No upload last week as there were issues with FFN, as some of you probably know. Then, on Saturday, my AC kicked the bucket...in the midst of a heatwave. Gonna require a full system replacement, so I've pretty much wiped out my emergency fund that I've been slowly building up to cover the cost. Between that and some bonuses, I should be able to cover it all and still have enough for regular expenses. Doesn't help that it happened right after a mortgage payment, but such is life. Replacement should be installed Saturday, but our AC guy brought over a portable unit for us to use until then, so we are surviving in the downstairs living room. Looking forward to being able to use the rest of my house again soon, not to mention the oven and my PC, since we wanted to minimize any heat sources.

Silence.

Blessed, beautiful silence.

Adam had forgotten what that felt like. Not on the outside. One of the joys of living in a place like Reyno, far away from any sign of civilization, was how quiet and peaceful it got at night. When the only sounds you could hear were a chorus of crickets, bats, and owls. As the nights got colder, the sound all but vanished, leaving behind an ominous vacuum of noise that he found both oppressive and freeing. Sometimes, he liked to venture outside of camp on those nights until even Reyno itself disappeared, leaving him in the cold, empty darkness of the untamed wilderness. The stars always shone brighter out there, to the point he could almost reach out and pluck one from the sky.

For once, though, he felt silence within. No taunting comments. No mocking laughter.

No Alyssa.

She was gone. Well and truly gone. After all these years, it felt like he could finally breathe again - like a great weight had been lifted. He still bore her scars, but that's all that remained of her. No longer did that woman have any hold on him. Never again would he shudder at her name. It almost felt like he could finally start living again.

More than that, he'd finally kept his promise. Sitting together in a tight group, mirroring his own shock and disbelief, were five children who she'd never hurt again. He hadn't gotten there in time to keep her from getting her claws in this next generation, but at least he'd been able to pull them out before it could get any worse. Like him, they'd never fully recover from the horrors of Katai - some scars never healed - but starting today, they finally had the one thing life had so cruelly denied them.

Hope.

Of all the things Alyssa had tried to steal from them - their innocence, their dreams, their future - the most painful had been hope. He could see it in their eyes when they'd stood there refusing to turn against the very woman who had brought them so much pain and suffering. The flight had fled long ago. Better to just accept their fate than dare to hope for salvation. He'd tried that before, even stealing Nila away and making a run for it, only to be nearly killed and dragged back to that awful place. Then, as punishment for daring to hope, Alyssa had taken everything from him, turning him against the one person who truly cared about him.

He could only wonder what Navin and his friends had been through. Alyssa's appetite had certainly grown. Or maybe just her newfound power had made her less cautious. Whatever the case, she wouldn't hurt them ever again. If the captain could be believed, Alyssa would never hurt anyone again. As hard as it was for him to trust a human, he truly hoped the captain kept his promise and made her pay for her crimes. At the very least, there were five children she would never get ahold of again, all because he'd finally gotten up the nerve to do something about her.

And yet, he hadn't actually been the one to stop her. He'd planned the mission, led the White Fang right up to Katai, and even convinced the town to surrender without a fight, only to freeze when the moment came. Faced with that evil woman for the first time in years, he'd been completely useless. She'd walked all over him, just like she always did. Dangled her little puppets right in front of his eyes, just to remind him who had all the power here. He'd gotten so used to being the intimidating one. Humans dreaded his name and surrendered at the very sight of him. The SDC had a price on his head with more digits than he'd ever seen. His actions had sent tremors through capitals and shaken alliances.

None of that mattered in the end. With just one look, Alyssa had made him feel so small. So insignificant. All of the sudden, he'd felt like the little, helpless orphan all over again. He'd come thinking he could overcome his past, only to be overcome by it. Whatever plans he had to be the conquering hero and save the children had shriveled up the moment Alyssa came near. She was just one woman. No weapon. No aura. No training. And yet, he'd been completely unable to do anything, let alone fight her.

Thank goodness for Blake. Adam dared to look over at her as she stared out the window. Alyssa had set her sights on Blake, only to have the tables turned as Blake delivered the punishment so richly deserved. Alyssa would survive, but for that brief moment, Blake had shattered her hold on them by taking away the one thing Alyssa treasured - her beauty. That same face that had once lured him in with kind smiles and soft words was left a bloody and bruised mess. She'd recover, of course, but seeing her like that had shaken her hold on him at long last. In that moment, he'd finally been able to see just how human Alyssa was. He'd hold on to that memory forever, driving away whatever specter of her had haunted him for so long.

He owed her. That much was obvious. Blake hadn't just saved the children - she'd saved him. And she probably didn't even know it.

Bringing her along had definitely been the right call. Maybe Bane would've stepped in if she hadn't been there, but he wasn't willing to take that chance. Despite all the annoyances and hassle she'd caused him starting out, she was easily the person he could rely on most now. The same nosy brat that had hounded his every step begging for training had grown into a capable lieutenant. She could fight better than just about anyone else in the White Fang - himself and Sienna excluded, of course. On top of that, she'd pretty much taken over aura training for Alpha Squad. Equipping the White Fang's future leaders and elites was no small task, but the results spoke for themselves. None of them were anywhere near Adam's level yet, but they were definitely coming along. In a few years, they might even be capable of challenging him for the top spot. Not that they'd win or anything, but at least they'd make things interesting.

He'd need to talk to her. Thank her for all her help. Blake was the type to demand too much of herself but never acknowledge her successes, just like him. A little recognition would go a long way toward bolstering her confidence. Besides, she deserved it. She'd singlehandedly saved the mission. If not for her, he might still be stood there, trapped in her clutches once more. Or worse, he might've even broken down and made a deal. The kind that would see him wrapped around her finger once more, all in exchange for a pittance of what they'd come for.

Instead, Blake had taken the whole objective and more, without giving anything up in return.

As for the children, he'd need to talk to them as well. No one would understand what they'd gone through quite like he did. Sadly, thanks to Ghira, he couldn't take them to Menagerie himself. Some of Cerco's men would handle that, taking one of the airships after they dropped off most of the men in Nonemu. Maybe he could borrow them for a few minutes before they left Nonemu. That would be his best chance, since he doubted they'd want to say anything with so many people around. He knew he wouldn't have.

Yuma, Trifa, and the rest of Nonemu were waiting for them when they landed. Cerco had radioed ahead to let them know of their success, as well as when to expect them back. While Yuma began directing traffic, offloading the airships and refueling for the next flight, Trifa tried - and failed - to talk to the kids. It was a valiant effort, but the moment she reached out for one of them, they leapt back from her touch, leaving Trifa awkwardly confused as to what to do.

"I'll take them," Adam assured her as she died a little inside. Trifa thought she was dealing with normal kids, but he knew better. These weren't kids anymore. Alyssa had made sure of that. "C'mon…Navin, right?" The boy nodded but kept his distance. It looked like he was their unofficial leader, as the rest stayed behind him. "This'll take a little while. We'll wait off to the side." Out of the way. More importantly, away from people.

The five of them followed without a word, eyeing him suspiciously. He was an adult, and adults couldn't be trusted. They'd either hurt you, or cover for those that did. Either way, the kids had a very us versus them mentality from what he could tell.

One of the girls looked around Navin's age, maybe a little older. The other two weren't far behind, but the last boy couldn't be more than eight or nine. Navin and the older girl didn't look their age at all. Their eyes were too worn and weary, robbed of that innocent spark of youth. Not that the other three were much better. It was just harder to see them as anything but kids with the size difference and how the older two kept themselves between the youngsters and everyone else, offering themselves up to save the others.

It hurt to see himself in them.

Now that he had them away from everyone else, Adam realized he had a new problem - he didn't actually know what to say. Apologizing felt empty, but just ignoring it wouldn't help either. They'd been through hell, and now that they were free, what would they be thinking? Would they trust him and the White Fang to keep them safe? Expect him to turn on them and become another Alyssa? Demand they work to earn their keep like the orphanage? Could he really expect them to trust anyone after what they'd been through?

In the end, Navin was the one to speak first. "You're him, aren't you?" Him? What did that mean? "You're from Katai. From the orphanage."

"I was," Adam confirmed.

"So you know about…her."

Alyssa. "I do. I…I went through the same things you did. All of you." That didn't really cheer them up. Then again, memories of Alyssa's…activities rarely did. "Which is why I promised to come back some day and make sure she couldn't hurt anyone else."

"A little late for that," the older girl muttered.

"Ayla!" Navin warned. "Sorry about her. She-"

"No, she's right." He certainly had Ayla's attention now. "I should've been there sooner." He'd never forgive himself for dragging his feet. While he was off playing the hero and fighting for the White Fang, these kids had been left to suffer a living nightmare. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Navin insisted, even if they all knew he was lying.

"But it's over now. Alyssa can't hurt you any more." Not that it would undo the damage she'd already done. "We're going to take you far away from here. To an island called Menagerie."

"The faunus island?" the youngest boy chimed in. "It's real?"

"It's real," Adam promised. "It's beautiful. Sandy beaches. Friendly people. And best of all, everyone there's faunus, just like us." A paradise. One he'd been banished from. And yet, in his fall from grace, he was here helping others achieve the dream he'd been denied.

"And what happens when we get there?" To them, Navin meant. Getting away from Katai was a good start, but he was already thinking about the future, which was a really good sign. It meant he actually thought there'd be a future. One without Alyssa.

"My parents will find you new homes with some of the local families," Blake said, popping around the corner of the airship they'd been hiding behind. How long had she been listening? "Until then, you'll stay in their house."

"Is it nice?" Ayla questioned, daring to hope.

"It's amazing," Adam assured her. "Her parents live in a huge mansion that overlooks the entire city. It's like a castle."

"Does that make you a princess?" one of the other two girls asked. Blake rolled her eyes as she prepared to ruin their fantasy.

She should've known better than to hesitate. "Yep. Princess Blake of Menagerie." Blake shot him a glare, but the soft giggle of the two younger girls made it worth it.

Right up until the other one asked, "So does that make you a prince?"

A what now? Before Blake could ruin what little remained of his ego, Adam decided to go for a safer - and cooler - alternative. "No, I'm more like a knight. Slaying monsters. Fighting bad guys. Rescuing damsels in distress."

Blake shoved him aside with her shoulder.

"Anyways, I came over to let you all know the airship's ready to take you to Menagerie."

"You're not coming with us?"

"Blake and I have to stay here," Adam answered for her. "There's still others like you that need our help. But don't worry. We've got friends there who'll look after you." Their disappointment hurt. They'd just been rescued from hell, and the two people responsible for getting them out weren't sticking around. They'd be going somewhere completely new, surrounded by strangers they'd never met. A friendly, familiar face would've been nice. At least they'd have each other. He'd have to make sure to check in on them through Sienna now and then. Navin, Ayla, and…

He'd never actually asked for their names.

"Time to go," Blake informed them.

"Before that," Adam cut in, determined to remember these five and make a point of them knowing they mattered. "If I'm going to have my friends look after you in Menagerie, then I'll need to give them your names."

Smooth. Real smooth. Navin, ever the spokesperson of the group, understood the assignment. "I'm Navin, and that's Lucian." The younger boy waved shyly at the introduction. "Then there's Ayla, Dipa, and Lucia."

"Lucian and Lucia?" Oddly similar names.

"They're siblings," Ayla said, as if that explained everything. Their parents got no points for creativity in naming. Then again, who was he to judge? Father Bernard hadn't exactly broken new ground with his name either.

"I'll make sure to let them know," Adam said, making a mental note. Lucia and Lucian would need to stay together. They'd need each other in the days to come. "Navin. Ayla. You two look after the others for me, okay?"

"We will," Navin promised. It was like looking at a younger version of himself, albeit with dog ears instead of horns.

Dipa - or at least he assumed so, since the other girl looked a lot like Lucian - suddenly rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Blake's waist, holding on for dear life. "Thank you, Princess Blake." A small laugh tried to break through, only to be washed away by her tears.

Blake had never looked more out of her element than right then. Adam wished he'd taken a picture. "You're welcome," she replied, patting the top of the girl's head a little too rigidly to look natural. With a final squeeze and a little convincing from Navin, Dipa released her hold on the warrior princess. Two of Cerco's men had come over to lead them to the airship, and while the children followed without complaint, they looked less relaxed going with a pair of strangers instead of Adam and Blake. "Think they'll be okay?"

Okay might be a little much to ask for. "They'll be safe." Which was more than could be said yesterday. Those kids hadn't known safety since the moment they stepped foot in that orphanage. Even now, he watched the wariness in how they walked, huddled together and eyeing everyone that came near. It would take time for them to get out of that mindset. With any luck, Menagerie would be the perfect cure for their suffering.

"You're surprisingly good with children, sir Adam." Blake smirked at the name. He had a feeling that one would be sticking around for a while.

"Not really." He probably sucked with kids normally, but those weren't normal children.

"You did pretty good with them, not to mention Ilia." She didn't count, either. She'd gone through her own hell before they found her. The fact he only really got along with damaged children wasn't a great sign. "Thinkin' of opening a daycare when this is all over?"

Adam's Home for Damaged Youths. Yeah, no. "Not sure I have enough experience for that." Before today, he'd only really worked with Ilia. Well, her and one other. "There was this one kid. Annoying little thing. Always following me around, begging for my attention. Real pain in the a-"

"Ahem." Blake coughed the word in warning. "I know you're not talking about who I think you're talking about."

He absolutely was. "Of course not. It must've been that other kid I trained for years."

"Idiot," Blake grumbled. "I'm not just some kid anymore, Adam."

"I know." As fun as teasing her could be, Adam saw his opportunity to get a little more serious. He reached out, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze as he assured her, "You're more than that, Blake."

"Really? How much more?"

Fishing for compliments? Fine, if that's what she wanted. "You're amazing. I've never met someone as driven as you." Blake's cheeks flushed a little at the sudden praise, but she'd brought this on herself. "The youngest member of Team Alpha." Not by a lot, but that didn't make it any less true. "Giving up a comfy life to fight on the frontlines. Training the rest of the squad. Not to mention being the second best fighter on the team."

"For now." Oh, was that a challenge? Someone was getting a little big for their britches.

"Keep dreaming." Losing a fight to Blake would kill him. She'd be impossible to deal with. "The point is, I'm glad you're part of the team. And I'm glad you came on this mission." And to think he'd only brought her along to cheer her up after Furawa. Best choice he'd ever made.

The question was, was Blake glad she came after what happened? "That…that woman…she-"

"She's a monster," Adam filled in. He'd told her about Alyssa before, but hearing the redacted version didn't do her justice.

"No. I mean, yes, she is, but that's not…ugh." Blake shook her head, needing to say something but struggling to find the words. "Look, about what she said…"

What she said? Alyssa said a lot. Mostly terrible things that involved him, Alyssa, and…

Oh.

"Listen to me, Blake." Adam's dead serious tone had her locking eyes with him. "Whatever she said, ignore it. Alyssa likes to get in people's heads." And their pants. For once, her mocking voice didn't chime in with some crass joke at the easy bait. Silence had never felt so wonderful.

"But what she said about you and me-"

"Blake. I would never treat you like that." He'd made that mistake once, sacrificing Nila to save his own skin. He'd never make that mistake again. "You're too important to me."

"I am?" Finally, a smile. Of course she was important. She was his number two. The only person he could really open up to. She'd stood by him, even against her own father. When he'd been banished from Menagerie, she'd snuck off to follow him, giving up everything to do what she thought was right. Brave. Loyal. Dependable. What more could he ask for?

More than that - more than anything - she'd been the one to free him from Alyssa once and for all. She'd fought his demon when he couldn't and beat her. Only a handful of people had ever done anything for him in life, but none of them came close to what Blake had given him.

Adam pulled her close, his arms settling around her shoulders in a loose hug. She tensed at first, only to relax a moment later. "I once promised Ghira I'd protect you. I never thought I'd need you to protect me." But wasn't that what he'd always wanted? All the struggles he'd gone through growing up, he'd always wished someone would come along and help him. A hero that would rescue him from the horrors of life. Finally, someone had answered that call. He'd just never expected Blake - the whiny, arrogant, little girl he'd put up with so long ago - to be that hero. "Thank you, Blake."

Blake didn't answer. Didn't need to. Instead, she simply hugged him back. A short embrace of two people who had come to rely so much on one another.

Not short enough, apparently.

"Am I…interrupting?"

Adam fell as Blake panicked and shoved him away, but it was too late. Yuma looked far too pleased with himself. Trifa, to her credit, just shook her head in disappointment before slugging her partner in the arm.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"You know what," Trifa answered before getting back to business. "First airship's away. Sienna will meet them when they land. Said she'll contact you once they're settled."

Adam picked himself up from Blake's sudden dumping. "You spoke to Sienna?" That was fast.

"I relayed the report from Cerco before you landed." Ah, that made more sense. He was wondering how she'd found time for a report in the short time they'd been back. "He filled us in on the specifics of the mission a few minutes ago."

He did? Major bonus points for Cerco, saving him time like that. "Your men were better than I expected. I'm sure Sienna will appreciate hearing how well you two have done in your first command."

Trifa tried to keep a straight face, but her seriousness cracked just a little at the promise of praise. "Thank you, sir." Sir? He needed to find whatever stache of military films she was hiding and destroy them.

Yuma, unsurprisingly, was a lot less professional. "Said we should come check if you're ready to go. Would've waited a bit if we knew you two were- ow! Again? Seriously?"

"Sorry about him." No apology necessary. They all knew how Yuma could be. Serious when it counted. Anything but when it didn't.

"I was just thanking Blake for her help." And nothing more, despite whatever ideas Yuma had. "She saved the day back there."

"So Cerco said in his report." He'd covered all the bases by the sounds of it. Good. The less times he had to relive that moment, the better. "Airships should be ready for liftoff in ten. We'll let Cerco know you're coming."

"Sure they don't need a chaperone?" Yuma was smart enough to have his aura up as Trifa's fist found his arm a third time. Still, it had to smart at this point. "You're no fun."

The two headed back the way they came, leaving him and Blake alone once more. Dang Yuma and his stupid comments. Their seclusion suddenly felt a lot more awkward than it had a few minutes ago. "It's a good thing he's useful, or I'd-"

"It's fine," Blake assured him. She probably just didn't want to dwell on the matter. "Just Yuma being Yuma."

She could say that again. Still, he refused to let the idiot undo all his work. "You did great today, Blake. I owe you."

He knew the danger before he spoke those words. Blake took that sort of thing seriously. At least, anytime it related to him. He could already see the wheels turning as she drummed up some horrible punishment for him. Last time, it had been a brutal agility course that was clearly designed for someone just a hair smaller and a lot more flexible than him. Before that, personalized training - lots of it. He dreaded to imagine what she'd come up with this time, but whatever it was, she deserved it after today.

He knew the moment she'd decided. Her eyes widened, no doubt as she struck on some new scheme that would see him suffer for her amusement. "How much do you owe me?"

Talk about ominous. She'd never asked for limits before. "Anything." Well, anything within reason, but he trusted her to have a little common sense. He doubted she'd ask him to overthrow Sienna and make her queen of the White Fang or something ridiculous.

"Hmmm." She dragged it out, as if she hadn't already come up with an idea. It was sure to be a doozy. "Alright. Then I know what I want."

Adam braced himself. "What is it?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow night. After dinner."

As if her mysterious demand wasn't bad enough, she was going to drag it out, just to torture him a little extra. Either that, or she was bluffing and wanted more time to come up with a plan. Neither option filled him with hope. "Fine. Tomorrow. Just promise it won't be anything too terrible."

"I hope it isn't." Not only did he have to wait, but it was something so bad she thought he might say no? He certainly had his attention now. "A-anyways, we should get back. Don't want to keep Cerco waiting."

Just him. How cruel. At the risk of making things worse, Adam decided to needle her a little. "Thank you, Princess Blake."

He'd hoped to rile her up a bit. Instead, she did her best to curtsy - a valiant but altogether clumsy attempt - and replied, "Your thanks is noted, Sir Adam."

Yep, he was gonna regret that name for a while.

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

That night, Adam wandered out of Reyno, leaving behind the dying celebrations of another successful mission for the solitude of the forest. He'd waited outside the camp for a bit, watching to make sure no one was following, but Blake had been pretty tied up with Ilia when he left. The shattered moon shone brightly above, bathing the forest in its eerie glow as he pushed further and further into the untouched forests of Anima.

He'd come this way plenty of times before, but his steps felt so much lighter tonight. He felt different. Good. The world was a better place now that Alyssa had finally been dealt with.

But there was still something he needed to do.

Eventually, Adam reached a familiar clearing he'd discovered almost a year ago on one of his late night treks. The fireflies danced for him as he made his way to the center, sitting atop the large rock that stood in defiance of the forest as he looked up at the night sky. There, in that isolated patch, the rest of the world felt so far away. He could lose himself for hours as his soul drifted to the heavens and soared among the stars.

Tonight, he felt the need to reach higher.

"It's me. Adam. Adam Taurus." Gods, it felt so awkward after all these years. "I don't know if anyone's up there. Or if you're even listening. So I'm just gonna talk and hope you're there."

Prayer. People always assumed it was some sort of super formal thing, full of flowery phrases and recitations. He'd heard some of those before, where the priest would drone on and on, repeating his deity's name a million times and reminding it of promises recorded in their scriptures. He always found that a little odd. If there really was some all-powerful being out there that took the time to listen to their prayers, Adam had a feeling they knew what they'd promised. Between that and the constant name dropping, he had to imagine their god getting annoyed by the end of it.

Father Bernard had been far less strict in his teachings on prayer. He liked to say they should be conversations. That he talked to the Brothers as friends. Family. Respectful, but direct. He never said anything mean about people who made a spectacle of their prayers, but he'd always said a prayer should come from the heart, and the heart didn't waste time on showiness.

"Look, I know I'm not exactly the most faithful person. Heck, I'm not even sure I believe in you anymore. So I get it if I'm not exactly first in line for asking favors and everything. I'm not gonna pretend you approve of what I've done, and I'm not here to ask forgiveness." Because what would the point be? He had no intention of stopping now. "But I'm not here for me.

"I'll just get to the point. Those kids today…they need help. I've done what I can for them, but they deserve better." Better than they'd gotten in life. Better than him. "What I'm trying to say is, if you're really up there, could you look after them? Keep them safe? Happy? Or just help them forget?"

If the gods really did work miracles, then no one on Remnant deserved one more than them. It felt silly asking beings he didn't believe in to do something he didn't think would happen, but what if he was wrong? What if there really was some loving god up there that could help? What was the harm in asking? If there was even a tiny chance that it could help them, then he had to try. Hopefully, whoever or whatever was listening would see past his own sins and focus on those five innocent kids.

"Navin. Ayla. Dipa. Lucia. Lucian." He listed each one by name. Not for the sake of some theoretical god - they'd already know who he meant - but more to drill those five names into his own heart. "Help them. Let them move on from their suffering. And, more importantly, don't let them turn out like me."

A vengeful monster. A necessary evil. He had a feeling history would remember him as a villain someday, even if he succeeded. Humans would call him a violent psychopath. Even the faunus might condemn him someday. That was fine, as long as they did so from the comfort of a better world. He'd sacrifice everything - his name, his life, and even his soul - just to give them that chance. All so Navin and his friends could inherit a better tomorrow.

"That's pretty much it." No need to drag it out. A sudden thought hit him at the end. "Actually, I know I said I wasn't asking for anything, and you've got no reason to bother, but…well, we both know what I plan to do, but I'm not sure I'm strong enough to do it." Alyssa had proven just how weak he could be. He couldn't afford to fall apart like that ever again. "If you truly care about the faunus, then help me make the world better for them. If you don't want to help…"

Adam took a deep breath.

"Then have mercy on anyone who gets in my way."

Why do I always do this to myself? Randomly decided to have five children last chapter and only named one, only to realize Adam would want to at least know their names with how he'd feel a connection to them. With all the baby name searches I do, it's a miracle I don't get more diaper ads. Went with a bit of a theme in that all their names refer to light (which Alyssa stole from them). Did the two guys first (already had one done) and then the girls. Mixed and matched as I went and made a list. Super proud...until I realized I had matching names by accident. Lucia and Lucian. Only one way out of that. Make them siblings and get meta about uncreative naming. In the words of Yang, nailed it!

Alyssa is well and truly gone, Adam finally finds rest from her taunting, and I can finally be rid of my least favorite character I've ever created. Meanwhile, Adam's obliviousness about Blake continues, keeping the tradition of all men in Remnant. Also couldn't resist the little bit of foreshadowing. "Losing a fight to Blake would kill him." Never gets old.

Next chapter: Blake makes a request.