Cramming in more appointments before the end of the year. Should find out if I have sleep apnea after Thanksgiving. Allergy specialist thinks I may have a mast cell disorder as well. Likely the cause of my horrible reaction earlier this year that landed me in the ER. Basically, my body can overreact to hystamines and trigger Cramming in more appointments before the end of the year. Should find out if I have sleep apnea after Thanksgiving. Allergy specialist thinks I may have a mast cell disorder as well. Likely the cause of my horrible reaction earlier this year that landed me in the ER. Basically, my body can overreact to histamines and trigger anaphylactic shock, so now I get to carry around an epi pen. Won't know for certain until I get a bone marrow biopsy, which is gonna suck, but better to know than keep guessing.
But not all is gloom and doom. The Metal Gear Solid collection came out and I'm hoping to finish up Metal Gear 2 tonight. Forcing myself not to play ahead as I stream all 5 games. Never played the first two, so I had no idea how vicious the games can be at random times. Getting trolled by Kojima from games back in the late 80s is hilariously frustrating. Can't wait to get to the MGS games next and actually know what the heck I'm doing!
Anyways, long chapter incoming. Almost split it into two, but decided we've had enough slower, shorter chapters and would rather get to more exciting stuff in the near future, so strap in for a bigger chunk!
Two targets. An armed human and an innocent faunus about to be executed. The gun was already raised, leaving Adam no time to think. His hand tightened painfully as he felt the familiar surge of energy rush through him. His muscles screamed as he tore his sword free, slicing through empty air. A wave of destruction surged down his arms and beyond, carving a path forward far faster then he could hope to match. It tore across the open ground, carving a furrow through the dirt as it raced toward its target without warning. In a flash, the threat was neutralized, gunman cut down before he even knew what hit him. A fitting end for someone who dared threaten an innocent.
Which made it morbidly ironic when his attack swept through both targets instead of just the one.
Another one bites the dust.
"Shut up," Adam whispered as the two training dummies fell, both split cleanly from shoulder to hip. He knew he'd failed. He didn't need her to remind him.
"You still lack control." He also didn't need Kaito's obvious observations, but at least he meant well. "Power and precision. A warrior fights with both."
Power wasn't an issue. Not when it came to his Semblance. "I know. I heard you the first time." And the second. And the third. They'd been practicing this drill for almost a solid week now without a single success.
"And yet you haven't improved." Kaito waved for his two assistants to clear the remains and set up a new pair of targets. With how many he'd carved through lately, they'd traded the more human-shaped targets for something a little easier to mass-produce. In other words, a thick chunk of log on a post with a head. The "gun" was nothing more than a stick nailed to the side. Sienna planned to have a bonfire tomorrow night as a sort of social event for Kuo Kuana.
With all of Adam's practice, she'd certainly have enough wood for it.
"Focus." Kaito spotted the moment Adam's mind began to wander and brought him back down to Remnant with a smack to the back of his head. "You need to learn to control the flow of your Semblance, not just unleash everything at once. Otherwise, you're nothing more than a weapon."
An effective one, Adam chose not to add. Adam had pushed the older faunus for more training, specifically of his Semblance. Surprisingly, replicating his ranged version hadn't taken very long. As annoying as Kaito could be sometimes, the man certainly knew his stuff. It also helped that Adam's new attack mimicked Kaito's water blade ability but with far more devastation. They'd tested it against everything from metal to concrete, and it proved almost as powerful as his Semblance's melee attack, though it lost a bit of power the further it got from him. Kaito believed that would get better with practice as well. Something about focusing the flow better to minimize waste. It was all theoretical, of course, as Kaito reminded him almost every day. Having a unique ability like a Semblance meant you didn't exactly have a lot to go on.
Adam's excitement at his quick success died an ugly death when Kaito expanded their training regiment to include control drills. He'd laid out plans for different levels, but so far they hadn't made it past stage one. Every attempt ended the same - his Semblance spent with two dead dummies.
We should start naming your victims. You know, to help it feel more real. More like to help her mock him. Let's name that one Jakob. Maybe Ilia can go next. Or Blake! Just no. You're right. We don't know enough people for that.
Adam should've felt grateful for Kaito's interruption, but the next words had his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Alright. Downrange with you."
"Again?" The only thing worse than failing was setting everything up again. Not the targets - Kaito had volunteers for that. No, what he really hated was having to endure another session of charging up his Semblance. "Can't we just do regular combat?"
Kaito shook his head, but Adam didn't miss the slight amusement on the older man's face. "You already know how to block a sword. Now we'll work on blocking bullets."
As cool as that sounded, the actual process of learning it sucked. Basically, Adam had to stand downrange and let people shoot at him. Blake had been far too eager to volunteer for that one, but Kaito rotated shooters rather than let her hog all the fun. Jakob. Sienna. Even Ilia had gotten in on the action, though her aim still needed some work. Then there was the random faunus he barely recognized. Word spread quickly, as it always did in the White Fang, and everyone seemed interested in the new game. He hoped the novelty wore off soon, though he knew Blake would never stop volunteering. She'd already had her turn today, meaning they'd moved on to a random.
A random wearing a suspiciously familiar mask.
That was another thing he had to get used to. Ever since footage of his fight in Atlas had been broadcast across Remnant, a handful of faunus had copied his Grimm mask and started wearing them in some weird display of support. He hadn't remade his own yet, but even if he did, he wouldn't be strutting around the island wearing it. All he needed here was Blake's ribbon mask, using it to cover up the horrible scar across his face. People stared less at what looked like a blindfold than three letters burned into flesh.
Today's wearer was actually someone he vaguely recognized - a cook from the cafeteria. How cute! Your cult has its own accessories now. He really hoped the new trend would die out on his own. Part of the reason he didn't wear his was to discourage others from copying it, but if even the kitchen staff were getting in on the craze, he didn't see it ending anytime soon. It also felt a little weird to have someone so obsessed with him lining up to shoot him.
"You may fire when ready." Kaito didn't bother asking if Adam was ready. Another lesson on always being prepared or something.
Adam's wannabe executioner hesitated, suddenly less sure of himself. "Are you sure?"
Kaito and Adam sighed in unison. How much time had they wasted reassuring people that Adam could not only block most of their shots - they didn't allow automatic fire yet - but that his aura would protect him even if they managed to score a hit. Signing up to help was one thing, but actually pulling the trigger caused several to freeze up. A few even wound up backing out without a single shot, only to be replaced by someone a little less hesitant.
"I'll be fine," Adam promised, shaking his head at the absurdity of having to convince someone to shoot him. The man took a deep breath, steadying himself before finally squeezing the trigger.
Adam watched the shot sail past, missing him by several feet.
"Calm down," Kaito instructed. "Breathe, line up your shot, and try again."
The next try was better, though Adam had to lunge to the side to meet it, throwing himself in front of a bullet to slice down on it at the last moment. He almost wished Blake was behind the gun. At least she could actually aim.
The next three shots came a little quicker and on target. Adam watched his shooter carefully, estimating where the bullet would be based on the slightly shaky aim. He was fast, but his reflexes couldn't beat a bullet on their own. A lot of it came down to predicting rather than reacting. Assessing where the gun was pointed, adjusting for the shooter's skill - newer shooters like the one he faced now tended to lift at the last second - and prioritizing vital impact points took time to master, but with Kaito's help, he'd gotten the hang of it. The alternative was turning his sword into a propeller, rotating it fast enough to hopefully catch anything coming his way. It didn't block everything, of course, but he didn't have a lot of options against automatic fire.
Adam cut down each shot with ease, but that wasn't good enough for Kaito. "With the flat of your blade, not the edge!"
"It worked," Adam protested. In the end, wasn't that all that mattered?
Apparently not. "The flat of your blade covers more area." Yeah, but not by that much. "You've got a better chance of blocking that way. Plus, you won't wear down your blade as fast."
Adam rolled his eyes, even if Kaito couldn't see. "My aura protects my sword." Not as well as his own body, but pushing a little aura into a weapon was about as basic as it got.
"It protects that thick head of yours, too, but I don't see you trying to catch bullets with that!" Kaito always had a response, even if it didn't make much sense. He needed to use a weapon for his Semblance to charge. What good would- "With how hardheaded you are, it might as well be a weapon."
Adam still wasn't convinced the old man didn't have some sort of telepathic ability. Knowing better than to argue, Adam readied himself once more, making a conscious effort to turn his sword before each impact. It felt a little odd at first, but he knew he'd get the hang of it eventually.
He always did.
"Better!" Charging up his Semblance against bullets worked surprisingly well, further vindicating Kaito's methods. He'd expected sword on sword combat to work better, given the difference in size between a blade and a bullet. Kaito said it had more to do with energy than mass. He'd gone into some rant about how his Semblance converted kinetic energy into potential energy and a bunch of other scientific mumbo jumbo that flew over his head. Apparently the speed of an object mattered more than the size.
I'd disagree. Adam nearly choked, catching a bullet to his shoulder for his trouble. Oops. Careful Adam. You need to handle your sword better.
Adam had never been so grateful to be shot before, if only because the pain helped distract him from the fading laughter in his head. He heard someone call out his name - probably his shooter - but ignored it as he brushed off the spot and readied himself again.
A few successful blocks later, Adam waved for them to stop. He could've charged his Semblance up even more, but that would just be a waste. They'd actually tried overcharging his Semblance to see if there was some sort of limit, but they hadn't found a true maximum yet. The power would just keep building and building, leading to a frankly ludicrous release afterwards. The only real limiting factor was him. Holding in all that energy felt like urgently needing to pee without a bathroom in sight. Eventually, it got to be too much for him, and he had to either release it all at once or tense up in pain. That discovery, like all the others, led to more training from Kaito. Increasing his limit sounded nice, but the methodology could use some work.
They spent a good chunk of the afternoon repeating the cycle. He'd charge up his Semblance, then target the pair of wooden dummies and accidentally kill them both. Back to the range for more charging, followed by another failure. It was utterly infuriating. Kaito's promises that they'd get there in time hardly helped. He didn't want to get there. He wanted to already be there.
"Patience, young one," Kaito said after calling it for the day. It wasn't hard to pick up on Adam's frustration. "Atlas was not built in a day."
No, but it only took that long to throw the place into an uproar. Still, as loath as Adam was to admit it, Kaito was right. He knew stuff like this took time, but he wasn't the most patient person. At least he'd gotten the hang of using his Semblance at range now. Plus, all the practice meant he'd gotten a lot better at blocking. He had to focus on the positives for now, even if what he really wanted still eluded him.
"I know," Adam admitted. Could Kaito not look so smug when he was right? "I've just got a lot on my plate right now. Training with you. Meetings with Sienna. Not to mention this little brat that keeps pestering me at every turn."
"Hey!" Heh. Called it. "Is that why you were holding back today?"
"Holding ba- I wasn't holding back!" Adam finally deigned to turn and face his little follower. "Maybe next time you can stand downrange and I'll be the one shooting at you!"
"I'll pass," Blake answered with a grin. "But that's not what I meant. You could've charged up more each time."
Great. Now even Blake was criticizing his performance. "And just how would you know that?"
He knew he'd made a mistake the moment the words left his mouth. Blake's smile turned absolutely feral as he walked right into her trap. She turned her notebook around to show him a full page table. "I've been keeping track. You stopped two bullets shorter each time compared to yesterday."
"Maybe they hit harder," Adam offered, knowing she wouldn't accept that for an instant.
Sure enough, Blake's head was already shaking. "Nah. I checked. We used the same guns as last time."
"Well, maybe I just got better at charging it up." It was a desperate attempt, and he knew it. Adam could feel the frustration mounting. "Fine. You want the truth? I figured I didn't need to charge it as much each time if I was just gonna fail, okay?" Adam hated to admit it, even if he felt a little enjoyment at robbing Blake of her smile. Not so fun now, was it?
Kaito didn't miss a beat. "Those who expect to fail fulfill their own prophecy," he lectured, repeating one of the many lines Adam had dubbed Kaito-isms. "You can't hold back in training just because you think it won't work. We only learn by pushing ourselves."
"Yeah, well it's pushing me right off a cliff," Adam quipped. He'd been beating his head against this wall for days, and instead of breaking through, all he had to show for his effort was a massive headache.
Kaito paused, studying Adam for a moment. He nodded slowly at whatever he saw. "Perhaps you're right." What? Adam wished he had a calendar to mark the occasion. "Take tomorrow off. I'm as eager as you to see you succeed," Adam rather doubted that, "but we cannot force it. Relax, unwind, and enjoy a day to yourself."
"How's that going to help?"
"I know you're in a rush to improve, but it can wait a day. Plus, it will give me time to reflect on our progress and see if I need to change our approach." In other words, Kaito needed a day off as much as he did. Honestly, a day to himself sounded nice. When was the last time he'd just enjoyed a free day? He honestly couldn't remember. Not since Atlas, at least.
The idea grew on him before he realized it. "Fine. One day. But after that I plan to get right back to it. Understood?"
Kaito chuckled softly to himself. "As you wish."
"A day off?" Blake still lingered with them, latching onto their conversation like a little parasite. "That means you can spend more time training me!"
"Yeah, sure. I'll get right on that." The sarcasm was so thick he hoped she choked on it.
Kaito interrupted before Blake could demand anything. "A day off from all training," he specified, stressing the rather crucial word. "That includes yours."
"Aw, that's not fair."
"Well, if you're so intent on training, perhaps we should spend more time on your conditioning." Blake's eyes widened in horror as Kaito went on. "An hour or so of stair running ought to warm you up. From there, we'll-"
"A day off sounds great," Blake interrupted, frantically clawing her way out of the hole she'd dug for herself.
Adam needed to get the old man to teach him his tricks for dealing with Blake so easily. "Very well. Both of you enjoy a day of rest. Away from here." Kaito nodded toward the building looming ahead. "Distancing the mind often requires distancing the body as well."
In other words, avoid the White Fang headquarters. Fair enough. Blake would just start begging for training if they showed up. Either that, or Sienna would drag him into a bunch of meetings.
Speaking of which. "I'd best get going," Adam announced, peeling off from the two of them. "Sienna wants to meet with me."
"Again?" Blake asked, echoing Adam's thoughts exactly.
"No rest for the weary," Kaito joked, waving him away. "Don't let her rope you into anything tomorrow."
"I'll blame you if she tries." Not that he expected her to. Adam had a feeling they'd be talking about something a little further off than tomorrow.
Not too much further, it turned out.
"Next week?"
"Nine days, to be precise," Sienna answered. "I've already informed Ghira of our plans and he's on board."
That explained the Ghira sighting early that morning. Ever since their rather explosive meeting after Atlas, Ghira had been making a point of visiting the White Fang headquarters about once a week. He'd awkwardly walk around trying to strike up conversations, then usually end up swinging by the training grounds where he'd silently watch Adam and Blake train. He never came over. Just kept an eye on them from a distance. Blake would tense up almost immediately, nervously stealing glances at her father the entire time and paying dearly for each distraction. Whether Ghira approved or not, he never said, but he'd always end by shaking his head and disappearing inside, so Adam had a sneaking suspicion he knew the answer.
If Ghira approved, then it must've been a pretty tame plan. After his last mission, that sounded just perfect. "Another faunus village in need of our help?"
"Something like that." Sienna didn't sound as enthused, meaning Ghira had meddled more than expected. "Ghira thinks we need to put on a more inclusive face after what happened in Atlas. Show the world we're still all smiles and rainbows."
Ghira probably didn't say it quite like that. "What's friendlier than helping a faunus village?" It was about as on point for their messaging as possible and shouldn't involve any fighting other than Grimm, and who could object to something like that?
"Helping a mixed village." In other words, somewhere with humans and faunus living together. Faunus settlements were rare, but they were still out there. A mixed village was more common, especially away from the major cities. That far out, no one really cared who you were as long as you were willing to work and fight alongside your neighbors. "We're heading to Novus."
"Where's that?" He'd never heard of Novus before. Then again, outside the villages and towns on the Anima Merchant Highway, he didn't know that many places.
Sienna's nod to the map on the wall didn't help at all. "Eastern side of Sanus. Only a few days inland, but we'll have to land further down the coast. Don't want the authorities catching wind of us and they'll almost certainly be watching the ports." Still? They hadn't so much as left the island in weeks. "Ghira asked if you'd be coming with us."
Uh oh. Bad enough Ghira was asking about him specifically, but for Sienna to bring it up? "What did you tell him?"
"The truth," Sienna answered almost immediately. "I told him you and I would be handling security and that your inclusion was not up for debate."
Adam couldn't imagine that going over well. "How'd he take it?"
"He wasn't pleased." Somehow Adam felt she'd undersold it a little. "That's part of the reason we're going to Novus. I had to let him pick the destination."
And just like that, Adam was back to being a pawn in their power struggle. Ghira probably saw it as working together, but the fact he'd given in on a demand from Sienna so easily made him look weak. What kind of leader let an underling boss him around like that? It made Sienna look like an equal at the very least and would only embolden her going forward.
"Are we planning any…extra activities?" Things that Ghira might not know about or approve of? He'd rather be prepared if Sienna was about to march against some secret base or invade a Kingdom.
"This is just a supply run," Sienna assured him. "Novus has only been around a few years. One of the residents reached out to us for help. They're running a little low on supplies, and with winter coming, he's worried they might not have enough food and fuel to make it if the weather turns ugly." A fair concern, given trade caravans would become sparse at best if the roads became hazardous. "Worst case, we might run into a few Grimm. Nothing the two of us can't handle."
Adam relaxed a little at the news. Of course she wouldn't do anything that stupid right in front of Ghira. Not to mention the risk of Ghira getting hurt or captured if they stirred up trouble. Even if she didn't agree with him, he was still the official face of the White Fang. Losing him would be a huge win for their enemies and a blow to morale back home. No matter how much he and Sienna didn't get along, she had to know something like that would only hurt her as well.
"How goes the training?"
"Slowly," Adam complained, even if he knew she was keeping tabs on him. She had eyes everywhere, but she seemed keenly focused on a few people, including himself. Blake and Ilia were always being watched, the latter of which he hadn't seen as much lately. Blake said they hung out almost every day, though, so he wasn't worried. "Power isn't a problem, at least. Kaito's pushing me to control it better. Wants me to moderate the energy release."
"A wise approach." He'd secretly hoped Sienna would be more interested in the raw destructive power, but it looked like she was full Team Kaito too.
"More like a painful one," Adam grumbled. "We haven't made any progress at all. I'm beginning to think it's an all or nothing type of thing."
Sienna shrugged. "Maybe, but it's worth exploring." Easy for her to say. She wasn't the one having to charge and release all that energy over a dozen times a day. "I know it can be painful, but the best things in life usually are."
"You trained with Kaito, didn't you." More a statement than a question. Little phrases like that had Kaito written all over them.
Sienna didn't bother answering. "Well, keep at it. The White Fang needs people like you." More like Sienna needed him. His power and influence were too tempting for her to ignore. "Are you coming to the bonfire tomorrow?"
A big social gathering wasn't really his thing, but he didn't really have anything else going on. Plus, there'd be free food. He could always duck out early if he needed to. "Probably."
"You should," Sienna insisted. "There'd be a lot of people disappointed if you weren't there."
"Like those nutjobs in the masks?"
"Those nutjobs are some of our most loyal members," Sienna pointed out, clearly more amused with the new style than he was. "Besides, you started it. What was it you told Felicia? They should never forget what we looked like?"
So she'd spoken to Felicia since their mission? Figures. "I meant on missions," Adam clarified. "Seeing them around Menagerie…it's a little weird."
"Weird or not, they saw what you did. You took on Atlas itself."
"And nearly died." Everyone seemed to forget that rather crucial detail.
"But you didn't." Sienna smirked, reveling in his survival. "Like it or not, everyone here saw you do something no one else could ever hope to accomplish - challenge Atlas and live to tell about it. More than that, you managed to bring back the dust and all those refugees. For the first time in years, you've shown these people that we can make a difference. You've given them hope, and that's not easy to come by in this world. Let them have their fun. Right now," Sienna opened a drawer and pulled out a mask she'd been hiding, sliding it across the desk in front of Adam, "they need their hero."
"I'm not wearing that tomorrow." No way in heck would he let himself be paraded around like that. Still, he took the replacement and held it in front of him, looking down at it thoughtfully.
"Next week," Sienna said as he stood. "For the mission. That's all I ask."
For now. Still, he'd planned to make a new mask for that anyway, so it wasn't really a problem. In fact, it saved him the effort. It felt silly, looking at the crude mask and imagining people rallying around it.
Still, if that's what the White Fang needed, then he'd be their symbol. He'd show them they didn't have to accept the hatred and scorn of humanity or beg for scraps from uncaring masters. He'd show them they could fight back. And for those that couldn't, he'd fight for them. He'd get stronger, too. That way, the next time he took on Atlas, the SDC, or whoever else dared come against him, he'd do more than just survive.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Blake was waiting for him that evening, as she often did once the Belladonna household settled down for the night. As annoying as Blake could be about training, Adam could admit to looking forward to their nightly study sessions. At least, that's how he saw them. Admitting he enjoyed hanging out with Blake was just too much for him.
Blake came prepared, taking over the small table with paper, pencils, stencils, straightedges, and more. She never used them, just freehanding all of her sketches, but Adam found it a little easier to rely on the tools. He'd gotten a little better, both thanks to Blake and a few tips from Kali, who had popped in on a few of their sessions. Adam had a feeling she'd come more to see what they were up to so late at night, but like Blake said, the woman was quite the talented artist. He'd tried watercolor with her once, but only once. She could work wonders with it, but he hated the process. It just felt so chaotic - so out of control. Where Kali could expertly work in shading and detail, his attempts to make even the tiniest adjustments seemed to spiral out of control. He'd stick with drawing and leave the rest to people with actual talent.
Not that he'd discovered some hidden talent in other areas or anything. His drawings had gotten better, but that wasn't saying much. With Blake's careful instruction - as well as her constant laughter at his failures - he'd slowly figured out how to make things less cartoonish. He wouldn't be winning any competitions anytime soon, but at least Blake could actually guess what he was drawing instead of making up answers.
Blake was already in the midst of her latest work - a bunch of different flowers, by the looks of it - so Adam sat down quietly and began his own attempts with far less audacious subjects. Blake had recommended he practice on real life objects rather than just imagining things. The apple he'd pocketed at dinner found its place on the table in front of him and he got to work. The shape was pretty basic, so that didn't take long, but he struggled a little with the indent on top for the stem. Shading and shadows could be tricky, but with a little patience, it at least looked reasonable. He finished it off with a slightly darkened edge and a shadow beneath to make it a little more realistic before sitting back to admire his latest attempt.
Honestly, it wasn't bad. Sure, it was pretty basic, but compared to his previous fruit attempts, this one actually resembled the real thing a little. Feeling a little brave, Adam sliced the apple in half, propping up one of the pieces a little as he tried to capture the likeness. The flat, light colored surface made starting easy, but he soon ran into an issue with the core. A pair of filled-in teardrops made convincing enough seeds, but the shading around the seeds proved problematic. He kept overdoing it, making it look almost rotten in the center rather than the fresh fruit before him. He erased his latest attempt, growling softly as he accidently removed part of a seed and had to redraw it.
"Having trouble?" Adam jolted as Blake's voice shattered the silence, causing him to mess up his drawing even more.
"Still struggling with the shading," Adam admitted as he removed his latest mistakes and tried again. It felt right at first, but when he sat back, it still looked way too dark and rough. "See?"
Blake rolled her eyes, leaning over and pressing her own pencil against an open space in the corner. "You're still being too direct. If you try shading like this," Blake mimicked his motion, producing a rather similar result, "you'll wind up with something sharp. What you want is a lighter touch. Something less defined." Blake titled her pencil, pressing the edge of the lead - not actual lead, as Blake had drilled into him numerous times - against the page instead of the tip. The resulting shading had a more smoky look to it. "Try it."
Rather than risk his progress, Adam copied her technique in the corner, holding his pencil the same way she had. He gently rubbed it back and forth, only for the tip to break off not a second later. "Gah!"
"Not so hard," Blake reprimanded. "You only need a light touch, especially if you want a lighter tone. Like here."
Blake pushed her notebook over to show two pages of different flowers. He recognized a few, especially the roses. There weren't any flowers in the room for her to reference, but that never seemed to stop her.
Blake pointed to her latest addition - a large rose blossom with a slightly crooked stem trailing below. Each layer of petals cast a slight shadow on the ones below, requiring a ton of small shading. She'd even added in a drop or two of dew, making him think of an early morning as the rose bloomed in the crisp air to greet the day. "See? If I'd used the point here, it would look too pronounced for something so sharp."
"More thorn than petal?" Blake ignored his lame attempt at a joke. "You really like drawing flowers, don't you?"
"Sometimes," Blake admitted, focused on the single rose. "I remember Dad taking me to a garden near Mistral when I was a kid." Adam didn't bother pointing out she was still a kid, knowing what she meant. "I'd never seen so many flowers before. The gardener offered to let him pick something out for Mom, but he insisted on paying. He found the perfect rose for her - I think she called it a knockout. Mom rolled her eyes when he gave it to her and said 'a knockout for a real knockout' or something."
Adam snorted more from Blake's impression of her father than the joke, though he had to point out a flaw in her story. "Actually, it's a double knockout."
"What?"
"A double knockout." Adam pointed to the drawing, making sure to stop short of actually touching the page. He'd made that mistake once and only once. "See how there's this sort of inner bloom within the petals? Sort of like two flowers in one."
Blake tilted her head, studying her own image. "That's a thing?"
"Regular knockouts have an opening in the middle there. They just have the outer petals." At least, that's what the horticulture book Father Bernard had bought for him years ago said. The double definitely looked more impressive in his opinion.
"You're a gardener now?"
"Was," Adam corrected. "Back in Shizukana. Father Bernard had a garden near the church. Mostly food, but we also planted some roses."
Blake had already ditched her notebook, turning to sit cross legged on the couch. "Father Bernard…that was your dad, right?"
"Adop-" Adam stopped himself. They'd talked plenty of times before, so she already knew that part. "Y-yeah. He was." Father Bernard certainly deserved the title far more than whatever scumbag had ditched him as a baby.
"Is…is this him?" Blake turned her scroll around for him to look.
Adam froze as a long lost scene stared back at him. Like a trio of ghosts, a happy family stood together, smiling brightly at the camera without a care in the world. "Wh-where…" The single word was all that escaped before his throat tightened, cutting off his question.
Blake understood, though, handing him the scroll to look closer. "I found it online. It's just a screenshot from some news report, so the quality's a little iffy."
That didn't matter to Adam, even if he could see the slight glare of a screen in the corner. Adam turned slightly, lifting the scroll to get better lighting. The image looked a little pixelated, but he could still see them. Father Bernard. Mazarin. The first people to ever care about him. And in the middle stood a much younger Adam, free of the burdens and scars life would inevitably inflict on him.
Another ghost long since lost to time.
"They look happy," Blake whispered in the silence. Adam kept his eyes on the picture the entire time. Through the transparent display, he could see a similar image - the Belladonna family photo. Another happy family, but one not ruined by the cruelties of the world. Father Bernard didn't cut quite as imposing a figure as Ghira, but then again, Mazarin towered above Kali, so it all balanced out. And there, standing just offset in the middle, two smiling children.
"They were," Adam confirmed, returning Blake's scroll with a sigh. Softer, he added, "I was."
"So, Mister Flower Expert," Blake suddenly piped up, dispelling the serious tone almost immediately, "what about this one?"
Adam knew a distraction when he heard one, but right now, he could use it. A quick look at another sketched flower gave him an easy answer. "Checkmate."
"Like in chess?"
"I didn't name them," Adam insisted.
"And this one?"
He'd know that one anywhere. Practically every flower shop carried them. "Freedom. C'mon, at least make it challenging."
"Fine." The game quickly devolved as Blake abandoned her sketches - though not before noting his answers - and pulling up photos online. "Oh, here's a nice one."
Talk about predictable. Adam could've guessed it even before she showed it to him. "Hybrid Tea. It's actually a crossbreed of the traditional Mistralian Tea rose."
"People make tea out of roses?" Blake looked disgusted at the idea.
Adam couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, but it's called the tea rose because of the smell, not the taste." He'd never actually smelled one before, but Soji assured him the stories were true.
"You really do know a lot about flowers," Blake admitted with astonishment.
"You doubted me?" To be fair, he couldn't blame her. Kind of a weird subject for someone like him to even be familiar with. Then again, that wasn't his only area of expertise. "If you think that's impressive, let me tell you a little bit about tea."
Blake would regret getting him started.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
As nice as a day off sounded, Adam had a bit of a problem.
He was bored.
Lounging around the Belladonna mansion lost its appeal almost immediately. Ghira saw it as a chance to chat, but the man proved absolutely terrible at small talk. Then they'd inevitably find their way back to things like Sienna, the White Fang, and all the other topics he was told to take a break from. The behind-the-scenes political struggle of the White Fang leadership wasn't the most relaxing topic. The moment Adam saw an opening, he made up an excuse about meeting his friends in town and left.
Considering everyone was busy at the White Fang headquarters, that left him without many options. The headquarters were off-limits - Kaito had been very clear on that - and going back to endure more prodding by Ghira sounded about as fun as wrestling an Ursa. All that left was Kuo Kuana itself.
Adam headed down to the pier, hoping for anything to catch his attention. The brightly colored shop displays full of trinkets and toys weren't really his style. He did, however, spend some time in a small bookstore, idly scanning titles until something would catch his attention. The descriptions on the back sometimes proved less than thrilling, though, sending him back to the shelves for another. He flipped through a few pages of any that seemed overly interesting and eventually emerged with a small assortment to call his own. The pair of novels would be a nice distraction later on, but the rest were chosen for their usefulness. Grimm research, Sailing for Dummies - there were a lot of boats in Kuo Kuana and he wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable sailor - and even some drawing guides. Blake's lessons were great and all, but it couldn't hurt to get some extra tips and tricks.
Adam found a quiet spot near the shore and settled in with a good book - something he hadn't had a chance to do in a long time. The book looked interesting, focusing on the patients of a mental asylum ruled by a tyrant of a woman until a single man dared to stand up to her. The description promised a continuous struggle between an oppressive authority and a man who refused to bow to it. Adam couldn't help but imagine himself in that role and desperately wanted to see him succeed, if only so he could taste triumph through the character.
Sadly, he wouldn't be getting a chance today. "Excuse me," a young woman asked, yanking him unceremoniously back to reality. "Are you…Adam Taurus?"
Adam didn't recognize her or the trio of friends lurking nearby, watching the interaction with an odd interest. He wasn't really interested in conversation right now, but he doubted she'd just let him get back to his book without some sort of answer. "I am."
"Ohmygosh, it's him!" Her shout had him wincing. "I am such a huge fan." Oh great. Just what he didn't need. "Is it true you took on a whole regiment of Atlas soldiers?"
A what now? For such a big fan, she really needed to watch the news closer. "It was a single Specialist and some robots." And he wouldn't say he took them on. He'd fled the fight and had to nearly blow himself up just to escape.
Apparently, that was still enough for this rabid fangirl. "You fought a Specialist?"
"It was-"
"Alma! He said it's true!" Her friends looked suitably impressed despite how blatantly wrong she was. "I'm Saph, by the way." Responding would only encourage her. Maybe if he stonewalled, she'd take the hint and move on with her life and leave him alone. "So…did you wanna, I don't know, grab a drink or something?"
The something definitely caught his attention. At least, part of him. She was pretty, and the way she leant forward to talk to him while he sat gave him a very tempting view that he could admit to stealing a glance at. She definitely caught him looking, but rather than be upset, her smile only grew. In fact, she seemed to lean a little closer, her knee bumping against his own. He had plenty of free time today and spending it with a beautiful woman sure sounded better than wandering around for the next several hours.
"I'd love to hear more about what you did in Atlas."
And just like that, his interest vanished. Sure, she clearly wanted to get close to him. Heck, she'd probably jump him if he gave her the chance. She certainly wasn't shy about putting herself out there. But she wasn't interested in him. Not the real him. As nice as it might be to lose himself with her, she was more interested in sleeping with a celebrity than getting to know Adam. Not to mention her pushiness was hitting all the wrong buttons.
But I thought you liked pushy women.
Nope! Adam stood suddenly, nearly knocking Saph over as he remembered the last time a woman had been so forward with her interest. Saph stumbled back in confusion. "S-sorry." Adam managed as he grabbed his bag in a hurry. "I can't. It's…" Not you? No, it was definitely her. "I've got to go."
Adam didn't run, but he could've set new speed walking records with how fast he booked it out of there. The last thing he needed in his life was another Alyssa. Not that he thought Saph would be anywhere near as bad, but she'd made the horrible mistake of reminding him of her. A shame. She was pretty hot. Probably good in bed, too. Didn't matter. The last thing he needed was some obsessed fangirl drooling over him. You sure? You might enjoy it. Absolutely not. What he'd enjoy would be getting as far away from there as possible.
Which meant he'd just burned another location for the day. Even if he found another quiet area in town, the thought of running into her again had his feet moving faster and faster. Maybe she'd take the hint of his refusal, but what if she tried again? He didn't want to put himself through the awkwardness of turning her down again, especially since he'd need a new excuse. Either that, or he'd have to shut her down completely, which sounded a little harsh.
Nope. Kuo Kuana wouldn't do today. He was tempted to risk Kaito's ire and go hide out at the White Fang headquarters, but that would be a desperation play at best. That didn't leave him many options, though. In fact, it only really left one.
Adam quietly slipped back into the mansion, sneaking to his room to stash his new books and retrieve his sword. The fear of running into Saph and her friends so soon ruled out Kuo Kuana, Kaito's presence made the headquarters untenable, and Ghira's conversations drove him from the house. All three options suffered from the same problem…people. If that was the case, then the only logical choice was to find somewhere without them. Thankfully, that meant most of the island, as long as he didn't mind the other type of company that might summon.
Funnily enough, the Grimm were actually a welcome sight after a disastrous morning. No tedious conversations or poorly veiled insinuations. Grimm were far too direct for that, getting right to the point almost immediately. You knew exactly what they wanted as they tried to rip your face off. Adam, in turn, didn't have to worry about feelings, politics, or any of that other crap as he cut down any beast that crossed his path. This close to Kuo Kuana, there weren't many, but Adam kept pushing further away from civilization, cutting a trail of leisurely destruction as he sought out a familiar location.
It took around an hour, but as the faint sound of rushing water reached his ears, he knew it would be worth it. The terrain had grown a little rougher as he climbed higher, energized with how close his destination grew. He'd found this spot by accident a while back on one of his Grimm hunting excursions. He'd taken to going out every week or two, both to get some alone time and to help keep the Grimm at bay. Plus, he could always use more practice against the ever-present danger to Remnant.
One of those trips had led him to a river with no visible crossing. That far from Kuo Kuana, there wasn't much use for a bridge or anything. No one really ventured out that far. Out of curiosity, he'd followed the river upstream, curious if he could find a crossing point, but the water was too wide and the current too strong. Maybe it calmed downstream, but he'd lost interest in finding out once he'd stumbled on a much more welcome sight.
Adam took a deep breath as he reached his favorite spot. Just ahead, the river spilt over the edge, roaring as it crashed into the rocks below. The sound drowned out the world around him. Adam closed his eyes, letting the current carry his memories back to simpler times. It wasn't exactly like the one back in Shizukana, but it was close enough, especially after the flood of memories from Blake last night. He was no longer the young, innocent boy from that photo, but he could still remember that life. Here, away from the cares of the world and surrounded by nothing but nature, he could feel his burdens wash away, at least for a little bit. Here, in his noisy refuge, he could ignore the rest of Remnant and enjoy a brief respite all by himself. Nothing but him, his memories, and the endless rush of water.
And something else.
Adam's eyes shot open as he spun, ripping his sword free to strike down whatever monster dared sneak up on him. This far out, nothing but Grimm were around, and while they weren't exactly the most subtle creatures, some of them could be sneaky. Beowolves especially were known to stalk their prey at times, sneaking closer and closer until they were ready to strike. Adam sliced downward, Semblance brimming with all the combat to get this deep and ready to obliterate the blackened shape in an instant.
"Adam!"
Adam froze at the frantic word. Grimm didn't scream. They didn't talk at all. Also, they usually didn't wear clothes, stand so short, or have cat ears.
Oh gods.
"Blake?" The terrified girl stood before him, arms up to shield herself from a blade that had come far to close. Adam's hands shook as he imagined what could've been. Even with her aura, he could've ended her life in an instant. He'd done as much to Geryon and Gideon, his Semblance tearing through them with ease. How on Remnant would he explain doing the same to Blake? "What…what are you doing here?" Her wide eyes still stared at his sword, reminding him he hadn't withdrawn it. With a quick flourish, Adam slammed it back into its scabbard, making sure to take his hand away from the hilt the moment it was secure.
"I…I was just…"
"Were you following me?" She nodded. Not that she needed to. How else would she have wound up finding him this far out on her own?
"I saw you wander off," Blake said. "I didn't know where you were going and figured I'd follow."
Not much of a reason. "Why?"
"I dunno," Blake admitted, relaxing a little now that her life wasn't about to end. ""I didn't really have anything to do, so I just thought-"
"That you'd stalk me through Grimm-infested territory for an hour?" Not that he'd left any Grimm for her to worry about.
"Y-yeah. It was dumb of me." Her ears flattened in shame as she ducked her head. "I just…I wanted to see what you were up to." In other words, she was as bored as he was on their day off. It was hard to chastise her when he'd come out here for the same reason, albeit without the stalker act. "I can…I'll go. Sorry about-"
"No. It's fine." Not really, but he didn't really want to dwell on it. She was already here. No reason to send her marching home alone. "Besides, it's dangerous out here. You shouldn't go wandering off by yourself."
"You did," Blake pointed out, slapping him with his own hypocrisy.
"Yeah, but I'm…" Stronger? More capable? Less important? Yes to all of those things, but Blake wouldn't want to hear all that. "Fine, you got me. Anyways, you're already here. Might as well stay a bit."
"Where are we?" Blake walked to the edge, looking down on the waterfall below. "I've never seen this place before."
"You haven't?" Hadn't she grown up on the island? Surely they didn't just stay cooped up in Kuo Kuana all the time. There was so much more to the island. Then again, she was still a child. He doubted Ghira had let her wander off like that on her own. "I found it a while back. Before Atlas."
"And you never told anyone?"
"It's sort of my little hideout," Adam answered. "Somewhere I come to be alone with my thoughts."
"Oh." Adam really was the worst at talking to people. He'd basically called Blake out for ruining it for him.
"It's fine," he reassured her. "More that I just need to get away from everything from time to time, you know? Somewhere without all the politics, the demands, and the expectations."
"Somewhere you can just be you?"
How did she…? Now that Adam thought about it, it was pretty selfish to think he was the only one who needed to get away sometimes. Blake's parents led the White Fang. They were renowned for all their work fighting for equality and even ruled over Menagerie. Being their daughter must've come with a ton of expectations. Everything she did reflected on her parents, whereas all he had to worry about was his reputation among the White Fang.
Adam sat down on the edge of the rocky overhang. "It must be hard being an island princess." Despite the joke, Adam meant it. No wonder she pushed herself so hard. She was expected to be the best. No matter what happened, she'd always be judged against her parents, who had spent a lifetime devoted to their could she ever hope to climb out of the shadows of such titans?
Blake shrugged as she claimed a seat next to him. "It's not that bad. I don't always agree with Mom and Dad, but they've always been there for me. I just wish they'd take me a little more seriously."
Adam didn't always agree with them either, but they were good people. "They care about you."
"I know." Blake brushed some hair behind her ear. "But they can be a little overprotective. I'm not some helpless little girl, you know?"
"You aren't?" Adam accepted the punch to his arm with a laugh.
"I'm not!" Blake complained with a pout. "Dad asked you to protect me."
"You heard?" That must've been awkward. Ghira all but asked Adam to be her bodyguard, and they'd only just met.
"No, but I had a feeling." A feeling he'd just confirmed for her. Sneaky little turd. "Is that why you hung around me - why you started training me? Because Dad asked you to?"
"I only trained you because you wouldn't leave me alone," Adam shot back. She'd literally pestered him into submission.
"What about now?"
"Now?" Blake was a constant thorn in his side. If she wasn't poking him with her sarcastic comments, she was busy trying to stab him in training. She followed him around everywhere, even all the way out here! She was the one always hanging around him, not the other way around. He couldn't get rid of her even if he wanted to.
But did he want to? He could've refused. Told her to leave him alone or just ignored her. As stubborn as she could be, a few sharp words would probably send her running, so why hadn't he? With how annoying she'd been, he'd never really shut her down. He tolerated her. No, it was more than that. He actually enjoyed hanging out with her at times. As much as it hurt to admit, she'd grown on him.
Adam's lack of immediate answer weighed on Blake. She must've expected the worst. Maybe he saw her as some weak little girl he had to protect. Or an annoyance he wished he could get rid of. It hurt to see her like that, so unsure of herself and prepared for the worst.
"Now," Adam said, dragging it out just a little bit. "Eh, you're alright, I guess."
"Alright?" He couldn't tell if that made her feel better or worse.
"You're fine, Blake." As much fun as it was to mess with her, he didn't want her walking away with any doubts. "Your dad asked me to look after you, but that doesn't matter. You're a good student. A good teacher, too. If I didn't want you around, I'd tell you." And he hadn't. She could fill in the blanks there.
She did, if the way she sat up straighter was any indication.
They sat quietly for a few minutes, enjoying the peace of their surroundings in a far too chaotic world. There was no rush here. Neither of them really had anything to do until Sienna's bonfire that evening, and even then, they just needed to show up. Well, he did. Blake might be able to get away with skipping, but he'd promise to come and be seen. He hoped Blake came, too, if only so he'd have someone to talk to.
"You know, I used to have a spot like this back home."
"Home?" Blake questioned. "You mean back in Shizukana?"
"Yeah. There." His original home. "I used to ride my horse there all the time and just sit and listen to the water for hours."
"It sounds peaceful."
"It was." Which seemed like a weird way to describe the violent rushing and crashing of water against rock. "Well, except that one time."
"What happened?"
The same thing that always happened when you ventured into the wilderness in Remnant. "Grimm. A Beowolf." Thanks the gods it had only been one. If there'd been more, or if it had shown up on his side of the river, he probably wouldn't have made it out alive.
Blake looked around, as if she expected his words to summon one. "Did you kill it?"
"I ran for my life." Blake looked shocked, but what else could he do? "I was, like, five! I got on my horse and rode as fast as I could. It still almost caught me."
"How'd you escape?"
"I didn't." He should've died that day. As fast as Eve was, the Beowolf had been faster. He would've been just another unfortunate death if someone hadn't intervened. "A caravan guard saved me. Happened to be in the right place at the right time. Without him, I would've been Grimm food."
Sadly, that was a common occurrence outside the cities. The same creatures that people in Mistral had probably never even seen were a constant threat beyond their walls. No one ever truly conquered the Grimm. No matter how many they killed, more always showed up. Shizukana wasn't even that bad. Other settlements had it far worse. Most of the people on Remnant lived with the very real possibility of a nightmarish monster showing up and killing everyone at any moment. It was just a part of life.
Apparently not for Blake. "That's awful!"
"That's life." Death, actually. The sooner you accepted that reality, the sooner you could move on with life. "That wasn't even the only time. I went through three Grimm attacks before I even left Katai."
"How do people live like that?" He had to remind himself that Blake lived in a city. Kuo Kuana might not be as grand as Mistral or Vale, but it still had a solid defense that let its citizens live in peace. No one in Kuo Kuana went to bed fearful of a Grimm attack.
"Not much choice," Adam replied. "You can't spend all your time afraid of what might happen. You just have to take advantage of the time you're given." Because living in fear wasn't really living at all. Change what you can. Accept what you can't. "I killed my first Grimm when I was around your age, actually."
"Really?" Adam figured he'd steer the conversation into more pleasant waters, but it didn't hurt to brag a little. "That late?"
"Wha-?" Leave it to Blake to rob him of his pride. It took him a second to recognize her mocking smile. "Brat." Adam shoved her, knocking her on her side as she burst out in laughter. "You think you're hot stuff with all that training. Must be nice having such an awesome teacher."
"Yeah. Kaito's pretty cool."
He'd make her pay for that in their next lesson. "Well, not all of us had training. Or aura." That shut her up. "Or a weapon."
"You did what?!"
He hadn't talked about the Grimm attack in a long time. Sure, he hadn't triumphed through some amazing ability or clever planning. Desperation and luck won the day. Still, in the end, he and Nila survived and the Grimm didn't. How many people could claim that, especially as a preteen?
They talked and talked until the shadows of the evening started creeping in and Adam's stomach began to growl. Hours flew by as they shared stories of their childhoods, bouncing back and forth between two very different upbringings. Blake's first protests. Adam's time as a merchant. Her first time in Atlas. His survival in Mistral. Making signs for the White Fang. Horse riding lessons. Unlocking aura. Learning to fight. The two of them had so many stories for being so young. Even as they started back home, the reminiscing continued. Summarizing two very different lives that had somehow wound up in the same spot.
Few Grimm dared challenge their return. Adam let Blake handle them but stood ready to intervene if needed. Ghira once asked him to protect her, but like Blake said, she wasn't some helpless little girl. He doubted her father would approve or ever let her take such risks if he was there, but no one grew by being coddled.
They still had a couple hours until the bonfire kicked off, but Adam planned to get there a little early. After a day out in the wilderness, he could use a quick shower. He was about to head in when Blake stopped him.
"Are you…going to the bonfire tonight?" she asked with a bit of hopefulness in her voice. Like him, she probably wanted someone to talk to.
"I'll be there," Adam assured her. And by the sounds of it, she would too. "Funnily enough, you're the second person to ask me."
"I am?" Blake looked a little disappointed at not being first. Adam couldn't help but laugh. Blake had to be the best at everything, didn't she.
"Sienna asked me yesterday." She wanted to parade him around in front of everyone and prop him up as some kind of symbol. He just hoped she didn't overdo it. "Said she wants to show me off to everyone. I'm going over a little early to meet her beforehand."
"Oh. O-okay."
"Don't worry, Blake. I'll be there all night. Maybe we can hang out with Ilia and Bane later." It wouldn't be right to leave Ilia on her own. Well, Bane would be there, but he wasn't the best for conversation.
"Y-yeah. I guess."
"Oh, and Blake?" Blake perked up a little. "Thanks…for today. I know I didn't invite you or anything, but I'm glad you came along. Maybe we can do that again sometime."
"I…I'd like that."
"Me too."
Adam having tons of success with the ladies here. Even Jaune is facepalming somewhere. Also, bonus points to whoever can guess the name of the book Adam was reading. Probably made it a little too obvious, but I feel like the story fits him.
Original plan was to end this one right after his evening lesson with Blake, but it felt like a repeat of last chapter at that point. No bonfire here, but that'll be a quick thing next chapter. Want to get to the next mission rather than park in Menagerie forever. I'll go into more detail then, but I had the whole thing planned out already, then had to scrap it on Monday and plan out a whole new mission. On the bright side, that means I actually have a bit of a plan for the upcoming chapters instead of just winging it as I go.
More Blake and Adam interactions. She's like a fungus - she grows on you in time. Before anyone claims anything, this isn't about to spiral straight into romance or anything. Blake might be developing a crush for her teacher, but she is still very much in the little sister zone here. Adam's got too much on his plate to think about relationships, like avoiding lecherous fangirls and accessorizing his outfit.