Guess who's baaaccckkkk~

Chapter 17 – Reflection

Blake awoke to a ray of sun in her eyes. Her head was resting on the cool metal of the seat, and she could see a faint sliver of green forestland from a nearby window.

Adam was nowhere to be seen. Blake removed the jacket and stood, stretching her stiff limbs. She wasn't sure where they were now, but something told her that she had been asleep for a long time.

Adam was seated in the copilot's chair.

"Adam?" He turned his head.

"You're awake. Good. We're almost there." As they flew through the sky, something about the trees felt vaguely familiar. Moreover, they passed a cliff side that struck a chord in her memory. Blake tried to conjure up images of maps and charts, but she couldn't decipher their location.

"Where are we?"

"We're at the Vytal base. You've been here before, right?"

"Yeah, it was after the Menagerie attack. Fiona brought me…" she trailed off, unsure if she might have revealed too much.

Adam didn't pay any notice. His scroll buzzed with a message.

"The airfield is going to be crowded. There's new recruits, so we're going to be dropped off a few miles away." He nodded at the pilot, and the aircraft began to descend. However, instead of landing, it hovered slightly above the treetops. Blake looked for a rope or a ladder while Adam slid open the door, sending a gust of wind that ruffled her hair.

"Adam, there isn't a way to get down." Blake looked at the forest floor below. The aircraft was over an empty clearing, but the distance was a bit too far for her to jump comfortably.

"Blake." Before she could react, Adam took her left arm and tossed it across his shoulders before resting one hand against her back and the other against the backs of her knees. He held her close to him as he leapt off the plane.

Blake's head spun as the treetops became a blur. She didn't scream; the shock had silenced her. Then, she felt a short jolt as Adam's feet met the ground. A wave of dizziness swept over her as she buried her head into his chest and clung to him tightly.

Adam waited patiently for her to regain her bearings with an amused smirk. Eventually, Blake lifted her head, and he lowered his arm for her to regain her footing.

"Better?" She sighed.

"Just warn me before you do that next time." Adam snickered.

Adam and Blake hiked through the woods, occasionally stopping for a minute's rest. Unwilling to waste a training opportunity, Adam had Blake kill any Grimm within view.

By the time they could see the base, it was late afternoon. The Vytal base was perched near a Cliffside; it would be impossible to reach it without help.

"Got any ideas?" Blake asked as she craned her head upwards, "I don't remember how I got up there."

Adam looked at her in confusion.

"You don't remember?"

"No," she shook her head, "Fiona and I were attacked by an Ursa. We were knocked out."

"Oh," he gestured to a path of shrubbery, "I'll call the guards to let them know we're here. There's an elevator hidden behind there."

Blake pushed the branches aside to reveal an old, rusted elevator with rickety cables. Essentially, it was a metal box attached to a pair of wire cables.

"You sure this is safe?" she asked him, "When's the last time this thing's been used?"

Adam shrugged.

"I'm sure within the last year. Come on." He pulled the doors open. "Ladies first."

Blake's heels clanged against the metal grating as she looked outwards into the wilderness. Was the sunset so beautiful? Blake imagined that she hadn't really appreciated it until now.

The elevator lurched upwards and slowly began to climb the cliff side. A faint breeze blew back Blake's hair. It had grown to skim her shoulders since she had last cut it. However, the uneven ends had begun to show.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Adam reach into his jacket and place his mask over his eyes. Blake could feel a pang of sadness hit her heart, and she turned away.

Adam was her mentor and leader now; she shouldn't question anything. She ought to get used to it.

The ascent came to an end, revealing an open passage leading out from the cliff. The dark tunnels were lit with torches, but she could see no end in sight.

"I don't remember this when I was last here," Blake commented.

"It was abandoned. Only the bird Faunus use it these days." They stepped down into the tunnel. The gusts of wind made her shiver as she looked on.

"Don't fall behind," Adam warned her, "I don't think anyone has explored these caverns in a long time."

"Were these created before the base was built?" Blake ducked under a portion of the low, stooping ceiling. Adam shrugged as he retrieved a torch from its perch and continued on.

"I think Bane told me they were built during the Faunus War, but I might have confused that with the Great War. Honestly, I never paid much attention." Blake scowled.

"That's a bad habit, Adam." He merely shrugged.

"Eh, I was interested in other stuff. I don't perfect recall like you do, Blake." Blake snorted but said nothing.

Eventually, they reached an old, wooden door. Adam attempted to turn the handle, but it was rusted shut.

"Great," he muttered before turning back to look at Blake. "Here, another lesson for today. Were you ever taught how to kick down a door?"

Adam didn't wait for her answer and tapped the area next to the key hole.

"You need to drive your heel into the wood. Kick from the front. Make it a direct hit. Here, give it a try." He stood back as Blake brought her foot forward. The door creaked on its hinges before falling forwards, revealing a janitor's closet.

Why did this room look so familiar…?

"Moira should be here any minute. She'll take you to your quarters." Blake nodded while Adam observed her carefully.

"You've been tense ever since I put on the mask." Blake didn't meet his eyes and shrugged.

"It's nothing. I just need to get used to it. That's all." She feared that, if she stared too long, then her mind would conjure memories of Grimm. Despite all their training, Blake was still hesitant to look at a Grimm in the eyes.

Adam said nothing.

To her relief, they did not have to wait long for Moira to appear. Skipping the pleasantries, Moira immediately escorted Blake to her room.

Blake's new living quarters were plain. A small bed and nightstand were in one corner while a desk and closet were on the opposite end. Across the room, a door lead to a bathroom, and a mirror was hung on its wooden surface. However, Blake noticed something unusual.

A small, red bookshelf filled with books had been haphazardly shoved against the wall. The paint was chipped and peeling, and the books were worn. Their pages were yellowing, and the golden font of their titles were fading.

"Hope you like it here," Moira commented, "Not a lot of recruits get their own room. Your uniform is in the closet. We start general introductions tomorrow in the mess hall. Be there by seven and in your uniform."

Blake placed her bag on the table, avoiding eye contact.

"I see…thank you, Moira." The hawk faunus looked like she wanted to say something but refrained. Moira turned her back and was about to leave.

"Did you and Adam…?" The rest of her words were too quiet for Blake to hear. Blake looked up at her questioningly.

"What?" Moira gave her a small smile and shrugged.

"Probably not, hehe. My room is down the hall. Feel free to knock if you need something or if you need anyone to talk to, okay?" Blake relaxed a little and nodded.

"Thanks, Moira."

The bookcase contained a variety of story books, history texts, and some instructional texts on metallurgy and blacksmithing. It was obvious that these used to belong to Moira.

Blake skimmed a few out of mild interest but decided to prepare for the next day. She knew that her lessons would be separate from the rest of the group, but she still hoped that they would like her. It was her first time ever being near faunus her age.

For a moment, she contemplated looking for Adam's quarters but decided that it was inappropriate. Even though they were close friends, he was her superior now…the last thing she wanted was for any kind of speculation. The thought made her blush. She didn't know what Adam was to her, a friend, a childhood memory, or a mentor, but it certainly wasn't that!

Blake awoke to the sound of her Scroll. It was 6:00, and her first day of training. Blinking tiredly, she fumbled for the light switch in the dark. The sun had barely risen, but the faint glow of morning light shone through her curtains.

She opened to wardrobe to reveal the greyish-white overcoat hanging in the back of the door. Stacks of black shirts and pants hung on worn hangers. Blake eyed the new clothes with an unexplainable tension. This was supposed to be the moment she should be excited for. Today was her first day of White Fang!

However, Blake merely sighed and pulled a pair of pants and a t-shirt from the hangers. The shirt was oversized; its sleeves hung slightly above her elbows. She tucked the remaining fabric into her tight, black pants and slipped on the pair of knee-high boots at floor. Fortunately, they fit, but it was obvious that they were secondhand. She noticed a pair of fingerless gloves and couldn't remember whether gloves were required. Nevertheless, she slipped them on and tied her hair into a low bun with a rubber band on the floor, likely left behind by the previous owner.

Blake reached out and pulled the coat from the hanger, trying not to look at the red emblem on the back. If only she could just pretend it was white…

She noticed a slight bulge in one of the pockets, and pulled out a white mask. It was her size. A sharp intake of breath passed through her lips as she slowly placed it over her eyes. Again, her vision went dark for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the thin slits.

Blake stared at her reflection in the mirror. Why did she look so out of place in this? Hadn't being part of White Fang been what she had dreamed about? But, this wasn't the White Fang that she wanted – it was nowhere close. The reflection looked like it belonged to someone else, a battle-hardened girl who had seen too much at too young.

Blake took off the mask; she'd wear it when her teammates did.

Blake was one of the first people to arrive and observed the new recruits filing in. Some of them looked friendly and excited, while others simply stared off into space with blank eyes.

Fortunately for her, no one else wore their masks when eating. The new members eyed each other nervously. Some carried their own weapons with them while others did not. Blake began to regret her decision to leave Gambol Shroud behind in her room. However, none of them were Hunter weapons.

Blake hung around the back corner of the room; no one took much notice of her other than a few curious glances. There was a faint rumble of whispers, but they silenced themselves as a metal door slammed shut with a bang.

She looked up, and her heart turned cold.

Khan stood at the front of the room with his arms folded across his chest. He was wearing his Grimm mask, but his tiger ears gave him away. He scowled at his audience as they watched him nervously.

"Get to the training grounds," he barked, "And make this worth my time." There was a rush to the door; no one wanted to anger him.

The training grounds were located next to the aircraft landing area. On one end was a set of dummies, and the other end held a row of targets. A few spears, swords, and knives were brought out and resting on a table. Khan stood before them, glaring menacingly.

"In ten weeks, I have to train you maggots into competent fighters. Here," he gestured, "is to test how much work I have to do." Khan picked up a spear.

"To save some of my time, those of you who have never held a weapon in their life, stand over there." He pointed at one end.

About two-thirds of the group split off. Khan strode over to them with a low smirk on his face. His back was turned to her, and she couldn't quite hear his exact words to the new group. However, she saw their faces pale with apprehension.

Then, he turned to them.

"Alright, show us what you've got. Make this worth my time." Her group exchanged confused looks before reluctantly splitting off to the training dummies and targets. Blake was relieved to find a katana amongst the weapons.

"No…no…they don't have it. Darn, it!" the faunus next to her mumbled under her breath. Blake looked in curiosity; the faunus next to her was garbed in black under her uniform. Her face was wrapped with black fabric, leaving a small slit for her gray eyes to peer through.

Blake, looking up from her sword, felt a twang of pity for her. Bane would undoubtedly eat her alive if she didn't so something. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a fencing sword.

"Here," Blake handed her the sword, "Try to act like you know what you're doing." The girl eyed her with reluctance but accepted the sword.

"Thanks."

Blake didn't saw a word and headed to the training dummy to practice swings. She struck precisely but avoided anything particularly skilled to avoid drawing attention. Khan paced the row of recruits, occasionally barking an insult or even pulling them out to join the other group.

Blake expected the black-garbed faunus girl to be pulled, but she proved to be somewhat competent with the sword. But, she struggled with its weight.

However, Khan then began sending members of the skilled group back into the headquarters. He'd say something into their ears, and they walk off.

Eventually, he stopped at her. Blake froze and waited.

"Thought you could hide from me, didn't you, you little whelp?" Blake trembled and wished he'd disappear.

"Go to the third room on your left," he instructed, "Start any trouble, and it'll be the last thing you do."

Blake followed his instruction obediently.

The room inside was filled with the other recruits from before. They all looked disheveled, and some were nursing cuts and bruises. At the back of the room, inside a caged ring, stood a red Grimm-masked faunus. He too had tiger's ears, but he was lithe compared to Khan's bulky built.

"You're the new opponent?" he asked in a monotone voice.

Blake nodded. He seemed more bored than malicious compared to Khan. Yet, he gave out an unsettling aura.

"My name is Sienna Khan. I will be testing you combat ability. You are permitted to use Aura, Semblance, and any other possible skill you can think of to win this fight. I will be using my fists."

Blake wanted to say that was unfair, but a fist shot out at her like lightening. On instinct, she created a shadow clone and ducked. The shadow vanished in a blur, obscuring his vision for a moment.

Acting on defense, Blake sprang back. To her surprise, she found a slight smile on his face.

"Oh, I've heard of you. This will be an interesting fight; I haven't found a worthwhile opponent in a long time."

He sprang forward, and she created another Shadow while moving to get out of his way. They repeated the process for a few moments before Sienna spoke again.

"Dodging and running away isn't a warrior's style. Come fight me head on." He lowered his arms and stood still.

"I've been told that you were going to be stubborn. The fight won't progress until you try to attack me, Belladonna."

He knew her name; this wasn't good. Blake just wanted this to be over with. Creating a clone, Blake sped forward and struck him by the side of his head. However, he reached up and caught her fist

"Predictable; don't rely so much on your Semblance." His fist shot forward and caught her shoulder. It wasn't strong enough to sting, but a soreness bloomed from the impact.

Blake retaliated with a swift kick to his legs, attempting to send him to the ground. However, she could only catch the side of them, and he slammed her to the floor. Blake managed to break out of his hold and sent a punch to his neck. Sienna stepped back and coughed, rubbing his neck.

"I can tell you're more suited for long-range attacks," his voice was low and weaker, "But, your fighting style is too much like Adam's. I already know most of your weaknesses."

Blake sprang to her feet, but Sienna had backed off.

"Unfortunately, I will not be your mentor. Keep my advice in mind though." He said in a low voice.

"This fight is over." Sienna announced. By now, Blake realized that a crowd had formed around the cage, and whispers were heard. The onlookers stared at her with apprehension, curiosity, and some hostility.

But, for the first time, Blake noticed that this room was large enough for two levels, and a row of tinted glass was set for where the second-story was supposed to be. Her eyes travelled upward, and she could see glimpse of red from the window.

Had Adam been watching her? Blake's focus was interrupted by the door opening, and the new contender stepped into the room. It was that girl with the concealed face. Blake slunk away from the caged ring as everyone else's attention had shifted away from her.

The girl looked withdrawn and apprehensive as she trailed to the center of the ring. Sienna said his introduction again and swung at her, catching her jaw and causing her to fall back. The black scarf loosened and fell back, revealing…nothing. She could see the girl's uniform floating in midair, and some of the light being bent around an unseen shape.

Blake blinked for a moment, not quite believing what she saw. Sienna's head was jerked back by an unseen force. Grunting, he swung out but missed; then, he fell forward as if someone had delivered a blow to his back.

Instead of taking another swing, he rolled back and studied his opponent from afar. His golden eyes glared at the floating uniform, waiting for it to strike.

In a surprising twist, Sienna moved first. He feinted with his right and threw something (a handful of sand) with his left. The girl let out a surprised shriek, and her skin erupted with a burst of yellow and orange. Her hands flew to her eyes as she tried to dislodge the irritant. However, it was too late. Sienna's leg shot forward with a sweeping kick and sent her to the ground.

The girl landed hard on her side, but it had appeared that Sienna had stopped the fight. Her skin returned to a tan with light brown spots littering her arms, legs, and face; the girl's hair was dark brown and styled to look like a chameleon's tail. However, she realized the onlookers, and her complexion tinged orange and her hair lightened into a dusky yellow.

Sienna held out a hand to her as a piece offering. The other had her black scarf. Tentatively, the chameleon faunus (at least that was what Blake assumed that she was) took his outstretched hand and concealed her face with the black scarf.

She tried not to look at anyone, choosing to stare at the ground. Sienna said something to her that Blake couldn't hear, and the girl darted off.

Sienna's mouth curled upwards into a satisfied smile.

"This group shows more promise than last year's. I have instructed some of you to leave to the mess hall once the last fight has ended. Do so now. Those who haven't must stay."

Blake stood still as a majority of the room filtered out around her, leaving behind eight others, including the chameleon faunus. They all eyed each other with suspicion.

Blake scrutinized them carefully. All of the others had seen her Semblance while she only knew of one. She'd be at a disadvantage if Sienna was going to pit them against each other.

Sienna seemed to have noticed their suspicion. He didn't look very amused.

"Relax," he commanded, "These are your squad mates that you're glaring at." The door slid open and seven other Grimm-masked faunus. Adam and Moira were among them, and Blake relaxed slightly. Compared to the others, Adam looked the youngest; Sienna was the closest person in age, and he was at least three years Adam's senior.

"Congratulations, all of you have demonstrated potential to be one of White Fang's valued members. Each of you will be assigned a mentor. You will train under them as they teach you how to hone your skills. You will attend all other group training activities, but you will report directly to your mentor, understood? Line up."

There was a low murmur of agreement as Blake took her place between the chameleon faunus and a short man with Fennec fox ears.

Sienna paced before them, eying the recruits carefully. He strode down the line, locking eyes with Blake for a moment before stopping before the chameleon faunus.

"You," he stated calmly, "You're best suited for my teaching methods." The girl looked up at him in surprise but nodded respectfully.

"Come along," he instructed. "I have much to teach you. Keep up." They left the room; the girl sparing one last look back.

The door clicked shut, and Adam stepped forward. Instead of observing the recruits like Sienna did, Adam immediately moved to stand before Blake. She could see a glimpse of maroon through the mask slits. They stared at each other in a brief moment of understanding; words were unnecessary.

"Let's go," Adam stated without ceremony. Blake remained silent as she followed him through the empty halls until he stood before an empty, darkened meeting room.

As soon as they were securely inside, Adam removed his mask. His maroon eyes studied her carefully.

"You don't have Gambol Shroud with you," he stated, "What happened to it?"

"I kept it hidden. I'm sure no one else has a Huntsman weapon with them. It'd draw too much attention." Adam nodded.

"That uniform suits you. How does it feel to finally be wearing it?"

It feels like I've done something wrong, like I've betrayed myself.

"I'm not sure. I feel like I have a lot to live up to."

"Of course you do," Adam teased, "I expect the best out of my students."

"Sienna knew who I was, did you say something to him?"

"The other mentors know that I had already picked my student. You put up a good fight with Sienna, but you're still so reluctant to throw the first punch. I'm going have to train you in offensive tactics."

Blake shrugged.

"Alright, then. Am I supposed to spar with you or…"

"Yes, I'm supposed to test your other skills, but I already know them. I'm warning you; I won't go easy on you, Blake."

The cat faunus rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so dramatic."

Life as Adam's apprentice came with strange quirks and unexpected benefits. The other recruits seemed to look at the apprentices with a strange sense of reverence of and curiosity. Whenever they were required for a group assessment, the others would stand away from them and whisper amongst themselves.

Among the apprentices, few words were exchanged. Usually, they'd spare glances at each other and pretend like the other wasn't there. The only person Blake had to talk to was Adam and Moira on occasion.

Talking to Adam wasn't particularly bad, he was always eager to give her pointers on her techniques and Semblance, which she appreciated.

However, her daily life quickly began to become a boring routine. It had gotten to the point where she had invented tasks to keep herself busy. If she had to carry training equipment, Blake would use her balance and reflexes to prevent anything from touching the ground. When being assigned cleaning duty, she would use her stealth to slip in and out of rooms undetected.

Nevertheless, the inexperienced recruits got to leave for their first mission before her. Blake had recalled that Aster had found her training days to be the most fun and exciting time of her life. Blake found hers to be slow, dull, and somewhat lonely. She'd often seclude herself in her room and read the books whenever there was free time.

Sweaty and disheveled, Blake narrowly dodged another one of Adam's sword swings. She tried to used her two blades to disarm him, but he withdrew Wilt too quickly.

"Project your Aura through the blades," he instructed, "You can dislodge me that way." However, Blake was already tired and could only produce a faint shock. Adam's blade vibrated but remained in his hands.

"You need to improve your endurance." Swing. "Some battles can be won if you outlast your opponent." Dodge. Blake could feel a slight headache beginning to form. More than ever, she just wanted the day's practice to end. She had reached an interesting chapter on one of her books before Adam had called her away for training.

Getting impatient, Blake formed a shadow clone and dashed forward. She swung her bladed sheathe outwards, sending a quick flash of purple. However, the shock wave curved and landed on Adam's arm, causing him to drop his blade.

Signaling the fight to end, Adam retrieved Wilt.

"You need to balance out your focus and energy. You can extend your Aura out properly, but the effects depend on how tired you are and how much you're focusing. It should be more consistent, Blake."

Nodding thoughtfully, Blake resumed her battle stance. Her arms were sore form exertion, and her mouth was dry from thirst.

"Try to conserve your energy," Adam instructed, "Keep track of how many Shadows and shockwaves your produce."

Adam swung his blade forwards, but Blake dodged and sprang forth. However, instead of swinging her blade, she ducked and swung her katana, sending forth purple light that partially dislodged the hilt from his fingers.

Adam lowered his arm and sheathed Wilt.

"That's enough for today," he dismissed, "Here, sit down. I think I might have pushed you too much today."

"No, one more time," she insisted, "I think I almost have it." Adam looked slightly reluctant, but he pulled out his sword and charged forward. Blake created a Shadow and darted right, using the last of her energy to send a purple beam of aura extending out from her blade. Wilt fell from Adam's hand with a loud clatter.

"Finally," Blake breathed in relief, "Thought that wasn't going to happen." Tiredly, she sheathed Gambol Shroud and placed it on her back.

"See you tomorrow," she said, "I'll try my best." But, Adam had reached out and stopped her.

"Blake, hold on. We won't be sparring tomorrow."

This was a change in schedule. Blake looked at him in surprise.

"Really? Will we be going on a mission?" She could feel a simultaneous sense of excitement…and dread.

"I will be leading a mission. Moira will be teaching you something new."

"Moira?" It had been ages since she had last spoken to the hawk faunus. "What will she be teaching me?"

"No idea," he admitted, "She asked for some time with you." If it were any other person, Blake would be concerned, but Moira seemed trustworthy.

"Alright, then," Blake said, "I guess I'll see you when you return."

She had turned to the door, but, yet again, Adam reached out and stopped her.

"Aren't you going to wish me good luck?" he teased with a mischievous smile. It looked so out of place with the Grimm mask on his face. But, Blake found herself smiling slightly.

"Come back safe," the words sent a pang of sadness in her heart, and she averted her eyes.

She had turned her back again but could see a shadow loom over her. Again, she turned around to see Adam's face a few inches from her. He had removed his mask, and his maroon eyes studied her carefully.

"Blake, you know that you can come tell me anything, all right?" Blake could feel her face heat up, "I'm your mentor. If something's wrong, it'll affect your performance."

The moment was ruined. Despite herself, Blake could feel her heart sink a little.

"Ah, I see," she said flatly, "Don't worry, Adam. I won't let my emotions affect my ability."

Adam smirked, and placed his hands on her shoulder.

"No goodbye kiss?" Blake scowled and tore herself from his grasp.

"That's not a funny joke, Adam. Someone might take you seriously one day," she warned him, "But, seriously, come back safe." Before he could say anything, Blake left him alone.

BONUS

Adam's POV

He sighed.

Adam wasn't sure about his feelings towards his apprentice. Sometimes he saw her as his childhood friend; other times, she was his student with great potential that he needed to mold. Still, there were those other moments when Blake was something else.

Those moments seemed to taunt him. If he attempted to pursue her, then he'd fail Blake as a mentor. But, if there was an off chance…

Adam inspected Wilt and Blush, trying to distract himself from the thought. Moments like those… He was testing the waters, trying to decipher her ambivalent reactions. Yet again, it was fruitless, leaving him as confused as ever.

During her four months as his apprentice, Blake had improved at a rapid rate. He could see her becoming a value member of White Fang, maybe even a leader one day.

He thought back to their recent exchange.

For a moment, he actually had hoped that she'd follow through, take his face in her hands and press her lips to his. Her scowl was both relieving and disappointing. If she had decided to kiss him, then what? Adam didn't care about White Fang's rules; plenty of mentor-apprentice pairs had occurred. Remnant, Blake's father had been her mother's mentor. White Fang didn't do much to police them; yet again, Adam wasn't just any average White Fang member. Moreover, what about Blake herself? IF things went badly, she might not ever speak to him again.

Adam didn't want to risk that, not until he was sure about his own feelings.

"Sienna and Bane never had to deal with this," he ruminated bitterly.

Well, my semester ended. And, I delivered as promised. I felt kind of bad for making you guys wait so long, so I included the Adam POV as a peace offering.

It's been too long. I've forgotten what I should say. But, I guess I wanted to illustrate that Adam's a little torn between White Fang and Blake. At the moment, White Fang is winning, haha. There isn't much in terms of fluffy romance (although, I specialize in angst) for this chapter.

No worries though, he returns from this mission alive.

Thanks so much for the continued support during the hiatus. I'll try to post more frequently.

Love to you all,

raining-indigo