My schedule is all thrown off. My volunteer group that's met on Thursdays for who knows how many years (at least 20) suddenly switched to Mondays and wrecked my routine. Gotta figure out a new pattern to organize my week now. Such is life.

Adam hated how comforting he found the familiar halls of the orphanage as he trudged back to his room in the morning. Compared to the danger two nights ago, he found himself relaxing within the relatively safe passageways. Alyssa's ministrations last night felt just as routine as the stairway that awaited him.

His feet mindlessly guided him downstairs, eager to be free of Alyssa's domain. The few people he passed in the early morning hours eyed him warily, a pair of girls even whispering to each other as he passed. The words he could pick out didn't exactly thrill him.

"Runaway..."

"...brought back last night..."

"...almost died."

So, everyone already knew what had happened then. And why shouldn't they? They couldn't have missed all the uproar of Madam de Thom looking for him. Nor had they failed to notice their forced return yesterday. Nila had probably been grilled by her roommates. Heck, there might've even been someone recklessly listening outside Madam de Thom's office, risking her ire for the juicy gossip that now flowed through the orphanage. Either way, word had spread, and in a quiet orphanage where little of note ever happened and news from outside was rare, something like his escape and capture would be all anyone talked about for at least a week.

It was galling to hear his struggle reduced to nothing more than chatter for the same people who had never even spoken to him before. They hadn't cared about him before, but this felt worse. They delighted in his failure. Laughed at his struggle. He'd nearly died, but they saw it as nothing more than an exciting story to share and joke about.

He hated them for it.

They didn't understand everything he'd been through. How could they? Most of them never faced the hardship he did. None of them had ever had reason to flee, and none would've survived in his place. To them, being brought back was a mercy.

To him, it was a death sentence.

Whatever sliver of hope he'd desperately clung to before had been severed. He'd thought life cruel before, but they'd stolen what few joys he had left. Even his future had been spoiled with the seizing of his savings. All he had to look forward to was years of suffering from Alyssa, then being cast out into an uncaring world to do his best to survive. The only comfort he had left was the one who'd stuck by him in the end. The only friend he had left in life was Nila.

Oh, and Erik.

Thwack.

"You idiot! You absolute bas-" Erik snarled, cutting off the uncharacteristic curse as he nursed his aching knuckles and glared down at Adam.

"Hey Erik," Adam grunted from the floor, wondering if he would be adding a black eye to his list of injuries. The two roommates lingering across the room watched the sudden commotion silently, but Erik didn't seem to care.

"Don't you 'hey Erik' me!" Adam didn't know what he'd expected from his friend. Relief. Joy. Sorrow. All of those were higher on the list than the clear rage of the boy above him. "I should thrash you for what you did."

"You did already hit me," Adam pointed out as he picked himself up off the floor. The stupid comment earned him a punch to the arm, though this one had much less force than the first. "I'm sorry I worried you so much."

Evidently, that wasn't what Erik meant. "You? Screw you. You almost got Nila killed!"

Oh. That.

Suddenly, their rocky reunion made a lot more sense. Erik had always had a crush on Nila, even before Adam met them. He probably thought Adam had lured her into his foolish adventure, tricking her to run away with him. Erik had tried to convince her to stay when it became clear Adam wouldn't give up on his plan. He'd probably secretly been looking forward to having Nila all to himself again, even if Adam knew his friend would never be that cold on purpose. She'd made her interest in Adam clear already, but having her choose to run away with him rather than stay with Erik must've stung.

"We came back okay," Adam tried, ignoring the fact that he was still a bit of a wreck.

"I know. Nila told me last night and said you were still recovering. Otherwise, I would've hunted you down then and beat the livin' daylights out of you." Erik's snort somewhat sullied the severity of his threat. Having Erik track him down might've been nice, though, since Alyssa couldn't have done much with him around. It would've at least kept him safe until she made him leave, buying him a little extra relief from her. Then again, if he'd arrived at the wrong moment and found out her dirty secret, she might've taken revenge on both of them.

Maybe him holding off wasn't such a bad thing after all.

"I've been worried sick," Erik continued, thankfully without any more physical attacks. "Nila told me all about the Grimm. How could you be so stupid?"

"What? Stopping for rest in a well-established area?" Camping out away from the trail would've been even more dangerous. Riding all night wasn't an option, either. They had to rest at some point. Given the situation, he still felt he'd made the right choice.

"Leaving in the first place!"

Fair point.

"If you'd told me just how dangerous-"

"I couldn't risk telling you," Adam interjected, eyes darting meaningfully to their counterparts nearby. Despite their attempts to look otherwise, it was obvious the two were listening to every word. Having rumors of Erik's involvement floating around wouldn't help anyone.

Erik caught the hint after a moment of confusion, turning his newfound anger on a new target. "What are you two lookin' at?"

Adam doubted either of them felt intimidated by his squirrely friend, but rather through embarrassment or just not wanting to deal with direct confrontation, they wasted little time leaving. Soon, it was just the two of them.

Waiting a few extra seconds to ensure no one was listening, Adam tried to calm his friend down. "I didn't think there'd be Grimm so close to town."

"You didn't think at all," Erik sniped. "I told you not to go. But did you listen? Nooo. You just had to charge off and try to get yourself killed. All because of some big secret that you can't tell anyone about."

That stung a bit, not that he couldn't see how it hurt Erik too. Not only had Adam come back, beaten and battered, proving Erik's doubts in the first place, but he'd asked for trust that he couldn't give in return. How could Erik have trusted his life to Adam if Adam couldn't trust his secret with Erik?

You could tell him now, the hated voice whispered. Go on. Tell him. Let him in on our little secret. And when he tries to do something about it, I'll be waiting.

Adam shivered.

I'll make him suffer, just like you. And I'll make sure he knows it was all your fault.

No.

Yes. It'll be all your fault. And what do you think he'll do once he realizes that, hm? He'll hate you. He'll hate everything about you. And there won't be anything you can do about it.

He couldn't let that happen, especially now. Erik and Nila were the only thing he had left. Losing them would break him. Plus, he'd promised to keep them safe, no matter what. He'd protect them, even if they had no idea what he protected them from. Just as he'd leapt from the tree to save Nila from the Beowolf, he'd endure Alyssa's torture to protect them from her.

Erik took Adam's hesitation for what it was - a refusal to reveal his secret once more. Rolling his eyes, Erik gave him a half-hearted shove. "Well, I'm glad you're okay, at least. Couldn't really do the whole 'I told you so' bit if you'd gotten eaten. Just promise me you won't try it again."

As if they'd ever give him the chance. He had no money, no horse, and no freedom. He'd be lucky to make it to the gate before they caught him next time. And where would he go? Even the journey to Shizukana wasn't one to be made on foot. Erik definitely wouldn't chance it with him, and he doubted Nila would be eager to go again after their near fatal encounter.

"So, I've heard all the rumors. Why don't you give me your version while we grab some food?"

Adam's stomach rumbled at the mention of breakfast. He hadn't eaten much yesterday, too much in shock to bother. Following down the hall, Adam gave a shortened version of their adventure. The rest area. The Grimm. Their fight. And finally, their rescue by the sheriff. By the time he finished, the two were already halfway through their food.

"You fought one of those things?" Erik asked in bewilderment.

"Killed one," Adam bragged. "Stabbed it in the eye and then knocked it out of the tree when it tried to climb after us." While not the flashy kills he'd seen from Team SPVC or even the methodical killing by Sheriff Taylor, in the end, a kill was a kill. He was alive, and the Beowolf wasn't.

"That's insane!" Erik's earlier anger had burned out, quickly replaced with awe at his unlikely triumph.

And it was unlikely. Sheriff Taylor had drilled that into him on the ride back to Katai. Grimm were apex predators that existed for one reason - to kill people. They didn't bother with animals. Didn't graze on plants. They chased down and slaughtered people without mercy. Those without aura and training rarely lived to tell about it. Even his victory was more luck than skill, and he shouldn't test that luck again.

Not that Adam had any desire to. Fighting Grimm was something best left to Huntsmen. Once upon a time, he'd dreamed of becoming one, but that dream had died long ago. Maybe someday, he'd be strong enough to defend himself should the need arise, but he'd rather avoid testing that theory if he could. He'd had enough of monsters for one lifetime.

Adam turned as Nila finally made an appearance. It wasn't some sort of special sense or awareness that drew his eyes, but rather the way the voices closer to the door quieted to hushed whispers when they spotted her. As soon as she passed, their voices began to pick up, gossip chasing her every step as she hurried to their table. It had probably been the same for Adam, but he hadn't noticed.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Neither Adam nor Nila knew what else to say. She'd trusted him and nearly died for it. He'd protected her the best he could, but if it hadn't been for the sheriff's intervention, her misplaced trust would've gotten her killed. And now that they were back, they were both in trouble because of him. Adam wasn't sure if Nila would ever trust him again.

Mercifully, Erik broke their silence. "You okay?" he asked Nila.

"I guess," she shrugged. Adam could spot the bags under her eyes easily enough. They hadn't slept much the night of the attack, and Adam doubted it was much better last night either. He could recognize the haunted look in her eyes. How her eyes darted around at every sound, searching for some unseen threat. He knew it well.

After all, he'd done the same the first time he'd been faced with a Grimm.

Erik could tell they needed a moment. "I'll go…get you some food." He slipped away quietly, leaving the two in relative silence, neither of them knowing what to say.

Adam knew her fear would fade in time, but it wasn't a fun process. Once she realized that every shadow wasn't actually some evil creature waiting to tear her throat out, things would get better. When the night failed to swallow her whole, she'd eventually start to relax and recover. She might never forget that fateful night, but the fear would grow old. Distant. It would be a terrible story she'd share with others as a warning, but that was all.

But right now, the horror was still fresh in her mind.

"It's okay. You're safe now, Nila." Adam reached across the table slowly, careful not to startle her as his fingers gently brushed against her hand. She instinctively grasped on to the lifeline, calming slightly at the familiar touch. He couldn't chase away the shadows for her, but maybe he could distract her from them for a bit. If nothing else, the simple comfort of not being alone seemed to cheer her up.

The two of them sat like that until an awkward cough had Nila drawing away.

"They were out of biscuits, so I got you some toast instead." Erik did his best to play it cool, but Adam knew it hurt to see him comfort Nila when Erik couldn't. Especially when he'd tried so hard to keep her from going in the first place. Adam may have protected her, but had she listened to Erik, she never would've been in danger in the first place.

"Thanks," Nila managed between bites. "Both of you."

They ate in silence, trying hard to ignore the whispers around them. Where their recent goodbyes had been painful, the sudden reunion was just awkward. None of them really knew what to say. Talking about their excursion was out, thankfully. Adam didn't exactly want to dwell on it. He doubted Nila was eager to revisit that night either.

Erik decided to steer into safer waters as the two boys finished eating. "You healthy enough to come back to work today?" Adam grimaced, Erik hastily backpedaling, but for the wrong reason. "No rush! I know Papi said we'd be busy this week, but if you need more time to rest, I can tell him you-"

Nila cut off his frantic assurances, glaring an accusation at Adam. "You didn't tell him?"

"Tell me what?"

"I was getting there." Eventually. His plethora of punishments weren't exactly pleasant topics. "You might want to tell Papi I won't be coming to work, Erik."

"This week?"

"Ever."

"What?!" Adam had been prepared for Erik's reaction, but the sudden attention from the surrounding tables proved the rest of the room hadn't been. "Ever? You mean-"

"I'm not allowed to leave the orphanage. Too much of a flight risk." If he never left the grounds, he'd be easier to watch. Easier to control. "As of today, I'm officially unemployed. Sorry."

It felt weird apologizing for being punished, but they both knew it hurt Erik too. Aside from the loss of his only real friend at work, Erik would have to work even harder without him. Adam always pushed himself, working himself to exhaustion most days to get done early and lighten the load for his smaller friend. Papi liked them both enough that they didn't fear him firing Erik anytime soon, but it would mean longer, harder days for him without Adam joining in.

In a way, Erik had gotten part of the punishment for Adam's transgression.

"B-but…what do I tell Papi?" Erik asked, ignoring the more pressing matter of the end of their teamwork.

"Tell him I got in trouble," Adam shrugged. No reason to hide the truth from him. Papi was a good man. A tough man. A fair man. He was one of the only adults in Katai Adam actually respected. As much as Adam wished he could say his farewells in person, he'd trust Erik to do it for him. "And tell him I'm sorry."

Hopefully, that would be enough for his former employer.

Erik nodded in agreement, promising to pass the message along before diving into the obvious but uncomfortable topic that lingered in the air. "What else did they do?"

Adam knew exactly what he meant. With a resigned, heavy sigh, Adam regaled him with the list of punishments from Madam de Thom. Forbidden to leave the orphanage grounds unescorted. All outside work opportunities removed. Increased chores. Loss of all saved funds. And worst of all, Eve would be sold to someone else.

Erik honed in on one in particular. "They stole your savings?"

Of course that one would stick out. The three of them were counting on that once they got out. Not many left the orphanage with more than a change of clothes. A few had inheritances from family, but those were rare exceptions and they typically either had family to take them in or were adopted. While Adam wasn't so callous as to suggest the extra lien made them more desirable to the rare family looking to adopt, no one could deny that those were the first ones picked. With the miniscule adoptions each year - some years there weren't any - no one really bothered planning for that possibility.

Adam used to think like that, though. With a large town like Katai and so many travelers, maybe he and his friends would find a new loving family to call their own someday. That hope quickly faded when the rare visitor didn't even bother talking to the three faunus children. He'd asked Alyssa about it once, back before he'd known what she was really like. With a well-established orphanage in town, most assumed the children were well taken care of and didn't even consider adopting. Of the handful of people that had come to adopt since Adam's arrival, most were actually family of someone there, with the child only staying until they'd arrived to take them away to a better life. The actual odds of one of them leaving with a family were slim.

Even less for the trio of faunus, who stuck out like a sore thumb.

Looking back, Alyssa had probably just been looking to crush what little hope he had even then, but she wasn't wrong. Much like at the job fair, people naturally passed them over. Maybe some were racist, but others just naturally gravitated elsewhere, not even realizing they'd ignored him. After all, he was different, and people didn't like different.

But none of that mattered in the end. All that mattered was reality, as cruel as it could be. "Technically, they didn't steal it," Adam amended, even if he agreed more with Erik's wording. Having him accuse Madam de Thom of theft wouldn't go over well. "It'll be used to cover my expenses since I'm not working anymore."

"Because they won't let you," Nila grumbled, seeing through the plot easily enough.

"That's not fair!"

"It is what it is," Adam answered before Erik could get himself in trouble. "I'll figure something else out for us."

"I'm sure Papi would hire you as soon as he's able." Adam sure hoped Erik was right. He'd be in desperate need of work once he got out, and unlike everyone else, he wouldn't have years of experience when that time came. Most would already be well-established in their jobs by then. Why hire an inexperienced teen when you could get one for free from the orphanage? At least Erik would have a good chance at becoming a full employee for the lumber mill. Adam would just have to hope Papi would remember and take pity on him in a few years.

Worrying about all of that could wait, though. He had a lot of other things on his plate first. Well, metaphorically speaking. The empty dish before him was soon matched by Nila as she finished devouring the meal Erik had gotten for her. With an increased chore workload, classes, and avoiding Alyssa, Adam felt he had enough to worry about for one day

Apparently, fate disagreed.

"Well look who's back!" Adam couldn't help the snarl as a voice he'd hoped to never hear again taunted him from behind. "Awfully rude of you to leave without a proper goodbye to your old pal."

Adam didn't bother answering as Pika came around to the side of their table, flanked by his usual lackeys. Adam's hand itched for the knife beside him. Even a butter knife could do damage with enough force.

"Nothing to say, Adam? How disappointing. And after I came all this way to see you." His friends chuckled behind him, enjoying the spectacle, but Adam knew they were there for more than a show. This was a show of force. A challenge. Pika was here to rub his nose in his failure, content that the public setting, his injuries, and a full group would protect him. Still, Adam saw the way Pika's friends tensed a little when he finally turned to them. Even Pika seemed a little more rigid. Not out of fear. He was ready for an attack.

"Let me be the first to welcome you home." The temptation to slap Pika's waiting hand away burned in him, but that would only play into Pika's little game. "Well, second, I guess. Heard you and the madam had quite the discussion when she dragged you back yesterday."

So there were spies listening in. Adam figured as much. Whether it was one of Pika's or he'd just heard through the grapevine didn't matter. He already knew more than Adam liked.

Rather than become bored with Adam's silence, Pika kept pushing, intent on getting a rise out of him. "Couldn't even make it one day out there on your own. Would've thought you'd last a little longer. Too bad, Nila."

Adam's palms burned as his fingers dug in, curled into a tight fist that longed for an introduction to Pika's face. Every eye in the room fixed on them, sensing the fight only moments from breaking out. Pika just smirked at him, daring him to strike the first blow.

"That's enough, Pika," Erik complained, helping to distract from Adam's growing rage.

Pika didn't seem upset at the interruption, content to prod at all of them if he had to. Given Adam's past of rushing to his friends' defense, he probably knew it would only stir Adam up more. "Oh look! The one who stayed behind. Guess you're more domesticated than I thought. Or maybe just too chicken to follow your friends. And here I thought you only got one animal trait."

"Enough!" Adam surged to his feet, right into Pika's grinning face. No attack came, though. They both knew he wouldn't win this fight. Worse, he had a whole room full of witnesses that Adam started it. "Leave. Them. Alone."

"Or what, runt?" Pika didn't back down, whispering right in Adam's face. Adam could feel the spray of spittle, but he wouldn't be the one giving ground here.

Rather than answer, Adam merely glared his hatred at the boy, leaving them stuck in a tense standoff. The whole room waited in silence for one of them to move. Neither could back down now, but nor could they be the one to attack. Adam considered going for it anyways. After all, what more trouble could he get in? They'd already taken everything from him. Other than more chores, what else could they do? Maybe he should find out.

Do it. Teach him a lesson. For once, he didn't mind the quiet words. Look at him. He's nothing. You took on a Beowolf. This pompous jerk wouldn't last two seconds against you. Remind him what happens when someone crosses Adam Taurus.

The doors of the room slammed open, interrupting their standoff and causing those nearby to jump.

"What's going on here?" Madam de Thom demanded. "Your chores aren't going to do themselves!"

Their matron's fierce glare sent most of the room scurrying to return their dishes, some rushing off to chores while others hurriedly began cleaning the large room. Madam de Thom fixed her gaze on Adam and Pika, but before she could intervene further, Pika laughed and stepped back.

"Saved by the old lady again. Maybe someday you'll learn to fight your own battles." Rish, coming from a guy who refused to fight alone. "C'mon, guys. We've got better things to do than deal with these animals. See ya around, Adam."

And with that, Pika left, followed closely by his gang. He won't always have them around. True. He could always wait until Pika was less guarded and strike then. For now, he watched them go, only turning back to his friends once the coast was clear. Nila glared after their retreating antagonist, watching him go with poorly concealed hatred. Erik, on the other hand, looked between the two of them and quickly decided he had to be the voice of reason.

"Ignore him," he practically begged, knowing nothing good would come of whatever the two were thinking.

"Easier said than done," Nila argued as she gathered her dishes, only for Erik to snatch them from her.

"I've got them," Erik insisted, doing the same for Adam. "He's just jealous of all the attention you're getting. Give it a few days and things will go back to normal. You'll see."

Normal. If only it was that simple. He still had to deal with the "normal" bullying and abuse, but now without the hope he'd briefly had.

"Get a move on, you three," Madam de Thom ordered. Erik scurried away to return their dishes, leaving Nila to skulk off to her job. But the order had been squarely directed at Adam. Given what - or rather, who - awaited him upstairs, Adam didn't exactly feel like rushing off, but staying would only get him in more trouble.

Accepting his fate, Adam marched upstairs, suddenly wishing he'd started a fight, if only because another lecture from Madam de Thom would be better than dealing with her.

/- - - - - - - - - -/

The day dragged by, though Adam felt grateful for little mercies along the way. Alyssa had barely bothered him during his chores, though he knew that wouldn't last. She was always unpredictable like that, keeping him on edge constantly. The hope of an easy encounter just made the other mornings more brutal, which was probably the point.

Classes sped by with him barely even paying attention to the lecture. He could've hugged Madam de Thom when she gave him his evening chores. Not because they were easy, but simply because work in the kitchens was far better than his fear of more time upstairs.

Sadly, Nila didn't join him in the evening for a walk, saying she felt tired from her own extra chores before rushing back to her room. Adam hoped that was it, but he also had to wonder if she wasn't ready yet. The two of them, alone, out in the dark sounded awfully familiar. Maybe once things calmed back down, she'd brave the night once more to spend time with him, but for now, he'd give her some space.

Instead, he found himself joined by Erik on a long walk, though they didn't get up to any of the things he and Nila did, naturally.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Erik's concern for Nila always came first, but Adam didn't mind.

"Give her some time," Adam insisted. "She's been through a lot."

"Because of you." The words slipped out before Erik could stop them. "S-sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Yes you did." Far from being offended at Erik's accusation, Adam just shrugged. "And you're right. If it wasn't for me, she'd wouldn't've ever faced a Grimm. It's my fault."

"It's not-"

"It is." There was no reason to beat around the bush. He'd run away. He'd convinced her to go. He couldn't blame anyone but himself. "It was stupid of me."

"Yeah, it kinda was." Erik's shoulder bumped against his own. "But for what it's worth, I'm glad you're back. Place got kinda lonely without you two."

Without Nila. Adam stamped down on the thought. Sure, Erik probably missed Nila more than him, but so what? They'd been friends longer, and Erik had a much different kind of interest in Adam's girlfriend. He probably should've been angrier about that, but Nila had made her choice, and Erik understood that. They could still be friends, even if Erik would always be waiting in case he and Nila broke up. As long as he didn't try to make that happen, Adam wouldn't fault the boy for his interest.

"How did Papi take it?" Adam asked, genuinely curious. Papi had been almost like an uncle to Adam. At least, what he assumed an uncle would be like. He'd never had one to compare him to.

"He wasn't happy. Said I'll have to pick up the slack, but I think he was more upset at losing you than your work." That sounded nice, but they both knew Papi would never admit that. "Told me to look after you and let him know if anything changed."

Papi probably meant in the near term, but it gave Adam hope that there would be a spot waiting for him when he finally escaped the orphanage. While he'd love to escape the wretched town and all the horrible memories that went with it, he'd need money for that. A couple years at the mill would give him that, plus the experience would help him find work elsewhere. At the very least, he'd stick around until Nila aged out. Maybe then, he could convince them to leave with him properly.

"How was work in the kitchens?"

"Not bad." He'd rather have been at the mill with Erik, but Adam didn't mind his new tasks too much. It wasn't his first time working there, and anything was better than his morning routine. "Spent most of the time carrying things around and cleaning dishes." So many dishes. He hadn't realized just how much washing there could be until he was forced to do it almost all by himself. Plates. Utensils. Cups. Even pots and pans from the kitchen. By the end, his fingers had been red and wrinkly from all the hot water.

"Maybe you can ask them to teach you to cook or something," Erik suggested. "Never a bad idea to learn something new."

"Maybe." Chef Adam didn't exactly have a great ring to it in his mind. He'd rather be outside than cooped up in a hot room laboring over a stove. "Guess it can't hurt to ask, right? Beats doing dishes, at least. So what happened while we were gone?"

Even if they'd only been missing a day, Erik made it sound much longer with everything they'd missed. As Adam intended, it took them a few hours to realize he wasn't coming back. In fact, they'd noticed Nila's absence well before his own. Madam de Thom had stormed off to find the sheriff while Alyssa interrogated Erik for any information, but he claimed he knew nothing about it. After all, why would they tell him and not bring him along? He wasn't sure if Alyssa believed him, but with no evidence against him, there wasn't much she could do.

If only you knew. She could've done a lot to Erik. Adam could attest to how vicious she could be when she put her mind to it. Thankfully, she never had a chance, as Madam de Thom had returned. Erik made sure to listen in as she mentioned the horse was gone and the guards had seen him leave earlier. The sheriff and his deputy promised to track them down and bring them back, but that left Madam de Thom with nothing to do and a whole lot of anger to burn off. She'd said something about going home - Adam assumed she meant the mayor's house and pitied the man - before stomping away and leaving Alyssa in charge.

Rumors had flown about a million possible causes. With how angry Madam de Thom was, most assumed trouble between her and her husband. The conspicuous absence of two thirds of their faunus population soon had the rumor mill spinning in a different direction. Depending on who you asked, Adam and Nila had either gotten married, pregnant, or killed. Sometimes all three. Erik had become very popular for a few hours as everyone tried to drag information from him, but he'd played dumb the entire time, earning Adam's respect.

Other things had happened along the way, but none worth really noticing. One of the older teen couples had a messy breakup before news of Adam and Nila broke. Apparently she'd caught him with another girl and made sure everyone knew how vile and lecherous of a worm her ex could be. He'd probably thanked his lucky stars for Adam stealing his spotlight.

Other than that, a younger boy broke his arm on the playground and someone accidentally flooded the girl's bathroom with a clogged toilet. All in all, a busy weekend, but nothing rising to the prominence of a pair of runaways.

With another lap behind them, Erik asked the question that must've been eating away at him. "You aren't…you aren't gonna try it again, are you?"

"No." Erik had already asked before, but Adam couldn't blame him doubting. He'd been so set on leaving, regardless of the consequences, that Erik probably assumed he'd bolt the first chance he got. Madam de Thom sure thought so, given how many restrictions she was putting in place. "It wouldn't work, anyways. Probably wouldn't even make it to the gate before they caught me. I'm not going anywhere."

Erik looked relieved at his assurance, missing how much it weighed on Adam to admit. It felt like surrender. In a way, it was. He'd given up on ever escaping, resigning himself to years of suffering. Sure, the sheriff seemed to know what was going on, but he hadn't done anything about it, likely lacking any real evidence to act on. The word of a runaway would hardly be enough. He needed real proof. Something that would show what really went on at the orphanage. Someone who-

That's it! Alyssa had mentioned others before him. Even the sheriff hinted at it. Faunus orphans like him that Alyssa had taken an interest in. Alyssa couldn't be that old. If she'd done this before, especially multiple times, it would've had to have been recent. Recent enough that they might be able to track down one of her victims and convince him to talk. Most of them stayed in Katai after aging out, so maybe he would still be local. Surely with more than one accusation and a sheriff already suspicious of Alyssa, they could prove what she was doing and have her arrested!

But first, he needed to find out about the others. "Hey, Erik. Do you remember any other faunus boys at the orphanage? Before I came?"

The question caught Erik off guard. He thought for a moment. "Yeah…I remember one a while back. Flynt? No, Finn. Finn was his name. Taller guy with mouse ears, I think. Didn't talk much."

Perfect. With any luck, this Finn guy could help free him from Alyssa's grasp. They just had to find him. Well, Erik would have to find him. Adam couldn't exactly go traipsing around town right now. "Do you know what happened to him after he left the orphanage?"

"After?"

"When he aged out! Did he stick around town? Did he have a job somewhere?" If he kept the same job from his time at the orphanage, they should be able to find him easily enough.

"I-I don't know where he worked. I was pretty young when…" Erik trailed off.

"What?"

"When…" Erik took a deep breath. "When he killed himself."

Adam could feel the thread of hope being cruelly yanked from his hands once more. "He…what?"

"Killed himself," Erik repeated. "He'd hung himself…in his room…"

Hung himself? But why?

"Someone said he was always in a lot of trouble. Always getting detention." Adam gulped, not at all thrilled by the answer to his unspoken question. "Maybe Miss Alyssa would know more."

Adam was sure she would. He didn't have to ask any further. He knew exactly what had happened. Detention meant time alone with Alyssa, after all. She'd sunk her claws into Finn, just as she'd done to Adam. He'd looked for escape, too, though he'd gone for a far more drastic approach. In the end, Finn had chosen to end it all rather than endure Alyssa's torments any longer.

Adam just hoped he wouldn't follow someday.

Wouldn't be a Goose story without a minor character being named just to die. Unfortunately, his death also kills Adam's new hope of escape.

I also wanted to briefly include some thoughts on adoption rates at this orphanage. Not meant to reflect on adoptions in real life (my family went through the process years ago). In fact, the bit about children with inheritances is actually backwards from my real life experience. We met a family that was trying to adopt a girl that happened to have a small inheritance set aside by her parents' will for when she came of age. Orphanage tried to fleece them for more cash (found out afterwards that a good chunk of our agency fees actually went towards bribes for the matron). Then when the time came, the agency smuggled them and their daughter out of town at night, put them on a train, and told them to never come back. Super shady stuff, but such was common over there, it turns out.

And hey, Pika's still around! Can't forget our faux antagonist from before. Obviously, he doesn't measure up to the current BBEG (Alyssa), but he's not given up yet.

More importantly, I have officially decided that Erik's last name is now Matthews thanks to my wife. I told her about Erik having a squirrel tail and she immediately started laughing. Hadn't realized I'd made an accidental Boy Meets World reference (Plays With Squirrels), but now I can't unsee it. And neither can you.

Next chapter: The orphanage gets an unexpected visitor.