."
/\
Team AJCS sat in the stands with Team RWBY and Team JNPR at the combat-class arena, clapping as they watched match after match. Finally, after a long while, Professor Goodwitch looked up.
"Miss Sustrai?" She asked, and one of the visitors from Haven - a girl with darker skin, green hair, and crimson eyes - looked up in surprise. "You're up next." Adam idly turned and looked over at the girl, blinking and raising an eyebrow. Then, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"No."
"Adam?" Jenna asked, looking over at him as Goodwitch and the Haven girl exchanged girls. "What's wrong?" Adam looked over at her, stunned.
"That girl, she-"
"I would like to fight her." The Haven girl spoke, and everyone looked over, surprised, to see Emerald pointing... At Jenna.
"What?" Jenna asked, surprised. Goodwitch seemed somewhat-alarmed, and Sam looked over at Dora, his eyes narrowed.
"Hey... Jenna hasn't had to fight all year, has she?"
"Miss Sustrai, I... I'm not sure if that is the wisest choice." Goodwitch began, calming herself down. "Miss Elurra is a special case, and-"
"Special case?" Adam frowned, looking over at Jenna as Goodwitch seemed to try and give out a half-assed excuse. "What is she-?"
"I'll fight her." Jenna stood up abruptly. Goodwitch looked over at her, her eyes narrowing. "... Can't back down to Haven on our own turf, can we?" The students let out oohs, and Goodwitch looked annoyed. "My leg's feeling better, ma'am. I can fight her."
"Her leg was hurt?" Sam asked, seeming as unwilling to buy it as Dora and Adam were. "I don't like this..."
"Yeah." Adam's eyes were now locked onto a grey-haired boy who had been sitting next to the green-haired girl. "This isn't good."
Jenna walked out into the arena in her armor, turning to face the girl - Emerald Sustrai - who was in her combat-attire upon arrival. It appeared that she'd come to class wanting a fight.
"So." Jenna raised an eyebrow. "You fighting in the tournament?" Emerald smirked, placing a hand on her hip.
"Yeah. You?"
"Damn straight." Jenna replied, Goodwitch looking at her again with wide eyes, her back facing the other students. Emerald regarded the teacher's reaction, then she looked at Jenna.
"Your teacher doesn't seem to like that idea."
"Well, I did hurt my leg a while back. She must not have gotten the infirmary's okay to put me back into action, just yet."
"Yeah. Guess that's it." Emerald drew a pair of guns as Jenna drew her spear and let it spring into its full form. "Nice. But, I must admit, I expected a bit more."
"You new know." Jenna gave a wry grin. "I could surprise you."
Adam had grown extremely tense, and the others around him noticed.
"Adam?" Ruby asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"Watch her." Adam growled, gazing at Emerald. "She's bad news." The others exchanged glances, then obeyed. Adam could feel Emerald's partner's eyes on the back of his head.
Goodwitch gave the go-ahead to begin the fight, and Jenna quickly began dodging bullets fired by Emerald, her brown eyes narrowing as she stopped short and began spinning her spear, the shaft moving fast enough to the point where it could deflect bullets before they reached her.
Seeing that Jenna's defense was stronger than she had expected, Emerald stopped and shifted her guns into a pair of kamas with kusarigama chains attached and spun before sending one flying straight at Jenna's face. She raised the shaft of her spear to block, only for the chain to wrap around the spear.
"Huh?" Jenna blinked, surprised, then she shouted as Emerald pulled and dragged the girl towards her. The wolf-Faunus recovered and gave a sharp tug that relieved the green-haired girl of her weapon before dropping her own weapon, yelling as she threw a punch that Emerald quickly shielded her face from with her forearms.
"Hand-to-hand, eh?" Emerald asked, looking down at Jenna with narrowed eyes - for she was taller. "You sure you're up for that, kid?" Jenna's eyes narrowed in response.
"Tch." She smirked lightly. "Why don't you see for yourself?" Emerald responded by taking a step back before darting to the side before attacking Jenna from the right. The wolf-Faunus responded by bending back to duck below Emerald's punch, placing her hands on the ground and kicking up.
Her body briefly went over Emerald's, Jenna grabbing the green-haired girl's belt as she passed over hers, then Jenna ended up on two feet. Then, the wolf-Faunus yelled and bent her body forward, lifting Emerald over her head and slamming the larger girl to the ground.
Jenna released Emerald and stood up straight, grabbing her weapon and taking a step back as the Haven student recovered. The green-haired girl looked up, her eyes wide as she nodded.
"Not bad."
Jenna's friends watched from the stands, shocked.
"... AWESOME!" Sam cheered, his worry falling. "WHOO! Go, Science-Girl!" The others began enjoying the fight as well, but Adam's eyes were still narrowed as he watched.
'Something isn't right, about this.'
Emerald's partner, Mercury Black, watched the match with a raised eyebrow.
'She's definitely tough for a little thing.' He decided, frowning. 'But still. Against Cinder, Emerald, Neo, and I together with Emerald using her semblance to throw her off - she'd stand no chance.' His eyes went to Adam. 'Bull-Boy's a bit of a wildcard, though. Didn't expect him here, especially with her. What could Ozpin be thinking?' Mercury was thinking seriously, now. 'He's stronger than Emerald, Neo, and I put together. Could even beat the boss, I'd wager. Emerald's semblance would help with him a little bit, but it doesn't take long for a Faunus - especially one like that - to see through Em's tricks... Cinder's right. To get what we need from this place, we need to either get rid of him or get him back on the right side of things.' Mercury's eyes narrowed slightly at that. 'Both'd be tricky. He's strong, and with the way he's sitting with humans like its nothing, it's gonna be hard to sway him onto the winning team.' Slowly, Mercury smirked. 'But I can remember a time when my old man wanted to get one of his buddies in on a job, but he'd retired and taken the side of pacifist. I'll never forget what he told me... To get a man to start fighting again, you simply have to remind them why they started in the first place.'
Jenna raised her spear as Emerald grabbed her weapons. The green-haired girl looked up at Jenna, her crimson eyes narrowed, then darted to the right. Jenna saw a chance and smirked, changing her spear into its lasso-form and swinging it before throwing it, catching Emerald's foot and tugging. However, a Emerald hooked her kama around the rope, wrapping her chain around it and yelling as she pulled, and the purple energy between the metal links was parted, sending the pieces of Jenna's weapon scattering across the arena.
Jenna gasped and quickly placed the section she still hand on the ground, hitting a button that sent the pieces flying back into position to form a spear. Jenna grabbed her spear and stood up straight, only to yelp and barely catch Emerald's kama with the shaft of her weapon before it could strike her face.
Blake scoffed, seeming irked as she crossed her arms.
"What is she doing?" The cat-Faunus asked, the others nodding. "Trying to break Jenna's weapon, nearly hitting her in the face. It's a practice-match." Adam's eyes narrowed further.
'She's testing Jenna's limits.' He thought to himself. 'Emerald wants to know exactly what it takes to beat her... With Mercury and Emerald here, it's a safe bet that Cinder is too. She put them up to this...' Adam suddenly blinked. 'Is it... To get at me?'
Jenna held the blade on her spear, her eyes narrowing slightly as she was pushed back.
'Easy.' The brunette thought to herself. 'Keep your cool. Don't do anything stupid.'
"Hey?" Emerald smirked lightly, looking down at Jenna. She was speaking quietly so as to go unheard. "Tell me something."
"Yeah?"
"Bull-Boy's your partner, right?"
"Yes."
"Anything more than that?"
"We're friends."
"Oh. Because, with how he's watching you, I thought it'd be more than that." Emerald continued, and Jenna blinked before briefly looking up at Adam. "But I should've known better. With your differences in height, he's probably just worried about me breaking his favorite arm-rest."
Jenna's right eye twitched, then she looked back at Emerald, a low growl of rage escaping her. Emerald gave a light smirk at this, then Jenna's eyes narrowed slightly as she lashed out with her left leg, kicking Emerald's legs out from underneath her before darting forward, bringing her knee up and striking Emerald in the back, the girl dropping her weapons and grunting in pain before Jenna swung her spear down and knocked the girl straight to the floor.
The Haven student shouted in surprise as she landed on her back, and Jenna raised her spear before yelling and bringing it straight down. Emerald's whole body froze, her eyes widening as the tip of the spear stopped a mere inch from her throat.
Jenna's friends watched the final move in disbelief.
"Okay, new rule." Dora blinked, her eyes wide. "Don't say whatever Emerald said just then to Jenna. Ever."
"Yeah..." Adam blinked, surprised. Seeing the look on Emerald's face, she obviously hadn't expected that to happen.
Mercury's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Interesting."
All was silent as Jenna and Emerald remained there for a moment. Jenna's hair hid her eyes from view, and Emerald looked somewhat terror-stricken. After that moment passed, Jenna grinned as the buzzer sounded and she stood up straight, spinning her spear as it collapsed. She held her hand out to Emerald, giving a light laugh as she briefly closed her eyes.
"Sorry about that! Guess I got carried away, there!" She apologized, and Emerald slowly reached up and took her hand. Emerald suddenly blinked, her eyes widening as she felt the power radiating from the girl's body, then she looked up at Jenna. "Um... Is something wrong?"
"N-no." Emerald shook her head, putting up a grin. "Guess I hit my head, a little." Jenna blinked, seeming to grow concerned.
"Oh, man. Need me to help you to the infirmary?"
"No, really. I'm fine." Emerald assured, pulling her hand away. "Good fight."
"Good fight." Jenna nodded, smiling lightly. "We should do it again, sometime."
"Y-yeah..."
/\
Team AJCS left the arena, Sam laughing as he wrapped an arm around Jenna's shoulders.
"Not bad, Science-Girl!" He grinned at her. "Since when were you so tough?!" Jenna blinked, then looked down.
"I'm sure it was just an adrenaline rush. I'm not usually-"
"If that's the case, we need to carry adrenaline shots with us from now on." Dora spoke up, smiling. "You were pretty awesome, in there. I thought that Haven girl was gonna pee her pants."
"I-"
"What's wrong?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can't take a little praise? Whoever trained you must have been a real stiff."
"It's not that. My teachers were very-"
"Then, what is it?"
"I... I just have a bad feeling about that fight." Jenna admitted, looking at him. "I don't know why, I just... I feel like she was trying to read me or something. She was testing everything, trying to make me do something. It was kinda freaky."
"Oh, was she?" Adam's eyes narrowed. "Well... You beat her, didn't you?" Jenna blinked, then looked down.
"Yeah. I guess I did."
As Jenna, Dora, Sam, and Adam walked down the hallway, talking about the fight, Emerald walked over to where Mercury was waiting for her, still seeming shaken.
"... So?" Mercury asked, raising an eyebrow. "Was he right?"
"Yeah." Emerald nodded, her eyes wide. "Torckwick's information was sound... Mercury?"
"Yeah?"
"About the fight..."
...
Emerald looked up, her eyes wide, as Jenna looked down at her. Her brown eyes were narrowed dangerously, filled with an unbelievable anger and desire to tear something - her - apart, and her lips were curled in a scowl.
...
"Those eyes..." Emerald shuddered lightly, looking at Mercury with a frown. "Nothing human looks at anything like that."
"... Well." Mercury nodded, his eyes narrowing. "We better go and tell the boss about what we've found out, today. She'll want to know exactly what it is that we're dealing with."
"She already knows." Emerald looked at him, glaring as they started walking. "We just have to confirm it."
"... You think Bull-Boy is going to protect his new little partner just like he's protecting the old one?" Mercury asked, and Emerald blinked. "You saw his face when you asked to fight Wolfie, didn't you? He knows why we're here, after all." Mercury gave a wicked smirk. "He might be thinking we'll do something nasty to her." Then, she looked down.
"He could be... I've been thinking about why he and his partner are at Beacon, and maybe that's it - they heard Cinder's plan, and now they've decided to stop it."
"Tch." Mercury shook his head. "Bull-Boy is tough, but he's not that tough. He can't do anything to us without him and Belladonna getting thrown in the nearest maximum-security prison."
"But he also knows the stakes." Emerald pointed out. "It's possible that he might decide that it's worth it. I mean... We have confirmed that it's her, after all. He might have, too." Mercury paused, then he looked at Emerald.
"It's..? You're absolutely sure?"
"Definitely." Emerald nodded, her eyes narrowing. "What I saw, what I felt... I'm sure. It's her."
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?! OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOD..!
Sorry, sorry. Couldn't resist. XD
... For those of you who read the original story, am I doing better? I mean, I'm doing a bit more world-building, adding lots of character-development and interactions, and I think it's going okay. Thoughts?
I only own my OCs. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)