Doing a lot better than last week. We made it through the food poisoning thing. Now it's on to a bunch of follow-up tests to figure out what the heck tried to kill me. Meanwhile, my basement sump is on the fritz again, so we're back to working on getting someone to come figure out what's going on so we can stop flooding the basement every time we do clothes. The fun never stops.
On a brighter note, It's only 9 days until my 33rd birthday! I don't really celebrate all that much, but I will be making my annual trip to the Brazilian steakhouse and stuffing myself with as much steak as I can manage. My one bday tradition. I'll also be doing a special bday/streamer anniversary stream on the 30th to celebrate 3 years on Twitch! So much preparation is underway, including testing out the new cotton candy machine I bought. Hard to believe how close the end of the month is when there's so much to be done still.
"Send me to Atlas."
It took Sienna a few seconds to realize Adam wasn't there for violence. Not against her, at least. She relaxed back into her seat a little with a relieved smile. "Hello to you too, Adam."
Adam ignored her snarky greeting. "I want to go to Atlas."
"Atlas? You do realize that's literally the worst place for you right now, don't you?"
"I don't care." Atlas crossed the line. They'd insulted his parents - his real parents, not the worthless man that abandoned him on a doorstep in the middle of the night. Going after him was one thing, but he refused to let them sully the names of the only two people to truly care about him. They had to pay. "I want to go."
Sienna studied him for a moment, her thoughts hidden behind a critical gaze as she weighed her options. On the one hand, she was right. He wanted her to send him straight into the rapier wasps' nest. Mistral may have tried to arrest him, but Atlas had sent a full team to hunt him and dig through his past when he'd never even given them a thought. They came looking for a fight.
And he intended to give them one.
Sienna sighed, though whether that was a good sign or not, Adam couldn't tell. "I don't have any missions planned for Atlas right now," she explained, looking through a few documents on her desk. "Getting people to Atlas has always been difficult, and you're not exactly someone that can walk around unnoticed." Adam didn't bother pointing out that they'd made him that way. Rather the SDC had, but Atlas was basically in bed with the company, so they shared the blame. "Even if I could get you there, I don't really have anything you could do."
"Then find something," Adam demanded. "Raid a dust mine or hijack a cargo ship. Anything. Atlas and the SDC have to pay."
"Is this about that program tonight?" She knew it was, so Adam kept quiet. "We can't run off and retaliate every time they lie about us. We'd never keep up."
Adam pushed away from the desk, his decision already made. "I'm going to Atlas," he told Sienna, "with or without you." He didn't know how, but he'd find a way.
"Ghira won't be happy."
This again? Did everything revolve around their little power struggle? No wonder they never got anything done! The two of them were too busy worrying about each other to even notice anyone else. He'd had it with their politics. "I don't care what Ghira thinks! I don't care what you think!" The shock on Sienna's face only fueled his anger. "Gods, what's the point of the White Fang? You say you want to help faunus, but you're too busy fighting against each other half the time! Well I'm done playing your little games. If you two want to hide here and play your stupid little games, then go right ahead, but I want no part of it. I'm going to Atlas, so either get me there or get out of my way."
Gods, that felt good. Watching the two so-called leaders spend most of their time sniping at each other had gotten old fast. A real leader didn't focus on personal ambition and rivalries. They just led. Plain and simple. Instead, Ghira and Sienna were like kids fighting over a toy. And while the two of them continued pulling and shouting "mine!" over and over, the rest of them were forced to sit around and wonder when they'd actually get around to helping faunus again.
He was sick of it. Sick of sitting around waiting for them to come to their senses. Sick of both sides trying to use him against the other. Sick of doing nothing while Atlas, Mistral, and the SDC turned the whole world against him.
Sienna nearly dove across her desk, snagging Adam's arm as he turned to leave. "Wait!" Adam paused, glancing back in amusement at how undignified his so-called leader looked all of the sudden. When it was clear he would hear her out, she straightened up and walked around her desk. "Wait. I don't have any missions planned for Atlas, but that doesn't mean we can't plan something. Something against the SDC," she quickly added, trying to appeal to him. "It'll take time to arrange, though."
"How long?" He wanted specifics. A guarantee. Anything less would just be an empty promise of a politician.
"A few months," Sienna said, sensing his disapproval almost immediately. "We need to identify a suitable target, arrange transport and exfil, talk with our contacts - there's a lot that goes into something like this, but I promise we'll make it happen. We've never done anything more than a few rallies in Atlas. This is bound to get a lot of attention."
"Isn't that what you want?" Did they honestly expect to change anything by holding press conferences and hiding on their little island? "Maybe it's time to remind the world we're still here."
"Remind the world…" Sienna hummed the words to herself. "Perhaps you're right. I'll have the Albain brothers reach out to our contacts in Atlas in the morning. We'll let you know as soon as we have something." Adam nodded and turned to leave, content in his small victory. "And Adam…thank you for coming to me with this. I won't let you down."
She'd better not.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Three days. He hardly expected news in that time, but already he could feel his anxiety rising as he waited for his chance to avenge his parents' names. It hardly helped that all the information on his past had stirred new interest in him. Every news channel covered it, adding their own speculation and spin to make him look even worse and make up new sensational claims to shock their viewers. It seemed like everyone who'd so much as read the cover of a psychology book found time to weigh in on his mental state and what made him this way. He'd seen Sienna meeting with the Albains again and tried to reassure himself that they were working on it, but that left him to sit around and wait.
He hated waiting. He also hated the renewed attention around Menagerie and even within the White Fang. He'd known others would see the presentation on him, and while some tried to encourage him, others actually believed some of the lies levied against him. Even those close to him had their doubts.
"Any truth to all that stuff they said?" Jakob asked over lunch. "Did you really…you know, with that teacher lady when you were younger?"
Of course that would be the part he focused on. "She made it all up to get me in trouble," Adam assured his far too horny friend. Jakob really needed to stop fantasizing so much and just find a woman for himself already. There had to be someone in Kuo Kuana who would put up with him. "I was framed."
"Dang. What did you do to make her go so far?"
"I stood up to her." Something he should've done a lot sooner. Preferably long before Nila ever got involved.
"What, told her you wouldn't do the homework or somethin' like that?"
"Told her I wouldn't let her take advantage of me anymore." More importantly, that he wouldn't let her go after Nila again. Not that it did any good in the end. Not for Nila. The damage had already been done.
Adam hadn't slept much the last few nights, haunted by the memory of what he'd done and the pained look in Nila's eyes afterwards. Worse, he couldn't help but wonder if the reports were right. Had she hung herself because he'd gotten away? Would she have gone on living if he'd accepted his punishment, or had him escaping pushed her over the edge? He might as well have tied that noose himself. Her blood was on his hands, and there'd be no washing them clean.
"Wait wait wait. You sayin' she was giving you a free ride and you turned her down?"
"It wasn't like that." How could he explain it? To someone like Jakob, an attractive woman showing interest like that would be the greatest thing in the world. People always seemed to think rape was something a man did to a woman - like he'd done to Nila. The very idea of it going the other way was as unthinkable as a friendly Grimm. "She took advantage of me."
"She could take advantage of me anytime she wanted," Jakob said.
"Shut up."
"Probably into some kinky stuff too, wasn't she?"
"I'm warning you, Jakob."
"Oh, did she like roleplaying? The whole disciplining a naughty student thing?" How could one man be so oblivious to the minefield he'd just sprinted into? Adam wasn't sure he could take much more. "Or maybe she preferred being the schoolgirl. Sort of a role reversal thing. That'd be pretty hot."
"If you don't cut it out, I'm gonna-"
Adam never got to finish his threat. Jakob sailed back out of his seat, crashing into the table behind him headfirst. The girl whose seat he'd jostled looked down, saw a guy gazing up her skirt, and proceeded to deliver a well-deserved kick to his face before dumping her drink on him and running off with a scream.
"Thanks, Bane."
The big guy cracked his knuckles as he sat back down. "Don't mention it."
The pair enjoyed the brief reprieve for what it was while Jakob stomped away and came back with a pile of napkins, wiping himself dry as best he could. "Man, I'm gonna be sticky all day now. You guys really suck sometimes."
"The feeling is mutual," Bane returned with a grin.
Jakob shook his head, unleashing a spray of droplets from his hair that had Adam leaning away with a scowl. "So what's on the docket for this afternoon?"
"Weapons training," Bane answered.
"Again? Don't you ever take a break?" Jakob already knew the answer. Bane never took a day off. Whenever he had free time, he'd just wander around looking for someone to help, not that anyone minded. When Bane showed up and offered to move equipment, take inventory, or even just man a desk for a few hours, anyone with two working brain cells accepted. Except the tour guides. Apparently they wanted someone who would actually talk when showing people around.
"I'm training with Kaito again." As he'd done for the last few days with limited success. It felt so close, though. He could feel his Semblance trying to break free, but every day something held him back. Kaito had tried everything he could think of to draw it out, but nothing happened. Apparently he had another plan today. Two, actually. What they were, he wouldn't say, but despite all their failures, the old guy claimed he was getting closer. For a tired, old war veteran, he sure was optimistic.
"Still haven't figured out that superpower of yours yet?"
"It's not a superpower," Adam insisted, even if it kind of was. Still, he hated the idea of a Semblance being treated as some sort of superhero ability. That was the stuff of comic books. A Semblance was nothing more than a tool. A powerful tool, but still something to be used. "And no, we haven't. But we're close."
"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades." Where did Jakob even come up with this crap? Close absolutely counted here. "Well, you two have fun. They're training me in the radio room today. Running some field drills with the handhelds. Said I've got potential to work in comms."
"A desk job? Yeah, no thank you." Adam hated the idea of being tied to a desk all day. An army of Grimm scared him less than a pile of paperwork.
"It's not a desk job," Jakob protested. "Not just a desk job. Melissa says I could make a good field officer."
"In other words, she just wants you as far away from her as possible."
"You're just jealous." Adam most certainly was not. "You two have fun sweating it up in the great outdoors. I think I've earned a cushy chair and some air conditioning for once."
If he said so. "Whatever. Anyways, I'd better get going. I'll never hear the end of it if I'm late."
"Old man's a stickler for punctuality, eh?"
"Something like that." In truth, it wasn't Kaito he worried about. Blake had been roped into helping each day. He'd already gotten an earful yesterday for wasting her time.
He'd only been five minutes late! No excuse was good enough for the little brat, though. She made it sound like he'd wasted her whole day, then went right back to reading while he guarded her from more attacks.
Adam hurried to the training grounds, where the familiar pair of Kaito and Blake were already waiting, though it looked like his annoying little student had swapped the usual novel for a notebook instead. A few training dummies had been arranged in a semicircle around their usual training circle, though Adam wasn't sure how they'd help. Or why Kaito had an extra sword strapped to his side. He'd never seen the man dual wield, but if he thought it would somehow help, then more power to him.
"Look who finally learned how to read a clock." Even on time, he wasn't safe from Blake's attacks.
"Why are you even here?" Adam shot back. "If you're so convinced I'm wasting your time, then why bother? I'm sure we can find someone else to stand there and do nothing." Preferably someone less annoying, which meant almost anyone in Kuo Kuana would do.
Blake shook her head defiantly. "It's not a waste of time. I'm earning extra training."
"From Kaito?"
"From you."
"Excuse me?" This was the first Adam had heard of any payback.
"I'm helping you train, so you have to help me train," Blake explained with the sort of straightforward reasoning he'd come to expect from her. "Besides, Kaito promised you would."
"He did, did he?"
Kaito didn't even flinch at the accusation. "It's only fair. We are using her time."
"Then you train her." He could deal with the brat for a few hours. Adam had less aggravating things he could focus on instead.
Kaito smiled as he shot down Adam's plan. "Unfortunately, I'm too busy working on your Semblance problem. Too much work to do." Kaito wasn't fooling anyone, but there wasn't much Adam could do other than refuse. Blake would just start nagging him if he did, so either way he'd be stuck with her. Might as well knock her around a bit in that case. "Before we get started, I have something for you."
So saying, Kaito unhooked his extra weapon and tossed it at Adam. He caught it easily enough, eyeing the dark, straight scabbard curiously. It looked about the same length as his current sword - maybe a little longer - but felt slightly heavier. "I already have a sword."
"And now you have a better one. Take a look." Curiosity won out as Adam took hold of the sword's grip and slowly slid the blade free. The blade hissed slightly as he did, his eyes widening at the blade that slipped free. "Dust infusion. I didn't know what kind you'd like, but I had a feeling you wouldn't mind."
Adam stared down at the bright red metal in front of him. Fire dust. The blade was infused with fire dust! Kaito's water effects were cool and Blaine's electric discharges would be great against a human opponent, but neither of them compared to fire in Adam's mind. It was pure destruction. Raw power. An elemental fury that consumed everything in its path.
It was perfect.
"Figured I'd stick with a chokutō." A what now? "Your sword. Don't you even know what sort of blade you're using?"
"A straight one?" Evidently, the wrong answer, judging by Kaito's beleaguered sigh. "It's not like I know the name of it." Or that it even had a name. He'd heard of katanas, longswords, and even broadswords, but beyond that he didn't really know any others.
Kaito muttered something about ignorant children but decided it wasn't worth his time to teach a class on sword types right now. "The fire dust will pack an extra punch, but I'll have to train you how to use it properly. It'll need a little more upkeep than your old blade, too." That was fine with Adam. "I took the liberty of making a few changes though. The blade's a little longer. So is the grip."
"I thought it looked bigger." Adam ignored the immature snicker from Blake as he looked over the new sword. The scabbard felt heavier than he expected. He sheathed the blade to run his free hand across the dark red scabbard, but it was the gray top that intrigued him. There, just at the point where the more metallic end started, was a trigger. "What's this?"
"I see you've found the other little surprise." Kaito beamed with satisfaction as he held out his hand. Adam offered up his new weapon, curious as to what strange design Kaito had snuck in. He slid the sword free once more and held up the scabbard alone. "I thought you could use a ranged option, but didn't want to burden you with extra weapons."
Before Adam could ask what he meant, Kaito pressed something he couldn't quite see. Suddenly, the scabbard began to shift, with the dark red base collapsing into a solid gun stock, even as the metallic-looking end lengthened slightly. In no time at all, the scabbard had transformed into what looked like a short rifle.
"It's a close-range rifle," Kaito explained, aiming it at one of the dummies and squeezing the trigger. The resulting shot blew a small chunk off the side. "More power than accuracy, but an off-hand gun isn't meant to hit distant targets. Still, it'll give you more options to work with." Kaito spun it around and resheathed the blade as the mechashift scabbard returned to its normal form. "And speaking of options, I slipped in a nasty little surprise I think you'll like."
More? What else could he possibly fit in a single weapon? Oh gods, his new sword was almost as complicated as Blake's hook-sword-gun-ribbon thing. Even so, he couldn't deny the excitement at seeing what else Kaito had cooked up. Honestly, the man looked almost as giddy showing off his design.
Kaito held the weapon against his hip, one hand on the grip while the other kept the scabbard in place.. "The trigger still works in this form, but it won't fire a bullet unless you switch it over."
"Then what does it shoot?" This time, it was Blake that asked, having been watching the display with growing interest.
"A sword." It did what now? Rather than explain, Kaito crouched slightly, tensing as his finger slipped to the trigger. The gun barked once as Kaito less drew the sword than hung on for dear life as it shot out of the scabbard in a flash, carrying the momentum into a lightning-quick slash through the air. He twirled the blade once and firmly shoved it back into the scabbard. "With your straight blade design, it slides out pretty cleanly. Like this, you can launch a full attack from a standstill without any warning. The perfect surprise to start and end a fight in a single move."
Kaito was right. Adam did like the sound of that. Not only that, but he doubted he could swing at that speed normally, meaning the opening strike would be faster and deadlier than his normal attack. He could put his opponent on the backfoot right out of the gate.
When Kaito handed the impressive weapon back, Adam accepted it with a newfound sense of awe. The dust blade alone was a major upgrade. Kaito hadn't just gone a step further, though. He'd practically ran a marathon afterwards. A mecha-shift scabbard-gun and a sneaky power attack? "You didn't have to do all that."
"Actually, I did," Kaito said with a sheepish grin. "Tell me, Adam, how would you describe your fighting style?"
"My style?" Adam had never really thought about style before. All that mattered was how fast and strong he could hit something. "I dunno. Aggressive one-handed with an emphasis on quickness?"
"I'd call it sloppy." Kaito's words struck harder than an Ursa. "You're nothing but brute strength and speed. That might work against some people or a mindless beast, but there will always be someone stronger and faster out there." Like a Huntsman. How could he hope to withstand someone like that with nothing but the basics? Would he even be able to hold out against a Haven student? They were the same age as him - older in most cases - and had been training far longer. They'd be faster, stronger, and more experienced than him in every way. "You need something cleaner. More elegant. Something that can outclass even a more powerful opponent."
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting I whip that pathetic excuse of a fighting style into something more refined," Kaito answered. "Iaijutsu."
"Bless you."
Kaito ignored his joke. "Iaijutsu," he repeated, "is an ancient sword form that focuses on defense and counterattack rather than pure aggression. It centers around the draw and control of a blade rather than open swinging. Being able to go straight into combat from a sheathed stance, even while sitting, means you can present a peaceful position while being ready for conflict. And if I'm right, it will complement your Semblance perfectly."
"Because of how it charges?" Kaito nodded in agreement. If his Semblance relied on blocking, then a defensive style would be better for charging it up. Not only that, but if he expected to face superior opponents like Vern in the future, an all-out attack style would just get him in trouble. Blocking and countering were more suited for the underdog, which he definitely was in those fights. He'd need some serious power to stave off a Huntsman. Semblance-level power. But if he had to charge it up, then having a way to defend himself and buy time would be useful as well. "So how does this ia…uh, just you thing work?"
"Iaijutsu," Kaito sighed. Looked like vocabulary lessons would need to be included. "It won't be easy. We'll start with the basic standing kata. Maybe once you have mastered those, we can move on to seated postures like iai-goshi. It's usually more suited to a katana, but I think we can make it work for you."
Adam looked back to Blake. "You catch any of that?"
Blake just shrugged, as in the dark as he.
"Apologies. I may have gotten carried away." A little? Kaito may as well have been speaking a different language. "I'll explain it all in due time. The short version is: learning a completely new style will take time and practice, but I believe it will make you a greater warrior in capable of taking on even the strongest foe. But only if you're willing to commit to its teachings."
"I'll give it a try." If it made him stronger, then why not take a stab at it. Worst case, it didn't stick and they tried something else.
"Good. For now, though, let us focus on drawing out the hidden power of yours." Adam readied his sword - his old one, as he hadn't had a chance to test out the new blade yet - and waited for the inevitable attack.
That left a second weapon in his offhand. Tossing it away seemed like a horrible way to show his gratitude, but holding onto it wasn't much of an option either. He tried tucking it into his belt, but it felt weird having two scabbards at once, especially when one weighed noticeably more. Adam looked around for a place to store it before a tap on his shoulder interrupted his frantic search.
"Here," Blake said, holding out a long ribbon that matched the one attached to her weapon. "Strap it across your back for now."
"Thanks." Blake went back to her book, sketching something while Adam followed her instructions. It took a second to fasten it snugly, with the ribbon tied in front of his chest, but it would hold. Honestly, it wasn't a bad positioning, though drawing overhead like that would be a bit of a pain compared to a hip draw. He could swap the two weapons later if he needed to.
"No holding back today," Kaito demanded, pointing his own sword at Adam. "Once you feel it build up, go ahead and attack. No reason to hang onto it all day." As if he would wait that long. He wanted so badly to unleash it, but one thing held him back. Well, two things, if you included his complete inability to activate it at will.
"I don't want to hurt you."
"I'm a big boy. I can take it." So he claimed, but Adam had no idea how powerful his attack could be. "I've got plenty of aura, so I'll be fine."
"Gideon had aura, too." And he'd cut right through it. Maybe he'd let his guard down, but Adam wouldn't bet on it. In the middle of a Grimm attack with Adam charging right at him? He'd have to be an absolute moron to not have his aura up and ready.
Kaito wouldn't be convinced otherwise. "That's why I want you to use it immediately, before it can charge too much." Presumably, less charging would mean a weaker attack, though everything they were doing was guesswork at best. "If it helps, try attacking one of the dummies instead. I don't think they'll complain."
That sounded better, though there was no guarantee it would work like that. For all they knew, he had to use his attack against the one who charged it up or something. It hadn't against the Grimm - most of his blocking was against Grimm that died long before his Semblance activated - but the last one had still contributed. Still, if it meant not trying to behead his trainer, he'd give it a go.
Quite a few goes, actually. Kaito would attack over and over again until Adam felt ready, then he'd turn and swing at a dummy. He'd hacked one or two of them up a bit, but only with normal attacks, not Semblance-enhanced killing blows. Still, they persisted, repeating the cycle as the itch of his Semblance grew worse and worse until Adam finally called it.
"It's no use," he moaned, kicking a clod of dirt and watching it explode into dust. "We've been at this for days, and I still haven't gotten it to work."
"We're getting there," Kaito promised.
Empty promises. Kaito had no idea what they were doing, and it showed. "Are we? Maybe we're wrong. Maybe there's something else I have to do. Or something we missed. We're just wasting time."
"We're close." Kaito lowered his sword until the tip touched the ground. "Atlas wasn't built in a day. Something like this…it takes time to work out, especially the more powerful ones."
Nice try, but getting his hopes up only worked so many times. They'd been going in circles again. If he couldn't figure out how to use this power, then what was the point in charging it up? An unpredictable ability did nothing for him. He needed to learn how to wield it and do so consistently if he ever hoped to grow.
"We'll keep training," Kaito promised, doing his best to keep Adam's spirits up. "All we need to do is find what activates your Semblance now. The hard part's already done. Just a little more and- oh, Sienna. I didn't see you there."
Adam nearly gave himself whiplash turning to spot their new arrival. Sure enough, Sienna Khan stood a little off to the side, patiently waiting as they spoke. "Don't stop on my account," she insisted. "I just need to speak with Adam once you have a moment."
"No, no, it's fine. That's probably a good spot for a break." Kaito waved Blake away from the pair. "Come, young one. Let us leave them to talk. Perhaps you can show me how much you've learned." The promise of training won out over any curiosity Blake had about their conversation as she hurried after Kaito, then sprinted ahead to fetch her weapon. Adam pitied the man for having to put up with Blake for a bit. She'd missed out on a good deal of training to help him, and if he knew Blake, she'd be eager to make up for lost time.
It only took him a second to remember he'd be the one dealing with her soon. Suddenly, teaching looked a lot less appealing.
That could wait. Right now, he'd rather find out what Sienna wanted. More importantly, what she had for him. "Have you found anything?"
Sienna didn't bother asking what he meant. They both knew his mind was fixed on a cold, brutal Kingdom far to the north. "Not yet." Adam couldn't hide his disappointment. "Nothing concrete, at least, though we've had rumors."
"Of what?"
"A dust mine just outside of Atlas," Sienna explained, catching Adam's attention immediately. "It's one of their larger and richer mines, with tunnels leading deep underground rich with multiple dust types. It's one of the SDC's proudest accomplishments…and home to a sizable faunus workforce.
"One of our men on the inside reports that they've been pushing deeper without proper protections in place. The workers complained about unsafe conditions, but management refused to do anything other than punish anyone who spoke out." Adam bristled at the familiar scenario. Orostachys had been the same way. Many a worker had visited the hole for complaining about the conditions. "I'm hoping to convince Ghira to send a small group to lead a protest outside the camp and demand change."
"That's it? A protest?" As if the SDC would even care. They'd just issue some bland statement about taking safety seriously and crack down on anyone trying to get information out. Why bother spending a little extra for safety when you could cut corners and pocket the difference?
"That's what we'll tell Ghira," Sienna clarified. "In reality, our goal will be to sneak our informant out at night. He has evidence of the mine's condition and recordings of management being told. If we can get him out, those recordings can prove our claims that they're willfully endangering faunus workers for profit."
A little better, but still not enough. "So what? They'll just slap a few improvements in place and call it a day. How does that help anyone?"
"Because he's not the only one we're rescuing." Sienna had his undivided attention. "Atlas Day is only a few months away. Most of the guards will be off getting drunk, which will be the perfect moment for us to strike. We'll break in, cut the power, and get as many people out as we can before they know what's happening. If all goes well, they'll be on a ship heading here before the SDC even knows what hit them."
Not a protest then. More of a jailbreak. "Any idea what we're up against?"
"The workers are kept at a small camp closer to Atlas, but still well outside of the walls. Two layers of heavy duty fencing span the perimeter, dotted with cameras and automated defenses. Getting in will be difficult, but it's designed to keep Grimm out, not us." Not that the defenses wouldn't work just as well against a faunus. "Once the power's out, it should be easy to escape the camp, but we'll have to keep them distracted until everyone's clear."
"Any ideas on how?"
"We're still working on that," Sienna admitted, "but I figured you'd want an update." He appreciated that, even if a few months felt far too long. It didn't sound like much from the comfort of Menagerie, but for those trapped in the SDC's clutches?
Was it as bad as Orostachys had been? How many workers were suffering while they casually worked on their plans? For all he knew, a few months could be a matter of life or death for someone.
Still, if it meant rescuing people from the horrors of the SDC, then he was all in. No one had come to help them in their hour of need. He and his fellow workers had been abandoned, left to the cruelties of Overseer Ferric and his minions with no hope of ever getting out. He'd been condemned to die as many others before him had, all because he refused to accept his so-called fate.
But he hadn't died. They'd fought back and broken free. Men fought and died for their freedom. Would the same happen in Atlas if no one intervened? How long until another group of survivors arrived on their shores, battered and broken? He dreaded to imagine someone stumbling into Kuo Kuana with a scar like his. Or worse.
"I'll do it." It didn't matter what sort of defenses this place had. He'd cut through fencing, defenses, and even guards if he had to. Whatever it took to get those workers out safely.
"I'll let you know when we have more," Sienna promised. He'd have to trust her to come up with all the little details, but whatever plan she devised, he'd make sure it succeeded. "How goes your training?"
"Huh?"
"Your training," Sienna repeated, nodding toward the nearby dummies. "Any progress on that Semblance of yours?"
"Not yet." That wasn't entirely accurate. They'd made progress, as Kaito kept telling him, but the results weren't there yet. "We figured out how to charge it, but I still can't activate it."
"What's the old man got you trying?"
"Charge it up and attack, mostly." Because what else could they do? "I usually aim for one of the dummies, but I've even tried aiming it at him." As loath as he was to risk it. "Nothing happens."
"Well, duh." Sienna chuckled at the puzzled look on Adam's face. "Your Semblance is some sort of attack, right?" Adam nodded. He and Kaito had kept her updated on what they'd found, knowing word would just get back to her anyway. "How are you supposed to use it on something you don't actually want to hurt?"
Was it really that simple? Had he been subconsciously holding back out of fear of hurting Kaito? Possibly. "But what about the dummies?"
"Any of them ever hurt you?" Sienna laughed at her own joke. "They're just props. Your mind doesn't see them as threats, so why waste any energy on them?"
"Are you saying my Semblance only works on actual threats?" But what about the Grimm at Shidekobushi? He'd only been able to use his Semblance once. Did she honestly think he didn't see Grimm as a threat? And why the one time? Sure, there'd been more of them than most of the other attacks, but it wasn't like he'd been in any real danger.
"I'm saying you're too focused on the details." Sienna took a more lecturing tone, reminding him a little of Kaito in her mannerisms. "Unlocking a Semblance is hard work. It wants out, but it's like putting a child in a car and expecting them to drive. They might stumble on the answer eventually, but it'll take time for them to master it.
"Same with your Semblance. Starting out, you might struggle to even turn it on, but with practice, you'll learn to control it." Sienna pointed to the sword on his back. "New sword?"
"Kaito made it for me," Adam answered, unsheathing the red blade.
"May I?" Adam held it out for her. Sienna tested the balance, then sliced through the air twice to get a feel for it. "The old man's still got it. Guessing there's more to it than I'm seeing?"
"The scabbard's also a gun," Adam said, though he left the other part in place across his back. He also left out the sneak attack upgrade. She could figure that out later in one of their spars.
"Always up to something." Rather than hand the sword back, Sienna called for someone to join them. "Jac!" A short man with a pair of small, curved horns rising above his head came running over. Sienna whispered some instructions to him before the man hurried away.
"What was that all about?"
"You'll see." That sounded ominous. "Let me make sure I've got this straight. You just, what…attack each other to charge it up?"
Basically, though with one annoying detail. "More he attacks me. Seems to charge when I block attacks, so I just let him wail on me until I feel it build up." It didn't take long, thankfully. They'd tried a few variations, like taking hits to his aura, but that hadn't done anything but made him sore and irritated. Kaito's theory of it focusing on his weapon had proven accurate. "Then I try to use it. That's pretty much it."
"As good a plan as any."
"Oh, and we also have Blake hide behind me." Sienna arched an eyebrow at the extra requirement. "He thinks it helps if I'm protecting someone."
"Is it necessary?"
"It helps," Adam admitted. They'd tried without Blake there, and while he'd still felt something, he didn't feel it charge as fast. A good sign, according to Kaito, since it meant protecting someone wasn't an actual requirement. Still, since it seemed to help, Blake had resumed her victim role.
"Belladonna!" Blake stopped mid-training at the summons and came running over. "Adam says you've been helping with his training."
"I've been standing around behind him, if that's what you mean." Not exactly something she enjoyed.
"Good. We're running it again. I assume you know what to do?"
Blake sighed as she tossed her weapon to Kaito, who had made his way over as well. "Oh no. Woe is me. My life is in danger. Won't someone please help me?"
As stirring a performance as ever. Adam ignored her monotone pleas and tried to imagine she was actually in danger. He heard something further back, but Sienna snapped her fingers when he tried to look. "Eyes on the enemy. Try and block my attacks. On my signal, you'll turn and attack the training dummy behind you. Got it?"
So more of what they'd already been doing. Adam agreed, though he didn't understand how it would help. Training was training, though. Maybe Kaito would figure something out from a new perspective instead of being in the middle of the action. At the very least, it'd be interesting to see how well Sienna fought with a sword.
Better than he'd expected, but still not as well as he or Kaito could manage. Her movements were just a little too telegraphed and had more speed than power, but given her preferred weapon, Adam expected as much. It didn't really affect anything, though. He still blocked each and every blow, catching them easily against his blade. Eventually, he felt the familiar itch of his Semblance building up, but when he told Sienna, she just ignored him and kept going.
Adam made sure not to counterattack, even if he doubted anything would happen. If Sienna was right, he wouldn't see her as a true threat, meaning his Semblance would save itself for a more urgent target that never seemed to present itself. Just to be safe, he made sure to remind himself periodically that she was an ally. The last thing he needed was to cut Sienna down in the middle of a training exercise, especially as she pushed him further and further, increasing the build-up of energy inside him.
"I'm ready," Adam tried. Sienna attacked again. "It's charged up." Another block. "Seriously. I think I should try using it."
Finally, Sienna relented for a moment, panting slightly after all the attacks. "You sure? It might be easier if we charged it more."
"It won't." Yet another thing Kaito had tried. It was a nice idea and all - build up so much energy that he'd have no choice but to unleash it. Nothing had happened, leaving him jittery like he'd downed a dozen espressos in one sitting.
"If you're sure." He was sure it'd fail. He'd turn, swing at the dummy, and nothing would happen. He'd complain, Kaito would throw out some empty assurances, and they'd try again. And again. And again. Eventually, something had to give. Probably his patience. "Alright. Go ahead and- Blake, watch out!"
Adam whirled in an instant at her panicked tone, turning in time to see a rifle aimed at Blake, who stared at the white-clad foe with wide eyes. The gun barked twice, drawing a scream from Blake as the shots struck true. Aura kept her safe, but she still felt the impact at such a close range.
Adam didn't have time to think how someone had gotten so close without any warning. All he knew was that he'd make them regret it. His legs moved without thinking, rocketing him at the armored foe in a flash. He'd recognize that armor anywhere. Pure white emblazoned with a shimmering snowflake over the chest. It was the same armor the guards of Orostachys wore.
An SDC guard.
Adam struck like a meteor before the monster could cause any more harm. He felt a surge as he swung and the world seemed to glow an eerie red. In a single motion, he carved through the demon's shoulder, tearing his hardened steel straight through and relieving it of its entire torso. The vile thing toppled, cut clean in two in a spray of viscera and-
Straw?
Adam froze at the sound of clapping from behind. Sienna walked forward with a smile fit to split her face in two, applauding his sudden kill. Adam looked down on his victim, expecting a bloodbath. The blank face of the training dummy stared up through the visor of the SDC helmet, unfeeling of the destruction that it had just endured.
"What?"
"Like I said, you needed an actual enemy," Sienna said as she nudged the dummy with her foot. Its rifle toppled to the side, sliding free of the rounded hands that it had balanced on. "Thank you, Jac."
"D-don't mention it," the shorter man from earlier answered, standing a little ways away with a shocked expression. His eyes remained fixed on Adam.
"B-but…" Adam tried to piece everything together. A dummy. He'd killed a dummy. "I saw it move!" Dummies didn't move. You could pose them and everything, but they weren't alive. "It shot at Blake."
"And hit her," Blake complained, rubbing her shoulder.
"That would be Jac's doing."
"Sorry," the man apologized, more to Blake than to him.
"How?" Adam asked.
"You're not the only one with a unique Semblance here," Sienna answered, keeping herself between Blake and Jac. A wise move, given how vindictive the girl could be. "His Semblance gives him limited control of inanimate objects, such as a dummy's arms or even a gun."
"Or just a trigger," he specified.
Sienna ignored Jac's words and kept going. "I had him prepare the dummy while you weren't looking. Figured you could use a real target for once. And if Kaito thought you needed to protect someone, well I guess he was right."
She'd arranged it just to trick him? If she'd been looking to enrage him, then seeing an SDC guard shooting a defenseless faunus would definitely work. Still, she'd shot Blake! What if she hadn't had her aura up in time? Or been distracted? She could've killed her!
"Jac! Go see what other uniforms we have. Anything Atlas or SDC should do." The man scurried away, eager to follow her orders. "Well, Kaito, what d'ya think?"
Kaito didn't look impressed. "I think your methods are as blunt as ever."
"I think you meant effective."
"That too," he admitted. "I'd thank you, but I have to go look after my other student. The one you shot."
"She'll be fine," Sienna insisted, turning back to Adam. "Anyways, I think we're done here. We're even now."
What did he do now? "How's that?"
"You helped me remember my role earlier," Sienna explained. "You reminded me what the White Fang stands for and gave me the kick in the pants I needed. In return, I helped you with your problem. Everyone wins." Such a simplistic rationalization. Adam couldn't really argue with the results, though. "I'd best get back to the office. If you need anything, you know where to find me."
As Sienna sauntered away, Adam looked over to the downed dummy once more. As ridiculous as it sounded, she was right. She'd cracked the code for him. Her methods might not be the best, but like she said, they sure were effective. He'd activated his Semblance again to devastating effect. Hopefully, they could replicate her success without shooting Blake again.
Speaking of Blake. "You okay?" Adam asked as he hurried over to her and Kaito.
"I'm fine," she stubbornly insisted, still holding her shoulder. She'd likely sport a nasty bruise later, but nothing had broken skin. "Can we…can we not tell Mom and Dad about this?"
Not tell the leaders of Menagerie and the White Fang that their hated rival had ordered the shooting of their daughter just so Adam could train with his destructive Semblance?
Yeah. That would probably be for the best.
Hey, Adam's Semblance works! Everyone celebrate! Blake, why aren't you celebrating?
At Adam's insistence, Sienna is planning an Atlas mission for him to lead. He's tired of just waiting around and playing politics already, especially when a certain Kingdom made the mistake of insulting his parents. We've also got the official debut of Wilt and Blush, though he obviously hasn't named them yet. Spent a ton of time watching clips of Adam using his sheath/gun in slow-mo to study how it works before finally finding some good pictures of both forms online for comparison. We're also tiptoeing into his true fighting style of Iaijutsu. Should probably just leave the wiki page for it open at this point with how much I go back to it. Adam's edging closer to his final form as we sneak closer to the first actual event shown in canon for him.
Also, RIP poor little training dummy. What did he ever do to deserve such a fate?
Next chapter: More training and an update from SDC Mine #2.