Hi. I'm finally back!
Sorry for the long wait, rewriting the next few chapters hasn't been easy. Had to overhaul a huge chunk of the arc that was just to stressful to write. Anyway, this current chapter isn't fixed per se, but that's because it was completed when I posted the previous chapter. So re-editing it made a couple parts feel shoehorned in, and I don't have the time or patience to start iver from the ground up.
Either way, I hope you enjoy it.
As the sun began to set far in the horizon, Cinder and her team came to a stop in a small deserted clearing just off the main road. There, Sienna somersaulted to the ground from the tree she had landed on, using feline-like agility to land perfectly upright without even needing her weapon.
"Alright, let's set up camp here!" She called to her team as she holstered her weapon. "Sun's getting real low and Grimm tend to become more active at night as they've learned it gives them an edge. They're going to be attracted to the sounds of vehicles too, so there's no need to take any unnecessary risks."
Landing next to the tigress on all fours, Cinder let out a huff as she straightened up.
"I thought that was just superstition." Cinder said, sheathing her blades. "Thought it was the fear of the dark that attracted them, not the lack of sunlight. And seeing as most of you guys have perfect night vision anyway, I kinda figured we'd keep moving until much later."
Chuckling softly, Sienna waved Ilia back, indicating for her to lead the rest of the caravan here before turning to face the other girl.
"Older, more powerful Grimm do." She explained, walking past Cinder to the edge of the clearing where she began pulling a long wire with several wooden noisemakers attached to it. "See, some Grimm have learned that ambushes in the dark have a much greater chance of success and much lower chance of getting injured. As such, they've started hunting at night, aiming to catch travelers off guard, make the kill a bit easier on them."
Following her to the edge of the clearing, Cinder slid her blades back down into their scabbard, cocking her hips as she gave the woman's back a hard glare.
"So you people do know some stuff beyond all that self-righteous crap you spill on the media. And here I thought you basically just brainwashed Adam into being as annoying and insufferable as possible. Good to know there's something in his head that can actually be called useful."
Catching her sharp tone, the older woman stopped what she was doing to turn and face the younger one, mirroring her posture with one hand resting on her hip.
"Cinder, right? I get the impression you're not very fond of the White Fang, are you?" The woman pressed, rising to her feet as she spoke. "Care to share what we did to upset you so?"
Scoffing at the woman, the dark haired girl folded her arms as she shifted her weight to one foot, nose turned up as she looked toward the skyline.
"Not just you and your Boy Scouts, but most Faunus activists actually." She replied hotly. "There are other people, humans even, who are little more than slaves. Yet you make it sound like the only people who matter are the ones with an extra set of ears, or a tail that they constantly swing around into other people's faces." The girl paused here, her eyes flicking towards the woman with a look of contempt. "Not saying you guys don't have it tough, but there are a lot of people who have it tougher. And unlike you, they don't get any angry hoard of people jumping to their defense the moment some no name celebrity makes an off color joke. Yet you still act like nobody is paying attention to your strife. So, with the greatest offensive possible, I personally think you're just a bunch of privileged assholes."
With that, Cinder turned her gaze back to the tree line, waiting for the woman to start explaining how difficult the Faunus and defending it had it like Adam still made a habit of doing whenever she brought up the subject, rolling her eyes as she already armed herself with the debunking argument she always employed when dealing with the redhead.
But to her incredible surprise, she was greeted with several seconds of silence.
Confused, Cinder opened one of her eyes and looked toward Sienna, half expecting to see her either boiling with rage, shaking with anger, the normal reaction she got whenever pushing a Faunus' buttons.
What she didn't expect however, was to see the woman smiling understandingly at her, arms still lowered and not a hint of aggression on her face.
"So, that's your beef, is it?" She asked, making her way over in a friendly manner. "Well, as far as issues go, I've heard worse."
Calmly walking a little ways past the girl, Sienna came to a stop looking up at the same tree line Cinder had been staring at, leaving said girl to simply gape at her back.
"Honestly, I understand perfectly why some people call us privileged. In a way, we kinda are." The Faunus tucked her arms behind her back as she spoke without turning around. "You are right, people do jump to our defense whenever an off-color joke is made, or whenever the news breaks about some big injustice happening in a factory or something. That alone is a testament to how far we've really come."
Stopping here, the older woman closed her eyes for a few seconds and chuckled before turning around, meeting the other girl's gaze.
"But what about the stories that aren't made into headline news? What about the abuse in the workplace that the public doesn't know about? For every high profile person case, there are a hundred more that get swept under the rug. Like sexual harassment, unequal pay for the equal work, overlooked for promotions because of their race. The list goes on, all while going unnoticed or acknowledged by the media as it's not a scandal, therefore not a front page story."
Pausing, Sienna placed her hand on her chest above her heart, a small smile playing on her face. "What I want from Faunus' rights isn't for every single person to dogpile onto someone when they do something minor. What I want is for the law to be made so that corporations can't take advantage of Faunus, or that make hate crimes illegal. I want these laws actually enforced with strict punishment. The publicity, the high profile case, I'd throw it all away if it meant it would eradicate the prejudice aimed at Faunus kind."
At this, Sienna stared up at the sky for a few seconds before turning to Cinder. A soft look in her eyes.
"It's kinda hard to describe, even harder to wrap your head around, I know. But if I could summarize it in a word, if I could go back in time and make it so we were always equal, I'd do it in a heartbeat. That's my ultimate goal, my dream I've been chasing since I've been a child." Coming to a stop here, Sienna slowly turned to face Cinder, her eyes fixed on the younger girl's face, studying it as she spoke again.
"You understand, don't you? You have a goal you are chasing. A dream you desire to make reality. Tell me, why do you want to be a huntress?"
At this question, Cinder found herself faltering, her arguments ready and on the tip of her tongue vanishing as she found herself once again unable to respond.
Her dream had been revenge, but now that she had given that up, what other grand goal should she be chasing? Protecting her friends and family? Hardly something she needed to worry about as most were both older and stronger than her. Seeking fortune and fame out in the wilderness? Not her style. And even if it was, that was hardly something of note when compared to her classmates or even her own team.
Honestly, right now her only real desire was to stick with Amber after graduation. To travel and see the world while helping her leader find new things to enjoy in her life. But that was born out of her attachment to the dark skinned girl, not something she wanted to do for herself.
And as she stood there with no answer coming to her, Cinder did the only thing she could think of and went on the offensive.
"W-what does that matter?" The girl barked. "I'm not the one who goes around cramming bombs into hotels so the staff dies when they find it! I have nothing to explain to you! In fact, I'd say I have a very good reason to not tell you shit about me!"
Despite the rude response, Sienna simply smiled as she turned back towards the sky, her face relaxed, calm, eyes not focused and foggy, as if she was reliving some kind of distant memory.
"Well, my reason for becoming a huntress was, and still is, petty simple." She pressed on, ignoring the somewhat flustered comments of the young girl. "See, my dream is to give my people a voice. To become someone who protects their rights and their freedoms. To give them a beacon of hope telling them they're not alone, and to let them know there's always something who has their back."
Turning back to Cinder for what must be the umpteenth time, she gave the dark haired girl a small smile.
"I believe that a nation of Faunus, for Faunus, whose entire existence is built for, and to attend to their needs. For that purpose, I'm more than willing to be called petty or entitled or anything else for that matter. I don't really care. For the sake of that future, I'll happily bear any title, any insult, because for the sake of my goal I'm willing to sacrifice anything to see it through to completion, no matter the cost."
Coming to a stop here, Sienna looked Cinder right in her eyes, the older woman's eyes shining with hope and determination as she continued in a surprisingly soft tone, one the dark haired girl wouldn't have thought she was capable of.
"I won't hide my true colors anymore. If I have to protest, I'll protest. If I have to be called petty or weak, I'll be called those things happily. And if I have to fight and kill for that dream, then I'll tear through everything that stands in my path. Be that enemy, innocent or even my own allies. Because at the end of the day, I'll happily be called a monster to see that my people's future is secured."
With one last smile, Sienna turned and began making her way over to the edge of the clearing, clearing up some brush so the trucks could pass through, before suddenly stopping.
"Oh, one more thing." She called back over her shoulder. "It's not really my place to pry, but I think you shouldn't hide your strips either. Trust me when I say nothing but pain awaits you at the end of the path pretending to be someone you're not. So whatever change you're forcing yourself to go through, I'd recommend you stop and ask yourself, is it really worth building a life upon lies that you're trying to convince yourself is true?"
With that, Sienna turned back to her job of clearing the brush, leaving the dark haired girl staring at her back, mouth hanging open.
It took a few seconds for the girl to regain her composure, but once she did, a sickening feeling took root in her stomach as her mind immediately began replaying the conversation she had with Fang right after the riots.
Back then, when he had told her she should think about not giving up on her vengeance, she had felt somewhat relieved, hopeful even! Back when she had first sworn to kill the Phantom, she had been met with resistance at every turn. Fang was the first, and to date, only person who told her she wasn't wrong for hating the man, wanting to see him burn. And for wanting to be the one who did it.
He had seen her and accepted her true self, even before Amber had. And when she had made the decision to give up on her revenge, she had been afraid of losing that connection. Afraid of having that bond severed.
But after he told her of his pain and encouraged her to take some more time to think on it, she had been relieved not only for that special confection to remain in tacked, but also for the deep desire that was buried down inside of her could remain within the realm of possibilities for her.
After all, the fantasy of catching the Phantom by the throat and slowly boiling him alive was a dream that still brought peace to her chaotic mind. Something that told a part of her that for all her will, if the opportunity arrived, she wouldn't hesitate to take it.
But she said none of that, simply swallowing her feelings and making her way over to the woman and helping her clear a path through the brush, desperately trying to ignore the shadowy figure lurking just at the edges of her vision, his twin maces strapped to his back in that ever familiar fashion.
Sunset. White Fang's campground.
The sun sank below the skyline of the horizon, bathing the peaceful woods in an orange glow, letting the caravan of Faunus get some much needed rest after their day of travel. They would need to preserve their energy as it would take a couple more days before they reached their first supply stop. A small town called Blackjack. This of course gave them plenty of time to stand around waiting for dinner while chatting amongst themselves about nothing.
However, while many sat around talking or pitched tents getting ready for the night, a small group sat on the edges of the camp, keeping an eye out to ensure no Grimm could get the jump on them while they made dinner.
Among the guard and the one in charge of it was Adam, the young Savior of the Faunus, who now found himself sitting cross legged on a rock as he scanned the tree line for any signs of trouble as behind him, a woman with a fox tail worked on the truck they had arrived in, a boy with dog ears and a man with ox horns sitting beside him, talking with their crew as they waited for dinner to be cooked.
They were part of the next rotation, and as such were resting up before taking on the night shift, each one winding down in their own way, something Adam found comforting as he had ran with them as his crew for years now and was happy they hadn't jumped ship when their cause hit a couple snags.
Suddenly, a small crunch of leaves behind him drew the young man from her duties, making his ears perk up at the sound.
It was faint, light, something someone less experienced might have written off as an animal or something. However Adam was a self-proclaimed master of espionage, (something that always made Fang chuckle.) and he didn't need an extra pair of ears to tell the difference between someone trying to sneak up on him and a natural event.
"Blake." He said without looking back, chuckling to himself when he heard a surprised gasp, followed by a disappointed sigh coming from the exact same spot as the snap.
"How'd you know?" The dark haired girl asked, now approaching without trying to hide her footsteps. "I was so sure that twig wouldn't have alerted you."
Chuckling, Adam scooted over on the rock, making a place for the younger girl to sit. "Next time, time it with the wind or some other phenomena. Otherwise it'll be painfully obvious to anyone who spends enough time outside. Aka, every huntsman ever."
His response earned him a pout as Blake sat down next to him, folding her arms and pretending to be grumpy.
"Jerk." She grumbled as she turned away, looking out into the forest as Adam laughed, reaching out and placing a hand on her head, fingers rubbing right behind her ears.
"Come on, don't beat yourself up. You're already way ahead of everyone else your age. No need to grow up too fast." He said as the girl tried to swat his hand away, only from him to push down harder on her head, keeping it there. "But I thought you were helping with dinner. Shouldn't you be in the kitchen helping with the soup?"
Blake let out a scoff, rolling her eyes angrily.
"Got kicked out." She said shortly. "Apparently I wasn't doing anything right and was told, and I quote, go pester someone else. Along with some other rude language. And let me tell you something, your teammate is an asshole."
Opening his mouth to defend his friend, Adam was cut off as a loud voice of said kitchen nightmare echoed out through the entire camp.
"Why would you put the carrots in the soup before the beats?! Don't you know how bad soggy carrots are?! Are you stupid?! Were you dropped on your head as a child?! Is that what's wrong with you?! An accident as a baby making you a retard!?" A short pause followed Cinder's outburst, though it was short lived as the girl started yelling again. "I know what I said! Look! Does the soup look ready for carrots to you? Does it!? These thick cuts won't soak up the moisture properly and they'll become soggy! Do you want soggy carrots? Do you?! No? Then why'd you cut them like this and put them in so soon?! If you don't want them to turn out like mash potatoes, why'd you cut them so they'd end up like that?! Well?! Why did you do it?… Well apparently you do because cut them like-! Hey! Amber! Let me go! Their ruining dinner! If you've got a problem, go pick it up with them! They're the ones who can't do something as basic as cut carrots right!"
As Amber pulled Cinder away from the pot, no doubt apologizing for her teammate's display, Adam let out a sigh, resting his head in his hands.
"Yeah, she's an ass." He groaned, rubbing his temples as he tried to ease the headache he felt coming on. "Apparently she used to work at some five star hotel or something growing up and that makes her a nightmare to deal with when it comes to doing basic housework. You should have seen her when we first moved in together. Blow up and burned half my socks because I wasn't folding them properly."
Chuckling at the not so pleasant memory, one that ended after a few hours where Amber and Eric had to restrain their partners to stop them from killing each other as things were thrown and harsh words yelled. Order only being restored when Professor Goodwitch showed up to investigate the commotion and chewed all four of her out for their actions.
"For what it's worth, while she might be a terrible roommate, she's reliable on the battlefield." Adam explained. "Her ability to fight at close, mid, and long range easily makes up for her lack of social skills. Effectively making valuable in any situation, and when she chooses to follow orders, she makes the team near unstoppable. So, you eventually learn to…tolerate her. For the most part."
The last muttered part didn't slip past Blake, her ear twitching in response to his comment.
"Yeah well, if she wasn't a guest here, I'd beat her up." Blake said, pulling out her sword to emphasize her point. "She's lucky you're her friend, otherwise I'd show her the business end of Gambol Shroud.
Acting immediately, Adam reached out and grabbed the girl's blade, easing it back together and into the holster on her back.
"Easy there, might want to rethink that." Adam half joked, half warned. "You're strong, but with all due respect, Cinder's stronger. Right now, she could take you on without breaking a sweat. You're going to need to wait a good few years before you're ready to try your luck against her. Ask again once you've graduated Beacon yourself. Then maybe you'll stand a chance."
"I don't need to go to that school!" The cat Faunus snapped, pushing his hand off her weapon. "I'm already getting training from Sienna and she's way better than that school could ever hope to be! By the time I'm your age, I'll be ready to take my huntress license exam!"
At this, Adam threw back his head, letting out a laugh. "Well, aren't we spunky today? You're normally so quiet and reserved. Trying to show off for me or something?" His joke was unintentional answer as Blake blushed a deep scarlet, making her both adorable and hilarious, making the redhead let out an even louder laugh before letting his tone shift to a more serious one.
"Hey, don't rule it out just yet." He said in a kind, honest tone. "I thought the same way as you do before I left. But you know what? Thanks to Beacon, I've had experiences and training that Sienna could never give. And thanks to them, I think I've grown into a more capable person than if I simply stayed in my comfort zone."
At this, the cat Faunus fell silent, her hand tightening into a frustrated fist as she turned away from Adam, catching him off guard. Something was clearly bothering her more than she was willing to let on. Which might explain her more radical behavior these past few days.
"Blake, is something wrong?" Adam pressed, gently reaching out toward his girlfriend. "Something you think is wrong with Beacon or something? Is that why you're so opposed to the idea of going?"
"Ilia's told me what happens inside those schools." Blake said after a couple seconds of silence. "She told me how they brainwash Faunus into abandoning their identity. How they're still treated as second class yet accept that without any resistance. How they work to systematically whitewash our history, turn it against us. Are you seriously telling me that you learned something of value there?"
With that, Blake turned back towards the forest, her eyes hard and set as she fought back tears, leaving Adam to stare down at her, eyes softening as he realized what all this was about.
Her uncharacteristic outburst back before their departure had baffled him at the time, but after what she had just said, now he understood why she had been so adamant about coming.
She wanted to make sure he was still the same Adam as when he left, that he hadn't turned into someone she didn't recognize or give up their shared dream of equality. Something she must have been terrified of after hearing about Ilia's experiences within high Atlas society. Something that only got more real when he failed to regularly check in.
Although, was she really that wrong? Looking back on his older self, without a shadow of doubt that he could see parts of himself that just weren't there anymore, parts he had shaved away that night they had first met Igor or even before that.
Back when he first entered Beacon, he had done so begrudgingly at the request of Ghira, who thought it would be good for him to see the world from outside the echo chamber of the White Fang. At the time, the Faunus had cared little for his leader's decision, but with how much money was raised to send him there, and with Sienna forming a plan to use this as a platform to kickstart the White Fang's resurgence in Atlas, he had put up and done his best to be patient until his graduation.
But then, slowly, he found himself changing.
It was gradual at first, so small he hadn't really thought about it. But as days passed and he got closer and closer to his team, he found himself actually enjoying their time together. Whether listening to Eric crack his terrible jokes, or talking with Amber over dumb motives or historic events, hell, he had even started to enjoy his fights with Cinder!
And as he looked back on who he was before Beacon, much as he hated to admit it, the old him would have never thought to try to get to know humans. Make friends with them, or even probably give them a proper chance. The old him was just so tunnel visioned on the role he played in protecting the Faunus, he had been left him blind to everything else. No longer even trying to see what else there was beyond it.
And now? Sitting here with one of the people closest to him, while he could understand her concerns, he just didn't want to go back, become the person before Beacon, before team AACE. And while taking that step away from what had been his entire identity since childhood was absolutely terrifying, he also knew that come what may, he wouldn't ever regret the time he had spent or the lessons he'd learned during this part of his life.
And so, taking a deep breath, Adam began to pick his words very carefully, choosing the ones he thought would best explain his feelings towards both his past and current self.
"You know, Beacon's not nearly as bad as you think." He said gently, turning towards the forest. "It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but the teachers and staff there have a strong anti-bigotry policy. One they enforce upon the students body as well. They may not catch everything, but it's an important step in the right direction."
In response, Blake let out a low snort.
"Oh yeah, I can definitely see what you're talking about." She said sarcastically, hugging her legs to her chest. "They definitely, definitely made the right choice by not putting a squad commander of the White Fang as the leader of the team. Picking some scrawny, no name country bumpkin instead. Yeah, the fact the one happened to be a Faunus while the latter was a human was pure coincidence with no input from the anti-Faunus redirect that's permitted every part of Remnant for-."
"You're wrong."
Immediately Blake broke off, turning to face Adam after his surprising interruption. Eyes wide in surprise at the sharp tone he used and hard gaze he was giving his girlfriend.
"What do you mean?" The young girl asked, causing the boy to sigh, slumping forward as his shoulders started to sag.
"Amber isn't like that at all. She didn't get her position over me by some racist professor or something, she got it because she was the best candidate for the job." He said not looking at his companion. "I know it might seem that way, but there's more to Amber than you realize. Sure, when I first met her, I thought the same thing as you, but then, during our first ever mission, she did more than I ever did during my all time leading the Faunus."
Closing his eyes, for a moment Adam let himself relive the events of Music, remembering his own frustrations and failures during the event. Back then, he had been little more than baggage, barely even carrying his own weight, let alone helping push the mission itself.
But despite this, Amber had somehow found a way to rally them, make this dysfunctional team band together and not only succeed, but actually put away several dangerous criminals who had evaded capture for decades. All while facing her own personal demons.
And when he had regained consciousness in the hospital and heard about What had happened, how little his contribution had meant in the end, he had sworn that he would never be baggage again. That next time, he'd be able to pull his weight.
Swallowing his frustration with hardened resolve, he turned his attention back to Blake, gently reaching out and placing his hand onto her head, lovingly instead of teasingly this time.
"They saved my life, Blake. Multiple times." He confessed, looking the girl straight in the eyes. "Before I left the White Fang I would have never thought that a human would ever be willing to stick their neck out for a Faunus. And if you told me they had, I would have thought they wanted something out of you. It's experiences like that will make you stronger. Not charge yourself as a person, but grow. Letting them become a…better person than before. Not a different person but a new ideology on top of the old ones. Like…a triple topping sundae or a book series that continues after each major villain is defeated."
Coming to a stop of his rambling, poor metaphors. Adam, like most of his team before him, found himself wishing he had Amber's way with words.
"Okay, look. What I'm trying to say is that just because you're a big fish here, doesn't mean you're one out there. So don't close yourself off to other options. When the day comes, just be open to giving Beacon a shot. And who knows, you'll find you like it. You might even end up dumping me for someone you're a better match for."
"Fat chance of that. But maybe I'll consider trying out for the school when I come of age." Blake replied, smiling as she turned her attention to her hands resting in her lap, her prior spunk disappearing into her normal, more relaxed state, her stress dissipating as she understood what the young man meant.
With that, the two sat together in silence for a few seconds, simply enjoying each other's company as they watched the sun paint the sky orange and red above them, highlighting the beauty of the destroyed moon.
Eventually, Adam felt Blake's hand grip his, drawing his attention to the girl next to him as she scooted closer, snuggling her head against his shoulder.
"Hey Adam? If I go to Beacon, do you think I'd become the kind of woman that you'll-."
Bang!
Suddenly, a gunshot broke through the stillness of the night, causing both Faunus to jump to their feet, hands flying to their weapons as they looked around for the source of the sound, eyes scanning the tree line in the general direction the sound had come from.
Bang! Bang!
Two more gunshots rang out, each one echoing out far and wide, causing several birds to flee in surprise as their tranquil home was disturbed by the loud noise.
But thanks to these new blasts, both Adam and Blake were able to pinpoint the general direction of the sound, coming from several hundred feet away in the direction of the main road, pulling their attention just in time to see several trees being knocked down.
"Grimm." Adam breathed out, eyes narrowing as he started the pistons on his scabbard. "Blake, get the others and have them meet me down closer to the road! I'm going to see what's going on down there and who's fighting. Check if they need any help"
At this, Blake's eyes went wide, the girl taking a step toward the boy as she reached out, grabbing his sleeve.
"But-!" She began, but stopped when Adam held up his hand, stopping the girl's protest before she could even begin.
"I don't know what's drawing it's attention, but it would be desaturated if whatever out there wandered into camp! I'm going down there to stall it. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. At least until reinforcements arrive."
With that, Adam pulled his arm free and, not even waiting to check with Blake, took off, heading in the direction of the gunfire and falling trees.
Racing through the trees, Adam kicked off trunk after trunk as head shot towards the sound of gunfire. It had recently altered to a more burst round sound, meaning whoever was fighting had either switched or been forced into close quarters combat. In other words, they were in a more risky situation.
Picking up the pace, Adam eyes scanned the trees, looking for where the fight was taking place. He knew nobody would willingly fight in an area where their movements were limited but their enemies weren't, meaning they had probably taken refuge in a clearing or something, somewhere they could fight without worrying about getting cornered.
And sure enough, after several minutes, he found his query.
There, standing down in a dry lakebed surrounded by felled trees, was the Grimm in question, a giant Death stocker swinging its claws around wildly, trying to hit the person who darted around them quickly.
It was a girl around his age, only a few years older by the look of her. She wore a plain looking brown tank top, leaving her muscular arms free, and while it looked like it was designed for casual wear, it did let her swing around a sword with a red blade without worrying about anything getting in her way. Something she demonstrated as the Grimm lashed out with its stinger, her response simply being to jump over it and slash up the things tail, causing it to hiss in pain.
Her jump, while clearing the thing completely, was somewhat hindered by the skirt that covered her legs. It was made of soft, loose fitting fabric, but was just too close to her legs to be practical, making her stumble upon landing, just barely having enough time to duck under its claw as the Grimm made a swipe at her.
Cursing under her breath, the girl, using her sword hand, reached up, holding the large bow Pom Pom hat to her head, quickly jumping as she directed her scabbard towards the creature, rapidly firing bullets from the opening where she'd normally sheath her blade.
However, the bullets did little against the Grimm's armor, bouncing off as it shielded its face with its claws, advancing toward the girl rapidly, trying to pin her down as she stood on the slope. And as one unlucky bullet ricocheted back toward her, forcing her to deflect with a sword strike, the creature charged forward, capitalizing on the girl's momentary distraction.
But by now, Adam was within range.
Without a moment hesitation, using the stored energy in his blade, Adam discharged a blast with his semblance, slamming into the monster's back, knocking it off balance and bring it to a stop, letting the girl leap over it while racking her blade against its outer shell, causing blood to spring out from its injury.
"Be careful! It's an alpha!" The girl warmed as she landed on the same side as Adam, Slipping her blade into its sheath, her slender face highlighting her dark purple eyes as she fixed them to the redhead. "I hate to be a bother, but could I request your assistance? This thing is tough and I just don't have the destruction power to kill it."
"No problem." The Faunus replied, sheathing his own blade to charge it again. "I take it you're a huntress? Where's the rest of your team?"
"I'm alone." The girl replied, placing a pale hand resting on her blade. "I was contracted to investigate a strangely behaving Grimm spotted by some small villages in the middle of nowhere. Love to give you all the details, but right now I think our window for conversation has shut."
Turning towards the Grimm, they both saw the Deathstalker had turned around and was now gnashing at them with its pincers, prompting the two to shift into their battle stance as it charged towards them.
"Alright, let's do this!"
Acting immediately, the two dove to the right and left, out of the way as the Grimm stabbed its tail into the ground where they were just standing, sending dirt and debris flying into the air, its many eyes tracking Adam as he ran toward its right.
Seeing this, the Faunus planted his feet and began repeatedly drawing and sheathing his blade, discharging weak blasts of his semblance to draw its attention, forcing it to shield its face with it claws as he aimed at its eyes, baiting it to turn to face him as it attempted to counter with a swing of its claw, making the Faunus cartwheel backward to avoid the attack.
However, in doing this, the creature took its eyes off the girl, letting her leap up onto its back, slashing the base of its tail before sliding down it hard shelled back before landing right in front of the beast, slashing several of its eyes on her way down!
"Hhaass!" The beast hiss, staggering back as it flailed its arms around in front of it, trying to claw up the girl. But from having so few people get that close to it, the attacks were clumsy and poor, letting the girl dodge the first two effortlessly before backflipping over its pincers, landed next to Adam who released another burst of energy, this time taking off the thing's tail.
Hissing in pain, the Deathstalker stumbled back, blood spraying from its severed tail as it came to a stop a few feet away where it whipped its head around, glaring at the two huntsmen as it steadied itself. Then, with a loud roar, it charged at them again, moving several times faster than before.
Acting immediately, Adam released the remaining energy store in his blade, creating a massive red wave that ripped apart the ground before slamming into the Grimm, sending dirt and debris flying into the air. And while it blocked his view, he knew that there was no way the thing could have-.
"Heads up!" The girl next to him suddenly screamed before lashing out with her leg, kicking him to the side while using him as a stepping stool to propel herself into the air, as not a second to later as the Deathstalker came crashing out of the smoke, slamming its pincers into the ground where the two had just been standing not a second ago, blood dripping from it spit open bone mask where Adam's attack had hit.
Instead of trying to block, it had just crashed into the attack, taking the attack literally head on to avoid damage to its claws, a smart move indicating just how old this thing truly was!
Unfortunately for it, that was far from enough.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three gunshots broke the redhead out of his thoughts, drawing his attention up where he saw the girl was aiming her scabbard (which was now a rifle) and raining shots down on the creature, making it throw its arms up, blocking its head as its lunged toward her, eyes tracking her through the opening in it's claws.
Immediately jumping to his feet, Adam raced towards the girl, watching her throw her blade up just in time to block the Grimm as it swung at her with its pincers, knocking her out of the air and sending her skidding across the ground for several feet.
And as it turned toward the girl, claws raised high into the air, Adam saw his chance!
Running up behind it, he leapt into the air, slamming his blade into its scabbards letting him charge his semblance as he took aim at the gash on its face. If he could land a clean blow, he could send his attack straight through its head, killing it instantly!
However, right as he got within range to attack, his heart stopped when he saw its yellow eyes staring up at him. It had been waiting for him to make a move and lower his guard, giving it the perfect opening!
Spinning in the air, Adam tried to reposition himself out of the Deathstalker's reach. Unfortunately in doing so, he took his eyes off his opponent, letting the thing whack him with its bleeding tail, knocking him to the ground right in front of it where it raised both Pincers up, then smashed them down, aiming to crush the Faunus.
But right before impact, the girl slid in in between the Grimm and its prey where she pulled the trigger of her scabbard, launching her blade with tremendous speed where it smashed into its claw then ricocheted back, taking a chunk off the bone armor while letting her catch it as she scooped Adam up with one arm and leap back, landing several feet away where she helped the boy back onto his feet.
"Thanks." Adam said, steadying himself as he was still slightly dazed from the hit, resting his head in his hands, the roar from the Deathstalker not helping his headache.
"Don't thank me yet. This isn't over." The girl said, turning to face the Grimm that was charging towards them. "I'll give you an opening, wait for my signal then send this thing to hell."
Not waiting for his response, the girl sheathed her blade as she crouched down, hand resting on her sword as she watched the Grimm charging towards her, her face a mask of calm collectiveness.
As for what she was planning to do, Adam had no idea as he was pretty sure that the thing's claws were stronger than her blade. However, he didn't ask, simply sliding into a stance as he mimicked her position, one hand resting on his blade as he waited for an opening.
The earth shook as the Deathstalker approached, black blood flying off its tail as it hiss and foamed at the mouth, all its remaining blood red eyes fixed on the duo in front of it. The creature might not be sentient, but it still knew there was a reason they two weren't moving. And while it might not know what they were plotting, it had a good idea how to counter.
First, it would use its first pincer as bait, pull their attention and draw out whatever they were planning to counter with it remaining, forcing the girl to either retreat into the boy behind her, or take the blow and lose a chunk of her aura. Something that would swing the battle back into the creature's favor.
Sliding the last few feet, the Grimm raised one of its massive claws, positioned it high in the air drawing both's attention up and away from its second pincer.
Seeing this, the Grimm enacted the second part of its plan, consisting of raising it until the two were forced to crane their heads up to keep it in focus, making them lose sight of anything below their waist.
With that, the Deathstalker lashed out with its second claw, aiming to catch the girl in the front around the middle, effectively scissoring her in half. It knew that Aura drained incredibly fast under intense pressure and given what it had seen, it doubted she would be able to escape easily.
As the claw approached, Adam, realizing what was happening, whipped his head down just in time to see the claw aimed at the girl, his mouth going dry as he watched it approach. He had underestimated it! The thing had attacked at night, that being his first clue this thing was older than your average Grimm. He should have been more careful, forgetting to assess the potential strength of an enemy was a foolish mistake he couldn't believe he had made!
Opening his mouth, Adam took a deep breath, trying to shout a warning to the girl. Unfortunately, it was already too late. He saw the claw had entered attacking range and by the time the words left his mouth, the girl wouldn't have enough time to counter or dodge!
"Loo-!"
Suddenly, without even looking, the girl pressed the button on her blade, shifting at her waist as she throw herself into a full power slash, the strength of her sword amplified as she used the firing mechanism in her scabbard to enhance the force behind her swing, letting it move with more than twice the amount of strength and speed than anything someone could generate on their own!
At the same time, Adam saw her red blade shift with a deep blue aura, one that extended onto her hand and up her arm as she shifted her aura from a mere cloak into a powerful weapon, enhancing her destructive capabilities far beyond what a normal huntress could accomplish. Something that made Adam's eyes widen as he had never seen something like this before.
It was similar to Eric's semblance, but different, not as potent. Where the young knight flowed all his aura to a single point where it became a glowing beacon of power, this one wasn't pulling on her cloak, just moving the parts attached to her blade, not hardening or anything. More like it was…acting like a grindstone, sharpening her blade with just aura alone, though he couldn't see sparks flying like they did when normally sharpening a weapon.
What was that? Her semblance? He had never seen an ability like that before meaning that was the most likely answer. But at the same time, something about that just felt off. Semblances were an expression of the soul, something that encapsulated everything about their being. This seemed different, more like a subtle shift in her aura rather than a full on display, which is what a semblance normally was.
Sure, he knew not everyone had a flashy power, but even the more subtle ones just felt more…open, for lack of better word. Even the passive one carried more of a spark than whatever this was, if that made any sense. Either way, this just didn't feel like a semblance to him.
But if this wasn't her semblance, what the hell was it?
"Heads up! It's coming!"
The girl's scream snapped Adam from his thoughts, jerking his attention back to the battle and not a moment to soon as the next second, the girl pulled the trigger on her scabbard, firing her sword forward as she swung it, clashing with the Grimm's much larger claw, filling the air with the sound of steel scraping against bone, sparks of embers flying off as the two grinded against one another, the two competitors locked in fierce combat. One that was decided in a heartbeat.
There, with a single strike, the girl cut cleanly through the Grimm's claw, sending both pincers crashing to the ground as her blade sailed through the air, the bone that protected its opponent cut evenly open, sending black blood spraying onto the ground as the Grimm shrieked in agony.
"Now!" The girl screamed, diving out of the way, giving Adam a clear shot at the Deathstalker as it was still reeled in pain, only just noticed the switch in opponents.
But while he was slightly caught off guard, by the time the Grimm was raising its other arm to protect its face, it was already too late.
Activating his fully charged semblance, Adam saw the world around him turn dark, completely bathing everything around in a pitch black shroud as his hair and markings in his mask flashed a bright red, the only light offered in this world.
And just like that, he unleashed his semblance at full blast, releasing a contained energy wave that ripped towards the Grimm, kicking up dirt and debris as it tore through the ground, effortlessly making a small fissure before striking the Deathstalker right in the face, ripping through the bone mask protecting its head and tearing into its flesh, the sound of its scream drown out by the roar of the energy, leaving the fate of the creature all but settled.
And as the dust settled, the form of the Grimm's lifeless body slumped on the ground became clear right before its two split halves disintegrated into dust, leaving a noticeable scar on the earth as the only reminder of its existence.
Calmly, the two swordsmen sheathed their blades, assessing the surrounding area just to make sure nothing else could snuck up on them. Then turning to each other, a more relaxed tone in the voices.
"Thanks again for the assist. Killing something like that would have been a lot harder if you hadn't shown up." The woman said, resting her hand on the hilt of her blade.
With the immediate threat gone, Adam was able to get a better look at his comrade, noting how young she looked to be out here running jobs by herself. She looked only a few years older than him, and while she had lean muscles, she didn't seem to carry any large weaponry to deal with heavily armored opponents, like the one they just fought.
"No problem. I honestly didn't do that much" Adam replied, offering his hand to the woman. "I'm just glad I was in the area to help. Even though I'm not entirely sure you needed it. From what I saw, you should have been more than enough to kill that thing. All you needed was a direct hit to the head and bam, it's over."
Showing no reaction to either the hand or the compliment, the woman instead turned toward the edge of the crater and began making her way out, taking surprisingly easy strides over the rough terrain.
"The problem is my blade doesn't have a long enough reach." She said without turning around. "Even if I hit it in the head, there's no guarantee I would be able to land a killing blow." She explained, without turning. "Hence why I asked you to kill it. You had a much better chance at finishing the fight quickly. Though I must say, I've never seen a semblance like that before. Most people I've met who can transform their aura into an offensive energy like that end up dead on their first mission because they over extend."
Glancing over her shoulder, the woman took in Adam's appearance, her eyes slowing as it reached his mask, then again at his horns, causing a dark look to fill her gaze as she turned away, the subtle movements barely noticeable in the split second before her face moved out of his view.
However, the Faunus did notice, prompting a frown to cross his face, making Adam lowered his hand as he followed the woman up the creator, his own gaze running up and down her backside as he looked for any indication of her sudden change in demeanor.
After a couple seconds he noticed a sash hanging from her waist. And while it might seem innocent at first, the sigil on it immediately rang alarm bells in the boy's head.
It was a sword stabbed through the moon, depicted with black stitching on a white cloth, a symbol he immediately recognized as anyone who had spent any amount of time in Mistral would.
It was the crest of the Moonlight Dancer, a group of ruthless assassins who specialized in political jobs. Such as killing competition in elections, making key witnesses to politicians' shady dealings disappear, or kidnapping honest councilman families and holding them for ransom, all to uphold the status quo the privileged elites enjoyed so much. And because of these connections, charging them with any crimes was near impossible.
Honestly, in a lot of ways, they were basically Mistral's version of the Starless Platon. More organized and under a single leader, but the same principles of having criminals protected by powerful people because of their usefulness to society and to carry out the dirty work of those in office, letting them make whatever laws they wished with minimal consequences.
But how could a member of such an evil organization be all the way out here? From what he heard, the Moonlight Dancers were wiped out more than a decade ago. Felled not by a member of the government or some noble huntsman, but by some other criminal organization after a dispute over payments. Or something like that.
Honestly, nobody really knew who had done them in, only that one night their headquarters was found in ruins, burnt to the ground from the inside out, with the corpses of their members littering the surrounding area. And while many criminals and gangs had claimed responsibility for their annihilation, none could provide sufficient evidence to give them any credibility.
"It's incredibly rude to stare, you know. I would have thought the White Fang would have taught you better, Adam Taurus."
Adam immediately snapped out of his thoughts at the woman's call, his head snapping up to find her looking over her shoulder at him, that same dark look in her eyes as they're gaze met, sending a shiver down the redhead's spine. Her eyes weren't just dark, they were cold, empty even, barely filled with anything beyond distaste. Something that didn't make him feel easy about the fact she knew his name.
"Have we met?" The Faunus asked, casually shifting his weight to rest one hand in his blade, positioning his body to try to hide this action as he reactivated the pistons on his scabbard, charging his semblance as the tension began to rapidly increase.
"Might as well not have." The woman said, turning away despite the obvious threatening behavior. "But I have heard a lot about you. Hero of the White Fang, savior of the Faunus, unrivaled prodigy of our generation, the list goes on. Guess I should be honored to have the privilege to fight alongside one such as you."
Not missing the patronizing tone in her voice as she added that last sentence, Adam took several threatening steps forward, closing the distance between them in a couple seconds.
"I'm sorry, do you have a problem with me?" He hissed, keeping a certain edge in his voice to ensure she knew where his mood was at the moment. "If you want to say something to me, stop beating around the bush and just say it. I can't imagine you're this rude to everyone who helps you, so I guess you have a specific issue with me. So why don't you just tell me."
With this, Adam reached out to grab the woman's arm, planning on giving her a little pull to make her turn around and face him.
But before he could, with a single leap, the woman jumped the rest of the way out of the creator, sailing several feet without so much as a start up. Landing lightly at the top where she looked down at the Faunus, her gaze bored and uninterested.
"Not with you, with your methods." She replied, her tone mirroring her expression. "With so much sway in the Faunus of every kingdom, you could be doing so much more for the world instead of bringing both species together. Helping to build something that actually makes a difference. Instead, you continue to play around with the White Fang. An organization that has long since outlived its usefulness."
Bristling at the comment, Adam fought back the rage that almost immediately bobbled to the surface as he realized what this was about. Of course a heartless assassin who profited off the suffering of his people wouldn't like him. Not when they reaped the benefits of upholding that kind of bigotry.
Swallowing his anger, Adam began making his way up the crater, stopping a few feet away letting him smirk up at her.
"Really? And pray tell, Moonlit Dancer, what higher purpose would that be?" He said mockingly, putting emphasis on what he called her, making sure she knew he was aware of who she was. "Become some assassin only to end up dying in a ditch because some junkies didn't want to pay me? Because if that's your opinion of a better world, I think I'm just fine staying right where I am."
The woman looked over at Adam, her face unchanged from his pointed jab, her eyes narrowing with boredom as she shifted her weight to her other foot, letting out a sigh before replying.
"Seems listening isn't one of your strengths, is it?" She asked, her uninterested gaze fixing on his face. "You hear my words and immediately assume I'm talking about the subjugation of the Faunus. Are you aware that there are other problems out in the world beyond your own? Because if not, you're even more blind than I first thought."
Adam snorted at that, rolling his eyes behind his mask. "Yeah, thanks for the lecture, but I don't need moral guidance from an assassin from an organization that fell apart years ago. In a couple more years they'll fade from existence completely. At least the White Fang will be remembered long after our mission is complete."
"Don't hold your breath. Fate is a slippery slope that most cannot predict." She countered immediately. "Time washes all things away, those who don't change with it are doomed to be drowned by it. The Moonlight Dancers failed to do this, so it's only natural they were exterminated. Good riddance honestly, those worthless fools clung to the past like it was gospel. And then, it eventually caught up to them, gave them exactly what they deserved." With that, the girl spat on the ground in disgust, her voice dripping with venom as she spoke about those who wear the same cloth as she did.
At this, Adam did a double take. This girl sounded like she hated the Moonlight Dancers, the pure disgust on her face was proof of that. But then why did she wear that sash, effectively keeping them alive while making her own life harder. Surely it would just be easier to throw it away and let that past die with-
Wait? What did she just say?
"You…you know what happened to them?" Adam asked, the surprise in his voice clear. "But how? Their entire base was destroyed, burnt to the ground over a decade ago. How could you-?"
"Doesn't matter." The woman replied, turning away and beginning to walk back toward the road. "I don't need to tell you my life's story. Thanks for the assistance with that Grimm, now goodbye. I hope we don't meet again."
With that, she began power walking towards the trees, leaving Adam to scrape his jaw off the ground and hurry after her.
"Wait!" He called, running out of the crater after the woman who was already at the tree line. "I can't just let a known assassin walk away! Especially when their working huntsmen jobs where civilians' lives are at stake! You're gonna need to give me a good reason why I shouldn't just arrest you right-!"
"Oh, put a sock in it, will you?"
The sudden harsh tone from the girl froze Adam in his tracks. And while she hadn't turned around, he could feel her killer intent radiating down on top of him from all sides at once, stabbing into him all at once like a million sharpened blades. Each one screaming if death as they bore down, making it difficult to breathe.
Immediately, Adam felt a cold bead of sweat run down his face, his entire body freezing as pure malice radiated from the woman, his own aura hardening in response. This wasn't a semblance, it was just like when he had encountered Howard on the road after rescuing Jiao, the absolute certainty of approaching death as the woman's aura flared up, engulfing everything around her.
"Let's not pretend you actually care about any of that. You clearly think laws and rules made by humans are beneath you." She said, her voice bearing down on Adam despite the fact she wasn't even looking at him. "You just want to satisfy your own self-centered curiosity. You've wasted every opportunity given to you all because you wish to indulge that over inflated belief in your own legend. I have nothing to say to some arrogant narcissist who thinks just because he's had a few rough licks, he's entitled to waste and squander all the potential he has to do actual good in the world while using the excuse of racism to cover his own ass!"
At this pointed jab, any fear or uncertainty inside Adam vanished, replaced with an uncontrollable rage that instantaneously spilled forth from a place he didn't even know he had. He wasn't even sure why those words had set off alarm bells all throughout his head but one thing he was certain of was that he wasn't going to let anyone talk that way to him.
Without even trying, the entire area darkened as his semblance flickered to light, drowning the world into shadow as he instantly placed his hand on his sword, his teeth bared as he let out a furious roar, discharging the stored energy into a massive wave that raced alone the ground toward the woman, tearing up the ground as it went.
And as the deafening roar filled the boy's ears, he snapped out of his rage, eyes widening as he realized what he had just done. Immediately he took a step forward, reaching out his hand as he tried to shout a warning, as if it would do any good. He had just attacked someone out of pure rage and if they took the full brunt of his semblance at one-hundred percent, they would-!
Suddenly, a loud pop filled the air, stopping the Faunus mid sentence as, right before his eyes, the massive wave of red energy dispersed, scattering in every direction the second it made contact with the point of the woman's sword, now bathed with white light which radiated out, illuminating the calm expression on the woman's face. One that so completely differed from Adam's.
What had just happened? How had she just blocked the full strength of his semblance without even swinging? Had he lost focus in his rage and caused the energy to dissipate because of his sudden regret? No. That wasn't how his semblance worked. He could absorb energy and fire it back at his opponent. Nothing else. His emotions had nothing to do with the projectile after he had discharged it before, and given what he knew about his ability, it didn't make sense for it to work that way. No, this wasn't something that had happened on his end.
So how had she deflected it so easily? It wasn't like Howard, who had ripped apart his attack with a shield, this looked more like she had pulled apart the shirt, attacking the seams that held the thing together causing the rest to split off, flying in every direction as the rapidly vibrating energy pushed each other away. Unlike anything he had ever seen!
And as he stood there, staring at the woman, a smug expression crossed her face, one not of superiority or arrogance, but one of simple satisfaction. As if in this single action, she had won the fight between them, and in a certain way, it had.
"Just like I thought." The woman murmured, so quietly if Adam wasn't a Faunus, he wouldn't have been able to hear. "You are exactly what I imagined. That foul aura of your reeks of selfishness."
Raising an eyebrow at the comment, Adam took a step back, returning to his fighting stance, blade positioning between them.
"What are you-?"
"Adam!"
Jumping at the sound of his name being called, said Faunus spun around to find Blake, Eric and Sienna rushing toward him, weapons in hand.
"What happened?" The oldest Faunus asked as they skidded to a halt next to the redhead. "We saw you discharge two full power blasts in rapid succession, but that second one looked funky. Who the hell were you fighting to need that many attacks to finish off?"
"This bitch!" Adam yelled, pointing toward his opponent. "I just showed up, saved her from a Deathstalker then she started throwing shade for no reason! She-!"
But Adam never finished his sentence as when he looked around, he found the spot the girl had just been occupying empty, with no trace that anyone had ever been there except the spot on the ground where his attack had been brought to an abrupt stop.
"Who?" Eric asked, looking past Adam, eyes landing on the exact spot where the woman had been standing. "I don't see anyone, did they bail when reinforcements showed up? Let me guess, the Seraphim? Follow us all the way out here to have a shot at getting revenge?"
Adam didn't reply as he simply stared at the empty spot, eyes wide in confusion. How had she just done that? He had looked away for a second, to escape without making a noise was impossible. He was a Faunus! His senses were several times sharper than a human's even without an extra pair of ears. No way she could have gotten away that quickly!
"Adam?" His partner's voice broke the Faunus from his thoughts. Turning, he found Eric's worried eyes staring back at him, his expression dropping his joking persona in exchange for one of genius concern.
"Adam? Are you okay?" This time it was Blake, curiously cocking her head towards him as she approached. The same look of concern as his partner, only this one more noticeable, more honest.
"I…" Adam began, looking back toward the tree line where the woman had disappeared, then back to his friends, all of whom were looking at him with equal levels of concern, making him swallow hard before answering.
"It's nothing. Never mind." He said, forcing himself to put on a fake big grin. "I…got distracted. That's it. Nothing to worry about. Some psychopath was out here fighting a Grimm and I let her get me a bit riled up, that's all. She just ran off when she saw you guys coming, so I doubt she'll be back. She just…said some weird stuff. That's it."
At this, Blake let out a sigh of relief, buying into his half truth, letting him slide off that hook. Though judging by his expression, he was pretty sure Eric hadn't bought into it, the slight frown playing on the corners of his lips being a dead giveaway he was calling bullshit on the story. And a quick glancing to his side let him see Sienna was very much in the same camp.
"Well, that's a relief." The cat Faunus said, sheathing her blade into the pointless scabbard that was also a blade. "From how you were acting, I was afraid something bad had happened. Glad to know it was just a misunderstanding."
Turning around, Blake began making her way back towards the camp, calling back to her team as she walked. "Come on, let's get back before all this worrying draws in the Grimm. I don't know about you, but given how pushy your teammate is, I expect some five star grub when we get back!"
As she made her way back towards the camp, Adam shot the two remaining members of the group a look, promising to explain more later, both of which gave him a reassuring nod, confirming they got his silence message. Something he was eternally grateful for.
And as they began making their way back, Adam glanced over his shoulder one last time, eyes fixing on the tree line where the woman had disappeared, clenching his hand into a fist as he muttered his last words under his breath.
"You don't know anything about me." He said so quietly not even Sienna could hear. "I don't know what your deal is, but you're wrong. I am the hope for all of Faunus' kind. And I promise you, I will protect them, no matter what."
And with this silence vow, Adam dismissed the woman from his mind, following his team back towards their camp.
Two days later.
"Another sleepless night?"
Adam groaned in response to Eric's question, rolling over in the back of the truck, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he sat up, the gentle bouncing of the truck doing little for his sleep addled brain.
Looking down at his partner with concern, he offered the Faunus another mug of coffee, watching him drain the contents in a matter of seconds, adding to the knight's worry. "You feeling okay, man? It's not like you to let what others say get under your skin. Especially a complete stranger with a shady past to say the least. What on Remnant did she do to get your feathers all ruffled like this?"
Sighing, Adam sat up, shooting a glance at Blake's sleeping form before answering, making sure to keep his voice low so as not to wake his sleeping girlfriend after her late night patrol shift.
"That's just it, I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over that bitch." He confessed, his face and tone overflowing with exasperation. "She made a bunch of base accusations, that's it. Nothing new or something that isn't easily disproved. I've done plenty for the Faunus, putting our wellbeing before my own countless times. I mean, I lead the Faunus to take back what the Schnees stole from us, I was the one who fought on the front lines when the White Fang was driven out of Atlas, I'm the one who always first to volunteer for missions and train the younger members, teach them to survive in the wild. If it wasn't for me, we'd have lost most of our youth division and would have been wiped out years ago!"
Raising, Adam let out a frustrated snarl, pacing the truck angrily as he took another swing of coffee.
"I mean, did I see some benefits because of my actions? Yes. I won't say I didn't, but does that one fact negate all the good I've done? I hardly think it does! I mean, without me, the White Fang would have about half as many members as it does now, maybe more! And that's not counting how many we've lost to the Seraphim!"
"Not sure everything on your list is good, but yeah, I see your point." Eric replied, not looking up as he returned to polishing his shield. "Still, from what you said, it sounds like you two have some history, even using similar styles of fighting, a Mistral draw and slash style, not exactly a common method. You sure you don't know her?"
"Yes. I'm sure!" Adam said shortly, throwing his hands into the air frustratedly. "I'm pretty sure I'd remember something that judgy. Or you know, a member of an assassin's guild that fell apart a decade ago. I learned this style from a Mistral Huntsman who is part of the White Fang. And given I was his only student, yes, we didn't share the same teacher or anything."
Looking up at his agitated partner, Eric lowered his shield, letting it rest on his lap as he turned his full attention to Adam, thoughtfully rubbing his chin.
"So, you're sure you don't remember her and she doesn't have any connection to you. If so, that must mean she's making her assessment based on what she's heard about you." He deduced. "If that's the case, I think a better question is why does she have it out for you in particular. Jealousy perhaps?"
Adam paused for a moment here, letting his friend's suggestion roll around in his head for a bit, easing his frustration for a bit. He wouldn't lie, to accept that as the reason felt good, put his mind at ease, letting him dismiss her words as nothing more than a petty little girl who couldn't be grateful for what she had. Letting him look down on her with pity.
It was very tempting to just call it there, to assume that was the sole reason for her distaste towards him. But try as he might to accept that and move on, something itching in the back of his mind just wouldn't believe it, telling him there was more going on then just that,
"No, I don't think so." Adam said, his pacing stopped and his voice calm. "When she spoke, her eyes were completely emotionless as if she was stating a fact. I've seen jealous people before, and every time, their anger and frustration is clear in their eyes, barely concealed as they spit words at me. I've never seen anyone who could just…turn off those kinds of feelings while going off on a tirade at the object of their envy. Whatever this was, it was something else entirely."
A heavy silence fell between the two boys, both racking their brains to think of some other possibility to why this strange woman's words had dug so deep into Adam that hadn't already been explored since the day after the encounter, when Eric had been moved up to Adam's division to keep an eye on him and help him relax after it was obvious how much those words had gotten under his skin.
A few minutes passed before finally, Eric looked up, setting his shield down on the floor before turning to Adam, locking eyes with the Faunus.
"You know, it's a long shot, but hear me out on it." He said carefully. "What if that woman was-?"
"Hey, look alive people! We'll arrive at our first stop shortly!"
The voice of the drive cut into the conversation, making Blake wake up effectively bringing any hopes of restating it to a complete end.
"Wasgoingon?" The cat Faunus said groggily, rubbing sleep out of her eyes as she slowly sat up, words slurring together in her drowsy state.
Smiling at this, Adam moved over, offering Blake his leftover coffee, which she accepted, flinching as took a sip before making a face, handing it back to the redhead.
Chuckling, Adam took the cup back, draining the remaining contents before setting it back in the portable cupboard and locking the door shut.
"Look alive, kitty cat. We're here." He said, tossing the girl her pack, smiling as he did. "In a few more minutes, we'll have reached Blackjack, the first stop on our important mission. And the sight of our first stop before we hit the Grimm infested part of the kingdom. Or its more common name, The No Man's Land."
Huh, that weapon the assassin was using sure seems familiar. I wonder what I'm building too.
In all seriousness, I hope you found this chapter enjoyable. I personally hated it so much I took 3 days to edit it. Either way, I'm sure you can see what I'm talking about with the shoehorned in comment from earlier. I'm hoping to get it better next chapter and will have everything fixed by the chapter after that. So please bear with me until then.
Anyway, thank for reading and I hope you have a great day. Bye!