When Adam Taurus woke up, Napa Merlot was still sound asleep and the sun had risen high into the sky - it was late morning, they had slept in. The bull-Faunus sat in silence for a time, his covered eyes on the muted moon, then he sighed quietly and looked down at Napa with a frown.
"... I can't ignore it any longer." He whispered, and Napa did not respond. "I have to do what's right, or you could be killed. Sam and Dora, too. And Blake, and the others..." Adam looked down. "I... I have to stop Cinder." His fists clenched, and he nodded. "I have to be the man you deserve... The man I think you believe I am." Adam stood, looking down at Napa with a frown. "I'll be back, soon... I'm sorry that I waited so long. I didn't know what I had, but I do now - and I can't lose it."
With that, Adam turned and began walking back to Beacon.
/\
When the elevator door opened and Adam stepped into Professor Ozpin's office, he was honestly surprised to find the headmaster alone. Ozpin was standing behind his desk and looking out a window, his cane in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. Footage from the Vytal Festival played on a screen, and Adam could see Yang and Weiss fighting. He would have to wake Napa and get her to the coliseum soon...
"... Professor Ozpin?" Adam asked, and the man looked back. "I... I'm sorry to disturb you, but I believe that you are in danger." Ozpin blinked, surprised. "That we all are. And I... I thought I could ignore it, that me leaving the White Fang would change what I was told is coming, but it hasn't. And... I want to save my team, my friends, and as many others as I can."
"Mr. Taurus, what are you saying?"
"There are people in the school, Professor - three people, and they're dangerous." Adam began, and Ozpin blinked again. "Cinder Fall, Mercury Black, and Emerald Sustrai - they're posing as Haven students... Over a year ago, the night before I left the White Fang, they came to me and asked me to help them destroy Beacon Academy and bring down Vale. I refused, so I never got all of the details, but the leader - Cinder - was certain that she would need the White Fang and that the Vytal Festival Tournament was the right time to strike. She... She wants to provoke a Grimm attack, sir. I don't know how, but it's going to be bad and I don't want my friends caught up in her schemes." Adam clenched his fists. "I don't want any of my friends involved... There are good people in the White Fang, professor, and I know they would never obey Cinder Fall or work with Roman Torchwick willingly."
"... Are you absolutely certain of this, Mr. Taurus?" Ozpin whispered, and Adam looked up at him and nodded. "Do you know anything else, anything at all?"
"They, um... They said they had something called a 'Black Queen Virus', and that they were going to try and put it in the CCT." The bull-Faunus admitted, and Ozpin's face paled. "And Cinder... She went on and on about something called a 'Fall Maiden'." Ozpin's mug fell to the floor and shattered. The headmaster's eyes were wide as he gazed at Adam, absolutely stunned.
"Mr. Taurus... Are you sure?"
"Sir?"
"Are you sure?!"
"Yes!"
"By the gods!" Ozpin ran over to his desk and grabbed his scroll. However, he froze and looked down at the device, horrified. "They could be in everything... By the gods, by the gods..." Ozpin took a deep, shaking breath. "If we let on that we know, they could tell her. And then... Then, not even the gods could help us."
"Sir, what's going on?" Adam stepped forward, and Ozpin looked back. "All... All you have to do is get rid of Cinder and her allies. If you do that, they can't lead the White Fang. Vale will survive."
"... You are right, Mr. Taurus." Ozpin nodded shakily. "Quite right... Go now, go to your team. Business as usual, enjoy yourselves and the tournament." Ozpin stood up straight. "Sustrai, Black... They defeated Miss Adel and Mr. Daichi, this morning." Adam's face fell. "We will find them, and stop them... Go, Mr. Taurus. All will be well, soon."
"Al-... Alright." Adam agreed, then he turned away. Ozpin watched him, then he sighed.
"Wait." He spoke, and Adam paused. "Mr. Taurus... Why?" Adam remained silent. "Have you-... Have you changed, Mr. Taurus?"
"If I'm honest with myself... Probably not." Adam replied, and Ozpin blinked. "I still want to ensure my people's equal treatment on Remnant, whatever the cost. But... I've been shown that life shouldn't be the cost, that it doesn't have to be. It can't be helped with someone like Cinder, but-..." Adam's clenched fists fell open. "I've learned that I don't want to be what I am if it means losing what I love."
"... I once knew a young man like you, Mr. Taurus." Ozpin looked away. "Be careful." Adam hesitated, then he turned and departed in the elevator. As soon as Adam was gone, Ozpin took a deep breath and activated the intercom system. "... General Ironwood, Miss Goodwitch, and Mr. Branwen - if you are on the grounds, please come to my office as soon as possible. Thank you."
Ozpin looked down at his desk, his expression conflicted. His hand was close to his scroll...
"Call him!" A voice shouted, and Ozpin looked up. General Ironwood, Glynda Goodwitch, and Qrow Branwen were looking down at him, and Ironwood's eyes were narrowed. "I will not have you acting soley upon information provided by a terrorist! Call Leo, now!"
"Ex-terrorist." Ozpin seemed exasperated. "And you weren't here. He was.. Genuine, sincere."
"And if he was telling the truth, callin' anyone could spell trouble and accelerate this Cinder Fall's scheme." Qrow announced, frowning, then he sighed. "And if he was tellin' the truth, we're screwed. At this point, Salem could have anything from any of the scrolls that have been connected to the CCT since the night of the dance." Qrow looked at Ironwood. "I hope you aren't storin' anythin' important on yours. Oh, wait - you have EVERYTHING regarding your fleet! That's smart!"
"... We'll have to act quickly." Ozpin sighed, and everyone looked at him. "I'm going to call Leo, but if he can't find any evidence disproving Mr. Taurus, we will have very little time to apprehend Salem's minions."
"Supposed minions." Ironwood corrected Ozpin. Goodwitch sighed, shaking her head.
"Who know about the Fall Maiden, and happen to be a group of three." She noted, and everyone looked at her. "James, Ozpin - you may have forgotten Qrow's report from that day, but I haven't... There were three assailants who came for Amber, around the same time Mr. Taurus and Miss Belladonna left the White Fang." Silence fell in the room, and Ozpin grabbed his scroll.
/\
Adam returned to the tree where Napa was still sleeping, and he sat down next to her. It was as if he had never left...
"... Napa." Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's time to wake up. We've got to go." Napa shifted, then she yawned and opened her eyes. She looked up at him sleepily, then she grinned.
"Hey, Adam." Napa greeted tiredly. Adam smiled, then he offered a hand.
"Hey, Science-Girl." He replied softly. "Ready to become champions?" Napa nodded, taking his hand, and he stood and pulled her to his feet.
"Yep." She answered, then she frowned. "Adam, are you okay?" Adam blinked, surprised.
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem... Tired."
"Yeah, well... We did sleep under a tree." Adam joked, and Napa hummed. "... Napa, do you trust me?"
"I told you I did, last night."
"Yeah, but... Do you really?" Adam asked her. Napa blinked, then she smiled.
"Absolutely, and completely." She assured him, taking his hands in hers. Adam gazed down at her for a moment, his heart beginning to pound as he gently gripped her hands back.
'Oh, shit... No, no, no, no. There is NO way! Snap out of it!' Adam futilely tried to tell himself. 'I haven't even known this girl for a year! She tried to kill me, once! I am NOT falling for her!' It really was futile, Adam soon realized.
She was beautiful. Not the same sort of beautiful as Yang or Blake, but there was something about that sun-tanned and freckled skin, that pointed nose and those pink lips, that big and wild brown hair that moved with the wind, and those eyes that were the color of wine that Adam felt drawn to.
And as far as personality went, Napa Merlot was nothing like the cliché love-interests found in novels and movies. She wasn't a damsel Adam felt he needed to save, she had saved him more than once. She wasn't frail and delicate, she was powerful and strong. She wasn't a reserved piece of cardboard, she was the feral daughter of a mad scientist with a knack for biology, amazing survival skills, poor people-skills, an a bad habit of keeping secrets... And she was one of the most accepting, forgiving, and loyal people Adam had ever met.
How could someone like him have resisted?
Adam did not even realize that he was moving to kiss her until they were interrupted.
"Napa, Adam!" A voice shouted, and the two blinked before they both chuckled awkwardly and stepped back, away from each other. They looked over to see Sam and Dora standing there, and Dora glared as she punched Sam.
"You moron! They were SO CLOSE!"
"FUCK!" Sam cursed, falling back into the grass. Adam and Napa exchanged glances, then they snorted with laughter and Adam reached up and brushed some of her hair out of her face. She did not seem afraid, or even hesitant - she knew what he had been thinking, and she was alright with it.
Adam suddenly felt light as he looked around at his teammates. The smile on his face was probably larger and more genuine than any he had given since he was a child. In one morning, he had completely changed his life.
Adam Taurus accepted everything he felt for his friends, human and Faunus. He had warned Ozpin about Cinder, and the alert headmaster would probably put an end to her schemes and free the White Fang from her rule. He had made his choice regarding how he felt about Napa... He decided what kind of man he wanted to be - not great, just good...
Good enough for them.
"... Let's go and become champions." Adam repeated, looking down at his partner. "After breakfast, of course." Napa was beaming as she nodded.
"Lead the way."
/\
An hour later, Adam and Napa walked out into the middle of Amity Coliseum to meet their opponents. They were from Atlas, and they had to be fourth-years given how old they looked.
Mariana Malone, the leader of Team MNAC (Monarch), had curly black hair and eyes like abalone shells, and she wore green and grey armor and carried a bo-staff. Her teammate, Andrew Tanner, had dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes and he wore a sand-colored blazer, a black dress-shirt, blue jeans, and black boots; he carried a spiked ball at the end of a chain, and he wore gloves with metal spikes on the knuckles.
"Oh, joy." Napa commented, looking up at Adam. "Which one do you want? I'm flexible." Adam looked down at her.
"You're the best with maneuverability, and that guy's probably on the slow side. Do you want me to handle the girl while-?"
"Tch." Mariana and Andrew had arrived on the site, and Mariana's nose wrinkled. "Great. A blind demon and a puny mutt." Her partner chuckled, rolling his eyes.
"Now, now..." Andrew looked at Napa and Adam, and Napa blinked as his eyes fell on her. "Don't insult them, just yet. Who knows? They might prove to be a challenge... And the mutt is kind of cute." The human winked at Napa, and her hair bristled lightly. "Oh, don't be like that."
"Drop dead." Napa drew her weapon and activated its spear-mode. The two oohed, and Adam growled lowly, but he took a deep breath and looked at Napa.
"Which one do you want, now?" He asked, raising an eyebrow behind his ribbon. Napa looked up at him, deadpanning.
"Am I petty if I say I want to kick the b*stard's *ss all the way to Vytal?" She replied, gesturing to Andrew as the monitors above automatically bleeped out the angry wolf-girl's curses. Adam shrugged his shoulders.
"Whatever you want to do. I honestly figured as much."
"You know me too well." Napa gave a light grin, and the arena was divided into an icy area, a desert, a geyser field, and city ruins. "Oh, boy... Ready?"
"Signal if you need help."
"Only if you do the same." Napa smirked, and Adam rolled his eyes behind his ribbon. From the commentators box, Anino Merlot cleared his throat.
:Ah-heh-heh-hem... As my sister is in the arena, and she appears to be facing some racist a**holes-:
:Ani.: Oobleck scolded the younger man while Port slammed his head onto his desk. Ani rolled his eyes.
:I would like to honor this occasion... LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE, MOTHERF***KERS!:
:Ani!:
:Three, two, one - KICK SOME *SS, LITTLE SIS!:
:ANI!:
The match began, and Napa charged Andrew. Andrew swung his weapon, but Napa dodged and swung her spear, knockong Andrew across the arena. He looked up at her, glaring, and Napa smirked as she walked over to face him.
"Not so cocky now, are you?" She asked, watching him get to his feet. "That's why you don't call me cute."
Andrew lunged at her and threw a punch, but Napa dodged and activated her whip, wrapping it around his arm and pulling. Andrew was thrown into the geyser fields, and Napa ran over and kicked him into a geyser just as it went off. Andrew stumbled out of the geyser with enough aura to keep fighting, but he was running low.
Adam and Mariana were exchanging blows, and Adam was charging up his semblance. He did not really intend to use his semblance unless things got out of hand, and he figured he could go out to the woods with Napa and release the energy on some Grimm later if he had to. None of his teammates had ever seen his semblance, but he knew he wanted her to see it. He didn't want to hide anything from her, anymore...
Adam blocked Mariana's staff with his gun and forced her back, then he performed one of his signature moves and fired Wilt out of Blush, smacking Mariana in the forehead with the hilt of the blade. Adam caught his blade as Mariana staggered back, then he stepped forward and swiped his blade at her stomach, further lowering her aura and causing her to stumble.
"Agh... She told me you were tough, Taurus." Mariana recovered and looked up, her eyes narrowed as she smirked. "But damn, you pack a wallop... I might have to go all out, on you."
"She?" Adam asked, becoming confused. "Who told you about me?" Mariana grinned, shrugging.
"A friend of yours. She told me she'd make sure you and I met, and that when we did, I should say... How did she put it..? Ah, right." Mariana's eyes narrowed again. "She warned you, once. The plan could have been beneficial for all parties involved - but now, she's realized that she's going to have to be a little more persuasive with you... And you shouldn't have pushed her." Mariana raised her weapon. "Now, you and the mutt have to deal with us... And it's our job to make you regret your choice."
"Wait..." Adam's eyes widened behind his ribbon. "Oh, my gods... You're-" Mariana smiled deviously.
"A failsafe." She told him, then she looked back over her shoulder. "I wonder if Andrew's finished having fun with your little girlfriend, yet." She looked back at Adam, chuckling. "In any case... The real show is only just beginning, and she told us to make it big." She spun her staff, and a blade portruded from one end. "And to make your girlfriend's half red."
"What?" Adam felt a wave of panic wash over at him, and he looked over at where Napa and Andrew were fighting. "No, I won't let you-!" Mariana suddenly swung her staff at Adam's face and struck him. "Ah!" Adam fell to the ground, cringing, then he looked up with wide eyes as he watched his ribbon fall to the ground. He didn't even want to see the monitors...
:... THOSE MOTHERF**KERS!: Anino Merlot's voice actually shrieked. :JACQUES SCHNEE, IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS-!: The string of curses and threats that followed was so graphic and obscene that Adam almost-forgot he was exposed and in danger. Then, he remembered, and he looked around in disbelief as he saw a crowd of angry faces and heard cries of outrage.
How dare Jacques Schnee's facilities do such a thing?
Adam's gaze went up and into the masses, to the place he knew they were. Blake's expression was forlorn, Ruby and Yang were horrified, and the look on Weiss Schnee's face held the rage of an Atlesian blizzard. Team JNPR looked absolutely shocked, Team SSSN was dismayed, and all of the other faces Adam recognized were filled with disbelief.
Samuel Bidiari was crying his eyes out, sobbing, and Adam evene managed to hear the human boy scream in grief despite the crowd and the distance between them.
Pandora Caixa had stood up and braced herself on the railing, her eyes not leaving Adam as she seemed to murmur something under her breath.
They really... Cared.
Adam's face fell as he looked at all of them, then he looked across the arena, his one good eye searching. Napa had managed to get away from Andrew for a moment, and she was looking at Adam as well from the geyser field.
Napa's face did not hold the surprise or pity that most of the others held, nor the forlornness in Blake's gaze. She was not crying like Sam, she was not speaking like Dora, she was not screaming in outrage.
No... Napa Merlot's expression was defeated. It was like she thought she had made some mistake, like she believed she should have done something to prevent this, like she felt she could have done anything to help him and hadn't. It was apologetic, heartbroken even.
Then, Napa's wine-colored eyes went to Mariana. Her wild brown hair bristled, her wolf-ears flicked back, and her lightly-fanged teeth bared in a snarl. Her eyes briefly changed, and for a moment, Adam feared that his partner had lost control of herself and gone Feral.
Suddenly, Andrew ran up and slammed his weapon into Napa's stomach, sending her flying into the ruined city landscape. Adam watched this, stunned, theb he looked up at Mariana as she spun her staff again and looked down at him apathetically.
"It's a shame something like that happened to you." She noted quietly. "If you were human, I'd almost consider letting you go out of pure pity."
"... Tch." Adam scoffed, standing up and gazing at Mariana, his expression becoming severe but not angry. "You see, the man I was a year ago would have probably ran you through for all of this... But I'm better, now." Adam's eyes narrowed. "I know that people like you, like Jacques Schnee, are nothing... So, would you mind cutting the bullsh*t and fighting like you mean it? I honestly have better things to do right now than deal with you."
"Huh?" Mariana blinked, surprised, and her façade seemed to fall. "That doesn't make sense... She said-!"
"She is crazy." Adam gave a small smirk. "And if she thinks that this little stunt changes anything, she's an idiot... I'm staying where I belong, and I'm fighting alongside the best of your kind against some of the worst."
"... You should not have said that." Mariana commented darkly. "She's here, Taurus, and she's not letting that go... Andrew's a lot less patient than I am. He's probably been dying for that last order." Adam's eyes narrowed. "... Your girlfriend's not on the monitors, anymore. You and I, we're the perfect decoy." Adam blinked, then his eyes widened. "You're gonna pay for defying her, or maybe I should say that the mutt will... I really do almost feel sorry for you."
"Oh, don't." Adam bared gritted teeth as his face twisted into a scowl. The red details on his body began to glow. "Feel sorry for yourself, your partner, and your employer... You're all going regret this. If my partner gets hurt, you'll pay." With that, Adam lashed out and sent an arc of glowing-red energy at Mariana.
It was the first time he had used his semblance since he left the White Fang, and it felt good.
Over in the ruined city landscape, Napa jumped over the ball and chain as it was swung at her, then she grunted as Andrew punched her in the chest and sent her flying through the door of a small building. Andrew smirked, entering the building with her, and Napa looked up with a glare.
"Yeah, no - I am NOT staying in a confined space with you, you creep!"
"You don't have a choice." The boy told her, and Napa stood up. "Show's over. You're going down, here and now."
Napa - wanting to end the fight as soon as possible - darted behind Andrew, punching his back in specific places to attack his nerves like Sam shown her. Then, Andrew's entire image suddenly shifted, and Napa's eyes widened as it was revealed that he had been using an illusion semblance. He was facing her, Napa's nerve-blows were no good, and Andrew smirked darkly as he grabbed her right wrist and held it in a death grip. He turned around and forced the petite wolf-Faunus back into the building, out of sight, and she looked up at him in astonishment.
"Wait... How-?!"
"Bad move, sweetheart." Andrew told her smugly, drawing something from his belt. "Now... It's time to put you down." Napa saw a glint of silver, then she gasped in pain and her eyes widened.
"Ah..!" Napa looked down, seeing that a knife hilt was protruding from her stomach. It had passed through her aura... Napa looked up, and Andrew smirked lightly. "You..?" Napa's eyes narrowed. "You're no student."
"No shit." Andrew said quietly. His curse wasn't bleeped, no one was paying attention. The monitors were still focused on Adam and Mariana's fight. "Cinder Fall put a high bounty on your little head, Feral. She though you were a threat, but I can't imagine why - you're weak, a nothing."
"I'm... Not... Nothing." Napa growled lowly, then she yelped as Andrew twisted the knife before shoving her to the ground. Napa hit the floor hard, and she let out a soft noise of pain before looking up at Andrew with a glare as he raised his main weapon over her, preparing to swing it over his head and bring it down on her. Her wolf-ears twitched, picking up a sound outside, and her wine-colored eyes widened. "Oh my gods."
"End of the line, you little freak." Andrew assured her. Napa looked up at him, then she slowly smirked.
"... I wouldn't count on it." The young woman stated confidently, and Andrew blinked. "Your friend's finished... And just you wait until he catches you. Oh, boy... That, you jack*ss-" Napa smirked as the monitors outside picked up and bleeped her curse. He was coming. "Will be quite the show."
:ADAM TAURUS, KICK THIS MOTHERF**KER'S *SS ALL THE WAY TO VYTAL!:
"Mmph!" Napa ripped the knife out of her stomach and stabbed it into Andrew's foot. "Ah!"
"ARGH, SH*T!" Andrew suddenly kicked Napa in the chest with his good foot, making her yelp, but that was all he could do. Adam suddenly burst through the window, every red detail on his body glowing, and he landed between Napa and Andrew. The bull-Faunus yelled in anger and slashed his blade, and an arc of red energy went out from Wilt and slammed Andrew into a wall, shattering his aura and knocking Andrew out cold. Napa's attacker fell to the floor, defeated, and Adam looked back at Napa in a near-panic.
"Napa?!"
"So... The signal is stabbing some guy's foot?" Napa asked, weakly smirking as she managed to push herself onto her hands and knees. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Are you okay?" Adam ignored her jokes as he kneeled in front of her. Napa wrapped her arm around her stomach.
"I'm fine." She lied weakly. "Just a scratch."
"... Oh, gods." Adam whispered, pulling her into his arms. Napa looked up at him, grinning tiredly.
"Hey, I'm okay." She assured him, then she frowned. "Sorry, I-"
"Don't say 'sorry'. It's not your fault... They're bounty-hunters, an enemy of mine sent them. She must have had them in the academies, waiting to strike if she needed them." Adam closed his eyes. "And I made her so angry... She used them to hurt you."
"Her... Cinder Fall?" Napa asked, and Adam grimaced. "The one Roman Torchwick mentioned at the docks, the one who wanted me alive before... She wants to hurt you, and you're scared of her." To Napa's surprise, Adam shook his head.
"No... I'm scared of this." He told her softly, opening his eyes. "I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you." Napa blinked, then she frowned and raised a hand to the side of his face, her thumb brushing his scar.
"... Me, too." The wolf-Faunus sighed, and Adam blinked as she managed another exhausted smile. "Hey?"
"What?"
"You won... You're a champion." Napa told him, giving a weak laugh, and Adam's eyes widened before rolling as he actually managed to display annoyance despite his worry. "Good job, Adam... I knew you could do it." Her hand fell as her vision went dark, and she knew no more.
/\
The airship ride to the hospital was anything but silent. Yang had to confiscate Weiss' scroll, and the heiress was actually screaming.
"GIVE ME MY SCROLL! GIVE IT TO ME, RIGHT NOW!"
"Weiss, please!" Yang replied, her expression forlorn as she held the scroll over her head and ut of. "I know you're upset, but you need to calm down!"
"NO! I AM CALLING HIM, I'M CALLING HIM RIGHT NOW AND I AM GIVING HIM A PIECE OF MY MIND! HOW COULD HE?! HOW COULD HE?!"
"Weiss." Jaune stood and walked over to Weiss, placing a hand on her shoulder. "... This wasn't you, okay? This isn't your fault. You didn't hurt Adam, and no one's going to ever again." Weiss gazed up at Jaune, then her eyes teared up and she hung her head.
"H-how could he?" She whispered softly. Ren sighed from his seat, shaking his head.
"It's unlikely that your father did it himself, Weiss. Perhaps the burn is the result of a accident in a facility."
"No." Pyrrha shook her head, her expression forlorn. "The lines around the mark, the placement... It is a brand." Nora, who was sitting between Ren and Pyrrha, became confused.
"But... Why?"
"... They tried to break him." Sam spoke darkly, and the others looked at him. He and Dora sat in a corner of the airship, and Dora gripped her partner's arm. "I've seen it, before. I've even seen that brand, before... They tried to mark him like an object, like something they could own and possess, like livestock. They put it on his face so that, come what may, he would never be able to forget." Sam bared gritted teeth. "They treated him like an animal, they took his eye, and they-"
"Guys." Jaune protested, and everyone looked at him. "Please... Not here." Jaune looked over towards one part of the airship cabin, where medics were trying to take care of Napa. Blake and Adam sat on the benches to one side of the med-table while the ever-compassionate Ruby sat on the other.
Ruby, for some reason and by some unknown means, had managed to produce Zwei - her family's pet corgi, who had been staying with Team RWBY ever since they had come back from Doctor Merlot's island. The reaper in red hugged the little dog close, her silver eyes wide, and Adam and Blake were keeping their distance from the dog despite the situation.
Blake disliked the dog because of her Faunus-trait's feline nature.
Adam just felt weird around the creature because it was a herding animal, and as the others were just now learning, he had a good reason to hate anything associated with livestock.
"... How is she?" Blake asked softly, her hand on Adam's. A medic sighed and looked up.
"She'll live. I think it's mostly the shock and exhaustion that knocked her out... Just to be sure, we'll have doctors run checks at the hospital. We need to see how much internal damage was done when the knife was twisted and torn out."
"Alright." Blake nodded, then her eyes narrowed. "Thank the gods, those two psychopaths were arrested. I can't believe no one realized they were criminals." Adam's fists clenched, and Blake sighed. "She'll be okay, Adam. She's strong."
"... This is my fault." Adam whispered, and Blake blinked. Then, the cat-Faunus shook her head.
"No, it isn't... There's nothing you could have done to prevent this." Blake told him quietly. Adam remained silent, then Blake drew a black ribbon from her pocket and offered it to him. Everyone watched as Adam took the ribbon and tied it around his head to cover his eyes.
When they reached the hospital, Napa was taken outside. The others remained by the airship, waiting for the ship to be ready to take those who needed to leave back to Beacon. Adam was looking down, deep in thought, then he sighed and looked up.
"... I can't ignore it, anymore." Adam spoke quietly, and the others looked at him. "She's sending hit-men, now - and I can't stop it, unless I stop her." Adam looked at Blake. "I have to make things right. It's the only way to keep you safe."
"Safe?" Blake asked, confused. "Safe from what?" Adam looked away. "... Adam, what is it?"
"It's-... Do you remember the night before we left the White Fang?" Adam looked at Blake. "Three people, leaving the camp. You asked me what it was about, and I said nothing." Blake blinked, then she nodded. "It wasn't nothing. I didn't realize it at first, but everything since we arrived in Vale - Torchwick, the White Fang, Ruby and the woman at the CCT - all traces back to that night. I said 'no' to her, and I thought leaving the White Fang would out an end to everything, but it didn't... It's me she wants, which is why I'm the only one who will be able to hunt her down."
"Her?" Ruby asked, confused. "I heard a name mentioned, Cinder Fall... I recognize it." Adam looked at Ruby. "I think she's one of the visitors from Haven, Emerald and Mercury's teammate." Adam's fists clenched, and Ruby blinked. "Adam?"
"... Be careful, all of you." Adam advised quietly, then he looked at Sam and Dora. "Protect Napa, and each other... She could strike again at any time. Don't trust anyone who is not standing before you, here and now... They could be with her."
"Dude, you've got it all wrong." Neptune tried, frowning. "Cinder, Emerald, Mercury, that fourth one - Sun, Sage, Scarlet and I have been going to school with them for months. They're kinda weird, and Cinder and the quiet girl go on a lot of sudden and unexplained trips, but-" Neptune blinked, surprised. "Oh... Yeah, that's suspicious." Adam turned and ran off, leaving everyone watching him go in complete confusion. "... Shoot, I asked Cinder out once."
"That's your priority?" Sun asked his partner, annoyed. "Not the whole 'our classmates could be nut-jobs workihg with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick' bit?" Yang crossed her arms, frowning.
"Mercury's in the finals. If Sun, Pyrrha, Penny, or I go up against him, we should keep our guard raised and our eyes open." She decided, and everyone looked at her. "But honestly, I'm not buying it. The guy sniffs boots, he's not exactly a criminal mastermind."
"Yeah." Ruby smiled awkwardly, trying to be confident. "And Emerald's our friend!"
"... I trust Adam's judgement." Weiss announced, and everyone looked at her in disbelief. "Given the evidence from the fight and what he just told us, I believe we need to keep our guard raised... We could all be in danger." Weiss looked off in the direction Adam had disappeared in. "And... And if he is so worried by it that he would warn me, I have no choice. I have to believe him."
"Weiss..." Jaune's face fell. "His eye... You really shouldn't blame yourself. You didn't do that to him." Blake nodded in agreement, but Weiss looked down, then the heiress looked up at her friends with a forlorn expression.
"My family did."
Well... That escalated quickly.
0_0
I only own my OCs. Please read, review, check out my other stories, etc. Thanks! :)