No chapter next week. I'll be celebrating my birthday on Monday. Then, on Friday, I'm doing a 24-hour stream to celebrate 2 years of streaming on Twitch! Trying to rush a chapter along the way wouldn't go well, so I'll take the extra time to plan a little and be back the following week.
The week started out a little bumpy. 3 day migraine left me drained, but after that I was fine. Then yesterday, while going downstairs to get some food, I tripped over my dog Maverick and went down a full flight of stairs. Nothing broken and no concussion or anything, but my left leg is badly bruised and I can't left my left arm above my shoulder. So I'm on crutches and painkillers for a little while. Had to get one last doctor visit in before I turn 32.
"So, Jean…last night, you said if you were sober enough, I should ask again, so…"
Last night's directness hadn't held out to the morning. Neither had Adam's patience. Waiting until morning hadn't been easy, but with how Jean had explicitly told him to wait, Adam had gone until almost five minutes after waking up to approach the man. Ada had busied himself with dreams and plans for the future. Jean would unlock his aura, train him, and then take him on as an apprentice for the next few years. After that, Adam might set off and become a guard of another major caravan. Or maybe he'd find a town in need of someone with his skills and take over their security.
Not Katai, though. That place could burn to the ground and be trampled by Grimm for all he cared.
Unfortunately, all his planning for the future failed to account for the present. His brief surge of confidence last night hadn't survived the night. He'd heard that beer could make a man more confident, but doubted the brief swig and spit he'd done last night explained anything. He'd finally worked up the courage, only to be told to come back tomorrow. Well, tomorrow was here, and he was back to square one, still searching for the right words to convince Jean to train him.
As Adam danced around the issue, Jean rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stretched, letting out a satisfied grunt to echo a crack from his back. "Any day now, Adam."
Much like last night, Jean's impatience ended his rambling. "You said to ask you to train me," Adam blurted out.
"I did, did I?" Jean splashed some water in his face, shaking most of it off before toweling the last bits of moisture dry. "That doesn't sound like me."
"But you did!" Adam protested. He could remember it clearly. He'd asked, only for Jean to tell him to ask again tomorrow. "You said you'd give me an answer in the morning, and it's morning." Adam pointed up at the dim glow cresting the horizon for emphasis.
"I said I'd answer if I was sober enough," Jean corrected. "Do I look sober enough to you?"
Adam wasn't sure. He'd never dealt with drunkenness before. Father Bernard never touched the stuff, and Mazarin avoided it when she was around them. She might have a little here and there, but never enough to get her sloshed. And there wasn't exactly an open bar at the orphanage.
"Y-yes?" Adam tried.
"Is that a question, or an answer?"
Dang it. "Are you? I mean, we're about to head out on the trail…"
"Am I sober enough to do my job?" Jean asked for him. "Absolutely. Sober enough to answer your question? No."
Adam deflated at the answer. "B-but you said-"
"I said I'd give you an answer, and I will." Adam tilted his head in confusion. "Just not right now. Ask me again when we stop for lunch."
It wasn't the answer Adam wanted, but it was still better than a no. Adam wanted to complain, but angering Jean wouldn't exactly make him eager to train Adam. With a stuttered agreement, Adam rushed off to prepare Magnifique for the day ahead, then checked with Soji if there was anything he needed to do.
The sun finally peaked over the horizon, its bright rays chasing them from Higanbana and back onto the lonely highway. Once again, Adam got a chance to drive the wagon as Soji gave a brief lesson, then ducked into the back to take a nap. With little else to occupy his mind, Adam plotted how he would win over Jean and earn his training.
Only for Jean to delay at every turn.
"Ask me again this evening."
"Check with me in the morning."
"Maybe when we get to town."
Each time, Adam would rush to do his part for the caravan, then try to ask Jean yet again. Each time, Jean let him squirm and try to find the right words, only to blow him off and tell him to try again later. With each denial, Adam had to force himself to stay calm, pressing down on his mounting aggravation.
Was this some sort of game to Jean? Did he plan to just mess with Adam until he gave up? Adam had noticed a few of the men in the caravan would gather nearby at each stop, watching and waiting for the latest repeat of his hopeless endeavor. He'd even overheard two of them betting on who would give first. They enjoyed watching him fail time and time again. His suffering had become sport for them.
And Adam hated it.
Why couldn't Jean just give him a straight answer? It was becoming pretty clear that Jean wasn't that interested, but Adam refused to give up. After almost a week of these shenanigans, Adam would've preferred a no to being dragged along. At least then he could move on. Instead, he was stuck in an endless loop as neither one of them would budge. Adam refused to throw in the towel, and Jean didn't seem to care at all.
Adam found himself hating the man he'd idolized only days before. The way Higanbana told it, Jean was something straight out of the legends Adam had once read. A great man that accomplished great things. Whether it was hunting the biggest buck or taking on the biggest Grimm, Jean had a reputation for being the kind of man Adam had always dreamed of becoming.
But that blasted idiot was beginning to grind on his nerves!
Jean didn't care about him. He wouldn't train him. He didn't even care enough to give him an answer! Adam had to bite back on the rage that built within him, stopping himself each time from lashing out. He didn't know if he even wanted training from the muscle-bound jerk anymore, but he couldn't just give up. Adam deserved an answer, even if he knew what it would be.
Eventually, he couldn't hold back any longer.
"I want you to train me," Adam demanded at their next stop. They were still a day out from the next town and had set up camp before darkness claimed them. Adam had secured the horses, fed them, and even gathered extra wood for the fire before he went hunting for Jean yet again.
Finding him wasn't hard.
Jean sat near the center of camp, sharpening his hunting knife by the fire. Adam knew he'd been spotted, but Jean pretended not to notice, focusing on the blade in front of him even when Adam stopped only a few feet away. He could see the usual onlookers gathered to the side, waiting for their entertainment to begin as Adam coughed.
Jean ignored him.
"Ahem," he tried again, to no avail. "Jean!"
Jean slowly tucked his knife into its sheath before looking up with feigned surprise. "Oh, Adam. Didn't see you standing there." They both knew that was a lie, especially with the way Jean smiled. "What can I do for you?"
Adam grit his teeth before practically growling the familiar words. "I want you to train me."
Jean stroked his chin, acting as if he was considering the request deeply, all the while looking around and enjoying the attention. Adam's fists tightened as he watched the pompous display, waiting for the accursed words.
"Ask me tomo-"
"No!"
The entire camp went silent as Adam's voice echoed into the woods.
"Beg your pardon?"
"I said, no!" Adam repeated, stomping his foot like an indignant child. "Not tomorrow. Not later. Now. I'm tired of asking over and over, only for you to tell me to come back later. So I'm done asking. I demand an answer, and I want it now!"
Jean watched him curiously throughout the entire tirade without saying a word. Adam stood there, chest heaving with each breath, refusing to back down for once. He'd get his answer, one way or another. Even if Jean walked away, Adam would just chase him down and hound him for the entire night. Whatever it took, the waiting ended tonight.
Jean suddenly burst out laughing, echoed by a few snickers from nearby. Jean had to wipe a tear from his eye before finally speaking. "Finally!"
Adam didn't share their enthusiasm, glaring at the onlookers before returning his ire to the giant of a man before him. "What do you mean finally?"
"I mean you finally decided to grow a pair," Jean said as he started to calm down again. "How am I supposed to train someone to fight if they won't fight for themselves?"
"So this…" Adam trailed off for a moment as realization hit him. "This was all a test?"
"Sure. Let's go with that."
All his waiting - all his aggravation - had just been because he'd been polite? Jean had told him to ask again later, and like an obedient puppy, Adam had come back time and time again as instructed. He'd never pushed. Never demanded anything. And all along, that was what had held him back?
Sensing his frustration, Jean went on. "Fighting is more than just learning how to swing a sword or aim a gun. You have to want something. To need something. And when you find that something, you can't stop until you have it." Proving he'd spent too much time around Soji, he added, "Anything worth having is worth fighting for."
Adam didn't really care about the flowery words. All that mattered was that he had his answer. He hated how long it took for him to really push. Being nice and patient had gotten him nowhere. He should've demanded an answer that first morning, rather than wait day after day. Regardless of the earlier delays, though, he'd finally made that first step. "So you'll train me?"
"I didn't say that."
And just like that, his first step had the rug ripped out from under him. "But you said-"
"I said you needed to fight for what you want," Jean clarified. "And that's just what you'll have to do. Fight."
"Fight?" Adam thought he meant demanding an answer, but Jean wanted him to literally fight? "Fight what?"
Would he have to spar with the other caravan guard? He didn't look that intimidating, but he must have some skill to be a guard. Plus, the man had years of experience on Adam, who hadn't even touched a sword in a long time. Hopefully, just putting up a good fight would be enough to prove himself. If his training hinged on winning, then he didn't like his odds.
What if Jean wanted him to fight a Grimm? Surely the man wasn't insane enough to put an untrained teenager up against a monster like that, right? But what if he was? Jean might be nearby to help if needed, but you couldn't exactly call timeout against a Grimm. One lucky blow would mean the end of Adam. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that, though. Jean had to have a better plan than that.
As it turned out, he had something worse.
"You'll fight me."
"What?!" Fight him? Even without aura, Jean was an experienced fighter with a variety of weapons. Not to mention his raw size and strength. Paint him black and give him some fur, and Jean could've passed for an Ursa. How was Adam expected to fight him?
Either missing or ignoring Adam's mounting concern, Jean carried on. "You want me to train you so badly? Then you'll have to earn it. We'll fight until surrender." In other words, until Adam surrendered. He didn't even bother considering the alternative. "You win, and I'll train you properly. Fighting forms. Gunplay. I'll even teach you about aura and how to use it."
Aura? But that meant…
"You'll unlock my aura?"
"Why not?" Jean shrugged, as if giving Adam a Huntsman's most important weapon was no big deal. "If you can beat me, then you deserve it."
Aura. People sometimes referred to it as a shield, but aura was so much more than that. Aura didn't just prevent damage. It healed it faster, too. It made the body stronger in every way. Better stamina. Faster recovery. Even illness became less of a concern. Sure, a Huntsman could still get sick, but their bodies could fight it off a lot better than someone without aura. Basically, Jean was dangling a superpower right in front of Adam's nose.
And all he had to do was win an unwinnable fight.
"That's not a fair fight," Adam protested, hoping he could convince Jean to shift the rules in his favor.
Jean didn't budge. "Life's not fair," he answered. "Besides, there's no such thing as a fair fight. Someone's always got an advantage. Better weapons. More fighters. More skill. In the end, someone's always got an edge. Most of the time, both do. Winning a fight comes down to either capitalizing on yours or overcoming theirs."
Did Adam have any advantages? He was a smaller target, but that didn't sound like much. No one expected him to win, so maybe Jean would underestimate him. Underestimate an unskilled teenager? Okay, that probably wouldn't happen. If he couldn't find his own advantage, then maybe he could overcome some of Jean's.
So what advantages did Jean have? Size. Strength. Skill. Aura. Experience. The list continued to grow, crushing any remaining hope Adam had of winning. He'd be lucky to survive a single blow, let alone an entire fight. Jean probably didn't even need a weapon. He could literally catch Adam's by the blade and yank it out of his hands. How could he hope to match up against that?
You can't, and he knows it. This was his plan all along. Get your hopes up, then crush them in one fell swoop. If that was his plan, then he'd failed miserably. Adam didn't have any hope of winning. He's just going to embarrass you in front of everyone so you'll never ask again. He might as well promise the moon to you. Not like he has to worry about paying up. Might as well give up now and accept your failure.
No. He couldn't give up. Not without trying. He'd rather fail and know he'd tried his best than just give up and never take the chance. Even if the outcome was all but certain, he had to try. He had to.
"Fine," Adam agreed, looking around the campsite. "Do you have a training sword or something?"
Jean's booming laugh could probably be heard from the next town over. "That's the spirit! But have a little patience. We'll fight tomorrow, after we get to town."
"Not now?" Hadn't he waited long enough already? Might as well get it over with.
"Last thing I want is some pesky Grimm interrupting," Jean explained, waving a hand at the darkening trees around them. "Besides, you've been driving that cart all day and had to do a bunch of chores. I'd rather have you fresh and ready to fight. Plus, I'll need to pick up an extra sword for you."
"What about you?" Adam had only sparred against swords before. Would Jean use his massive axe and overpower him? Or his knife and rush in close? Adam really didn't fancy his odds against a gun. A huntsman might be able to tank a few shots and close the gap, but Adam didn't fancy his chances against a bullet.
"I'll just borrow his," Jean stated, turning to the guard that always rode behind Adam's wagon. "Jesse! That blade of yours any good?"
"You need it?" Jesse shouted back, standing on guard just beyond the wagons. He whipped his sword free of its sheath, flipping it around to point the hilt at them.
"Tomorrow," Jean answered. "There. My weapon's taken care of."
Real swords? He'd sparred with actual weapons before, but he doubted Mazarin had really been trying. Would Jean hold back as well? Somehow, Adam doubted it. Jean might not strike to kill, but the danger was still there.
"Rest up tonight," Jean instructed. "When we get into town tomorrow, come find me. We'll go find a sword for you and you can have your chance, but only one."
Only one chance? Adam doubted it would matter much. Even with a thousand tries, Jean wasn't likely to lose to him. But only one? He didn't even have a ton of time to plan. Not that he believed for a moment he could come up with a plan to beat Jean. He'd beaten a Beowolf, but Adam doubted he could convince Jean to chase him up a tree.
Word had already spread through the camp before dinner. Soji did his best to encourage Adam, even saying he could have tomorrow off and just ride in the wagon. He shared stories of underdogs overcoming seemingly impossible odds, but none of them inspired any confidence in Adam. He knew what awaited him - a thorough thrashing and the end of his latest dream.
All he could do now was wait. In less than twenty four hours, Adam would fight for his right to be trained. He'd do everything in his power - pour every ounce of strength into it - and then, he'd fail.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
The next day dragged on, as if the world itself sought to prolong his suffering. Sitting in the back of the wagon became rather boring. Despite his looming failure, Adam had slept through the night and didn't feel like napping, so he crawled up front to ride beside Soji instead, grateful for the random stories that Soji shared throughout the ride and even adding a few of his own. Most of them were things he'd read over the years - tales of famous heroes bravely fighting the odds - but Soji managed to coax a different one out of him after a while.
"Enough of old legends!" Soji declared shortly after they set out on the final stretch of the day. "Let the past stay in the past. I wish to hear of the present."
The present was the one topic Adam would rather avoid. "Like what?" He really hoped this wouldn't turn into some sort of false hope about his fight. He'd come up front to escape those thoughts, not dwell on them.
"Tell me a story of Adam," Soji demanded with a winning smile. "I wish to hear more of him."
"Me?" Who wanted to hear that? No one cared about the child torn from his home, tortured by those meant to care for him, then tossed aside like garbage. "What about me?"
"Anything."
"There's not much to tell," Adam admitted.
Soji refused to accept it. "It is your life, Adam! Are you to tell me nothing exciting has ever happened in all your years?"
"There haven't been that many years." Not compared to men like Soji, who had traveled all across Anima long before Adam was born. "And I don't even remember half of them."
"But you do remember the other half," Soji gleefully pointed out. Surely there has been some excitement along the way. Every man triumphs at some point in their life."
Triumph? Had Adam ever really triumphed? He'd lost everything important to him at a young age, then been controlled by Alyssa until he finally fought back and lost what little he had left. That didn't exactly sound like the sort of great triumphs found in his books.
"I can't think of anything." Adam shrugged in defeat. He'd already told Soji of his encounter with the Alpha, but that hadn't been his triumph. He'd just watched as Mazarin did all the work. But that did remind him of another memory. "Wait. There was one time."
"Yes?" Soji urged him to continue.
"Well…I did fight a Beowolf once."
"Ah, the Alpha." Soji looked a little disappointed, though he tried to hide it to allow Adam to continue.
"Not the Alpha." Adam definitely had Soji's attention now. "It was later. Much later. After I came to Katai."
"There was a Grimm in Katai?"
"Not really…"
Adam began his tale, starting with his reason for running away. He didn't go into too much detail there. Just that he had to escape. Soji listened in awe as Adam told him of their journey and the attack that night. Adam soon found himself caught up in the telling, growing more animated as he described the beast, the narrow escape, and the terror of watching the Beowolf climb after him. All of it culminated in his last act of desperation - throwing himself from safety to deal the final blow to the Beowolf. The narrow rescue by Sheriff Taylor at the end almost felt anticlimactic in comparison.
Soji hung on his every word, practically cheering the finale. "Incredible! And you said there wasn't much to tell."
"I got lucky," Adam assured him, but Soji didn't buy it.
"You did something greater than I could dream of doing in a hundred lifetimes," Soji assured him. "I never realized I was in the company of a hero."
"I'm no hero." Heroes didn't need saving, from the Beowolves or Alyssa. A hero would've slain all the monsters and ridden off to some new adventure. He'd nearly died and been dragged back to Katai for his troubles.
"Well I certainly think you are." As always, arguing with Soji was a losing battle. "One with a great story of victory in the face of certain defeat."
Adam could see where this was going. "More like the story of a lucky idiot in way over his head."
Soji shook his head. "No. It is the story of a brave boy risking everything for someone he loved." Nila. He'd barely mentioned her. Even now, the name hurt. He saved her then, but he'd become more of a monster to her than the Beowolf could've ever been. "It is a tale as old as time itself. So tell me. What became of the young lady afterwards? Does your maiden await your return in Katai?"
"No." Nila never wanted to see him again. He wondered if she'd been sad to see him go at all, or if she'd secretly celebrated his suffering. He brushed those thoughts aside, knowing nothing but pain waited there. "She…I did something. Something bad. Can we not talk about her?"
Soji obliged, recognizing just how sore of a topic he'd stumbled upon, though his new one didn't feel much better. "Are you ready for your fight tonight?"
Despite Adam's attempts to avoid it, it seemed Soji was determined to bring up the only other thing Adam wished to avoid. "Can we not talk about that, either?"
This time, Soji didn't back down. "Come now, Adam. There is no point pretending it won't happen. You will fight Jean, just as you fought the Beowolf."
"Yeah, except there won't be a happy ending this time." Everyone knew what awaited him. Even Soji knew, though the man refused to acknowledge it. "This isn't the same."
"It's exactly the same," Soji adamantly insisted. "You are fighting for what you believe in, no? Facing some impossible foe for something that you care deeply about. The only difference I see is that your enemy will not kill you."
No, he'd just humiliate him and crush his dream. That sounded so much better. "Sure." It was easier to just agree and move on than argue with Soji.
They spent the rest of the ride chatting about simpler topics. The next town would buy most of their food, as they had precious little farmland available. In return, Soji would stock up on what the next town would likely need - tools and cloth, mostly. Their cargo seemed to change wildly from town to town. A major part of being successful on the trail was knowing what to buy and where, which came with experience. Rikyu was a master merchant thanks to his planning and instincts, always knowing exactly what they needed and never wasting space in the wagons. Tea may have been their primary business, but there was plenty of lien to be made in the smaller sales along the way.
Before long, the walls of a large town could be spotted in the distance. Few bothered to note their arrival beyond the bored guards nearby. As they made their way down main street, Adam marveled at the skeletons of buildings towering nearby. Adam pointed at one as they passed, but Soji had an answer ready before he could even form a question.
"Oniyuri's still a young town. Some of it is still under construction, as you can see." The town practically shone in the evening light. Every building looked pristine, standing upon raised, stone platforms that left the street on a lower level than everything else. Adam wondered if that was just to make the buildings stand out more or if it was some sort of flood prevention. Either way, it made him feel small in comparison.
People in fine clothing strolled slowly along the edges of the road, some stopping to wave a greeting. Children rode bikes and called out to one another. He could even spot a large crane looming in the distance, lowering a massive stone slab into place.
Soji continued his tour guide duties as he pointed out various structures. "A bunch of richer families from the capital decided to strike out on their own and found Oniyuri after the success of its sister town, Kuroyuri." Adam recalled Flanagan mentioning the Yuris during their visit. "Of course, with so much lien being thrown around, the town's nearly doubled the original plan to accommodate all the craftsmen and builders they needed. They're already working on the third expansion to their walls." Soji pointed out the crane, explaining the massive load it carried.
"Do they buy a lot of tea?" Adam guessed.
"Do they?" Soji's laugh answered the question before his words could. "They are one of our biggest customers. The people here are used to the best, and there's none better than Yama."
Adam could believe it. Most of the people he spotted looked like the type who had never broken a sweat in their lives. Sure, there were the builders and other workers mixed in, but they were the minority. He doubted a single home here didn't have some sort of decorative tea set.
Which meant big money for those that dealt in luxury wares. A clothing store proudly displayed flowing dresses and crisp suits in a display that could have easily fit two of their wagons. Teens clustered outside an electronics store, hanging out despite all being fixated on their scrolls. A cheery cinema proudly announced the release of some movie starring Spruce Willis. Life bustled around them and yet felt like it was in no rush.
Even the inn proved fancier than any he'd seen before. Men were waiting at the entrance to greet them and take their wagons to the back, while another insisted they follow him inside. He even addressed Adam as sir at one point. The lobby shone from the dazzling light of a crystalline chandelier while soft music hummed from unseen speakers. Adam wondered what other oddities hid within the growing walls of the town.
But the splendor of Oniyuri would have to wait. Adam had more important matters to attend to. Ones that many in Oniyuri might consider barbaric. Adam headed for the local tavern, spying his target in hushed conversation with the bartender.
"You ready?" Jean asked as Adam approached, his serious expression replaced by a smile that felt a little too forced.
"I still need a sword."
"That you do," Jean agreed. "Luckily, Oniyuri's got some of the best steel around. Let's go find you a blade."
Adam didn't know a ton about swords, but Jean certainly seemed to. The shop they went to had more weapons than Adam had ever heard of. Everything from staffs to massive guns were on display. Even when they went to the sword section, Adam couldn't believe his eyes. They came in so many lengths and designs that he didn't know where to start. Some were long and straight. Others curved. Some even flared out at the end, making the tip of the blade thicker than the rest.
After several seconds of Adam staring in shock at the options, Jean finally stepped up. "Anything you recognize?"
Some looked familiar from stories and such, but Adam needed something he could fight with. As cool as some of them looked, Adam knew each had their own styles and strengths. A skilled swordsman would know how to handle one properly and capitalize on each design, but Adam only knew the basics.
So the basics would have to do. "That one?" Adam suggested, pointing to a simple, double-edged sword near the front.
"Excellent choice," the salesman insisted, handing over a dangerous weapon to a teenager without a care. Huntsmen started training before they reached his age, so maybe it wasn't a big deal. Jean snatched the sword before Adam could lay a finger on it.
"Good balance, though. Probably about right for your size, too," he commented, inspecting the sword carefully from every angle. Jean took a few test swings, the blade flowing through the air in smooth arcs. "Firm grip. Should do nicely." The salesman's smile grew until Jean ran a finger along the blade and gave a dissatisfied grunt. "Not very sharp, though."
"We sharpen them before finalizing any sale," the man promised. "Demands of the insurance company, I'm afraid."
"Fair enough," Jean answered, handing the weapon back.
The salesman waved down a younger girl and handed her the sword. She rushed off to the back with it as the man continued talking and rang them up on a nearby register. "We'll have it ready shortly. If there's any problem with your purchase, we'll replace your purchase at no extra cost."
That sounded nice, though Jean seemed to think otherwise. "Should we expect any problems?"
Rather than look offended, the man simply smiled wider. "You'd be the first. We pride ourselves on quality. The academy has already contracted us to be their official supplier of arms, ammunition, and materials when they open next year."
Now that sounded impressive. It also explained the huge variety of the store. Adam doubted most of those in town had ever held a weapon, but a Huntsman prep school would need a lot of equipment. More than that, they needed the best equipment. Grimm were solid masses of bone and muscle, so the weapons that killed them had to be even stronger.
When the girl finally returned with his sword, Jean made sure to give it a final inspection before handing it over. Having a sword in his hand felt like such a distant memory, but he still knew the basics. It was a little heavier than the ones he'd trained with so long ago. Then again, so was he.
Jean thanked the employees before leading Adam to the outskirts of town. There, in the largely open plaza, Jean called a halt and produced Jesse's sword. A few of the nearby builders noticed, calling out to their coworkers as they gathered to watch whatever was about to happen.
"Take however long you need to prepare," Jean said, waving his weapon back and forth to stretch his arms and get a feel for the borrowed blade. "We'll fight until someone surrenders. You want me to train you? Then prove you're worth my time."
Against Jean? Adam might as well have challenged a sprinter to a race or tried to outcook a five star chef. It was like entering stick figures into an art contest. He knew what awaited him, but backing down wasn't an option.
Adam stretched, all the while trying to come up with a plan. There was nowhere to hide. No cover he could use to his advantage. Not that he expected that to help. Jean was a master of his craft. The idea of him winning was laughable at best.
His thought of stalling until dark shriveled up and died as huge lamps kicked on automatically, bathing their impromptu arena and the nearby construction area in bright light. With no reason to delay, Adam raised his sword, shifting into a familiar stance drilled into him years before. "I'm ready."
Adam half expected Jean to annihilate him in an instant, but Jean just stood there. "You sure? Last chance to back out."
Adam tightened his grip. "I'm ready," he repeated.
"So be it." Jean held his sword confidently but didn't advance. "I'll give you one chance, so use it wisely."
Adam didn't bother waiting. He charged forward, swinging as hard as he could for Jean's side. If he could just land a single blow, maybe it would be enough. Even if it wasn't, he could take comfort in that small victory.
Jean denied him with contemptuous ease, battling away his best effort with a flick of his own sword. Adam stumbled back, but Jean didn't counter. Rather than wait for his demise, Adam tried again. And again. And again. With each swing, Adam yelled his frustration, only for the sharp clang of metal on metal to punctuate each attempt as Jean effortlessly blocked each blow.
He's not even trying. Jean had every advantage. He could've ended the fight at any moment, and they both knew it. Instead, Jean was toying with him, stretching things out by letting Adam wear himself out in futility while only moving just enough to block each time. Adam knew he would lose, but this was more than a beating.
This was a humiliation.
Adam became more reckless, no longer fearing the eventual counterattack. Whenever Jean decided to end things, no amount of defense would prove enough anyways. He abandoned any form of guard, instead going on a relentless attack in the hopes of one lucky strike.
Why was Jean doing this? Why did he act like a friend, act like he'd help, then drag him out here to rub his face in his own inadequacy? Adam was no stranger to betrayal, but what did Jean get out of it? Did he enjoy beating up kids? Was it all for attention? Is that why he chose a well-lit, open area where he knew workers would be? What kind of self-absorbed lunatic had he placed his trust in?
Whatever the reason, Jean's refusal to take him seriously only made him angrier. He tried to shoulder charge his opponent, knowing he would probably just bounce off anyways. Jean stepped to the side, throwing him to the ground with a simple push. Adam sprung back up in an instant to attack again, ignoring the pain from where his knee struck the pavement. He feinted his next swing and tried to kick at Jean's shins, only to have his other foot swept out from under him. The more he tried, the more he paid for each failure. Before long, Adam's leg screamed in pain as blood seeped from a few dirty cuts.
All without Jean even breaking a sweat.
At least their audience had tired of the beating. If Jean sought their praise, he wouldn't find any now. One even called out for Jean to "take it easy on the kid" after a particularly nasty stumble that sent Adam sliding across the ground.
"How about it, Adam?" Jean asked as Adam struggled to push himself up for what felt like the hundredth time. "Should I go easy on you? Let you win? Is that what you want? Or should you earn your victory?" A few workers grumbled at the words, but none moved to intervene. "Get up, Adam. Or don't. You can give up now and end this pointless show. Throw down your sword and surrender. But that'll be the end." Adam panted for breath as his body cried out for him to give in. "Mercy or respect. You'll get only one from me."
Mercy? Ha! No one had ever had mercy on him. Not Alyssa. Not Madam de Thom. Not Mayor Barnes. Not even life itself! So why should Jean?
But respect…that was something Adam craved. He was tired of people pitying him. They'd feel bad for him, then move on with their lives. No one ever did anything to help him. No one tried to make his life better. If he wanted something, he'd have to get it himself.
And right now, he wanted to become stronger.
Adam finally regained his feet on his third try. He could barely lift his new sword, clutching it tightly lest his fingers betray him. With one final yell, Adam threw himself forward, using what little momentum he had to aim for Jean's head. He'd wipe that grin off Jean's face if it was the last thing he did.
Jean sidestepped once more, swinging his sword for the first time their entire fight. Adam's eyes widened as the pommel descended and smashed into the back of his head. Light exploded in his eyes, only to be swallowed by a terrifying darkness as Adam fell.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Jean caught Adam before the unconscious boy could hit the ground once more. Adam had given it his all, but failed to land a single blow. Sheathing his sword, Jean scooped Adam into his arms and carried him away. He had to practically pry Adam's sword out of his own hand before tucking it into his belt. The boy would have a nasty headache when he woke up. Soji would need to let him rest again, but that wouldn't be an issue.
"I'm sorry, Adam," Jean said, his antagonistic smile finally dropping as Jean looked down on the teen in his arms. "But this is how it has to be." Adam had done everything asked of him, but in the end, it wasn't enough. Maybe someday he'd recognize the lesson there. A lesson Harkin and those other boys had learned the hard way.
The bartender earlier had confirmed his fears. He'd hoped to find Harkin and his companions there, celebrating victory against whatever horror they'd gone out to face. Instead, he'd been told of their deaths. Or, at least, their presumed deaths. Only Harkin's body had been found. Half of it, that was. He'd need to send a message back to Flanagan to let the town know. As for Jean, he'd see to Adam, then drink the night away alone, wondering if he could have taught Harkin better before turning him loose on the world all those years ago.
Adam would hate him in the morning. He had every right to. But at least he'd be alive to do so. And right now, that was all Jean could ask for.
After a chapter of being an absolute jerk, I figured I'd show a little of the soft side of Jean. And we add another random minor character to the pile of bodies in my stories. He wasn't even planned. Just threw his name in last week for fun, then decided this week to kill him. I need to do a study on the life expectancy of minor characters in my stories. Pretty sure the numbers aren't great.
As I mentioned last week, this is the same Oniyuri from canon, but as we see here, it isn't destroyed...yet. Definitely has nothing to do with whatever monster Harkin was hunting.
Realized I forgot to do my usual explanation of names this time around, specifically for Jean LeGume. Gaston, who isn't actually part of the original story of Beauty and the Beast, has the last name LeGume, so that part's easy. The name Jean, though, has a couple of connections. The writer of Beauty and the Beast was Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. In 1946, filmmaker Jean Cocteau added a character named Avenant, who was played by Jean Marais. Apparently, half of France is named Jean, if this is anything to go by. I also threw in Jesse here, who is a very loose reference to LeFou, who was voiced by Jesse Corti in the animated movie. In other words, both of these characters' names are cheap rip-offs from history.
Anyways, just as a reminder, there will be no chapter next week as I take time off to recover and celebrate my birthday and streamer anniversary. Gonna be a crazy week. Next update will be on 07 October as a result.
Next chapter: Adam wakes up to find he's failed.