Gray Fringes Ch. 13
As he turned a corner to leave the infirmary he stumbled across Professor Goodwitch and realized from one look she gave her that he was going nowhere.
"Oh no you are not going anywhere young man. You still have two bruised ribs and you just woke from your coma today. We have no idea how healthy you are and until we are certain you are fine you are staying in your hospital room."
"Professor I just want to walk outside and breathe a little fresh air then see the rest of my friends and let them know I'm fine."
"If you want to be outside we have a perfectly functioning garden area with plenty of to sit and your friends can see you after class, which reminds me you four need to return to class now that you've had your time to visit."
After his friends said there last goodbyes and walked back to class Richard decided spend the next five hours he had to himself resting and trying to get over the uncertainty and doubt that had begun to form in his mind. While he would never allow this to show in front of his friends he was starting to feel an incurable dread when he thought back on that night at Beacon. He couldn't stand to see anything happen to his teammates and felt that he had to protect them any way he could. After losing his best friend he couldn't relive the depression and grief he felt again. He knew that they could handle themselves in a fight but he couldn't bring himself to risk even the remote possibility of any of them being hurt. He decided after an hour or so of trying and failing to sleep to head to that garden and just relax outside. He asked professor Goodwitch to send someone to get one of his favorite books from his dorm and soon found himself under the shade of a huge tree reading his favorite story. It was a fiction story set in the middle of a huge war between two kingdoms. The hero was a strong, honorable, and kind man who found himself thrown in the middle of a waging war. When most men would throw morality to the wind in order to survive he stood resolute never losing a moral foundation. He was made a sergeant and led a group of eight men into combat. The book went into great detail about the steadfast control he had over any situation and the cunning tactfulness he would display to save his troops from the nearly hopeless situations they found themselves in. He never acted ruthlessly and in fact was respected by the soldiers he fought against and became friends with many of the prisoners he took captive when his kingdom eventually won. That chapter caused Richard to pause and look up at the sky a small spark of an idea starting to form in his head. It was a story that Richard had read many times before and after he lost his home and was the example he tried to live up to each day.
It had been nearly a year since he had read that book and he couldn't help finally feel a sense of peace he hadn't felt since losing his friend. A sense of peace that he had long since thought would never grace his life and give him a moments rest. He found himself dosing off under the tree smiling at the warm rays of sunlight bouncing off of his face and the cool breeze ever so gently brushing past his face. While there was still the ominous threat of Cinder lingering just over the horizon he savored his few precious moments of peace and tranquility He woke up to the sound of birds singing though the trees. He got up and checked his tablet to see that it was noon and he hadn't gotten any lunch yet. As he walked past the front lobby to his room he noticed the rest of his team quietly walking in with a big picnic basket of food.
"Aww you saw us. We were going to surprise you with this big lunch and everything." Ruby whined disappointed
"If you want I can go back outside and pretend I never saw anything. I'll try my best to be genuinely surprised." Richard smiled
"Ha Ha very funny Richard now let's find someplace to eat. I'm starving." Yang said as she stood behind her little sister.
"Let's eat outside. I know a place in the courtyard that'll be perfect."
They sat down and started to unload the contents of the basket. Richard grabbed his usual burger with sautéed mushrooms and a side of the cafeteria fries with a coke.
"Why do you always eat so much meat Richard? A salad is just as good as a burger and it's healthier for you." Weiss said as she looked down at his meal disdainfully.
"I just like meat a lot more than vegetable so I don't really see the need for them when I've got plenty of food."
"But you told us you were a Faunus Richard. I thought the Faunus were vegetarians and didn't like to eat other animals."
"It's a common misconception Yang but I'm a lion as well as a man and lions are some of the biggest carnivores out there. If anything I eat more meat than most people. Anyway what's been going on with the school for the past week?"
"We've just been rebuilding and trying to move forward. The Auditorium and the dorms took a pretty big hit but everything else didn't take too much damage." Blake replied.
"Have the White Fang tried anything yet."
"No I think they just attacked us for show and to show us that we aren't invincible inside of Beacon. They have something much bigger in store for us I'm sure of it."
"Ok as long as they haven't tried anything while I was out and one more thing do you know what happened to Adam."
"I think Pyrrah and Juan handed him over to the police. He was tried and sentenced to 20 years in prison. You might see him when you have to go answer their questions." Yang replied.
"Is that it or was he acting differently then he usually does."
"Come to think of it Jaune did tell me that Adam didn't even try to put up a fight he just kind of sat there staring at the floor or his hands." Ruby replied.
"Why do you care so much about Adam? I thought you hated him for what he did." Weiss asked quizzically.
"I had an idea earlier that might be crazy enough to work." Richard said as he leaned forward and explained the thought that had come to his mind while reading earlier.
"You can't be serious Richard that plan is suicide. Do you honestly believe that you could change Adams view on this conflict for a second?" Weiss interjected completely confused and shocked.
"I don't believe I can Weiss. I know I can." Richard replied undaunted.
"You can't do his Richard. All you can expect from Adam is a knife in the back the second you let your guard down. No one here wants to see that happen to you Richard." Weiss said looking down at the grass in front of her.
"I won't know that unless I try and I think I can change him. He isn't like Roman or Cinder. I still see some good in him."
"How can you be sure of that Richard? He has done nothing but fight and tries to kill us at every turn. We need to destroy the White Fang just like you said Richard they are beyond saving."
"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them Weiss? To beat Cinder and Roman we need to take away their power and right now their power lies in the Faunus they lie to and manipulate."
"But that still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang and Adam are still fanatical terrorists that don't listen to reason. They are our enemies and they have to be put down Richard." Weiss yelled clearly angered by the sudden turn in the conversation.
"It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways. The way to win this war is to show Fauni everywhere both a part of an independent of the White Fang that the violence preached by the White Fang isn't the best option and the best way to achieve that is by example."
"I'm warning you now Richard that tactic will only bring you pain and suffering." Weiss warned before pointedly turning around and walking away.
"Weiss wait come back we haven't even finished lunch." Ruby pleaded as she ran after her.
"What about you Blake. I know you have an opinion here. You know Adam better than any of us."
She looked up from the tuna sandwich she was eating and simply said
"I want to believe you Richard but now I don't know what to think about all of this anymore but all I have to say is what's with this sudden change of heart."
"When I told him that all this violence is only turning him into an animal I saw for a split second a spark of doubt travel across his face and I knew then that he might not be the man we've condemned him to be."
Blake didn't say anything else but she simply nodded and collect the trash from lunch and walked slowly back to her dorm with Yang.
The next day Richard woke up to see two strange police officers standing at his doorway.
"Come on wise guy you're coming with us to the station." The firs one said
"We just have a few questions to ask ya wise guy."
A few minutes later Richard found himself sitting in from of a plain table with a bright light in his face.
"Are the blinding lights really necessary? It's not like I'm some mass murderer."
"You aren't anything unless we say you are wise guy."
"I guess you can call us the hardly boys because we're so hard on naughty little boys" the second one said with his face inches away from Richards.
"That doesn't even make any sense. Why am I even here? I thought you were going to ask me something."
"Well Mr. Know it all we want to know why the White Fang would be so inclined to attack a group of school children for no reason or maybe it's because you've got something to hide."
"I guess it's the fact that we're a group of highly trained and skilled fighters capable of taking on a whole squad of fighters nearly singlehandedly."
"Don't play dumb with us Richard Lionheart we all know about your past exiled son of the most infamous family of White Fang assassins, warriors and thieves."
Richard cringed when he heard his last name being spoken.
"I left that life a long time ago. I hate talking about my family so could we please change the subject. All I know is that they're still animals and I haven't seen any of them in years."
"Fine let's get on with the real reason we took you here. Our job is to end these little terrorist and they seem to really want to take your little school out. We're willing to work with you if you can control yourself and play by our rules. Otherwise we'll have problems. Let's just say I'd hate to see you on the other side of a cell here."
"Well I don't have much of a choice here so yeah I'll help you but I just have one thing to ask of you."
"What would that be?" The cop asked his eyes narrowing.
"I want to speak with Adam." Richard calmly said as he read the shock on their faces.
"You can't possibly expect us to let you speak with that psychopath. No!"
"My swords will be left here if that's the issue. I just want to have a few words with him. It's some unfinished business and maybe I can get some information out of him."
Both cops looked at each other thinking out the possibilities before both silently nodding.
Forty-five seconds later Richard found himself standing in front of a large metal door.
"Here we are maximum security. Ain't anyone going in or out of this room unless you can fly. You have thirty minutes then we pull you out of there."
Richard took a deep breath then pushed open the door to find himself looking through a glass door at a figure sitting on his bed looking out of the small window covered in iron bars.
"I knew you'd be here eventually Richard. You're either insane or suicidal if you think coming back into this fight was a good idea. You know how many White Fang leaders are clamoring for your head to be put on their mantle."
"That's not why I'm here Adam. I'm here to speak with you. I know you've been thinking about the last thing I said to you and I know you know it's true."
"So that's what this is then some grand speech to sway my heart and join your little band of heroes."
"I'm here to tell you that everything you're doing here is wrong and it won't gain you an inch. Do you honestly believe violence will make them think any better of us?"
"I'd rather be feared as a criminal then bend knee to your best friend Schnee. You're the one who's forgotten what we fight for and you would help our sworn enemy."
"I want exactly what you want Adam but the difference is that I know your way isn't going to solve anything. Tell me Adam how long have you been doing this and how much have you actually gained."
"We've gained a lot more than when we tried it your way Richard. Humanity is a disease that tries to destroy everything it touches. They are savages with no care for anything but themselves."
"The only savages here are you and your twisted ideology. The ideology being shoved down your throat telling you how horrible we are is just another ploy by Cinder and Roman. You can't even see the fact that they are using you and the White Fang to further their own criminal needs. They don't care about our struggle, all they care about is causing the most harm they can. I saw it the minute I heard about them and Blake saw it too so why can't you see the truth in front of you."
"Don't even speak about Blake. You poisoned her mind with your lies and drove her away from us."
"The only thing that drover her away was the monster you are becoming but I believe you aren't beyond saving Adam. Just look around you for a minute and see all the "success" your little ideology has brought you. The only thing poisoned here is your soul Adam. You are willing to throw away your humanity to achieve your goals but I'll tell you this Adam the ends don't justify the means and you'll find yourself at the end of your road even more of an animal than when you started. If you do get out of here ask Roman how many soldiers you lost attacking my school then you'll see just how sympathetic they are to your cause."
"I will but Richard you can't expect to win this fight. You've seen what Cinder is capable of and that's not even counting your family. It's hopeless for you." Adam said with a hint of sorrow in his voice.
"I didn't want any of this to happen Adam and I hate to see the people I once loved so twisted and corrupt but I'll say one thing, if I fall tomorrow then I'll know that I sacrificed myself for a better and more peaceful life. Can you say the same Adam?"
Adam looked at him shocked when he heard a faint beeping behind him. He had just enough awareness to roll away from the explosion ripping the back wall of the cell. A White Fang guard quickly grabbed him and threw him into the waiting gunship. Adam looked back for a split second to see Richard standing there looking at him with a mixture of remorse and hope.