Chapter 4 – Departure
Two months later, Blake and Adam had spoken word of the incident. Blake didn't want her parents to worry, and Adam would get in trouble for attacking a human. Yet, Adam kept the sword, and, when he thought he was alone, he would stare at the scarlet blade and practice swings.
The children had to come up with a cover story to explain how Adam had acquired the sword. Evidently, despite Blake's chagrin, Adam claimed that he pick-pocketed the money from Blake's coat pocket and bought the sword when her back was turned. That explanation had earned him a month's worth of cleaning duty, but Adam never complained.
When word of the shopkeeper's murder got out, the people of the village became unsure and distrusting. Blake and Adam were forbidden from leaving the headquarter compound without an adult. Overall, though, Blake was shocked to find that he was not just unconscious.
Did that mean that Adam killed that Flint criminal?
Adam wasn't a killer. He was acting on self-defense; he was protecting her. The thought was unsettling, so Blake pushed it to the back of her mind and forgot about it.
She was just relieved that they got out alive.
"Blake," the Faunus girl felt a hand nudge her shoulder. Blinking her eyes open, she saw Fiona leaning down and looking at her. Blake had fallen asleep in the library again.
"How was your mission?" the ten year-old asked groggily. Fiona had graduated from her apprenticeship and was now assigned as her parents' third partner. While Shade and Luna were mainly part of combat (Shade short range and Luna long), Fiona had the role of spy and healer.
"It was fine," the eighteen year-old replied quickly, "I need you to get up. There's a White Fang division leader visiting, and Shade doesn't want you sleeping when he stops by."
"Is the leader going to do something?" Blake rubbed her eyes and her cat ears twitched.
"No," Fiona averted her eyes, "I mean, he's looking around for new recruits, but Shade and Luna are set here because of the location of most of their missions." Fiona smiled comfortingly, "You don't have to worry about moving. Now, come on. They're waiting in the cafeteria."
Blake slid out of the chair and followed Fiona. The hallways were more crowded than usual.
"Did the leader bring his own guards?"
"Yeah," Fiona replied pensively, "He's pretty high up in the White Fang rank."
"Is it Mr. Lycannis?" Blake wouldn't mind seeing the wolf Faunus again. Even though he was somewhat strange and serious, she liked listening to him. Bai Lycannis's ideals seemed to agree with her parents'.
"No," Fiona bit her lip, "it's someone different. I know he's called Bane, but that's it." As the two walked down the halls, Blake noticed that some Faunus were wearing white masks that covered their eyes.
"Fiona, how can people see with those masks on?"
"There's small slits, but I'd imagine that it'd narrow your range of sight," she explained, "I had to wear one once, but I took it off when no one was looking. It's like you're hiding your identity." She frowned and shook her head. "It's like being afraid to admit that you support White Fang."
They had reached the cafeteria and spotted Blake's parents. Luna had motioned for them to come sit over.
"Has it started?" Fiona asked. Shade shook his head.
"No, there's a few minutes left." Blake craned her head and saw Adam leaning against the far wall. Blake tugged on her mother's sleeve and pointed.
"Can I go stand with Adam?" Her mother nodded, and the Faunus girl headed over to him before the room got too crowded.
"Hey," Adam nodded at her, and Blake leaned against the wall next to him.
"Any idea what this whole thing is about?" Adam asked. Blake shook her head.
"The extra guards are making Fiona a little tense." Adam shrugged.
"They're just people. But, yeah, this place is more uncomfortable."
"We could go to the library when they're finished," she suggested.
"Yeah, you can finish that book you were reading." Blake snorted, but her lips curved in a smile.
"You just want me to read to you, Adam."
"Yep," Adam answered, "I like the plot, and the main character isn't a total moron."
"The main character's name is Adam."
"See? Not a total moron." Blake giggled.
"Fine, I'll finish." The conversation was cut short when a burly man walked across the stage. He appeared menacing with his scarred face and tattooed arms. Blake searched for any Faunus characteristics, but saw none.
"Adam, is he even a Faunus?" she whispered, but he shrugged. A member offstage handed the man a microphone.
"Members of White Fang," Bane began, "Thank you all for coming. I have the pleasure to announce that a new subdivision is being formed!" He paused for a moment, and the masked members clapped. The man smiled, revealing large, sharp fangs.
"I think he's a wolf Faunus," Adam commented, "Look at his teeth."
"This division," Bane continued, "consists of our most talented and capable members in combat. Their goal is not to simply spread White Fang's message." His grey eyes narrowed.
"No, Humans have ignored our protests and rallies. They have police arrest innocent Faunus and traffic Faunus workers for servants and mine workers! They are treated no better than slaves!"
Blake saw Adam take a sharp breath and clench his hands.
"Our pacifistic ways are inefficient! And we as a race have gone soft and subservient to humans! I say no more!" There was a chorus of cheers and whistles.
"We need harsher methods," Bane continued, "We cannot simply tell the Humans our message; we must make them remember." As Bane bowed and the crowd clapped, Blake shivered. There was something wrong with what he was implying.
She spared a sideways glance at Adam and was shocked to see that his eyes were glued to the stage. Adam, who rarely gave half of his attention to Miles' words, was listening with rapt attention. His face was expressionless, but Blake could see a storm raging in his eyes.
Swallowing, Blake took a step back from her friend. She felt fear in the pit of her stomach, which was soon followed by guilt. She shouldn't be afraid of her friend. Adam was a partner and mentor.
Leaving a Shadow as a decoy, Blake turned and fled to the safety of the library.
Blake had curled up in a corner that was hidden behind boxes and a bookcase. Bane's speech was still going on, but she didn't want to hear any more of it. She hoped her parents wouldn't be upset that she had left.
"I…I don't know what to do…" Blake knew that the new order's intentions meant well, but it didn't agree with her.
She knew that her parents were close allies with Bai Lycannis, but she didn't know how close. They never spoke much of their interactions, but she knew that they were speaking with each other. Blake had oftentimes seen her parents sending messages and meeting late at night or early in the morning. Whenever she asked, they dismissed it as training practice or tactical meetings. Blake knew that Bai was also speaking privately with other members of the guard and some from other divisions.
Blake heard the library door slide open.
"Hey, Blake, the session's over. Your parents wanted me to let you know that they're heading off on another mission." The voice belonged to Adam.
Blake didn't know why, but she stayed hidden. Footsteps echoed as Adam stepped in. A pang of fear struck Blake's heart, and the little girl crouched lower, trying to make herself seem as small as possible.
There was a pause of silence before Adam called out, "Blake, I know you're here. Now's not the time to play hide-and-seek."
Blake, deciding that she was being unreasonable, stood up, causing Adam to jump in surprise.
"Whoa! Don't do that!" he protested.
"S-sorry. The meeting was getting boring, so I thought I could catch up on some reading," the cat Faunus explained, "I heard someone coming, and I didn't want to get in trouble, so…" Her voice trailed off. Adam folded his arms, and his eyes scrutinized her.
"Blake, I know you're lying." Blake shuffled uncomfortably and looked away, her face hidden by shadows.
"I…I was feeling a little troubled, that's all. I just needed peace and quiet." Adam stepped closer to her; his eyebrows furrowed.
"Blake, if there's something wrong, just tell me. Has someone been bothering you?"
"No," Blake replied quickly, "C'mon, we need to get back. I'm sure there'll be a long line for food with the additional members here and all."
Not bothering to wait for a response, Blake turned and headed for the open door. However, Adam's hand shot out and grabbed her elbow. Blake turned to look back at him questioningly.
"Adam…?"
"Blake, if you feel threatened or in danger, just come to me for help, alright? You can depend on me," he stated. Blake nodded wordlessly; she felt better and chastised herself for being so quick to judge.
"Let's go," Adam tightened his grip on her hand and led her along, "Maybe they'll have tuna sandwiches for lunch."
A month had passed, yet Bane and his followers remained in the compound. They frequented the once barren shooting range and sparring ring. Blake often caught Adam watching their practices and later mimicking their moves with Wilt and Blush - the sword and rifle weapon combination that he had found that night at the store.
However, their presence made Blake feel uneasy. When first observing, she noticed that their battle maneuvers struck at the enemy's critical points, ensuring near instant death. They had completely defaced sparring dummies and left huge gaping holes in the shooting targets.
Blake's parents and Fiona also seemed extremely busy. Their missions were frequent, and they barely had a day of rest. Moreover, they were always partnered with Bai Lycannis and they followed him on rescue and guard missions.
Since their practice spaces were now occupied, Blake and Adam sparred outside in the warm spring weather.
Adam swung at Blake's shoulder, only for her whole to vanish into a black blur.
"Damn," he cursed and searched for her shape. In their sparring, Blake had used her speed to make herself vanish and leave a copy behind. Tense, Adam shifted his stance and listened for any movement.
Unbeknownst to him, Blake was standing behind him and, like a shadow, mimicking his movements. Thanks to a new sneaking skill learned from Shade, Blake stayed out of Adam's line of vision.
"Where the hell is she?" Adam muttered to himself, and Blake had to stifle a laugh.
Adam's movements wavered, leaving his left side vulnerable. Taking the opportunity, Blake thrusted her fist forward, catching Adam's jaw. Adam was caught off guard and stumbled forward.
Yet, he grabbed her fist and yanked her forward. Caught by surprise, Blake fell forward onto his chest. The impact knocked the wind out of both of them, and Blake nearly crushed her nose against his ribcage.
"Tie," Adam wheezed, "I call this a tie." Lifting her head from the front of his shirt, Blake smirked.
"You just don't want to admit that you lost," she teased. Adam laughed, and she could feel his chest vibrate. Subconsciously, she noted that his shirt smelled like soap and the leather from the training rooms.
"Fine, you win. Where'd you learn that move?"
"Dad taught it to me," Blake replied.
"Budge off," Adam pushed some of her long, wavy hair back, "You're heavy." Blake stuck out her tongue but rolled off of him.
The two children stood up and brushed dirt off their clothes. Blinking, Blake noticed a shape peering out from the window.
"Adam," she tugged on his sleeve and pointed up at the window, "Someone was watching!" However, when Adam turned to look, the shape was gone. Blake frowned.
"They must have gone off…"
"Don't worry," Adam dismissed, "We weren't doing anything wrong. And what can they do? It's not like we're causing trouble." Adam paused and blinked; he seemed to remember something.
"Crap," he cursed, "I forgot. Miles wanted me to pick up a package."
"I'll go with you," Blake volunteered, "I haven't been to the marketplace in a while, and I have some allowance. We could buy some candy." Adam brightened at her suggestion.
"C'mon, then, let's go. I'll race you." Before she could say anything, Adam sped off.
"Adam!" Blake cried indignantly, "That's cheating!" and took off after him.
The two children raced down the dirt path and into the marketplace. The area was fairly busy. People milled around the open street, and the low hum of chatter hung in the air. Blake finally caught up to him when Adam stopped at a vendor.
"Hey, Blake," he asked suddenly, "Isn't your birthday coming up?"
"Yeah, why?" Adam waived the vendor over.
"'Scuse me," he called out, "How much is that spool of ribbon?" He pointed at an amber colored ribbon. The vendor eyed the boy and smiled.
"Half-price. 4 Lien." Adam dug into his pocket and pulled out a five Lien piece. Exchanging the money, the vendor handed him the ribbon.
"Here," Adam handed Blake the spool, "I know it's not much, but I wanted to give you something." The cat-Faunus turned it in her hands.
"Thank you," she said graciously. Blake unwound the ribbon and tied a bow near her left ear. Brushing her hair back, she looked in a nearby mirror. The bow complemented her cat ears and long hair.
"Not bad?" Blake asked shyly, turning to Adam.
"It suits you, makes your ears stand out and everything." Blake fingered the ribbon; Adam was right. It did draw attention to her ears.
"Thanks," she smiled, "It kind of makes me stand out in a crowd, doesn't it?"
"Good, you won't blend into shadow."
The rest of the errand was rather uneventful. Adam and Blake picked up the package and delivered it to Miles. The two children were seated in the library; Blake was reading to Adam when two masked members opened the library door.
"Adam Taurus?" a member inclined his head towards Adam, "The boss wants to see you." Raising an eyebrow, Adam exchanged a confused look with Blake.
"Why?"
"We were just given the order. He wishes to keep his reasons private." Adam slid out of his chair and approached the two men cautiously.
"I guess I'll go," he turned to look back at Blake, "I'll let you know what happens." Blake nodded; her nerves on edge. The "boss" was likely Bane. What kind of business would he want with Adam?
"Be careful, Adam." Adam snorted, but she could see his hands shaking slightly.
"I'll be fine. You shouldn't worry so much." Turning his head back, Adam, with some reluctance, followed the men out into the hall.
Breathing out a deep sigh, Blake placed her head in her arms and waited.
Time inched by. The yellow sunlight changed into an orange glow and then faded. The buzz of the overhead fluorescent lights illuminated the room. Blake never left the library. As the pile of finished books next to her grew, worry began to grow in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't until the clock read 11:45 and her eyes begun to feel heavy when the door slid open.
Blinking tiredly, Blake looked at Adam. He looked exhausted. His head hung, and his feet dragged as he walked. However, with a jolt of surprise, Blake noticed that he was slightly limping, and cuts and bruises littered his arms and legs. Adam slumped against the wall, and Blake hurried to him.
"I'm fine," Adam said tiredly, his voice scratchy and weak, "I'm just…tired. That's all."
"What…what did they do to you?!" Blake cried out indignantly, "Were they trying to punish you? They went too far! You like you were used as a practice dummy or-"
"Blake," he cut her off, "I've been accepted into the new division – the Combat Division."
"What?! You're not even old enough to join as a recruit!" Adam smiled to himself.
"Bane saw us fighting, and he thought my fighting style and skills would help their cause. He's taking me on as an apprentice." Blake's jaw dropped in surprise.
"Whoa…does that mean that you'll be trained personally?"
"Yeah," Adam's eyes shined with pride, "Bane had me fight against some of his top members. I beat almost all of them with Wilt and Blush, and Bane said that he would teach me a special style of fighting." Adam's eyes were brimming with happiness…and determination.
"Those humans…they'll pay! I can finally do something to help the White Fang cause!" Blake flinched but held her ground.
After Bane's speech, she came to the conclusion that her and Adam's views on the nature of White Fang's activities differed. Yet, instead of confronting him, she decided to ignore it. Blake didn't want to cause a rift in their friendship, and, with the recent news, she was glad that she avoided the subject. Their time together was now limited. The combat division's new recruits would be leaving to train in other parts of Remnant. Blake had no idea how much time left.
"When are you leaving?" Adam's smile faltered.
"Two weeks. There's a pier a few miles away, so we're going to take a boat out." Blake wrung her hands together and didn't meet his eyes. Deep down, she felt that this was going to be a bad idea, but she smiled. Blake was happy for Adam; he could make his dream come true.
Against her usual behavior, Blake bent down and wrapped her arms around him. Tentatively, Adam returned the gesture, and the two slid down to sit on the floor.
Blake blinked back tears and placed her head in his shoulder, choosing not to face him. However, Adam could feel the slight dampness on the fabric, but he merely fingered the ends of her long hair. They avoided eye contact and kept silent, just taking in each other's presence.
The two children stayed like that for a long time. After Blake composed her emotions, she lifted her head.
"Promise you'll write to me, or send a message, okay?" she whispered in to his ear, her voice shaky. Breathing out an internal sigh of relief, Adam's smile returned.
"I won't ever forget you."
The two weeks had passed by slowly. Blake spent as much time as she could with Adam, from practicing sparring to reading to him. The day before his departure, they spent the night in the library. Blake read to him until her voice became hoarse.
The departure was uneventful. Before boarding the covered truck, Adam, with Wilt and Blush clutched in his hand, turned and hugged her, reaffirming his promise to write. Swallowing back a lump in her throat, Blake had stated that she would continue training so that they will have another match sometime in the future.
Adam left, vowing that he would be the first person to guard her when she became a diplomat.
Once the bus had turned the corner, Blake collapsed to her knees, and an empty feeling grew in her chest, like something had just been ripped away. The illusions had vanished, leaving behind cold reality.
At the age of ten, Blake lost her friend to the war.
After a two month hiatus, I'm BAAACCCCK. Although, looking back, this chapter feels like there's a bit too much melodrama. I'll work on that, but right now I'm busy with another story. So, this will take a back seat until I can get it finished. I will try to finish this before Season 3 is released, but no promises.