"Adam?" Blake halted in front of her old friend, gazing upward. "When did you grow so tall?" Not just tall, but his entire stance seemed more sturdy. This wasn't the scrawny rebellious adolescent that had escaped from Cardin's place.
Adam chuckled, pulling Blake into a one-armed hug. "You've grown quite a bit too kitty cat," Adam stated, pulling back. "You've actually got flesh on those bones now."
Blake beamed, smiling widely.
"You've weaponed up too. Smart move." Adam grinned as well, showing teeth.
That was when Blake saw the katana Adam was holding — Wilt and Blush, as Pyrrha was calling it. Her stomach sank. "Adam, that wasn't you at the Weapon's theft that day, was it?" she asked, although she knew she wouldn't hear the answer she wanted.
"You recognized me," Adam said fondly. "And don't worry, you don't need to apologize," Adam continued, holding his hands out in a motion of pause. "I know you only attacked me to keep your cover."
"You're with the White Fang," Blake stated, her stance becoming slightly more reserved. She stepped back lightly. This definitely wasn't the rambunctious boy she used to play with.
"One of their co-leaders actually," Adam said proudly. He reached out to grab Blake's hand and started to pull them further into the foliage, away from the sounds of city life. "Come on, they'll definitely like you. If you make a good first impression, you'll be given a position of power too. And I know you're smart enough for it. Plus, you must have intel on the Ice Witch and that in itself already makes you a valuable asset."
"What what?" Blake snatched her hand out of Adam's grasp. "What are you talking about?"
Adam bristled, taking hold of Blake's hand again. "We don't have much time. I have a meeting tomorrow I need to prepare for. Let's go, I'll explain on the way."
"No!" Blake frowned, wrestling out of Adam's hold again and stepping away. "Stop, stay there." Blake commanded when Adam stepped towards her.
Adam sighed. "Look Blake, your Mistress isn't going to punish you if she can't find you. And everyone at camp is armed. You don't need to worry about breaking the rules anymore. This isn't the time to lay low and stay in the shadows. You need to fight with us. We can win."
"I'm not going with you Adam." Blake stated with finality, her sharp eyes flashing.
"Why not? You can't possibly tell me your life as it is now is worth living?! A life of servitude isn't a life!" Adam seethed, gesturing brusquely with his hands. "Why would you want to live like that?"
"Adam," Blake sighed. "Weiss isn't like that. If I was still with Cardin, I'd have probably gone with you no questions asked, but Weiss," Blake's heart fluttered "She's amazing, and caring and smart and is the most beautiful person I've ever met." Blake smiled sadly at Adam. "I can't leave her."
"She has you brainwashed," Adam declared. "The Ice Witch is your Mistress! She has you collared! If you don't do exactly as she says it is legally within her rights to kill you!" Adam seethed. Then, he breathed calming down. "Even if she's putting on a nice act now to gain your loyalty, you never know what might happen to set her off. Then, you'll be left not only with a broken body, but also a broken heart."
"Weiss isn't like that," Blake maintained. "She doesn't believe in slavery, or abuse. She's been fighting the council to give Faunus rights for a long time now. Adam, she's an ally." Blake tried convincing her old friend. She was feeling slightly unsettled. That's right. Blake had forgotten for a moment. The White Fang had already sent an assassin after Weiss. Why would they stop there? "Adam, you shouldn't hurt her. It would literally be the worst mistake you could make — there would be no one holding the actual bigoted idiots at bay. You need Weiss alive. You have to tell your people that."
Adam laughed. "Humans are all the same ugly monsters on the inside, Blake. Some of them are just better at hiding than others."
"You don't know that. You're just saying that because you haven't met any nice ones yet."
"Look," Adam smirked. "If you had power, would you give it up?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Of course not. The Ice Witch is the same. She knows that nobody in power will actually listen to any suggestion that gives us lowly Faunus some power. So she can safely say these things, and she does. Naive Faunus like you believe her. She gains power and loyalty without actually giving anything up." Adam shot Blake a pointed look. "Doesn't that sound like a plan your precious Weiss is smart enough to conceive?"
"You're wrong about her," Blake defended. "You just need to meet her and you'll understand."
Adam smirked. "No need to worry about that, I'll be seeing her tomorrow."
Blake's eyes widened. "What? Why? Adam, I swear, if you hurt her—"
"Calm down, kitty cat. The White Fang is crashing the council meeting tomorrow. Didn't the Ice Witch mention that to you?" Adam drawled out sarcastically. "Of course she didn't. Why not? Because you don't mean anything to her! You are literally a toy for the princess to occupy her time with! You're nothing special. If you leave, she'll just replace you with another one!"
Blake's eyes darkened. "You need to leave," Blake announced quietly.
"Blake," Adam pleaded. "Don't do this. Come on, just come with me."
"Leave!" Blake screamed, her hand moving towards Gambol Shroud.
Adam's gaze wavered. "You wouldn't fight me."
"Yes," Blake said, unsheathing the blade. "I would."
Shuffling. Voices. Someone was approaching. Several someones.
Adam backed away, no doubt hearing the crowd. "I'm coming back for you Blake. I'll save you no matter what." Adam promised, disappearing in a swoosh into the wild.
Blake felt like cursing and crying all at once. She didn't need saving. Not from Weiss. Right? Blake let go of the sword in her hand, reaching up to remove the scarf from her neck. She brushed her fingers over the tag on her collar. She used to hate her collar. It represented the prison her life was.
What was so different about Weiss' prison?
"Blake?" an angelic voice gasped from behind her. "Christ, Blake," the voice sighed, crashing into Blake's back and wrapping her arms around Blake's waist. "Blake are you okay?"
Blake was turned around. The Faunus was met by the worried expression of a certain angel. "Hi?" Blake squeaked. "How did you find me?"
Weiss chuckled fondly. "Your collar has a homing device," she explained.
"Oh."
Weiss studied Blake. "I'm sorry. I never check it or anything. It was just built in and came in handy today when you disappeared. I swear, this is the first time I've used it."
Blake blinked. "Can you say that again?"
Weiss stared back, confused. "I'm sorry. I never— Blake, what's wrong? What did I say?" Weiss bewildered expression was exchanged for an unamused one.
"You apologized to her," a confident voice spoke up from behind. "Weiss, you've never apologized to anyone— unless you were saying it sarcastically but you know what I mean." Yang grinned, an arm at her hip. Neptune stepped up behind Yang, also sporting a cheeky grin.
Weiss blushed and looked away. "Whatever," Weiss huffed. "And don't just stand there, one of you pick up Blake's things and the other one, phone Pyrrha and tell her everything's okay." Weiss snapped, cheeks a rosy pink. Weiss turned back to Blake, her gaze slightly angled to avoid looking directly at the Faunus. "You're okay right?" Weiss asked, her tone a sharp comparison to the one she used with Neptune and Yang.
Blake smiled at Weiss and nodded.
Right. Being with Weiss was completely different. Blake thumbed her tag one last time. She'd try not to forget that again.