It had been a while since he had taken a proper bath.
Anino Merlot was positively disgusted when he got out of the tub in the bathroom of the private dorm-room that Ozpin had provided for him and looked down at the murky, brown water. Then, he rapidly shook his head to dry his hair before his eyes widened, the young man realizing what he had done.
"... Son of a-!"
Sun and Neptune insisted upon picking out his outfit for him. Anino was grateful for their help, if a little embarrassed by the fact that two seventeen year-olds were taking it upon themselves to ensure he didn't humiliate himself fashion-wise.
All of the boys he had met on the island had seemingly taken him under their wings, actually. Sun and Neptune were helping him with his clothes and Neptune had even assigned himself as Anino's personal barber, Ren was cooking up some food that smelled absolutely divine since Anino hadn't had a proper meal in years, Jaune was in the middle of making a list of all of the pop-culture that he would have to catch up on, and Sam and Adam were acting like professional bodyguards... Or hit-men... Probably hit-men...
In the end, Ani was wearing brown dress-pants and a black belt with a silver buckle, a snowy-white dress-shirt, a brown tweed-jacket with tan patches on the sleeves, a purple tie, and black dress-shoes. He was wearing a pair of black square-framed glasses, as he actually did need glasses to see properly, and he took a deep breath as he sat down in front of a mirror.
"Okay, Neptune." He said, a little nervous as the blue-haired boy walked up behind him with a comb and a pair of scissors. "This hair hasn't been brushed in six years. Best of luck to you."
"Oh, you think this is my first rodeo?" Neptune smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You should have seen Sun, when we first met." Sun threw his hands down to his sides, his eyes narrowed as his tail straightened behind him.
"Hey!"
"Okay... Open your eyes."
Ani opened his eyes and blinked, surprised, before leaning closer to the mirror and staring at his reflection. His hair was straightened in the back and pulled into a ponytail, his beard was short and neatly trimmed, and his bangs were messily curled and parted to the right. His wolf-ears flicked, and he gave a small smile.
"Wow... I actually look kinda normal, again." He looked up at Neptune, grinning. "Thanks." Neptune blinked, then he smiled and nodded.
"Any time." He replied, and Ani stood up. The young man straightened his tie, gazing in a mirror as he took a deep breath, then he managed a small smirk.
"One thing that I can say about my feral-self... He had one Hell of a workout-regime." He noted, and the boys blinked in surprise as he looked back at them, grinning and gesturing to his stomach. "I'm a massive nerd, what in the world am I going to do with these abs?"
"Appreciate them." Sam noted, then he smiled deviously. "And pick up chicks." Ani blinked, then he rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, awkward and nervous. "Dude, you're twenty-five. How's this scaring you?"
"Dude, I was nineteen when I went under." Ani replied, looking back at the boys. "So... Yeah. Problem is, my mind didn't really have the capacity to mature while I was a freakin' wolf-man."
"So, up there..." Jaune gestured to his forehead. "You're just a little older than we are?"
"The Hell if I know."
"I'll take that as a yes." Adam announced, then he smirked and raised an eyebrow behind his ribbon. "That makes me the oldest one in the room."
"In terms of mental maturity, I'm actually going to go with Ren here being the most mature." Sun pat Ren's shoulder twice, and the boy in green looked at him in surprise. "What? He's the most relaxed, coordinated, and organized person I've ever met. Spot's his, 'nuff said."
"... Sun." Anino pointed at the boy, blinking. "That's your name, isn't it?" Sun's expression flashed with surprise, then he slowly nodded. "I... I believe remember you. On the island..." He slowly grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Question: can we still be friends even though I'm a civilized person, or do you prefer your friends to be constantly growling and throwing things at Adam? If the latter is the case, I'm sure that I could arrange something."
"The Hell you will." Adam scoffed, and Anino drew an eraser from his pocket and pitched it at the bull-Faunus, hitting him in the forehead. "Why, you-!"
"Ha!" Sun started laughing, shaking his head, then he looked up at Ani and grinned. "We're cool, man." Ani smiled gratefully, then sighed and looked at himself in the mirror again. "Is something wrong?"
"... I'm worried about my sister." Ani answered, and the boys blinked. "She should have gotten at least some of the cure. How is she going to live like this?"
"She's managed for six years." Ren announced, frowning. "I'm sure that she can continue until a new form of the cure can be created." Ani sighed, closing his eyes.
"You assume that recreating the cure will be simple." He spoke quietly, then he looked up at his reflection again. "My father was brilliant. I was his student, his prodigy - but I was still only a child. And without his notes... It's going to be very difficult for me to try and create a cure."
"... You know she'd never give up trying to cure you." Adam's eyes narrowed behind his ribbon, and Ani looked back on him. "So, you better extend that same curtesy." Ani blinked, then looked down.
"I..."
"Adam." Jaune protested, and Adam looked back at him. "He's got his head back on straight for the first time in six years. Please, just give him some time-"
"He wasn't exactly a saint before he went under, Jaune. One-hundred and fifteen people spent years on that island, just like him."
"Cared for and fed-"
"Caged."
"He was alone!"
"It was what he deserved!"
"Adam-!"
"He's right." Anino interrupted Jaune, raising a hand. "... Adam is right. It is what I deserved. I should have alerted the governments to my father's actions, but my loyalty to my family was too great and the fear of the kingdoms that my father had instilled into me was too strong. I was a coward... I deserved what happened to me, and I fully intend to find a way to save my sister." Ani looked back at the mirror, glaring at his reflection as his ears flicked back. "No matter how long it takes, no matter what the cost... I will bring her back."
"... Good." Adam nodded in approval. His scroll suddenly went off, and Adam drew it from his pocket and looked down at it with a frown.
/\
Jenna sat in Ozpin's office in silence, her head bowed and her eyes closed.
"... Is that the end of your report, Miss Merlot?" General Ironwood asked quietly. He, Glynda Goodwitch, and Professor Ozpin gazed at her from around the desk of Beacon's headmaster. She looked up, frowning and nodding.
"Yes... My father killed himself and destroyed his research after he freed the Faunus and killed the Grimm." The hands folded in her lap quivered slightly. "My brother has been restored... The only real evidence of my father's deeds that is left is -well- me." She gave a weak grin. "I'm the last of the lusus naturae. His legacy ends here... I assume that you're going to make it end here and now. Is that correct?"
"Hm." Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "You certainly are pessimistic, Miss Merlot." Jenna shrugged in response.
"I simply know where my life stands... May I ask how you're going to break it to my friends? Perhaps, I can offer advice to help you make it easier on them. I don't want them leaving this school and sabotaging their futures because of me... You can say I acted as my father did, ended it myself. I haven't exactly peoben myself stable, these last few days."
"Why is it that you think so negatively?"
"I'm the freakish, experiment daughter of a mad scientist who chose family over morals and has enough secrets to rival the number of those that you carry, Professor." She answered dryly. "Negative doesn't even begin to describe how I think... I'm tired, sir - tired of the secrets and the lies and my messed-up head. So, in all seriousness... When do I get to look forward to the end?"
"... That's in your hands, now." Ozpin answered, and she blinked. "Miss Merlot, your father and his experiments have come to an end. The lost have been restored, the kingdoms are helping them rebuild their lives. And that is, in no small part, due to you."
"What?"
"Your friends followed you to that island and dealt with the problem. That would not have happened without you."
"I turned against them, sided with my father-"
"Mr. Taurus told us what happened, in your father's lab." Goodwitch announced, and all went silent. "... What you did down there ensured the failure and defeat of Doctor Merlot. You did, in the end, do the right thing - a trustworthy thing."
"Ma'am-"
"Miss Merlot." Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "Your life is not ours to take. While you are, as a Maiden, crippled by your father's experiments, you are still a Maiden. And, now that the danger has passed with your father, little is left to fear."
"Professor, I'm dangerous." Jenna protested, standing up. She didn't hear the elevator door opening. "Even if I could control this, any of it, I will still spend the rest of my life being hunted and I will not put innocent lives at risk."
"... You have a kind heart, Miss Merlot." Ozpin spoke quietly. "But you are right. Everywhere you reside, there is a clear and present danger to yourself and the population... That is why, when your four years academy are up, we will be fulfilling your request." The girl looked up, surprised. "You will be assigned a Shadow, and you will become a nomadic entity."
"A Shadow?" Jenna asked, frowning. "Sir, your best fighters are already assigned to the other nomads under your watch and I'm not exactly comfortable with an inexperienced stranger tailing me. They would be in constant danger."
"What about an extremely experienced friend?" Ozpin asked, giving a small smirk as he folded his hands. "Who would serve more as a traveling-companion than a tail?" Ironwood sighed and Goodwitch rolled her eyes, and Jenna grew concerned.
"Sir?"
"... Miss Merlot, while I have protested it, my colleagues have reached a verdict and have convinced me to humor it." Ironwood told her curtly. "We will be assigning your partner, former-Major Adam Taurus of the White Fang, to be your Shadow."
"What?" Jenna asked, her eyes widening. "N-no! Professors, with all due respect, the last thing Adam needs is to be pulled into more trouble because of me! I could never ask that of him!"
"You don't have to." A voice spoke, and Jenna looked back with wide eyes, her wolf-ears flicking back. "They did it, for you... And I agreed."
"What?" Jenna asked, astonished, then she turned to face him as he approached. Adam stopped a few feet from her, and he gave a small grin.
"... I agreed." He repeated quietly, and Jenna just stared up at him, stunned. "Because that's what partners do... They look out for each other."
"Adam, you don't even know why-"
"Ozpin explained everything to me, while you were still in recovery." Adam assured her, and her body tensed. "He told me that there would always be people out there who would try to capture you and get Merlot's Feral formula from you, whether it was from your mind or your blood." She blinked, then she frowned. "I'm not letting you become a prisoner or an experiment, not again."
"... Adam, you don't know what you're getting yourself into." She whispered, gazing up at him forlornly. "It's too dangerous, I'm too dangerous."
"I hate to say it, partner, but tough." He gave a small smirk. "You're not shaking me." Slowly, Jenna smiled, then she leapt up and hugged him, closing her eyes.
"Thank you." She whispered softly. Adam slowly hugged back, closing his eyes behind his ribbon.
"You're welcome."
/\
Once he had figured out modern scrolls, Anino sent a text asking everyone to meet him in his room. He wanted to get things straightened out once and for all so that the whole incident on the island could be put in the past.
"So, in conclusion..." Ani smiled nervously, fidgeting with his tie. "I would like to thank all of you for coming to the island and righting my family's wrongs. I will be entering society again as a civilized being thanks to you, and I want you to know that if you ever need anything, I'll be there." He wrapped his arm around his sister, who was standing next to him and giving a small smile. "We both will... Do you have add, sis?" The younger wolf-Faunus nodded, then she stepped forward and looked around at everyone, wringing her hands.
"I... I want you to call me Napa." The wolf-Faunus admitted, and all eyes widened. "Whenever we're alone, that is." She looked down, frowning as her ears flicked back. "This whole experience... It's taught me many things about myself, and about my teammates. My friends." She looked up at them. "I hurt you, and lied to you - but you still came for me. I don't know if you'll ever be able to fully trust me again, but... I think you'd trust the real me a Hell of a lot more than this fake image I've created." She looked down once more. "I talked to Professor Ozpin about this, and I know that there will be risks. If my real name ever left this group, people would come for me. But I want to be true to myself, again... And I want to show you all that I trust you completely, even if that same feeling doesn't extend from you to me."
"... Aw!" Sam stepped forward and hugged the brunette. "I freakin' love you, Science-Girl! Napa it is!" The girl blinked, then she gave a weak smile.
"You know, Sam, I am five years older than you."
"You're still Science-Girl, to me!"
"Damn straight." Yang grinned, and the brunette looked up at her. "Napa, eh? Is that for a color, or..?"
"It was the name of the place where my parents went on their honeymoon. It had a lovely vineyard, t-"
"Color." Yang decided, and there was some laughter. The brunette hummed in amusement, and Adam looked over at her with a small smile.
'Napa, eh? Alright, then...'
/\/\/\/\
The next day was the last day of classes before the complete break for the Vytal Festival Tournament. Everyone had scrambled to make up for the work they had missed during their absence, and now they could finally catch a break. The last class of the day was biology, and Napa offered to help her teammates make it through the class that she found so simple... Until...
"Oh, gods." Napa's eyes widened as the teacher stepped onto the platform. "It can't be..."
"Good afternoon, class. My name is Anino Elurra, and until such a time as when Professor Peach can return from her assignment in Vacuo, I will be your Biology Professor." Anino gave a light smirk, straightening his glasses. "So, let's begin." Coco leaned over her desk and gave a small purr, quirking her eyebrow up.
"Ooh. Mama like~!"
"I think that half of the class is crushing on your brother." Sam smirked, gesturing to some of the girls. They were staring at the young man, their jaws dropped and their eyes shining. "He's officially the new Oobleck." Napa rolled her eyes, sighing.
"Great."
"Now-!" Ani suddenly produced a ruler and slapped the chalkboard with it, his eyes narrowed as his wolf-ears flicked back. "I've examined the lesson plans and found that you have yet to properly learn how to identify the common plants that can save your tails out in this big, nasty world of yours and I plan to rectify that mistake! By the time I'm through with you, you will be able to draw and label a diagram of every herb on the continent while BLINDFOLDED!"
"Brilliant." Napa commented dryly as her classmates stared at her brother with wide eyes. "This is just... Fantastic."
"EXAMPLE!" Ani suddenly pointed to Napa. "Miss Elurra, if you would..?"
"I hate you." Napa deadpanned, then she sighed and leapt over the desk, landing on the floor to face her brother. "Seriously, Ani? The one subject I could ever keep up with you in, and you come to my school and teach my class in it?"
"Yup." Ani replied cheerily, drawing a white ribbon from his pocket. "And that's Professor Elurra to you, baby sister." Ani tied the ribbon into place over her eyes before leading her to the board and placing a piece of chalk in her hand. "Ready?"
"Sure."
"Little sis..." Ani slowly smirked. "Aconitum." Napa froze, then she took a deep breath and started drawing and labeling. In two minutes flat, there was a detailed sketch of a plant with all of the parts labeled on the board, and all eyes besides Ani's were wide as Napa removed her blindfold.
"Piece of cake." Napa held the chalk out to Ani, who took it. "I'd like to see you draw it that fast. You're out of practice, after all."
"Is that a challenge?"
"It m-"
"Um..." Blake looked up from her textbook. "Aconitum is wolfsbane. You're both wolf-Faunus." Ani and Napa looked at her.
"And?"
"You're drawing a plant used to poison wolves." Blake went on, confused. "Why?"
"Inside joke." Ani grinned, then he looked at Napa. "... Fuck, I wanna die."
"There's bleach under the sink." Napa replied casually. Ani looked up thoughtfully.
"A bit cliché. I want more options... Do we have any rope?"
"Just ran out last week. Failed, yet again..."
"Ah. Then, the window it is!"
"Do a flip." Napa crossed her arms, then she blinked as Ani laughed and pulled her into a hug. "... Remind me who's the big sibling, again?"
After class, Adam made his way down to the main floor of the classroom, crossed his arms, and looked down at Napa with no shortage of judgement.
"Death jokes? Really?"
"With a family like mine, fatalistic humor was basically all we had." Napa smiled sheepishly, her wolf-ears flicking back, then she blinked and looked up as someone walked over. "Velvet? I-I've been meaning to-"
"After the incident in the infirmary, Sam explained about the island... And your father." The rabbit-Faunus admitted, and Napa looked down. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"... I lost my father a long time ago." Napa looked up at Velvet, giving a weak grin. "At least now, I have my brother back." Velvet blinked, then she looked away as her face tinged with pink."
"Oh, um... Your brother is - uh - a really good teacher!" Velvet didn't notice that someone was walking up behind her. "I'm so glad that he's doing better! And he seems really, really nice!"
"Why thank you, Miss Scarletina." A voice spoke, and Velvet yelped before turning around. Anino was there, and he smiled awkwardly as his ears flicked back. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you... Again."
"I-it's alright!"
"No, it isn't. My behavior during our first encounter was, well... Beastly." Anino reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, seeming nervous as his smile fell into a frown. "I would like to formally apologize, and if there is a time when you decide that you would no longer wish to have someone like me as a teacher, I would be happy to create an online course that would suit your presonal-"
"It's fine!" Velvet quickly raised her hands, her brown eyes wide. "I understand that you were -well- sick, that day." Anino blinked then looked down.
"Quite right, Miss Scarletina. I was very... Ill."
"Well, you're better now. So, I'll be happy to have you as my teacher." Velvet smiled, and Anino's smile slowly returned. "See you later, then!" Velvet turned and walked away to join Coco, and Anino looked back at Adam, Napa, and the others who had gathere on the main floor.
"... She graduates in less than three years." Yang smirked, and Anino rolled his eyes as he turned away and re-entered his classroom. "So... Looks like Velvet is the chosen one!"
"Ugh." Napa face-palmed, deadpanning. "Great. Now, I have THAT to worry about. This day just keeps on getting better and better..."
/\
When classes had ended for the day, Napa found Adam standing on the same rooftop where they had spoken on a few months previous, gazing at the stars and discussing family...
"Adam." Napa spoke, and he looked back at her. "You... Really didn't have to do what you did, any of it. I don't deserve-"
"Hey." Adam turned to face her. "You made one bad choice... Who am I to judge?" Napa blinked, then she looked down.
"Did one of your choices almost destroy the world?"
"... You'd be surprised." Adam noted, then he turned away and sat down at the edge of the roof. Napa blinked again, then she walked over and sat down next to him.
"Adam... You're really not bothered by it?" Napa asked, looking over at him. "Who I am, what I am? I mean, I could have-"
"Stop."
"Adam, I-"
"Just stop." Adam regarded her behind his ribbon, frowning. "I'm glad you're alright, that you're here, and that you got your brother back. That's all that matters."
"... Adam, I need to repay you for what you've done for me." Napa announced softly, placing one of her hands on his. "If you're going go be my shadow... I know where we need to go, in our travels."
"Where?"
"Mistral." Napa's eyes narrowed. "It's not fair if I'm the only one with closure regarding family. I want to-"
"Napa-"
"I want to help you find out what happened to your siblings!"
"You can't!" Adam snapped, and Napa recoiled. "... Look, I admit that I miss my family, sometimes. But they're gone, they peobably died a long time ago."
"Adam-"
"Just drop it, please. We'll never find them."
"We might not find them, but... We might find closure, for you." Napa looked up at him Adam, sighing. "And I want you to be happy, Adam - as happy as you've made me... Will you let me help you?" Adam remained silent, then Napa sighed and stood. "That's okay... I know that I can't expect you to get your hopes up, and that it'll be some time before I can earn your trust back." He closed his eyes as he heard her turn and start to walk away. "But..." Napa paused and looked back. "I'll never stop trying." Under his ribbon, Adam's eyes opened and widened as his body tensed.
"... Napa!" The bull-Faunus stood and turned to her. Napa immediately turned to face him, and Adam hesitated for a moment. "I... I do trust you, Napa. You were confused, on the island - but in the end, you-..." Napa clasped her hands in front of her chest, her eyes wide as Adam reached up and closed his hand around his ribbon. "... All my life, I've been treated like an animal by nearly everyone I have met. There have even been other Faunus who have seen me as nothing but a beast... But you did everything in your power to make sure I stayed a man." Adam went to pull his mask away, but Napa stepped forward and grabbed his wrist. "Napa-"
"Adam, you don't have to-"
"I want to." Adam assured her, reaching up with his free hand to grab her wrist. "It's alright... I want you to see me." Napa was silent for a moment, then she sighed and released him.
"I always see you." She told him quietly. "Ribbon, no ribbon... You're still Adam."
"How can you know that?" Adam asked, then he removed his ribbon. Napa watched it fall, they she looked up. Her wine-colored eyes finally met those of Adam Taurus, and she let out a soft gasp as she raised her hand to her mouth, those wine-colored eyes tearing up. "... Now, you see me."
It was silent for a moment, then Napa slowly lowered her hands before raising her left hand hand and reaching out. Adam moved back slightly, his eyes narrowing, then he blinked as the young woman's hand rested on the side of his face and her thumb brushed against the far end of the SDC brand that blinded and scarred his right eye. Adam's one good, blue eye fell on his new partner, who gazed up at him forlornly.
"... Ribbon, no ribbon." Napa gave a small, weak smile. "You're still Adam." Adam reached up and gently gripped her wrist. "I must admit... Blue was not in my top five. It suits you, though."
"Hm." Adam managed a light grin. "I like your eyes, too... They suit you." Napa hummed softly, then she leat up and hugged him, closing her eyes as he slowly hugged back.
"Thanks, for giving me something to believe in." Napa whispered, and Adam closed his eyes. "For the record, I may have wanted to punch Major Adam Taurus of the White Fang in the face... But I'd follow Adam Taurus, leader of Team AJCS, to the gates of Hell."
"Don't challenge me." Adam pulled away slightly and looked down at her, smirking playfully. "There could be a day when I take you up on that offer." Napa shrugged, grinning deviously and raising an eyebrow.
"Do I look afraid?"
"No." Adam admitted, setting the petite wolf-Faunus down. In truth... He thought that she looked beautiful.
/\/\/\/\
The next morning, at breakfast, a shocking discovery was made when Yang of all people grabbed a newspaper.
"... Roman Torchwick was caught in a Dust-robbery." Yang blinked, surprised. "I guess his luck finally ran out." Ruby actually wailed and slammed her head on the table as Blake's eyes twitched.
"You're... You're joking, right?"
"Nope." Yang showed them the headline. "He's being held on one of Ironwood's ships as we speak." Napa sighed, relieved.
"That's good. That dude was a real-"
"Dumbass." Adam commented dryly. Everyone blinked and looked at him, and he smirked. "Just sayin'."
Cinder Fall carefully read over the newspaper article about Roman Torchwick's arrest as her 'team' - Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black, and a disguised Neopolitan - watched her face. Finally, Cinder set the paper down and smirked.
"Finally, all of the pieces are falling into place."
"It's nice to see you looking so happy, ma'am." Emerald smiled brightly. Cinder regarded her student.
"I am happy, Emerald." She confessed, crossing her arms. "Torchwick is in position, as are we. Merlot is dead, and with all of his research destroyed, no one will be tampering with the Grimm or aiding our disabled Winter Maiden. The Fall Maiden's powers are within my reach, and time is short... Now, the only wildcard left in the game is Adam Taurus - and the poor man has finally revealed a weakness, a chink in the armor above his heart that even the White Fang itself cannot hold a candle to." Cinder drew her scroll and brought up a picture of Adam and Napa hugging on the rooftop. "How unfortunate that our rogue beast had to find a kindred spirit... They will be each other's downfall."
/\
Several students were sitting in the woods near Beacon Cliff. Pandora and Sam argued over the results of a Cards Against Remnant game they had lost to Ren, Nora hung upside down from a tree (playing a game in which she would randomly pop out and boop Ren on the nose while he searched for her), Blake read a book out loud to Sun, Weiss and Neptune talked, Jaune and Pyrrha sparred, and Ruby and Yang chatted about stupid things their Uncle Qrow had done while drunk. Adam sat on the edge of the cliff with Napa by his side.
"Okay, here's the bet..." She smirked slightly, looking up at him as she drew her bow and readied an arrow. The energy was purple, and while it still contrasted with Napa's apparel, Adam now believed it suited her more. "The next Grimm we see, I'll kill with one shot from my bow. If I do, you have to give a real smile at least once before we're dead. If I don't, you can be twice as cranky as normal - and I won't complain, not even if you use my head as an arm-rest."
"I'm not cranky." Adam glared lightly. "I just find stupidity aggravating, and there's an abundance of it at Beacon."
"Adam, our lives are going to be filled with randomness and craziness and drama. You've gotta-" The smallest member of Team AJCS drew her bowstring back, fired, and shot a distant Gryphon in the head, killing it instantly. "Deal with it."
"Okay..." Adam got over his moment of shock and scowled. "Was that necessary?"
"Yep. I win!" Napa beamed broadly. "Now, before I'm dead, I get to see you smile at least once. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday: I'll get to see it."
"Doubtful."
"No, hearing you laugh is doubtful." Napa disagreed, and Adam deadpanned. "A smile is much easier. Plus, I think hearing you laugh would kill me." At that, Adam rolled his eyes.
"Don't be so dramatic."
"Sorry. I'm just good at it."
"No, you're not."
"The crankiness returns..."
"... Shut up."
"Nope."
"I hate you."
"Nope."
"Is that all you can say?"
"Yep."
"You're so annoying..."
"Get used to it, partner. We've got three more years together." Napa announced, and Adam blinked as she smiled, like she was genuinely looking forward to it. Then, the moment ended and she smirked, winking. "Deal with it, Edge-Lord."
"You little-!"
"Fighting again?" Blake walked over and sat down, Sun following behind her. "I don't see how you two ever have moments of getting along."
"Eh, we manage." Napa smirked lightly, crossing her arms. "So, how are you and Sunshine doing?" Blake blinked, surprised.
"What do you mean?" She asked, obviously knowing what the petite wolf-Faunus was asking about but avoiding it by feigning innocence. Adam snorted lightly in amusement. "Shut up!" Napa held out a hand, and Adam rolled his eyes before returning the high-five.
"And the old people strike again!" Sam laughed from a distance, and Adam and Napa scowled. "Once again, I SHIP-!" Dora covered Sam's mouth with her hand, sighing.
"Excuse my dumbass friend. He's being a dumbass." Dora stated, mildly amused, then she looked up with a small frown on her face. "So... After a long week of drama, truth-telling, family reunions, and foiling plots of biological warfare... We go back to normal, just like that?"
"Apparently." Napa shrugged lightly, looking back at the forest. "Or, at least... Normal for us." Adam smirked, resting his arm on the top of her head, and Napa deadpanned as her wolf-ears flicked back. "You know, wolves do eat cows."
"You know, I could make a dirty joke about that."
"... Stalemate." Napa scoffed, and Adam looked away. He didn't want her to see him smile.
Sam eventually challenged Napa to an archery contest. He held his crossbow aloft as Napa drew her energy-bowstring back, and they both began shooting down any Grimm that came into view while Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Sun, and Neptune observed. Adam and Blake stood by the cliff, talking.
"So... Yeah." Adam reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "She, um... She wants to help me find out what happened to my siblings, while I'm shadowing her - and that's all well and good, but-"
"You're leaving, when we graduate." Blake crossed her arms, frowning. "Both of you, just going to... Vanish, until she d-"
"Don't." Adam spoke in a warning tone, then he lowered his hand and looked away. "And it's not like that. We change kingdoms roughly every three months, two if we make stops in Menagerie - completely randomized, but still: I'll be back in Vale or wherever-" Blake raised a hand.
"... You showed her your eyes." Blake spoke quietly, and Adam turned away, facing the cliff. "Adam... You have feelings for her, don't you?" Adam looked back at her with a glare behind his ribbon. "I can see it in your face all the time, when she's not looking."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your eyes are always on her, and I've never seen you look at anyone like that... You're falling in love with her."
"I am not in love with her." Adam protested, his fists clenching. "She's a lying, immature, stubborn-!" Blake raised an eyebrow. "D-don't look at me like that!" Blake gave a small smirk.
"So... Afraid of love?" She asked, and Adam looked away again. "Adam, I know you've gotten your heart broken before - but you nearly lost it, once. If you have the chance to love and be loved by someone again, you shouldn't waste it... She's changed you, Adam, for the better. You could at least give it a chance, give her a chance."
"Enough." Adam protested, but his heart wasn't in it. Blake sighed, shaking her head and grinning as she crossed her arms.
"Fine... Just think about it." The cat-Faunus suggested, turning and walking back to the others. Once she was gone, Adam sat down on the edge of the cliff and looked up at the sky, frowning.
"... Damn you, Blake."
*hums while listening to "I Won't Say I'm in Love" from Disney's Hercules*
Such a good movie...
Anyway, I'm really sorry it took so long for me to update. That's my bad.
But this really does wrap up the Merlot Arc nicely and brings us into Volume 3... Oh, boy - this'll be fun.
Let the good times roll, but I have one question for you to ponder...
What in the world happened to that train?
I only own my OC. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)