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Chapter Text

Ruby was tired. Panting, she looked onward at her opponent. Adam Taurus. Her friend's ex-boyfriend and tormentor. Blake was behind her, trying to administer first aid to her unconscious sister.

"That's enough, Adam! Leave us alone!" Ruby shouted, trying to calm her shaky voice so as to not show weakness.

"I will not be ordered around by a filthy human. Wait your turn. Once I'm through with her, I'll circle back to you," he commands. Ruby tightened her grip on Crescent Rose. Weiss and the others were busy in the academy, fighting Cinder and her goons. She was all alone.

A stalemate. One where even the slightest move could end it. Adam's hand rested on his katana, a beautiful weapon, she thought, though she mentally scolded herself for getting too entranced. Her own grip on her scythe was unfaltering. And they waited... The wind stilled for a second and Ruby hoped that by some miracle, Adam would give up and leave, though there was a reason why miracles are rare.

He charged, and Ruby sprinted forward, heaving her scythe to block his swing; he was aiming for Blake.

"I'm not going to let you hurt them," she gritted, using all her energy to push him back.

"So, should I start with you then?" He suggests. Before she could respond, he slashes his sword with such strength, she nearly lost her footing. Yet the attacks never ceased. Ruby didn't want to hurt him, she didn't want to hurt anyone that wasn't grimm.

"Adam! Stop!" Blake shrieked. Ruby was barraged with assaults, her stamina weakening. Still, she tried to swing her scythe to wound his leg. Something that would hurt him, not kill him. She grunted as she swung Crescent Rose, jumping to stomp on his katana as she heaved the scythe down below on him.

But she was too slow, too tired. Without hesitation, Adam balled his free hand into a fist and gut punched her so hard she lost her grip. She fell to the ground, tumbling before stopping just near the edge of the cliff. Her stomach killed. She realised the only reason why she wasn't unconscious was probably due to her aura.

Still, she was weak. Her aura was low and her vision was blurry. She had joined this fight only after seeing Yang run after Blake, leaving Weiss and the others to deal with Emerald and Mercury. After a few minutes of running and exhausting her semblence to find them, she finally did - at the edge of one of Haven's many waterfalls.

She didn't know who Adam was, but after seeing him and Blake fight, and how much Yang was shaking as she fought and was subsequently punched with the hilt of his blade, she stepped in.

And now, she was also too tired and scared to fight. It was Adam Taurus. The man she only heard horror stories about from Blake and witnessed the carnage he comandeered as the head of the White Fang. The man who scarred her sister. She was more scared than she was when she fought Grimm. People who did bad things for bad reasons. Who chose those ways instead of it simply being their nature like the Grimm scared Ruby as she didn't understand them.

Still, she propped herself up by one arm and tried to focus her eyes on Adam, who was now dragging his katana slowly to Blake, who couldn't move due to Gambal shroud piercing her foot in place - courtesy of Adam's assault from before Ruby got here.

Despite being nailed into place, Blake tried hard to move, to shield Yang.

"You destroyed everything. The White Fang is no more. Our cause is no more."

"It was destined to die the moment it was poisoned with violence," Blake spits out.

"Violence worked! We were being seen as equals. Despite us being superior!" he snarled, his voice rising with mania. Then he inhaled deeply, composed. "No matter. Once I end you, I'll go to Menagerie, kill your useless parents, and rebuild the White Fang in my image."

"You're crazy. And you'll never succeed," Blake breathes out, before closing her eyes, resigning to her fate. Ruby watched on, the world stopping for a second as her heart beat a hundred miles a minute. The pose...The resigned fate...The blow...Ruby saw red. The red that belonged to Pyrrha's fiery hair.

And she ran. Her and her cape became one as she charged at Adam, enveloping him in her petals. She never really knew how it worked, just that when she picked people up in her semblance like that, they had no choice but to go with her. The problem was she didn't know where to go. Back to the Academy so she could hand deliver a potential ally to Cinder and her in a weakened state?

Onto another cliff where he could throw her off and return back to Blake? No, she needed to get far away as she could, wherever she could go. But she felt Adam jostle in her, like he was fighting her. She didn't know how fast she was going or how quick she was going. Normally she could make it a few hundred metres before she stopped but something was different, like she was being supercharged and she could go further faster. Yet she was getting worried as the time passed on to minutes, the crisp air suddenly turning cold and with that, her energy depleted.

Her body reemerged as she crashed onto the top of a burning airship quickly unsheathing Crescent Rose and stabbing the side to act as an anchor. In the corner of her eye, she saw Adam drop a few metres behind her and using his sword to balance himself, right before a piercing shriek shattered her ears. Rolling onto her chest, she looked to see a few winged Grimm hot on their tail.

Adam bit his lower lip in frustration as he took his katana and sheathed it, before getting into a stance and activating his Semblence: Moonslice.

In a terrifying scene, the world blinked red and the Grimm sliced into two before dissipating. Before he could turn on his heel and stab her, the plane jolted, heading toward the ground quicker than she could move. Her mind was racing, at this speed, they wouldn't survive. She could leave now, on her own... Forget him... He just tried to kill her, kill her friends. Lord knows it would be so easy to just go.

Willing her aching bones to move, she shook as her body swayed from side to side. Adam had his sword pierced into the plane's crack, but he wouldn't survive the crash. Gods, just leave him. LEAVE HIM. Go!

And she went, wrapping herself in her cloak once more...toward him... She didn't know what she was doing, Gods why did she take him?! She barely had the strength to trigger her semblence and now this?! But it was too late to regret now. And too late to turn back. She was slow, slow enough that when the airship crashed, its waves jolted her and she again recorporalised and was now falling to the snow-covered ground - Adam falling though trees instead.

Adam landed hard among the branches. Ruby didn't even register the landing. Crescent Rose had flown from her grip long ago. Her body was battered, vision flickering. He finally fell to the ground with a grunt. By then, Ruby was too tired to even blink. It didn't help that Crescent Rose had fallen somewhere along the way and was surely scattered amongst one of the trees.

Her consciousness was fading in and out, only returning to acknowledge the cool sensation of snow falling on her face. Like a winter's kiss. It was all so serene that for a second, she didn't notice the distant growling tiptoeing closer.

Of course, she thought. More tasks. Can't a girl get one moment of peace? Rolling her eyes, she looked at the black mass that crept toward her. From the pitch of the growl and the climate, she could only assume it was a Beowolf.

How was she supposed to deal with this then? Rolling her eyes again because Gods knew she was too tired to move her head, she finally found Crescent Rose, stuck in a branch on a tall tree. It was so far, and she was too tired.

The beowolfs crept closer, and fear was slowly trickling into Ruby's heart, replacing the fatigue she felt. Was this the end? Dying after saving an enemy? It was like the world was slowing, and her mind was filled with numerous thoughts at once.

Was Yang going to be okay? Would Blake get her to safety? What about Weiss who just recently recovered? Jaune was there but he wasn't the best in a battle - especially not to foes who were the reason Pyrrha passed.

Ah...Why was she even doing this in the first place? She had gotten Adam away, they are capable of protecting themselves from now on. Maybe she should just rest...

Her eyelids felt so heavy and the harsh cold suddenly felt warm. In between her long blinks, she saw the Grimm get closer to her. Her vision blurred but it seemed like the world blinked red again for a second. Then...it was dark.

Chapter Text

A dull ache stretched through Ruby's body as sounds of anger grew closer and closer. She was so tired, wondering who was making that racket. Was it Nora again? Did she sneak up on Jaune again? Ugh. No...She thought. She's not with them anymore...

Her eyes blinked open as she took in her surroundings. A flash of pain hit Ruby's head as she clutched it and groaned. In the back, she could hear shouts of fury as a crate flew past her. She was fully awake now, looking down as she was sitting in an airship, or at least what was left of one.

What was she doing here? How was she still alive? Another crate flew past her as Adam stomped through to kick it, stopping to rest his eyes on her.

"Oh, you're awake," he says in a monotoned voice.

"What are you-" She couldn't finish her sentence as she felt her hands restrained. Cuffs. Aura-dampening ones, by the feel of it. "What...is this? Are you crazy?!" She shouts, writhing in place as panic surged.

Adam didn't flinch. He didn't even look at her. "Shut up, Red. I'm a bit busy right now." Her anger felt like a volcano and she was this close to exploding on his.

Taking in a deep breath, she tries to regain some sort of inner peace. "Why am I here? Where are we?"

Adam was crouched down, fiddling with the lock on a crate. "I'd like to ask you that," he muttered. "Where the hell are we, Red?"

The familiar nickname stung. She remembered a criminal ginger gangster who used to call her that.

She bristled again at the nickname. "The name's Ruby."

He didn't even glance at her. "Duly noted. When I return to Haven, I'll be sure to carve that on your gravestone."

He stood and raised the crate over his head, slamming it hard into the floor. The lock groaned but didn't break.

"But for now," he growled, "why don't you tell me where you took us?"

She stared at him, stunned. "Me? I was trying to get us away - you were going to kill Blake!"

He turned toward her sharply, rage flashing in his eyes behind the white Grimm-styled mask he wore - like so many White Fang soldiers before him.

"That wasn't the question. I asked where we are. Because this-" he gestured at the fractured airship, the snow-covered forest visible through the gaping fuselage, "- isn't Haven."

"I-I don't know," she stammered. "I wasn't exactly checking my scroll while dragging your sorry ass to safety! Somewhere near Haven, maybe-"

He kicked a smaller crate to her, narrowly missing her head as she moved to the side of the bench.

"Does that look like Haven weather to you?" He nods toward the bitter outside. his fury steaming from his body.

Ruby looked around, her eyes narrowing now as her mind fought through the haze. The ship was silver - not the green-and-black she'd seen on Vale's airships, or the sleeker black designs used by Mistral. The edges were reinforced, squared off. Military-grade.

And then she saw it.

The crate that had nearly hit her.

The initials SDC were burned into the metal. And not just that crate—all of them. Every supply container within sight bore the Schnee Dust Company's mark.

Her stomach twisted.

"That's not possible," she whispered, shaking her head. "I-I can't even go that far. That's... that's insane!"

Adam crossed his arms, his fury shifting to suspicion.

"Well, we're not in Haven."

She shot him a glare. "We are not in Atlas! Do you really think anyone's Semblance is that fast? Crossing continents in a single jump?! I'm not that strong, no one can do that!"

Adam didn't reply straight away. The wind howled again. Somewhere outside, metal creaked in protest. A tree had likely collapsed under the weight of the snow.

"Well we're in sub-zero conditions with no food, no scrolls-"

Ruby's head snapped down as she started patting her pockets in sudden panic. Empty, the only things she had were her Dust bullets.

" - and no idea where the hell we are."
BANG!

She flinched as Adam drew his weapon and fired, the sound deafening in the confined space. Smoke curled from the barrel as the crate's lock snapped clean off and clattered to the floor. He kicked the lid open.

Inside, packed tightly, was crate after crate of Dust - red, blue, white. More than enough to level a village.

"But hey," he added bitterly, "at least we've got enough Dust to keep us warm while we starve to death."

Ruby narrowed her eyes, heart pounding. "Why am I here?" she demanded. "You were going to kill me. You said so yourself. Why haven't you?"

Adam didn't look at her. He pulled a red canister from the crate and inspected it, fingers twitching with exhaustion.

"So I can freeze to death alone? Where's the fun in that?" he said sarcastically. "Use your head, Red. Your Semblance. If you got us into this mess, then you're going to get us out."

Ruby scoffed. "Then let me go."

He turned to her with a faint, mocking smile. "And risk you running off without me? Sure. Let me just uncuff you, hand you a weapon, and turn my back. Brilliant idea. Would you like me to pull the trigger on myself while we're at it?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, her voice low. "You really think I'd leave you to die?"

He laughed, low, gutteral. Then looked away, the corner of his mouth twitching in something not quite amusement.

"You're a human," he muttered. "Wouldn't be the worst thing your kind's done to the Faunus."

Ruby's jaw tensed. The words stung, not because they were untrue, but because she knew the weight behind them. She could argue - not all humans - but that was the easy way out. And if it were really that simple, there would be no White Fang. Blake wouldn't have had to fight for a voice. The world wouldn't be this broken.

She swallowed hard. "I know you have a hatred for humans. A vendetta. And I get it... in a way. But I'm a huntress. I don't fight for sides - I fight for people. And if I want to see you pay for your crimes... I'll do it the right way. With due process."

She shifted forward, lifting her cuffed hands. Her voice softened, but remained firm. "But right now... I think we can agree that surviving comes first. So please. As an act of truce - uncuff me."

Adam turned to look at her. His eyes lingered on hers, searching, perhaps for a catch. For a lie. For weakness.

But there was none.

He scoffed under his breath and turned away. "I'm going to fix the holes," he said. "Lest we freeze to death in this gods-forsaken wreck."

The wind howled again, pressing snow through the broken frame. Ruby let her hands drop, the metal of the cuffs cold against her skin as she watched him rummage through the wreckage with deliberate detachment.

Chapter Text

The night was bitter, even with the small dust-run furnace sputtering away in the corner. It was the only source of heat - the ship's systems were completely offline, and any chance of internal heating had died with the crash. Ruby remained cuffed, though she'd made do with what little dexterity the restraints allowed.

With her aura suppressed, she couldn't use her Semblance and the cold bit deeper, clinging to her limbs and slowing her movements. Her cloak offered fleeting reprieve, but she wasn't dressed for Atlas weather - if they were even in Atlas.

There were three possible locations they could've landed, but she couldn't confirm any of them without her scroll, which had vanished in the crash. Adam's had been destroyed when he'd hit the trees. So here they were - stranded in a broken airship, with no food, no comms, and possibly Grimm nearby. Sitting ducks.

Her eyes drifted to the makeshift seal over the shattered entrance, where combustion dust and bullets had been used to plug the gaps. It still let in a chill, and there wasn't much she could do about it. The darkness outside was impenetrable. With no idea of the time, she couldn't tell how long they'd been stuck here - or how long they had left.

Just as her thoughts began spiralling, something clattered to the floor near her - something red.

Crescent Rose.

She stared, stunned, before glancing up at Adam. He was just returning from the entrance, teeth clenched to keep them from chattering. He'd used a large chunk of wreckage to reinforce the seal, trying to trap the warmth inside.

"That'll hold until tomorrow," he muttered, discarding his weapon to the floor before sinking down near the furnace.

Adam sat with his back against the wall, one arm slung over his knee, the other resting near the furnace's flickering warmth. His breath steamed in the air, and his jacket had ice clinging to the hem. He didn't look at her, didn't speak. Just stared into the flame like it held answers.

Ruby cradled Crescent Rose against her like it were a lifeline. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed the weight of it until now. Her fingers traced the cool metal of its folded frame. He could've kept it. He should've, really - if he was afraid she'd use her Semblance and run. But he hadn't.

"Why give this back?" she asked softly.

His eyes didn't leave the flame. "It's broken. Like everything else in this gods-damned place."

She examined it. A bent panel, a cracked scope. Minor damage, nothing she couldn't fix given time and tools. "Not completely. The gun part still works. And... it still has its use as a scythe-"

"I'm not uncuffing you. Just shut up for a moment."

Silence pressed down like the snow outside. Only the soft crackle of the dust-fuelled furnace and the distant moan of wind filled the space between them. Ruby shifted slightly, the cuffs biting into her wrists with cold metal and dull ache.

"Adam..." she began, cautious, "I know... you don't trust me. But if we're going to survive this, you need to stop treating me like I'm the enemy."

"You are the enemy," he said without hesitation. "Don't forget your place, human."

"Right now, I'm your only ally," she bit back.

That made him pause. Barely. A flicker of tension in his jaw, a breath held longer than it should've been. He swallowed whatever bitter retort was on his tongue and leaned back with a sigh.

"Don't get any ideas," he muttered. "The cuffs stay on. You die, I die."

She exhaled through her nose. Fair enough - for now. "Fine. Then at least give me a blanket or something. My aura's suppressed. I'll freeze faster than you."

He nudged a piece of canvas tarp across the floor with his boot. "There. Happy?"

She didn't bother replying. But the urge to roll her eyes was growing by the second. After a moment, she pulled the tarp around her. It wasn't comfortable, but it was warmer. She curled her knees to her chest, trying to preserve heat.

A few minutes passed.

"Did you find anything out there?" she asked eventually. This earned a groan from him. He was nowhere near used to the chatter of anyone, let alone a bubbly teenage girl. "A passing deer? Plants?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she cringed. Plants? Out here?

Adam gave her a look. "I don't know about you, but I can't exactly butcher a deer," he said flatly, watching his breath fog the air.

"I can..." she replied, quieter now. "Learned from my dad..."

And there she went - oversharing again. She couldn't help it. Not in the silence. Not with the cold gnawing at her bones and the air so heavy with the unspoken. He didn't reply.

"I'll take the first watch..." she tried again, breaking the quiet.

That earned a low chuckle from him.

"And give you the chance to sneak off? Maybe slit my throat while I'm not looking?"

"You really need to lock away that insecurity. You know what? Fine. Stay up all night then. See if I care," she shot back, turning onto her side and closing her eyes, hoping sleep might offer even the smallest escape from this growing nightmare.

Chapter Text

Ruby awoke, shivering. She glanced back to where Adam had been the night before - but he was gone. Again. The furnace hadn't been fed, and the crate blocking the entrance had shifted. He must've gone out looking again, she thought. For two days now, he'd been out, scouting, searching. Exploring every way of figuring out where they are EXCEPT uncuffing her. She couldn't count how many times she'd try to reason with him about how easy it'd be to gauge where they were if she'd Petal Burst it. Alas, his paranoia put a nail in it each time.

After feeding the furnace some more dust, she stretched, slipping into her usual routine. Wake up. Stretch. Say three goals for the day: stay alive, find food, stay alive. Simple, isn't it? She hoped so. Despite the cuffs restraining her, Ruby decided to venture out. She was armed with a few dust cartridges and Crescent Rose - unusable for now, but comforting all the same.

Outside, everything was a blank canvas of white. The only contrast was the brown bark of the trees. Even the sky was a pale grey, heavy with clouds that continued to spill snow. Ruby felt an immediate chill, sharper than usual. Gods, these cuffs were truly the worst. Still, she pressed on, staying alert for any Grimm lurking nearby.

Fortunately, there was nothing. After a few minutes' walk, she came upon a frozen lake. A lake meant water - and suddenly, her thirst hit her like a wave. She was both thirsty and hungry. Looking closer, she noticed the water beneath the ice was still flowing.

Ruby activated Crescent Rose, using the small dagger at the end of the staff to stab at the ice repeatedly. The sniper rifle function was too difficult to manage with her cuffed hands.

As the dagger bit into the ice again and again, small cracks began to spiderweb across the surface. Ruby's breath puffed out in frosty clouds, her fingers numbed by the cold and the restraints biting into her wrists. She knew she had to break through, but the ice was thick and stubborn.

Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the silence - the ice groaned ominously as water began to seep through the fractures. Ruby's heart skipped a beat. Carefully, she brushed away the broken shards, revealing a patch of dark, flowing water beneath the frozen surface.

Leaning closer, she cupped the icy liquid in her hands. The cold stung her skin, but water was water, and she drank eagerly. The chill bit sharply as it slid down her throat, sending a shiver through her body. As she looked up, something caught her eye - a slender shape darting beneath the surface.

She recoiled, fear flickering briefly before she took a cautious step forward. Was that... a fish? Narrowing her eyes, she focused intently. One moment passed... then another. Another fish glided past. This time, she couldn't help but laugh with joy.

Heaving Crescent Rose into position, she aimed the small dagger at the opening in the ice, preparing to catch her unexpected prize. "Here...fishie fishie..."

Ruby steadied her breath, the cold air filling her lungs as she focused on the water. Her cuffed hands made wielding Crescent Rose awkward, but she was determined. The small dagger at the end of the shaft pierced the icy water with a sharp splash. She jabbed again and again, desperate to catch something - anything - to eat.

After several tries, the dagger snagged something slippery. She pulled it out carefully, revealing a small, trembling fish glinting faintly in the dim light. It flopped vigorously before falling limp to the dagger. A surge of triumph warmed her despite the biting cold. It was small, but could very well at least dampen the pain of hunger that was growing even now.

But just as she was about to secure her catch, a distant howl echoed through the frozen forest. Ruby froze, heart pounding. Grimm were nearby. Her head snapped toward the treeline, searching for any sign of movement amid the snow-laden branches.

She locked eyes with it in an instant. An Ursa. It stalked her from behind the trees before revealing its full form, making itself known, trying to instil fear into her. It was almost working. Ruby heaved Crescent Rose onto its side, letting the scythe part stab into the icde and making the sniper visible. The fish was still impaled on the other end but she couldn't deal with that at the moment.

The Ursa ceased hiding and began advancing slowly, claws scraping and sinking into the ice for traction. Ruby was pressed for options. Gods, she needed two hands... Curse Adam for the cuffs.

Thinking quickly, she rested the staff on her shoulder and gripped the trigger with both hands. The recoil stung her shoulder - unused to the weight - but the Ursa remained unfazed, if anything, it grew angrier.

It pressed its pursuit, each step heavy and deliberate. Ruby knew a bullet to the heart would end it, but her scope was cracked, and control was tenuous at best.

She did her best, firing shot after shot. Some found his shoulder, others his arm, and a few missed entirely. Still, the Ursa closed the distance. Before panic could set in fully, it was nearly upon her. She barely dodged the swipe of a massive claw aimed at her head.

Crescent Rose sliced to the side, fish and all. The Ursa's shriek tore through the air—likely a call for reinforcements. She cursed inwardly.

Earlier, she'd been cautious and slow, careful not to slip. Now, shaky and off-balance, she struggled just to stay upright while dodging the furious Grimm. It lunged again. Ruby twisted away, grabbing a shard of ice and hurling it in a desperate attempt to slow the beast. Instead, it only seemed to enrage it further.

Now she was truly in trouble. The Ursa quickened its pace, and Ruby found herself on tiptoes, trying to skate away, but her boots were far from skates and it had nothing to sink into the ice unlike the Ursa's claws. With a powerful slam of its massive paw, the Ursa sent her flying sideways, the impact shattering her aura. She was exposed - vulnerable - to the biting cold.

The Ursa let out a blood-curdling cry as it crept closer on all fours, jaws poised to devour her. Fear gripped her. She glanced desperately for a weapon, but there was none. In a last-ditch effort, she screamed the only name she could think of. "Adam!"

The Ursa's shriek seemed to mock her. He was nowhere to be seen. Of course. Stupid Ruby Rose - how could she expect help now?

The Ursa loomed over her, jaws descending to snap at her face. Time seemed to slow; her life flashed before her eyes - her family, her friends, Beacon, Pyrrha... her mother. Her eyes stung as the memory struck, and in that instant, the Ursa shrieked in pain and toppled backwards.

Just in time for its head to fly off as Adam appeared, frozen in stance before sheathing his blade.

"What are you doing out here?" He spat, grabbing her by her collar and hoisting her up.

Before Ruby could answer, a new shriek tore through the forest. Behind Adam, a pack of Beowolves and six Ursas emerged.

"Shit..." he cursed, dropping her turning his back to her as he readied himself.

"Adam, uncuff me. I can help."

"Shut up, Red."

"You can't take six Ursas and a pack of Beowolves alone!" She tried to reason.

"Heh. Don't underestimate me like I'm on your level." As if on cue, a pack of Beringels joined from the far side of the lake.

"Adam... you need me," she insisted, voice steady despite the chaos.

"Shut up..." His eyes flicked over the enemies. Beowolves? Child's play. Ursas? Challenging, but manageable...

"Adam! I can't protect myself like this - my aura's broken!" Her urgency grew as the Beringels' claws stabbed into the ice, cracking it beneath their weight.

Beringels on top...

"Adam, please!" The Ursas roared, stepping onto the lake's fragile surface. A bead of sweat trickled down Adam's face.

"Adam!" The Grimm charged - all of them. Adam grabbed Ruby's cloak by its collar, hauling her into the air as she screamed. In a flash, he surged forward, slicing through Beowolves with deadly precision.

Five seconds later, Ruby was falling, feet steady in a fighting stance. With a fierce kick, she brought down an Ursa from behind. She stumbled on the landing - clumsy but better than falling on the ice. The Ursa's head was cracked open, already disintegrating. She glanced around; the Grimm were still focused on Adam.

Seizing the chance, she bolted for Crescent Rose, gripping it with her cuffed hands as best she could. Twirling wildly, she swung the weapon at the approaching Beringels. They hesitated, but still tried to strike. She managed to slice one clean in two.

Across the lake, Adam was effortlessly cutting down Grimm. Five Ursa fell with two swift strikes, and the Beowolves were nearly wiped out. Using Blush, he fired shots at the Beringels advancing on Ruby. The Grimm seized the moment to attack him, landing powerful blows he blocked with Wilt.

More Grimm poured in from all directions, their snarls and growls filling the frigid air. The ice beneath their feet creaked ominously as the weight of the advancing creatures pushed them backward. Adam and Ruby fell into a slow, deliberate retreat, each step cautious as they moved toward the centre of the frozen lake - the only clear space left between the relentless swarm.

Adam's every move was calculated, using Wilt to block incoming attacks while firing precise shots from Blush to thin the numbers. Ruby spun Crescent Rose in wide arcs, cutting through claws and teeth as the Beringels closed in. The sharp snap of claws against ice echoed around them, the ground trembling beneath their combined weight.

The lake's surface was slick and unforgiving, forcing Ruby to fight the urge to slip with every desperate dodge. Adam's footsteps were firm, his stance steady despite the growing pressure. They pressed closer to the centre, a narrowing island in a sea of snarling Grimm, their backs nearly touching as they prepared for the inevitable.

"Adam, let me go. I can use my semblance to get us out of here," Ruby whispered urgently.

"Like you'd take me with you?"

"Adam!" She raised her voice, desperation breaking through. "Please. Trust me. We're going to die if we stay."

He cursed under his breath, eyes scanning the overwhelming number of Grimm. His aura flickered low. Ruby had stopped shivering long ago - she was slipping into hypothermic shock. Over fifty Grimm crowded the lake, the ice groaning beneath their weight as more arrived. Adam fired Blush to keep them at bay but was running low on bullets.

"Adam!" Ruby shouted, tears streaming down her face. "Hurry! Please!"

He growled in frustration as the Grimm lunged all at once. The faint click of cuffs unlocking was the spark Ruby needed - her aura surged back. She grabbed Adam's hand and Petal Burst upward, soaring fifty feet above the chaos. In midair, she corporealised and spun Crescent Rose, firing a single fire dust bullet at their original spot. The ice beneath groaned before it shattered violently, stabbing and swallowing the Grimm in a freezing, watery grave. Adam cursed in full force as he watched, cursing again to realise they were now falling to join them in their fate.

They plummeted downwards. Ruby clung to what little aura she had left, grabbing and dragging Adam toward the lake's edge. Exhausted, her grip faltered, and she sent him hurtling into the shore. He managed to scramble out, using Wilt as an anchor as he heaved his wet body above water, while Ruby collapsed into the snow, unmoving.

His aura was barely holding. He was shivering violently now, unable to feel his fingers which he noticed had a blue tinge. The cold brought memories he tried to bury - the biting chill of the mines, the sickened groans of faunus dying slowly from frostbite and disease, too weak to scream. The scent of rusted metal and rotting hope. He hated remembering.

Gritting his teeth until he tasted blood, he forced himself upright, every limb aching with the burn of exhaustion and cold. Staggering over to Ruby, he hoisted her over his shoulder, cradling their weapons in the other hand. The walk back to the ship was a hellish blur - he stumbled more than once, his knees buckling beneath him as the wind howled in his ear, almost as if to mock him. The cold nipped at his ears, clawed down his spine, whispering for him to lie down and rest.

But he kept going.

He would not die in the cold.
Not like they did.

The furnace was still burning when he reached the ship, its faint heat like a distant beacon in the dark. He stumbled inside and slammed the door behind him. It was no paradise, but at least the air didn't feel like breathing in shards of glass.

He dropped Ruby unceremoniously in front of the furnace and flung the tarp over her limp form. Her skin was nearly as pale as the snow now, lips slightly blue. He tossed another handful of Dust into the fire, watching the flames surge.

He always thought her outfit was ridiculous - a short skirt, a flimsy shirt with a neckline made for vanity, and tights that looked like they'd seen one too many battles. It may have been designed for speed and flair in warmer climates, but out here? It was a death sentence. The only thing he approved of was her hood - at least that offered some cover.

Adam, soaked through and still trembling, stripped off his coat and hung it over the bench to dry. He fed more Dust into the fire until the warmth began to lick at his skin. His trousers, at least, were reinforced with a waterproof outer layer - one of the few smart design choices he'd made. They dried quickly.

Still, he was relieved Ruby was unconscious.

He didn't want anyone to see the scars. Not on his back. Not on his arms.
Not on the man who refused to die in chains.

Chapter Text

Ruby woke up and Adam was yet again nowhere to be seen. She was in front of the furnace on the floor instead of on the bench, the tarp sliding off her as she sat upright. The furnace was still going so it looked like he left a moment ago. Ruby looked behind her at the cockpit. Pinks and oranges from the setting sun shone through, making her know it was at least seven in the evening.

She didn't notice until she moved a piece of hair out her face that she was uncuffed. The faint ghost chains of it still lingering. Adam appeared a second later, holding his blade that was lined with impaled fish.

"Caught dinner," he said flatly, the edge of his voice as sharp as the blade that skewered the fish.

Ruby blinked up at him, still dazed, her body aching like it had been trampled by a Goliath. She instinctively reached for her wrists again - the cuffs were gone. Just the faint impression of them remained, a reddened ring where her skin hadn't yet forgotten the restraint. Her eyes narrowed.

"About time," she muttered, voice hoarse. "Could've let me go before the whole lake tried to kill us."

Adam didn't reply. He moved past her, flicking the fish off his weapon and onto a discarded metal piece that came off during the crash, placing it near the furnace. They landed with a wet slap. He reached for his pocket, revealing a side blade and started preparing them with mechanical precision.

"You're welcome, by the way," he said coolly, without looking at her.

Ruby pulled the tarp back over her shoulders, but her gaze never left him. "You were going to let us both die on that lake."

"You didn't die," he shot back, low and cold. "So stop whining, kid."

"You're such an ass," she snapped, pushing herself to her feet with a groan.

He gave a short, calculated laugh. "In the sixty-ish hours we've been stuck here together, that's the best curse you can come up with? Gods, you really are a child."

"Stop saying that! You almost got us killed just to prove a point!"

Adam stilled for a moment, fish half-prepped in his hands. Then he resumed, unfazed. "It wasn't about proving a point."

"No?" Ruby folded her arms across her sore ribs, jaw tight. "Then what was it?"

His eyes flicked up to hers - sharp, bitter.

"I think you seem to be forgetting something here, Red," he sneered. "We're not, how do you kids say it, friends. You're the teammate of a traitor - someone I've bled for. Someone who stabbed me in the back and who I would gladly be gutting instead of this fish had I not been interrupted. The only reason you and I are even breathing in the same room is because dying alone in this frozen hell sounded marginally worse than dealing with your sanctimonious whining."

He dropped the fish onto the improvised pan with a metallic clatter, then leaned back slightly, wiping his hands on his coat.

"Had I not caught that fish," he said with cruel ease, "you'd be roasting over this fire right now. Human makes for tender meat, I hear."

Ruby stiffened, disgust and horror battling across her face. He stared at her, unblinking, then gave a low, curling laugh that didn't reach his eyes. "Silence at last."

She glared at him, face flushed with fury. Her newly freed hands curled into fists.

"Blake's not a traitor."

Adam's smile vanished.

"She abandoned the White Fang."

"She escaped a violent organisation," Ruby shot back. "She never stopped caring though. She spent nights without sleep, trying to do whatever she could to help. To undo some of the damage."

"Is that what she does now?" he sneered. "Plays the martyr to soothe her guilt?"

His voice cut like ice, but Ruby held her ground. "Guilt is for someone who did something wrong. Perhaps you should have that, after what you did to Beacon."

"Just shut up, Red," he said, voice dropping low and final. He nudged a slightly charred fish in her direction with the flat of his blade. "Eat your fish and go to sleep. Hell awaits tomorrow."

Ruby didn't move. Just stared at the burned fish. Then at him. She cocked her head and moved her lips in a mocking tone before turning around, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not scared of you," she muttered.

He froze for a heartbeat before swiftly getting to his feet. Ruby barely had time to turn before he closed the space between them in two long strides. The firelight caught the edges of his eyes - wild, flickering shadows like smoke in the red glow.

"Is that so?" he said, voice low, nearly calm. Then, suddenly, he grabbed her by the collar and slammed her back against the side of the wrecked ship wall.

She choked on her breath, feet scraping at the ground. She tried to push him off, but her eyes met him and she could see the lust for violence he had.

"You think you understand anything? You think your stupid little team talks and friendship speeches are going to fix the world?" His grip tightened. She choked, groaning at the pressure. "You don't know what fear is, girl. You've never starved in the dark, never watched your friends cough blood because some human thought their life wasn't worth a damn."

Her aura flared instinctively - flickering, weak. It wouldn't protect her. Not now. And still... she didn't look away.

Adam's expression twitched. He looked at her like he didn't know whether to throttle her or collapse. Then he let go. Abruptly. Ruby slumped to the ground, gasping, her heart hammering. She pushed herself back to where the bench was, a hand settling on Crescent Rose for comfort.

Adam turned, pacing a few steps from the fire, running a hand through his wet hair like he could scrub the fury off his skull.

"Next time you talk like that," he muttered, quieter now, "you better be ready for what comes after."

He didn't look at her again. Just knelt, retrieved his weapon, and started cleaning it with meticulous care - as though he hadn't just snapped. Ruby cradled her weapon, holding it close to her chest as she watched him intently. He never turned back, just kept eating his fish.

Chapter Text

Ruby didn't remember falling asleep that day. But she remembered what had transpired before. Aware of their unwilling relationship, she kept to herself the next few days. Whenever Adam left in the morning, she stayed behind to man the fort. That was the best name for this broken pile of metal.

She started keeping a tab on the days by scratching a line in the wall where the bench was - her unofficial bedroom. It had been five days now, and both of their patience was wearing thin. Ruby had used her Semblence to get a bird's eye view on where they were. That was unhelpful seeing as it was all frozen mountains and trees as far as the eye could see.

She didn't wander far beyond a hundred metres. She couldn't. Her aura was never filled and food was scarce. Though she unwillingly ate that fish all those days ago and got indigestion, she would give anything now to catch another. The lake had frozen over again and they couldn't even break it again as the Grimm were somehow still alive underneath, forever trapped in a watery cage.

It was now the second day without food, and it was taking its toll.

Ruby's stomach gnawed at itself like a cornered animal. Her limbs ached from more than bruises now - her bones felt hollow, her thoughts fuzzy. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her shoulders and sat hunched on the bench, eyes fixed on the scratched lines she'd marked into the wall.

Five.

Only five days, and already her body felt like it had weathered a war.

Outside, the wind howled like some distant beast. The kind of wind that got under your skin, howled through your ribs, and made you think of graves dug in frozen soil.

She hadn't heard Adam return yet. He'd left at dawn, taking only his weapons and that ever-present silence with him.

Sometimes he came back with something useful - wood, bits of metal to help work on the ship, but nothing remotely edible, though she supposed all things were edible just once, depending on if you survive the aftereffects of it. Sometimes he came back empty-handed, bloodied and furious, speaking to no one. Those nights were the worst.

Ruby wasn't sure which version would walk through the door today. She leaned her head back and let her eyes close for just a moment, trying to think about anything except food, though that was easier daid than done. Even the gentle snow falling outside reminded her of a snowcone, made of more sugar than ice, a most refreshing thought. She tried to eat the snow outside on the first day to at least quench her thirst, but she was soon over it once she realised it only wetted her appetite and nothing more. No, it was better for her to remain completely void of food and water, so the pain of starvation ceased quickly and her appetite remained dead.

A crunch of snow outside made her jolt upright, Crescent Rose in hand before her mind could fully catch up. The metal door creaked open. Adam stepped inside, face and shoulders dusted in snow. His eyes swept the room - then landed on her hand gripping her weapon. She didn't lower it. Not right away.

He stared at her.

No expression. Just... bone-deep exhaustion.

"I'm not in the mood for your paranoia," he said hoarsely, brushing past her. "Put it away."

She didn't move. "Did you find anything?"

He didn't answer. That was all she needed.

Her stomach twisted with hunger. But there was nothing to say. Nothing to do. She leaned back against the wall and watched the fire die a little more.

Adam sat in his usual seat on the opposite wall, taking off his boots and placing them near the fireplace. Ruby watched as the snow slowly melted. She moved to lay on the bench, manoeuvring the tarp to cover her. The best things to do when hungry is to not to anything. Conserving energy was important when there was nothing else to fuel their auras.

Ruby stared at Adam, watching his every breath. She knew it was stupid, probably just something he said to scare her but... She couldn't shake the feeling that he might actually eat her. She'd heard stories from Qrow about how insane people can get when they were starving. How anything could be justified in a moment of insanity. She had full freedom of her hands now, but she wasn't exactly the best in hand-to-hand combat, despite Ozpin's tutoring. Crescent Rose was also broken and she was weak from hunger. She'd no doubt in her mind that Adam, being the seasoned warrior and killer he is, would have no trouble in overpowering her and lodging a bullet in her head.

Or maybe he'd hold her down and use his blade to chop off her limbs one by one, slowly preserving her until she'd painfully die. Ugh, she'd been watching too many horror movies. Still...You never know...He wasn't exactly the most mentally stable person she'd met. After staring at him for a few more minutes, her lids felt heavy and she blinked.

When she opened them, she was back at Beacon, in Oobleck's class, watching him zoom between the first and third board.

"And in this case, students, the ATLAS military ships, though gaudily designed and not fit for camouflage anywhere except its own tundra climate, is one of the best ships for when you're stranded. Any guesses why?" He asked, taking a sip from his cup.

Next to her, Weiss proudly raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Schnee?"

"The Atlas military ships all have GIA: Grimm Incident Aid. They're equipped with three months of rations, first aid, weapons and of course, dust that was generously donated by the Schnee Dust Company," she gleamed, flipping her ponytail off her shoulder.

"Correct! Now, this is different to-"

"Wow, Atlas is always prepared, huh," Yang whispers, writing down notes. Ruby turned her head toward her, away from Oobleck who was now in front of Cardin Winchester, smacking his head with a rolled up newspaper to wake him up from his nap. Weiss, on the other side, leaned in.

"He didn't even ask me the rest of the details."

"Like what?" Ruby asks.

"Well, the security, duh. Each military ship has a specific password to access GIA. Though, there is one master password."

"Ooh! Secret password! What is it?!" Yang whispers excitedly. Weiss, loving the interest, happily imparts it.

GIA...GIA! Ruby wakes up with a thud, pain bolting from her back through her body. She opened her eyes, and saw the bench above her.

"You talk in your sleep as well?," Adam groans, cursing the fact that of all the RWBY members he could've been stranded with, it was the chatty one.

"GIA!" She shouted.

"What?"

"GIA!" she shouted again, scrambling to her feet, her cloak tangling around her ankles.

Adam sat upright, half-laced boot in his hand. "What the hell are you on about?"

She paid him no mind, searching the room and studying the walls. Of the four walls in the ship, one had a hole blasted through and was being covered by a SDC crate, one led to the cockpit, one had the bench were Ruby was and... She studied the wall where Adam rested. It was a different shade to the rest, more metallic in colour.

Stepping forward, her fingers skimmed over the surface, searching for a seam or groove. She knocked, pressed, then leaned in to listen for any signs of hollowness. First time? No. Maybe upwards? No. Downwards? Adam watched her with annoyance and slight curiosity, still believing she'd maybe gone mad due to lack of food. Finally, right near the entrance to the cockpit, she heard an echo. Adam's ears prick up at the sound, moving to test it out himself. Ruby's grin spread as she pushed the wall in, hearing a click before a small square clicked back out, revealing a padlock. She eagerly punched in the password: Jacque Schnee's birthday. How vain, but she didn't mind it.

The padlock lit green, then vanished into the wall with a soft chime. Mechanical sounds whirred, gears grinding beneath the ship's skin. Then the door opened.

Inside was salvation.

A recessed panel slid aside, revealing a deep, wall-mounted shelf stacked with goods: military ration tins, sealed water packets, compressed sleeping bags, emergency bullets of every type, field bandages, even flares. Stacked neatly were rows of military rations, vacuum-sealed water packets, emergency dust rounds, compressed sleeping rolls, field bandages, flares - everything a stranded crew would need to survive a long, bitter wait.

Adam cursed under his breath, reaching in and snatching a tin. "Military rations."

Ruby didn't waste a second. She cracked one open with shaking hands, snapping off the plastic fork clipped to the side and digging in. The food was grey and unappealing, soft with a hint of fish and something bean-like - but she didn't care. It was warm. It was edible. It was enough. Adam was already finishing his tin, downing half a water packet in one go and exhaling a low groan of relief. The tension in his shoulders eased, the sharp edge of hunger dulled for the first time in days. Ruby slumped down next to him, her back against the cool wall, the empty tin on her lap. Her hands had stopped trembling. Her thoughts were no longer drowned by the ache of starvation.

She could feel her aura finally beginning to mend. It was faint, but it pulsed again - steady, alive. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she realised she wasn't cold.

"How did you know that was there?" He asked, still chewing.

"I remember hearing about it in class. Weiss mentioned about the Grimm Incident Aid, she even told me the master password as a joke, thank God she did huh."

He scoffs, "Ah yes, the heiress."

Ruby shuddered at how repulsed he was when he said it. "She's a good person. Not at all like her family. She wants to do good in the world, help change her company."

"Would changing it now undo all the blood and pain her family has done?"

"She's not responsible for what her family - her father - has done. But she's still trying to make a difference."

"I'm in a good mood so I'll say this once, be sure to memorise this so I don't have to repeat it again. No matter how much good you want to do, how much you want to change, it will never atone for what has already happened."

"She doesn't have to atone for anything though, she didn't do anything," Ruby said, adamantly.

"But she benefitted from it all, didn't she? Nice sparkly clothes? Thanks to the faunus in the mines. Her wealth and gigantic mansion? The cogs of the machine are lubricated with my peoples' blood. And blood can only be paid with blood."

"That doesn't make any sense!" She snaps. "If people are forced to bear the weight of others' sins, then how can anyone move forward to make the world a better place?! People's past do not define their childrens' futures. They didn't pick their parents."

"Spoken exactly like someone who didn't have to suffer the consequences of their crimes."

"Then take it up with those exact people. As for Weiss and every other innocent human. Let it go." Her tone was more harsh now, sick of the constant back and forth they'd been having. What was so hard for him to understand? She thought.

"You sound just like the traitor."

"Blake. That's her name. I don't care if you get angry and smash things. She doesn't have anything to atone for either. She certainly didn't hold you accountable for practically stalking her. You need to let her go."
The tension was thick. Despite her words, Ruby’s hand hovered near Crescent Rose, ready for Adam to snap and attack her. He certainly looked like he would. Steam practically came out of his nose.

Fine. Let him.

She was angry too - angry at the twisted logic he wrapped himself in like armour. For someone so obsessed with personal responsibility, Adam sure loved punishing people for everyone else’s mistakes.

And she’d eaten now. Let them call her naïve, or reckless, or stupid. She may break a bone or two, but she was strong enough to punch her point through - metaphorically or literally.

Then he looked her up and down.

And smiled.

A humourless, teeth-baring grin.

"You're right," he said lowly. "I should let it go. Just like your sister did. She's alright, isn't she? Of course she is... since I left her with no left."

Ruby saw red. The sunken look of Yang flashing through her mind as she revealed her missing limb, the depression set deep in her words.

She launched at him with a scream, tackling him backwards. The two hit the floor hard - she climbed on top, fist hammering into his jaw once, twice, three times before Adam caught her wrist mid-swing. With a guttural grunt, he twisted her arm over, like one would when twirling their dancing partner, and flipped her off him, his boot slamming into her stomach and sending her skidding across the floor.

Pain flared, but she rolled quickly, narrowly avoiding his heel as it came down where her head had just been. She scrambled back, using the crate's edge for momentum, and vaulted herself forward in a corkscrew - ramming him off balance and knocking him down again. She scrambled for Crescent Rose, the urge to stab him a few times at an all-time high, but he grabbed her boot and pulled her under him, pinning her arms down as he backhanded her.

Not a punch. Even now, he was treating her as a petulant child.

Ruby growled, wriggling furiously, planting both feet against his chest and kicking him off. She scrambled up, lunging with Crescent Rose half-transformed, the staff with the end-dagger open and ready to impale a bull - but Adam was faster. His foot came up and swept her legs from under her before she could plant her stance. She slammed against the ground, air knocked from her lungs, and Crescent Rose falling behind a large crater, away from her grasp.

Adam was already there, grabbing her cloak and yanking her upright before slamming her into the wall with brute force. She heard tins falling from the shelf due to the vibrations. Ruby coughed, stars blinking in her vision. She headbutted him, buying herself a second of space, and drove an elbow into his ribs - but he caught her again, this time by the collar. He spun, using her own momentum to hurl her across the cabin. She crashed into a crate, the edge biting into her side.

Pain shot through her ribs. She rolled, gasping, one hand pressed against her side where a dark bruise was already forming.

"You're every bit as weak as your sister. I know I said I would keep you alive, but perhaps a broken arm will teach you a lesson?"

He advanced slowly, deliberately. Ruby forced herself up with a wince, eyes scanning for Crescent Rose - still too far. Her aura flickered, dim and strained, but she wouldn't just lie down. She braced herself.

He grabbed her by the forearm.

Ruby twisted, shrieking as she drove her knee into his side - once, twice - but he barely flinched. With a jerk, he slammed her against the wall again and wrenched her arm behind her back. The pressure spiked immediately.

"Let. Go!" she snarled, heel driving back into his shin. He staggered back, unprepared for a crate flying at his head, knocking him to the wall. Ruby sent another his way, sheen white of the SDC design being printed with blood from his nose, which he clutched while trying to avoid another crate aiming for his eye. Ruby grabbed another crate from the pile next to her, smaller and black unlike its counterparts, but still meeting the same fate of being lobbed at his head.

This one missed him narrowly, but the force of the wall snapped the lock in two and the suitcase opened mid-air, sending glass vials flying and shattering onto the floor. The shock of it stopped them both in their tracks, turning their attention to the pale pink smoke now curling across the cabin like a blooming mist.

Adam recoiled, realising what it was but it was too late, the powder invaded his nostrils, sending him into a coughing frenzy.

Ruby froze. The sharp, copper sting in her ribs dulled like fog rolling over broken glass. Her breathing slowed. Her hands trembled, not from fear or pain, but from the strange, syrupy warmth unfurling through her chest and limbs, buzzing like soft static.

"What the...?" she mumbled, blinking too slowly. Her legs felt distant, her skin flushed. The bruises didn't throb anymore. In fact, nothing really hurt. Not anymore.

Adam staggered back like he'd been shot. She watched him hit himself, like he was trying to knock the powder out of him. Normally, she'd try and help him. Normally. But she didn't feel normal right now. She felt...giddy. A laugh escaped from her as she witnessed the scene. She clamped her mouth shut with her hands but couldn't stop the laughter that was escaping.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked, almost breathless with amusement. It all felt so funny to her. Adam felt anything but humour. His temperature was climbing and he was suddenly feeling too hot for his clothes.

"Fuck!" he roared, striking the shelf beside him hard enough to dent the metal. He clawed for a water pack, tearing it open and dousing the powder on the floor. The pink vapour hissed, curling into foamy puddles.

Ruby laughed harder, clutching her stomach as a new pain emerged. "It looks like a marshmallow!"

Adam whirled on her, eyes burning. "It's Siren Dust! Fuck!" he barked, falling to all fours, head lowered, breath ragged. His voice cracked. "You stupid, stupid girl..."

She blinked at him lazily, unfazed. "Siren Dust... I've heard of that..." She swayed slightly, leaning against a crate. "Isn't it a drug? People use it to get high, right?" Her giggle turned into a sigh. "It feels so good..."

"It's...a pheromone..." He grits, trying to keep his composure. He remembers exactly what this drug was used for. Remembers how crazy the Faunus were when exposed to it. It was the best drug to send them into a rut. He remembered the sellers that stood above them on the bridge, watching them with men in suits alongside, the main scientist reveling at the effects like a madman.

"Perfect for ensuring the next generation of workers."

Bile surged up his throat.

He forced it back.

Ruby, still swaying, looked at him curiously. "You don't look so good..."

He snapped. "Shut up!"

She flinched, just slightly. Her eyes were still glassy.

He didn't care. Couldn't. His skin was crawling, his blood boiling. He wanted. The pheromones didn't care about consent or history or hatred. They just whispered need. But he wasn't one of them anymore. He wasn't a slave. He wasn't-

"I'm not an animal," he growled, more to himself than her. "I'm not!"

His hands shook violently. His aura was pulsing. Red. Furious. Unstable. He looked down, forcing himself not to look at Ruby. His vision was blurring, he knew first hand how guttural the feeling is and the effects. On the floor, saliva pools in front of him. His saliva. He was heaving on all-fours, crawling like a deranged, starved beast.

"Adam..." It was like Ruby's mind was blinking. The powder was quickly wearing off for her, and the return of the pain was quickly sobering her up. She watched him, keeled over, salivating uncontrollably.

"Stay away from me!" He shouted, almost like a plea.

She ran, practically limped, to the GIA, pulling out a first aid kit. "How do I help? Does water cure it? Do you have to drink a bunch of water?" She asks, panicked, her eyes focused on rummaging through the kit. She didn't notice he was now right next to her, his hand on her boot as he pulled her once again under him.

"Get off, you're hurt! And high! You just need to sleep it off!" She shouts, squirming. Her body hurt so much, and her aura was currently being used to heal herself meaning she was very physically weak. Despite her battering him, he acted like he wasn't fazed. She couldn't see his eyes but she could tell he was crazed.

"Adam, get off-" Her next word was replaced with a scream as he bit her neck, his tongue licking the blood that cracked through. She was stunned. He leaned back, admiring his art on her neck.

"Adam...you're sick..." Ruby breathed, fear settling in for an entire new different reason. He didn't speak, couldn't. Like he was in a trance. He leaned in again, this time, invading her mouth. Despite her being on the floor, she pushed back and writhed, revolted at the weird feeling of saliva mixing. However, after a few seconds, that warm feeling came back.

Poor Ruby, she didn't know that Siren Dust could also be transferred through fluids. With her mind numbed, she didn't know what to process. Though, Adam took care of that for her. He pinned her arms under his knees as his free hand lingered to her skirt.

She tried to fight, but soon, the electric feeling overwhelmed her and she would almost laugh if she wasn't struggling to maintain some sort of sanity. The night stretched and in the morning, they both regretted what they did.

Chapter Text

Ruby awoke in pain. It was everywhere but centered around a few places in particular. She looked down, the blood from all the events that transpired the night before on the tarp. Looking around, she couldn't find Adam. Relief and worry swept over her. She hugged her knees to her chest, drawing in on herself, trying to be small. Safe.

Despite being stranded here for a near week, she never cried. But today, she couldn't stop the tears that welled up inside her. The tears were silent at first. Then they weren't. Her shoulders shook as sobs clawed their way out of her throat where a huge lump had formed, rough and aching. Her eyes burned. Her body hurt. And there was no one here to tell her it was going to be alright—because maybe it wasn't. The sorrow of being away from her sister, her uncle, her friends...The biting uncertainty of her future survival and... the ruined expectations of what was supposed to be a happy time for her.

Yang had spoken about it once, grinning in that reckless, big-sister way. She’d been sixteen and deep in her sneak-out, light-out era, giggling about someone she met at Signal. It was magical, she'd said. Ruby had believed her. A bitter sob escaped her as she pressed her forehead to her knees. Her safety shorts and underwear were rumpled near her boots, which she pulled up, thankful they weren't ripped off instead. Her clothes were ruffled, but still on.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be magical. With someone she loved.

She cried for what felt like hours to her, until she physically couldn't anymore. Once she was done, wiping her cheeks with the edges of her cloak, she began to move. Everything ached at once, but she gritted her teeth and limped over to the shelf, slowly eating a tin of rations while fighting the headache that pounded so loud.

She had no appetite, but her aura was close to breaking, and for all the people she loved, she needed to move forward. Her neck was sore from the bite, her hands trailing up and down as she winced. She was quick to disinfect and plaster it along with applying some ointment to her bruised wrists and cuts on her thighs from the chafing against the floor, the white bandage contrasting with her warm, peach skin.

Despite it being a few hours that Ruby had awoken, Adam hadn't returned. She spent an hour pondering on where he went, arguing with herself whether she was hoping he would come back or hopeful he would remain gone, but soon switched to fixing Crescent Rose.

It was all she could do to pass the time, and she was more than happy to have a task than wallow in her poisonous thoughts. There was a toolbox hidden inside the shelf, equipped with everything she needed to mend her weapon.

She'd seen it yesterday, making a mental note to come back to it later. Well, it was later. Reaching for the toolbox, her hands shook with rooted fear. She grabbed it with her other, closing her eyes and trying to ground herself.

Inside, were tools and bolts, scraps of wires and copper all there for a quick fix. Assessing Crescent Rose, she made a mental list of the work needed to be done. Fixing the scope, taking apart the sniper altogether to fix the inside damage and banging out the crooked dagger at the end.

As she was tinkering, she remembered the past times of when Qrow used to help her, and when her dad taught her about the basics of mechanics. Even Yang had imparted some wisdom, having done service on Bumblebee, her motorcycle.

Crescent Rose was fixed in a jiffy, and then, using the knowledge taught to her by her beloved family, she got to work on the ship.

If you can fix a bike, you can fix a car. If you can fix a car, you can fix a boat. If you can fix a boat, you can fix a ship. If you can do that, then you can join the Vale Navy. The nostalgic commercial played in her head as she worked, a faint smile breaking through the fatigue for the first time since waking, letting the words of her family guide her through it.

The hours slipped by, and she was deep in wires when she heard footsteps behind her. Her body froze, dropping the screwdriver in her hand, hearing it clink against the floor. The memories of last night flooding in when she was so close to forgetting them and the fear that seized her. She looked back, her heart beating violently. His gaze caught hers, before he immediately dropped them to the floor.

His eyes caught sight of her bandaged neck first, and he burned from shame. His ears pricked. He could hear her hollow breaths, sense her newfound fear.

"I'm sorry," he breathed.

Her ears couldn't believe it. Adam, who had threatened to eat her, kill her, break her arm...saying sorry.

"Siren Dust...made me lose my mind. Clouds the minds of Faunus, makes them only want one thing, independent of what they normally think. It turns us into real animals..."

She could tell he meant it. But she still couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. It was like she was frozen in some kind of emotional stasis, half-shocked, half-drained.

Something white hit the floor by her boot. Her Scroll.

She looked at it, hesitant.

“We’re not in Atlas,” he said, voice rough. “We’re near Argos. About halfway between Haven and Argos — no man’s land.”

She picked up the Scroll and opened the Map. Sure enough, he was right. Smack in the middle of a frozen wasteland. Nearly five hundred miles in either direction. She nearly laughed in disbelief — her Semblance had taken her that far?

“There’s a small village east of here,” Adam continued, moving to the shelf and taking out a ration tin. “We’ll head there tomorrow. With your Semblance, it shouldn’t take long.”

He didn’t sit near her. Not in his usual spot. He chose the furthest corner of the room.

Space.

He was giving her space.

Was that why he’d been gone so long? She watched him intently, his gaze fixed on his weapon, wiping it with a cloth he'd kept on him at all times. Well, having a handkerchief would be useful when one constantly wets their blade with blood.

She looked back at her Scroll, pinching her fingers outwards to zoom. It took three attempts before she finally spotted the village he'd mentioned in the east.

“Taka...yama?” she whispered, racking her brain to recall if Ren had ever mentioned it. She certainly didn’t remember seeing it on her map.

“Why’s such a remote village on the Remnant Map anyway?” she asked, recalling how they’d had to use a physical map to navigate Mistral. Most independent villages weren’t added to the virtual maps on their Scrolls.

“If it’s on there, they should have connection to local comms.”

Her eyes flicked up from the screen as the thought replayed. “We can call for help?”

He didn’t answer. She felt like it was a stupid question, one he didn’t want to address. Of course local comms meant they could call for help but...

“What happens then?” Her eyes narrowed, watching his head tilt up, sensing his gaze from behind his Grimm mask.

“We separate. I go my way, you go yours.”

“What happened to your plan of killing me?”

“You’re not worth it. I’ve got bigger problems. I’m sure you’ll die somewhere along the way trying to find your friends. Our truce ends the moment we reach Takayama, Rose.”

"Rose...?"

"What's the problem? Don't remember your own name?"

"No, it's just...Nevermind..." She sighs, tilting her head back to rest on the yoke, letting her legs stretch to the doorway of the cockpit. "I've been trying to fix the ship. I think I can get the heating going at least..." Though, there was now no point was there?

Without anything to do now, her mind wandered, and she couldn't stop shifting positions, almost as if she could never find comfort.

She stretched out her legs again, then curled them up, then stretched them out once more. Her back itched against the cold metal. No matter how she sat, the weight inside her chest refused to lift.

Too much silence. Too much stillness.

Behind her, the pinks of sunset shone through the cracked windows, signalling another day out in this frozen wasteland. Gods, she wished tomorrow would come quick.

Chapter Text

Adam watched her head jolt slightly as it began to lean on her right shoulder. The dolt of a huntress had fallen asleep upright, still in the cockpit. He watched her intently, his night vision allowing him ease of sight in the pitch black of the night.

He wondered how she could sleep with such ease around him after what happened. How she could sleep with ease at all. From the beginning of this unfortunate predicament, he'd never slept a wink, or at least he thought he didn't. It'd been six days now since he'd been stuck in this frozen hell with a girl whose aura was always depleted but not her talking energy.

It was only when she'd be quiet and asleep that he could really think. The first day, he'd waited for her to sleep. He could already picture what happened. Her, surrounded by a pack of beowolves, sleeping so soundly in the snow, resigned to her fate.

He would have let them rip her apart, as revenge for dropping him here, for getting in his way of killing the traitor, for even being part of the traitor's posse. In fact, he was already turned on his heel to walk away from her, thinking about where the hell he was and how far it was to get back to Haven, to where the Blake was.

He was already devising a plan, finding his scroll and taking a picture of little red ripped apart by the Grimm, but not before finding Blush and finding his way out. It was solely due to the fact that the beowolves were interrupting his thoughts with their loud howls that he activated moonslice, cutting every tree and beowolf in the vicinity clean in half.

Ruby was saved only because she was now deep in the snow, with more falling on top of her, eager to blot out the nasty bright red in their perfect sea of white.

"Damn..." He cursed himself, realising he had inadvertently saved her. But no matter, nature will take its course soon. He paid no mind as he shot himself up to a surviving tree and took a look around, inhaling the crisp cold air. Nothing. Blank white. Mountains from both east and west, and trees as far as the eye could see, and his sight was extraordinary.

The only thing he did see was the smoke from a couple of miles away, ten or so, that he realised he was stranded. His fury spiked at that summary, darting his eyes from the ship to down where Ruby was and back out at the unrelenting weather around him.

He didn't know where he was. He didn't know how far the nearest civilisation was. He was alone. Well, not alone. Using Wilt, he climbed down the mountain with ease, stabbing it into the bark and letting himself fall. He had no choice, really. It was obvious that if he didn't know where they were, she would. And he'd be damned that she'd take the easy way out while he played Survivor Sam in the middle of nowhere.

So he took her, slung her over his shoulder and marched to where the ship had crashed. The fire had already been put out due to the snow from the tree's branches that fell on top when it crashed into it, and the snow already falling.

The crash had been clean, with only the cockpit taking the most damage and crumpling a lot of the front. Both of the wings had already been ripped off, nowhere to be seen and the entrance door was ripped off, along with a bit of the wall, creating a large gap.

Inside, debris and crates were toppled everywhere, with only a few that were intentionally strapped down remaining upright on the floor. Studying the inside and the crates, he quickly gauged what ship this was and where it came from.

"Atlesian scum," he spat, dropping Ruby onto the only intact bench in the main bay as he stalked toward the cockpit.

The pilot was limp in his seat. Adam lifted him up by the collar of his uniform and looked down. The entire right side of his head had caved in—likely from the impact.

The untouched half of his face looked young, somewhere in his mid-thirties, with stubble that hadn't been shaved properly and tufts of black hair under his cap. Blood had seeped into the yoke and control panel.

Great. The controls were probably fried.

Adam curled his lip in disgust and dragged the corpse a mile away before burying it deep beneath the snow. Grimm weren't attracted to dead bodies. But they would be to an annoying teenager screaming in fear because she saw one. He spat on the grave, hoping the corpse of the human would rot quickly, wiping its stain from the earth. Once he made it back to the ship, he made quick work of ransacking the pilot's belongings, looking for anything useful.

He tried the comms, hoping the radio would allow him to pick up any signal and provide him a hint of where he was, maybe even calling for help. It didn't matter who came. Once they traveled here in their perfectly working ships, they could easily be buried next to the pilot as he makes his escape.

Alas, the static on the radio was the only reply to his calls. In the midst of his exploring, he found a small glock and two sets of cuffs—aura dampening ones. He recognised it instantly, remembering the few times he'd had a brush in with the law back when the White Fang was still up and running.

The sting of Haven was still fresh as he remembered how such an incredible organisation could crumble at the hands of a runaway scared Mongrel. His anger spiked as he drew Wilt and marched toward Ruby, the tip of his blade resting on her neck.

She was out cold, none the wiser about death being so close to her. Yet, when he lifted the blade to bring it down, there was something in him that couldn't do it. Was it mercy? Ha, he chuckled at the very thought.

It was HER. The defector's face ran clearly through his head as he remembered every single betrayal etched like glass on skin. A spit in his face. Each smile from happiness that she achieved whilst gallivanting at Beacon with her and the rest of the insufferable team RWBY. No. This death was too easy. He'd made a promise. And he intended to keep it.

Besides, little Red most likely knew where they were. Why should she be given the easy way out while he would have to freeze and potentially die in this barren wasteland? No, it was true when they said misery loved company.

Instead, he fastened the cuffs on Ruby's hands and dropped her back on the bench, smiling as he heard the noise of her head hitting the metal, before searching through the crates. He was hungry, having omitted breakfast earlier because he'd rather dine after slaughtering Haven—a nice triumph meal he'd began as a tradition after Beacon. However, his search was fruitless, and then she woke up.

Since then, he'd cursed his misfortune of having been paired up with her. She, who couldn't even breathe quietly before deciding to run her mouth again. Each night, he contemplated slicing her neck, his blade always ready, the hilt clutched with all his might.

For a huntress-to-be, she was unbelievably unguarded. Could she not feel his bloodlust? Or was she certain that he wouldn't kill her because she thought he needed her. HIM? Need someone?

His pressure spiked as his hands numbed at the grip of his blade. It was then that Ruby's breath hitched before quieting, finally picking up on the bloodlust. Through all his inner talks of wanting to kill her, he didn't. Because he didn't want to be alone. Not out here. Not with the wind to whisper into his ear and claw out the memories of the mines again.

And then yesterday happened. Once he woke up in the morning, he saw her, next to him, dried tears and blood marring her face. Her clothes were unkempt and her safety shorts were pulled down. He took one look at her and the memories shot into his mind.

He was almost faster than Ruby's Semblence with how quick he'd ran out of the ship, not stopping until he keeled over, vomiting up the rations from last night. He didn't stop until his stomach roared in upset.

The images of bony Faunus, locked in cages, high on Siren Dust. He was fourteen, waiting 'patiently' in chains for his turn. The acrid smell of the underground prison burned his nostrils as he was escorted through the cages, his eyes forward, desperate to drown out the moans and noises from his kin. And the laughs from the scientists who were happy to watch the show.

That was the day he'd escaped, the date forever branded onto his face.

He swore he'd escaped it all. Swore he was the saviour that would lead the Faunus to sanctuary. He swore it on the corpse of the scientists who burned at the campsite, along with the rest of that damned mine factory.

But there he was, panting heavily as he spat out the last of his stomach's contents. His anger and regret spiked, evident from the low growl of an Ursa who had been attracted by the turmoil.

Perfect.

He wasted no time, unsheathing and driving Wilt into his leg and letting the Ursa scream in pain, attracting more Grimm to the scene, just like he wanted.

He ploughed through dozens, maybe hundreds of Grimm. There was no grace in his movements, none of the sharp, beautiful efficiency that had once defined his technique. This was different. Messy. Prolonged. He drew each encounter out, forcing pain onto creatures that could not feel it but screamed all the same. It was not about strategy. It was about release. The tortured shrieks of the Grimm sang like music in his ears.

He imagined some to be Blake, blaming her for his anger, the scientists, his parents, all those who failed and betrayed him. Imagined their screams as he cut them down without hesitation, his growls of anger now turnign into chuckles of delight. When at last the clearing was still, the snow painted in black ichor, only one creature remained—a lone Beowolf. Young. Small. The kind that normally wouldn’t dare stray without its pack. Pathetic.

He drove Wilt into its shoulder—not to kill, not yet—and inhaled sharply, as though he could draw fear from it like vapour. Small, insignificant Grimm. Can't do anything without it's pack of friends, so weak that even a child with a rock could take it out. He inhaled deeply, licking his front teeth as he lifted Blush up and aimed it at his head.

This time, he imagined Ruby. Ruby Rose. Leader of team RWBY. Sister of the girl he'd crippled. Friend to the girl whose family enslaved his. Friend and leader of the only one who he thought would always be on his side.

He tried to work himself up, wanting to feel the same ecstasy he felt. When imagining the others, he was full of glee, imagining their pleas and screams as he sliced through the Grimm. But with this one...all he could imagine was her crying. Begging for him to stop. Like how the Faunus begged. How his mother begged.

His positive demeanour soured again as he pulled Wilt out of the Grimm's shoulder. It shrieked in pain before scurrying back into the wood, to wherever hell it spawned from.

He sucked in a frozen breath, head tilted to the sky, marinating in the carnage he'd sown. The blood of the Grimm was already disintegrating, reminding him of the petals of her Semblence. He stood there for a minute, pushing down those unwanted memories, finally breaking from his thoughtful trance to see something shiny peeking out from under a tree.

It caught his eye, reflecting the dazzle of the sun. Looking closer, he dug out what was now identified as Ruby's lost scroll. He flicked it on, watching the see-through screen click open with a warning of lost connection.

Of course. They were in the middle of nowhere, after all. After searching through the apps, he'd quickly managed to get a grasp on their location, already scheming a plan for journeying to Takayama.

And now, here he was—watching her sleep.

She no longer breathed loud and slow like before. Now it was shallow. Barely there. Survival sleep. The kind that made no room for dreams. Her hand was wrapped tightly around her weapon, Crescent Rose, as though she feared waking without it.

It was not lost on him that she viewed him as a threat. He almost wanted to laugh, remembering the bravado and speeches of her wanting to be accepted as an ally.

But there was that sinking feeling that made a part of him justify her actions. He couldn't even come close to her after what happened, and he had the fortune of at least blacking out during the moment. But her...His hand gripped Wilt as he exited the ship, marching to the unmarked grave of the pilot before digging him out with his bare hands, gritting through the bites of the cold.

The corpse wasn't even rotted yet, frozen by the icy grave he'd spilled him in. Without hesitation, Adam drove his blade into the pilot's heart. Once. Twice. Ten times, shouting in anger as he chopped the pilot into itty bitty pieces.

He'd already figured out what probably happened: The pilot was a druggie who got high while flying the airship. It explained why there were no other signs of distress on him as well as why he was so late into reacting to Grimm notices and his poor driving of the plane. And they were unfortunate enough to find his stash hidden within the crates.

Finally, after removing all existing limbs and his head, Adam used Blush to shoot him multiple times, emptying a full round, before setting him alight.

Chapter Text

Ruby woke up, a jolt of adrenaline rushing through her as she scanned her surroundings frantically. Her eyes rested on Adam, who was up on his feet, rummaging through GIA. She could make out his silhouette, the light from sunrise creeping ever so slowly.

Still, it was hard, and she squinted for better vision. She watched the ends of his ears prick in that unnatural way, something no human could do. He turned to her, and she could feel his disgust.

She opened her mouth to speak, wanting to say something. Good morning? It was never a good morning these days. Then...just morning?

As she was contemplating her greetings, he slid back to his seat at the far end, his head resting on his knee as the other leg spread out.

She couldn't tell if he was asleep or dozing off. She never actually saw him asleep before. Looking at her Scroll, it was 3:37. In half an hour or so, the sun would be up. Her tired muscles begged her to return to slumber, even if it's for an hour.

However, her mind was already on overdrive. Before, she managed to sleep due to sheer exhaustion to the point of almost passing out. Now...she was tired, but less so. And she hated it.

Because being awake like this, in a dark place like this, with HIM far away but still too close...

She couldn't stop her leg shaking uncontrollably, something that happens due to her unchangeable hyperactiveness. Normally, that would be a good thing. Her hyperactivity was a cherished trait that outlined her bubbly personality.

Her teammates loved it, Yang perfectly complimented it with her aggressive positivity. Weiss 'tolerated' it with a smile and Blake, the stone-faced Faunus, melted enough to smile when she was around.

She lay back, but her body wouldn't settle. Her limbs itched with restlessness, that constant buzzing under her skin she used to laugh off as just Ruby things. Her leg began bouncing—reflexive, uncontrollable. Back at Beacon, Yang would rest a hand on her knee to still it. Blake would quietly nudge her with a book. Weiss would sigh, but never unkindly.

She missed that. Missed them. Missed being the girl who sparkled, who annoyed people in a loveable way. That same energy, once a source of comfort and closeness, now made her feel like she was crawling out of her own skin.

There was a time when her hyperactivity had felt like a superpower. She could run faster, think quicker, stay hopeful longer. But it had a downside too. Sometimes she overwhelmed people. Sometimes, her enthusiasm was too loud, too much. She remembered once being told that—you're just too much, Ruby. A joke, maybe, but it stuck.

And most importantly, she hated how much it kicked up when she was in a negative mood. She hadn't really thought about the incident, as she now coined it. She couldn't, really. Her brain seemed to refuse, constructing walls with alarming speed any time her mind wandered too close, distracting her with other things to do.

And it worked until he came back, breaking the reality she was trying to create. Now, feeling his presence, seeing his silhouette. She could feel the dread rising up as she clutched Crescent Rose toward her, holding the handle of the gun part.

The gun barrel was cold against her hand, grounding. Familiar.

The silence broke. Not in sound, but in sensation.

Her chest tightened. Her breath hitched. Something was wrong. Her hearing sharpened—too much. Adam's breathing. Her own. A tree branch shifting. The wind outside groaning. The blood in her ears roaring like waves against her skull.

Chills crept up her spine and shook down to her toes, jolting her. Adam's head snapped up as she did, his hand already on the hilt of Wilt. The movement itself unconsiously made her arms ready Crescent Rose's sniper.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper but heavy as lead.

Her arms wouldn't lower. Her mind screamed at her to stop, to drop the weapon, but her muscles had gone rogue.

"Lower your weapon. Now, Rose..." She could barely hear him, the beating of her heart drowning out most noises.

That sticky sense of dread oozed through her nervous system, short-circuiting her thoughts. Her arms were trembling, vision suddenly hypersensitive. Everything looked sharper, brighter. Wrong.

It was like being in one of those horror movies she used to watch with Yang. The ones where she'd hide under the covers, whispering to herself that it wasn't real.

Except this time—it was. And this time, she could kill the monster.

Her hands trembled as adrenaline surged through her. She pulled back the trigger.

Adam was on his feet in a heartbeat, fighting stance coiled and ready, Wilt still sheathed but brimming with threat. He could see everything—the dilated pupils, the involuntary trembling, the breathless panic. He bit the inside of his cheek hard, nearly drawing blood, from both fatigue and frustration.

They were stuck at a gross standstill, and Adam's patience, running low from the lack of sleep, was oh so close to moonslicing her. However, the rational part of his mind flickered on, and he released his grip from Wilt, lifting both hands into a surrender.

Ruby stilled, the peaks of sunlight slowly creeping into the ship.

"I'm not armed," he said, voice calm and steady, waving his right hand at her before slowly reaching for his belt and unbuckling it, making sure she saw every movement. Her shaking had stopped now, as she watched intently.

"I'm disarming myself. I'm not a threat. Put the gun down, Ruby." Her name. It was something she'd heard her whole life, but when he said it, it felt wrong. She tightened her hold on Crescent Rose, making him hesitate as he slowly pulled the buckle out.

Her lips moved—silent at first. But he saw it: stop it stop it stop it over and over. He wasn't sure if she meant him or herself.

At last, the belt slipped free. Wilt fell with a heavy thud and Ruby's shoulders relaxed momentarily.

Then he kicked it.

Like a football, he punted the blade into the air and spun into a brutal roundhouse. She gasped, firing once on instinct. The bullet struck the exposed metal as it peeked from the sheath—clean, precise, and pointless.

Before she could react further, he closed the distance. He seized her arm, yanked Crescent Rose from her hands and hurled it across the ship. She screamed, more in panic than pain, as her body curled in on itself. One arm shielded her head, and her knees buckled to the floor.

Adam raised his hand, ready to strike. But it remained in the air, the other still grabbing her arm as her other one was defensively covering her head which bowed down to the floor, eyes closed.

It took all his might to refrain from beating her. He would've done so if anyone else had pulled a gun on him. Hell, he would've cut them down no problem. His fury spiked, evident in the blood spilling from his lip as he bit into it.

Releasing her arm, he snatched up both her weapon and his own, then stormed out of the ship without another word.

Silence folded in after him.

She opened one eye, cautiously. Her gaze darted, searching for him, for danger, for anything familiar. The panic lingered, humming in her limbs. Her eyes dropped to her hands—empty now, trembling—and she stared as if seeing them for the first time.

"What did I..." The whisper barely escaped her.

Her breath hitched. The realisation of what just happened flooded in, slow and cruel. The memory of holding Crescent Rose, of aiming, of almost firing—for real this time.

Tears welled in her eyes. She couldn't stop them.

Curling into herself, she pressed her forehead to her knees, hands clutching over her ears. Rocking slightly, she began to chant, voice cracked and small.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Chapter Text

Adam disappeared for half of the day. Ruby didn't know where he went but she was drowning in alarm the longer he disappeared. After her sudden outburst, she cried herself to sleep, waking up groggy and ill. Her head was heavy and she had a nasty taste that never left her mouth no matter how much water she gargled.

Coupled with the fact she hadn't actually showered nor even brushed her teeth in a week, she was feeling disgusting. She slicked back her hair, letting the built-up grease act like a gel as she moved about. Her usual routine. Stretch, say three goals for the day: survive, survive, survive and then eat. The last one she hadn't done yet.

Her stomach, once welcoming to the rations, was now churning after nearly three days of the sludge. Military rations for sure, only a depressed military soldier would have the willpower to eat that crap three meals a day. Still, she downed it with little complaint, punching her stomach to cease its never-ending complaints.

At least her stomach quietened down when she hit it. Her head, not so much. She tried not to think about it—tried so hard. But every time a flash of memory forced its way in, she recoiled violently, smacking her temple with the heel of her palm.

"Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop," she whispered, rocking slightly, trying to drown the images with others. Memories of home. Of her team. Of better days. Weiss grumbling about the salt content in the snacks at a picnic, Yang sneakily loading more into her sandwich, his hand on her thigh.

"No." Her voice cracked as she clutched her head. She tried again. Sunlight, pillows, laughter. The weight of his body pressing hers into the floor.

"No!" she yelled, striking herself hard across the cheek. Her skin stung. Her eyes burned. But at least for now, the memory was quiet. She sucked in a deep breath, tilting her head to the sky as she tried to metaphorically let the memories empty from her head.

What was it that Professor Ozpin once said? "Physical wounds are easy to heal. Mental wounds aren't."

She recited the statement from heart, remembering the few lectures he would give about health. She'd never really pay attention to it, her younger self couldn't really grasp how one could have a moral issue with killing Grimm. A laugh escaped her as she realised that wasn't what he meant.

Wandering aimlessly, she circled through the ship, the metal beneath her boots hummed faintly as she walked. Round and round the ship she went, eyes unfocused, mind elsewhere. She didn't dare go outside when Crescent Rose still wasn't in her hands. She drifted toward the cargo bay, resting her shoulder against the wall. Her legs ached, but sitting felt too exposed. Too still.

She needed to do something. But she didn't. She just stood. Time slipped by without measure. She couldn't tell if it had been ten minutes or an hour. She didn't care. Her body existed on autopilot, one that moved without purpose. Just forward.

Her mind slowly crawled back until she was stuck in a comfortable daze, where she remained, dissociated until the familiar steps and breathing entered the vicinity.

She couldn't help but cower in his presence, shame tickling her spine as her gaze remained on her boots. She opened her mouth, but before she could offer an apology, he spoke up.

"Did you really clean up the ship?" He asked, he asked, casting a glance around. Her head snapped up in bewilderment.

There, she finally saw his outfit. He stood in the doorway, dressed in a crisp Atlesian military uniform. The white armour clung sharp to his frame, plates catching the dim light, a black bodysuit beneath stretching over tense limbs. He looked too clean. Too official. Under one arm, he carried the helmet — glossy, featureless, and dark and in the other, his usual set of clothes.

"What...?"

"I asked if you cleaned the ship."

"No—Yeah. No, I did but what...are you wearing?" She scanned him up and down, confusion being the new overtaking emotion. "Where did you get that uniform?"

"Stripped it off the pilot, a few days ago. I figured it would come in useful later on," he says, walking past her to put the helmet and his clothes on the bench.

Ruby was about to ask what pilot before her mind clicked. The pilot! "What happened to—"

"He died. On impact, I'm assuming. I dumped his body a few miles away, the Grimm should have gotten to him by now," he says, the lies dripping smoothly from his mouth. Though, Ruby was none the wiser. Ruby watched Adam as he nonchalantly grabbed some rations and began eating. She sat down in her place, trying to figure out what he was thinking. She pulled a gun on him, and he hasn't reacted at all. You could barely tell it even happened, and for a moment, even Ruby was second guessing if it happened with the way he was acting.

"Quit your staring, Rose. I don't have your weapon," he says, breaking the silence.

"That's not what I— Wait, where is— No, I mean, why aren't you saying anything?" Her voice faltered, growing smaller by the end.

"About what?" "A-about..." Her throat tightened. "I'm sorry. For what happened. I was panicking, and tired, and this place just— I got jumpy and—"

"You don't need to apologise." He stopped her barrage of words, leaving her speechless, but not for long.

"I could’ve killed you," she whispered.

He snorted, chewing lazily. "You were nowhere near killing me."

"Stop being so cocky! I could've killed you! I wasn't in my right mind and—"

"Exactly. So let's leave it at that," he said, again slicing off her sentence with infuriating ease.

Her temper snapped. "Can you show some fucking emotion for once—?!" She slapped a hand over her mouth, a strangled groan escaping her. "Ugh! I'm trying to work through my emotions here! I can't do that if you keep stonewalling me!"

He finally looked up and rolled his eyes.

"What do you want me to say? 'It's okay, Ruby Rose, you were in a panic trance and shot at me, but it's fine because it was trauma, and a shining little hero like you could never really hurt someone'? Should I throw glitter around, too?" His voice pitched mockingly high. "'Oh Ruby, sweet Ruby, it wasn't your fault.'"

He tossed the empty ration packet aside, eyes hardening. "If you want to apologise, do it. If you want to pretend you had a chance at killing me. Me?! Ha! Go ahead. But don't drag me into your sitcom therapy session. We're not in a safe zone. We're in the middle of fucking nowhere. So if you need my blessing to forgive yourself, fine — here it is."

He stood, tone flat now. "But I'm not talking about that shit anymore. So for the love of God, shut. Up."

Her face scrunched up, desperate to hold back the tears that were forming. If she cried, he would further mock her for being a child. That word, though obviously untrue, always stung. She was sixteen years old. Sure, she wasn't old enough to drink, and she just qualified to drive, but she was anything but a child. A child wouldn't be able to risk her life as she does. A child wouldn't have been able to be a training Huntress like she was. Children didn't fight Grimm. Children didn't lead teams.

Children didn't have to kill.

For all of life's misfortunes, she was anything but a child.

Simmering silently in fury, she slunk back into her seat, blinking hard. She glared at him across the small space. He still wore his mask—the one thing about him that never seemed to change.

"What's with the getup, anyway?" she asked tightly.

"Are you dumb enough to believe I'd waltz into a human village looking like this?" he shot back.

"Why not?" she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.
A beat.
"Is the big bad Adam Taurus scared of a few villagers?"

His gaze snapped to hers, sharp and seething. She didn't mean it. Not really. She was glad he'd planned the quieter route, rather than going all evil homicidal maniac.

But the jab was worth it—just to make him feel small, if only for a moment. She wasn't sure if it worked, but he sure looked angry. Good. She tried to imagine the fury in his eyes, if he even had any eyes. Well, of course he would have eyes, Ruby, duh. But she's never seen them before... They both stared off into each other before Adam turned away, biting back all his venom as he lay into a more comfortable position.

"As soon as the sun rises, we leave. Pack a bag," he says, nestling into the floor.

Another annoying thing about his mask: She couldn't tell if his eyes were shut or not. He could be sleeping with his eyes open. The familiar sense of dread crawled back to Ruby. This time, she kicked Crescent Rose away and wrapped herself in the tarp like a burrito, clasping her hands together as she tried to distract her mind from spiralling. It took her a while, but she ended up dozing off to the thought-train of whether he had eyes, and if they were human eyes or not.

Chapter Text

"Wake up, Rose."

A snort slipped out of her as she propped her head up, still half-dreaming. "Wha—?"

"I said, wake up. We’re leaving."

Something jabbed her in the side—hard. Blinking groggily, she realised it was Wilt, still sheathed, poking her like she was some alien creature.

The early light stung her eyes. She squinted, trying to pull herself from whatever odd dream she’d been having. When her vision cleared, she found Adam towering over her, now dressed head-to-toe in an ATLAS military uniform, helmet and all. The dark visor stared her down, reflecting her bleary, unimpressed face back at her.

“Wipe that drool off and hurry up,” he said. “We’re burning daylight.”

Her eyes went wide. She wiped at her cheek, grimacing at the dampness, and groaned — a mix of exhaustion and sheer humiliation. She sat up slowly, then pushed herself onto her feet, stretching out her arms like it might somehow rewire her entire body to be awake.

"What... time is it?" she mumbled, shaking her legs out one by one.

"It’s time to move." He jabbed a thumb behind him. “Grab the bag.”

She turned, spotting the “bag”—really just the same tarp from last night, tied up with rope and stuffed with essentials. The next half hour was spent with Ruby begrudgingly eating her rations, much to Adam’s increasing irritation.

His muttered complaints were paired with incessant foot tapping, rhythmic and deliberate, clearly meant to drive her insane. It worked. Ruby gave up trying to savour the lukewarm, rubbery mess and forced the rest down just to get it over with. She packed the second bundle herself, tying it off with a rough knot and hoisting it over her shoulder.

More grumbles followed, and they didn’t stop even as they finally began their trek. An hour in, Adam was still going.

“I wake up before you. I pack the bag. I wake you up, you ignore me. I wake you up again, and then you proceed to waste more of my time packing a second bag—”

“You only packed rations and ammo,” Ruby snapped. “We need other things.”

“Like what?”

“First aid. Spare clothes. Tools, in case something breaks—”

“Useless once we reach the village.”

“This is in case we don’t reach it.”

“We would if you picked up the pace.”

With a frustrated growl, Ruby activated her Semblance and zipped ahead, tackling the rocky incline like it was nothing. She reached the top and turned back with a smug little smirk, hands on her hips.

Adam was a speck below, visibly swearing at being left behind. She snorted, then turned forward and carried on trekking up the steep mountain. The ship was now little more than a blur in the distance.

Finally, blessed quiet.

For the first time all morning, she could enjoy her surroundings without being pestered by his constant complaining. She inhaled sharply. The air was thin and icy, biting her lungs. Takayama was still thirteen miles away, and at their current pace, they’d make it in around six hours—

Without breaks.

Ruby shivered. Her aura was holding up better than before, but physically? She wasn’t in great shape. This was day nine in the wild, and she felt it, deep in her bones, in every ache and bruise.

Her boots sank deep into the snow, halfway up her calves with each step. Every movement was a slog, her feet cold and soaked. But she kept moving.

Within minutes, she heard him.

Adam’s familiar breathing—steady, mechanical, and echoing beneath that damned helmet—crept up behind her. He’d caught up, much to her dismay.

Every time he drew near, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. This time was no different. She didn't turn back though, despite her baser instincts urging her to turn around and push him off.

Meditation was a weird concept to Ruby. She'd started it first with Blake as an effort to bond.

"It's to help clear your mind. And to self-reflect. Every time you feel like your emotions are overriding your logic, just stop and think: Why am I acting like this? What's it for? How's it helping me? What do I do?"

"Does that really work?" Ruby asked, her legs crossed on the floor of their dorm room. Blake was opposite her, her legs crossed and eyes closed.

"When I left the White Fang...I was scared. Unbelievably so. I knew how they dealt with traitors. How they...still do. That fear still lingers, but it doesn't encompass me. Not anymore. I'm acting like this because I'm scared. This fear is trying to protect me. It's not helping me here. I'm going to ignore it and distract myself. The four questions, meant to ground oneself."

"Oh my gosh you're like a real monk! Or...nun...? Priest? I'm not too familiar with the terms, Och," Ruby rambles, her usual bubbly self going off again.

"Ruby. Focus. Meditation is done in silence. For good reason," Blake says.

Ruby apologises before smiling, closing her eyes to try and mimic her friend. In reality, she was just happy Blake was spending time with her.

The memory of that time brought a smile to Ruby's face as she walked on. Meditation. Why am I acting like this? I'm scared. What's it for?

Before she could finish the thought, Adam spoke—now two paces ahead of her.

“What are you grinning about?”

She jumped, startled. She hadn’t noticed him step in front of her, and her foot slipped. Her body pitched backward. Before she could cry out, Adam caught her by the arm and yanked her upright.

“Watch yourself, you idiot,” he snapped.

His grip was solid—too solid. Ruby’s whole body tensed. She shoved his arm away and dropped into a defensive stance, her eyes wide, hand clutching the spot where his fingers had just been.

He paused, regarding her guarded posture in silence. Then, without a word, he turned and continued walking, his lips tightened into a line.

“Watch yourself,” he muttered, colder now.

Ruby stood frozen for a moment, heart hammering in her chest. Her legs refused to move. She lowered herself into the snow, hands trembling, using the icy ground to cool the heat rising up her spine.

His grip had triggered something—visions, sensations, panic. That old helplessness. Of when she couldn’t fight him off.

“It’s not him. It’s not him. Shut up, shut up,” she whispered to herself, rocking slightly. Her fingers trembled as she slapped her forehead once. Twice. Then she forced herself upright and bolted forward, chasing after him if only to silence her own thoughts with the burn in her legs and the sting of wind in her face.

The snow crunched violently beneath her feet as she ascended. Every stomp was a war drum against her panic. She didn’t call out to him. Didn’t want to. If he noticed her catching up again, he gave no sign.

The path narrowed, twisting along a jagged ridge. Rocky crags rose on one side; a sheer drop waited on the other. Ruby forced her breathing to steady, even though her throat burned with cold air and unshed tears.

“I’m acting like this because I’m scared,” she whispered, barely audible over the wind. “It’s trying to protect me. But it’s not helping me here.”

She repeated it again. And again. Until her voice cracked.

Chapter Text

Ruby didn’t know how long they’d been walking—only that it had been more than six hours. The sun was high now, casting its light over the snow-blanketed terrain, but it did little to thaw the ice lodged in her chest.

They were moving again after their third stop, where she’d managed a few sips of half-frozen water. Her lips stung from the cold, and the bottle had started turning to slush. Adam remained a few paces ahead, just as he had since she’d pushed him off hours earlier.

At first, she’d been relieved. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

The distance between them hadn’t shrunk once. If anything, it felt deliberate. And though a part of her was still curled tight with unease, another part—quieter, smaller—was beginning to wonder how he must be feeling. The guilt crept in slowly, unwelcome but insistent.

Since then, she'd been stealing glances at him. Always a few steps behind, she’d watch his back, then quickly look away to make it seem like she wasn’t. Not that he noticed. Or maybe he did, and simply didn’t care.

He hadn’t turned around once. Didn’t respond when she asked to rest. When she showed signs of being done, he continued walking, again not sparing her a glance.

Strangely, she was grateful. She didn’t want the eye contact. She didn’t want to see whatever expression he was hiding behind that mask—disgust, disdain, resentment. Or worse: pity.

Still, she couldn’t stop the thoughts from circling. If she used her Semblance, she could get them there faster. It would be over quicker, the silence, the trudge, the biting cold.

But using it meant touching him.

When she used her Semblance to carry someone in her cape, she became almost fused with them—moving as one, vulnerable as one. It was intimate, in a strange way. She didn’t always mind it.

But the thought of doing that with him?

A shudder rolled down her spine, this one nothing to do with the snow. She imagined reaching for his arm, feeling his body pressed against hers mid-motion, and recoiled from the thought. Her stomach twisted.

It wasn’t just fear. It was memory. Sensory. His grip on her arm hours ago still echoed in her muscles, bruised into her nerves.

And so she kept walking, choosing exhaustion over contact.

It was a long road to Takayama—and she didn’t want to arrive carrying more weight than she had to. He never asked, so she never brought it up.

When they finally reached the top of the arduous mountain climb, Ruby paused to take in the view. It was something out of a postcard.

Snow-dusted peaks stretched endlessly into the distance. Lakes shimmered below, flowing with an untamed grace. Birds squawked as they soared overhead, while the wind rushed between the evergreens, standing resilient in the face of the bitter cold. A long-forgotten warmth stirred inside her—happiness.

The scene felt untouched. Serene. And for a brief moment, she was sad to leave it behind.

“Rose...” Adam’s voice broke through the quiet.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” she breathed, her eyes sparkling as she gazed out, barely registering that he had called her name again.

“Rose! Rose! Ruby!”

His sharp tone snapped her back. She turned to him, blinking at the urgency in his voice. He was staring off to the right. She followed his gaze—and the smile vanished from her lips.

Smoke.

Dark, rising smoke curled into the sky from the village below. The eerie shriek of a Grimm echoed up the mountainside. A Griffin was circling the settlement nestled near the base of the mountain.

“The villagers!” Ruby gasped, already pulling Crescent Rose from her back. Adam had drawn Wilt and was ready, his Atlas rifle slung forward. Before she could ask how they were getting down there, he jumped.

She nearly screamed, heart leaping to her throat as she watched him fall—only to realise he was using the recoil of his shots to slow his descent, aiming at the Griffin mid-air to draw its attention.

The beast shrieked in pain and turned toward him.

Ruby cursed under her breath and leapt from the ledge, Petal Bursting before twirling with her Scythe to cut an Ursa clean in half upon her descent.

She landed hard, scanning her surroundings. “Hello?! Anyone here? I’m a Huntress!” she shouted, Crescent Rose fully extended, spinning in her grip. She ran through the streets, turning corners and focusing her hearing for any screams or cries for help.

Beowolves lunged at the sound of her voice—no villagers, only Grimm.

She gritted her teeth, tearing through the pack with swift, practised movements. Her mind raced. Where are they?

Another screech cracked through the air—the same Griffin. Adam was locked in combat with it in the centre of the village, dispatching Grimm as they charged him from every direction.

Ruby bolted towards him, only for a second Griffin to descend in front of her, cutting off her path.

So much for helping him.

Ruby didn’t stop. The Griffin lunged, talons outstretched, but she twisted mid-sprint, launching herself skyward with a burst of petals. Crescent Rose spun in her hands like a wheel of red light, the blade slicing across the creature’s shoulder as she passed overhead.

It screeched and bucked, feathers scattering.

Ruby hit the ground in a crouch, rolled, and immediately sprang back. The Griffin dove. She fired the rifle mode of her scythe behind her, the recoil launching her forward with impossible speed. She slid beneath the beast’s outstretched claws and in the same breath hooked Crescent Rose upward—burying the blade into its underbelly.

It howled, wings spasming, but Ruby was already twisting the scythe out and kicking off its body. She soared backward through the air, twisting mid-flight to avoid a tree as she fired another blast behind her, sending her back into the fray like a comet of red petals.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Adam still locked in battle. His movements were methodical, brutal. Wilt flashed through the air in clean, diagonal strikes—each step calculated, each kill precise. The Griffin he fought bled from dozens of wounds, limping, but still airborne.

He fired his rifle point-blank into its eye and used the moment it reeled back to vault onto its back. In one fluid motion, he drove Wilt down into its spine. The Grimm shrieked and bucked—but he held on.

Ruby turned her attention back to her own Griffin. It was hurt, but not nearly enough. She groaned in annoyance, the familiar annoyance she got when a Grimm just wouldn't die. Rolling her shoulders, she returned her focus.

The Griffin charged again. She fired into the ground, launching herself skyward. The scythe spun around her like a crimson halo. With gravity on her side, she brought it down in a final, brutal arc—cleaving clean through the Griffin’s neck.

It hit the ground seconds before she did.

She landed in a crouch, breathing hard, Crescent Rose humming faintly in her hands.

A heavy thud sounded nearby. Adam stood where his own Grimm had collapsed, Wilt dripping with black ichor.

Their eyes met.

“Took you long enough,” he said dryly.

She huffed. “You were riding yours like a bull. That’s not helping.”

In response, he shot at her. She squealed, falling backward before seeing an Ursa fall behind her, already disappearing. She snapped her head back to him, a grin now on his face.

She scowled, picking herself up and dusting off her skirt. "Funny, wise guy. Where are the villagers?"

He shrugged looking around before climbing onto the Grimm that was still partly alive before stabbing WIlt in its eyes. Ruby turned away, slightly disgusted at the deliberate cruelty in his actions.

Looking around, she couldn't hear anything. No Grimm, no humans. Adam spun Wilt in his hands before sheathing it, looking around. "Maybe they all died."

"We'd see bodies then..."

"I never said today."

She spun toward him, uneasiness settling in her as she ran to the village again, this time breaking down doors. "HELLO?! IS ANYONE THERE! I'M A HUNTRESS!"

The first house was silent. So was the second, and the third. All fifteen houses she'd checked were empty, the houses ransacked. Her initial panic and vigor died as she slowly walked to the square where Adam was, cleaning his blade.

The helmet was off again, replaced by the mask he carried.

"They're... all gone..."
"Figured."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

He pointed a thumb behind him, not bothering to look up from his blade as he admired his handiwork.

Ruby followed his thumb, looking at the largest house in front of the square—/he chief's house. She ran inside, seeing a similar ransacked format as the other houses. She ran through the lower rooms, even checking up the stairs.

Nothing. No one. Only one thing... In front of the centrepiece where the picture of what she gauged was the village chief, a message plastered in red.

BANDITS WERE HERE

A funny joke. At least, that's probably what they thought when doing this. But to Ruby, that sick taste in her mouth was re-emerging. She returned to the square, gaze fixed on Adam’s back.

“They probably raided this place weeks ago. Grimm must’ve picked off the stragglers.”

"So...they're dead..." She whispers, more for herself than for him. Adam, finally happy with his handiwork, sheaths Wilt and walks past her, back to the village chief's house.

"Annoying, isn't it. Those filthy bandits probably took everything useful. I guess you were right to bring along that second bag."

She scoffed in disbelief, turning back at him. Her mouth hung wide as she couldn't even form the words. He's mad about the bandits. About the inconvenience.

Adam disappeared further into the house while she stood outside, trying to process what happened. After a few minutes, he came out, cursing in anger.

"What happened this time?" She rolled her eyes, "Grimm got the jump on you?"

"They cut the comms."

Ruby ran inside the house to what was originally the chief's office. She knew a little about how small villages worked thanks to Ren.
Most of them usually had one local comm that connected to their local kingdom. All scrolls in the village linked to it, but there was only one stick that made it all work.

She knelt beside it, heart sinking. The transmitter stick was split clean in two, its antenna twisted and useless. The control box housing the wires had been bludgeoned in, then sprayed with enough water to kill any hope of repair.

“They couldn’t even call for help...” she breathed. Her voice trembled, the weight of it pressing into her chest. “This must’ve been the first thing they did.”

It was cruel—strategic, even. Leave them cut off, surrounded by Grimm. An execution dressed up as looting.

Behind her, the sound of crashing furniture made her flinch. Adam was tearing through the back of the room, smashing vases, sweeping shelves bare, and finally overturning the desk in a single violent heave. It landed with a loud, splintering thud.

Ruby stood up sharply, fists clenched. Her fear was fading beneath the rising heat of her own frustration.

“So the dead villagers aren’t as maddening as the broken comms?” she snapped, unable to hold it in any longer.

Adam turned to her, fury radiating off him in waves. “In case you haven’t noticed,” he growled, “we can’t call for help now. That was the entire reason we came to this gods-damned village.”

“I know,” Ruby said quietly.

“Do you?” he stepped closer, gaze burning beneath the mask. “Does a stupid, soft-headed girl like you know anything—”

“Shut up!” she snapped, voice rising without hesitation. “I know!”

She didn’t move away. If anything, she stepped closer, eyes locked onto the red glass of his mask. Her voice shook, but it didn’t waver.

“But unlike you, I’m not heartless. People died here. There were probably Faunus too, so don’t start acting like this was some human-only tragedy. You want to rage? Fine. But don’t pretend like they deserved this. They didn’t. We can regroup, think of another plan, they can't. They never got the chance to regroup. Or plan. Or survive. They’re gone. So the least you can do is show some fucking respect.”

The words cut clean—cold, deliberate. Whether it was the weight of them, or something else in her that momentarily disarmed him, Adam didn’t reply. He stared at her in silence for a long beat, chest rising and falling.

Then, without a word, he kicked a stool across the room and turned away, boots thudding heavily as he climbed the stairs.

She sighed, the realisation that she won one of their arguments fluttering inside her, almost alleviating the sorrow she held for the villagers. Her hands still shook, though they were balled up.

Hours passed in silence.

They split up, combing opposite ends of the village for supplies and bringing back anything of use. Ruby found cured meats sealed in old wax paper, and bundles of dried vegetables hanging in a cellar. Adam returned with a rusted but sturdy wagon and a box of salvaged medicines: bandages, ointments, something vaguely antiseptic.

By the time the sun dipped beneath the hills, they’d returned to the village chief’s house. Wordless agreement had them staying there. It was intact, warmer than the others, and near the centre.

They didn’t speak much, but they worked. Ruby lit a fire that actually warmed the room — not like the sorry excuse of a furnace they'd been stuck with before. It felt like a small miracle.

She sat in front of it now, legs folded, slowly feeding more wood into the flames. The fire crackled softly, its light flickering across the walls. Outside, the world remained still — too still.

She could hear Adam moving in the kitchen, the occasional clink of glass or scrape of wood. She didn’t look back. Didn’t speak. She just watched the fire burn, letting the silence settle. After a few minutes, she heard him walk behind her, stopping to slide a plate next to her.

She turned her head, letting it rest on her arm as she surveyed the plate: Cuts of cooked meat, rice and some vegetables. She looked back at him, watching him nestle himself on the sofa and scarf food into his mouth.

"Add more fire, Rose. It's not enough," he said, not looking up as he speared another bite of meat into his mouth.

Ruby didn’t move. Instead, she turned toward him, face flat. “What now?”

He chewed, swallowed. “What now…?” he echoed, voice edged with amusement. “You mean after dinner? I was thinking dessert. Maybe a hot shower—”

“Don’t be an arse. I’m asking what we do now.”

Adam leaned back against the cushions, crossing one leg over the other with lazy ease. His gaze finally met hers.

“So you’re taking orders from me now?”

Her jaw tightened. “I’m asking a question.”

“No,” he said simply. “You’re waiting for direction. Big difference."

"I'm trying to have a conversation on our next steps."

Adam's mouth twitched — not quite a smile. “That’s a generous way of saying you’re lost."

With a quizzed look, Ruby looks around her and behind her shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to look for who you're trying to impress. Cut the crap, Adam. We're stranded again, and my Scroll is on like ten percent. So if you have a plan, please indulge me because I'm getting really anxious now."

His lips curled, "You have a big mouth, you know that?"

"And you have a big ego. Congratulations, we both have irritating features. Now, I'll ask again, do you have any bright ideas on what to do now?"

He stood up, plate in hand, looking down at her. She seemed so small, so insignificant, like he could stomp on her and squash her like a fly under his shoe. But her face was determined, unnerving.

"You want to know what I think? I think you should take a shower, Rose. You stink," he says, turning on his heel and leaving her. Ruby froze for a moment, processing the words. Heat flushed her cheeks. She pulled a lock of hair, sniffed it, then recoiled, swallowing back a gag.

Cursing, she glanced after Adam, who was already putting his dishes in the sink before heading upstairs. Once he was out of sight, she flipped him the bird in anger.

Cursing wasn’t like her—she usually kept it in check, unlike Yang, the family cursing machine. But Adam brought out something ugly in her, and she couldn’t help but drop the f-bomb around him.

Gods, she wished a Grimm would bite him, maybe toss him around a bit. It might do wonders for his ego. Still... he was right. She stank.

Feeling lost and unsure, Ruby finished her food and trudged upstairs to the bathroom.

Chapter Text

Adam was happy. 

After nine days trudging through the wilds, he now sat in front of a well-fed fire, sipping coffee and reading a book. Outside, the village was cloaked in pitch-black night, the cold pressing against the windows in stark contrast to the toasty warmth of the chief's residence.

After their last argument, Ruby had disappeared upstairs and hadn't come down since—not that he minded. He'd rolled his eyes at her earlier tirade, only giving in because of the sheer conviction behind her words. Have respect for the dead... A stupid phrase, in his opinion, but one too many seemed to hold dear.

What was the point of respecting the dead? They weren't around to bask in it. Half of them had probably died in some pitiful fashion—screaming, running, swallowed whole by a Grimm.

Respect had to be earned. And in his eyes, only those who died for the cause—his cause—were worthy of it.

He was still irritated about the broken comms. It meant more time stuck with Red Riding Dolt, as he had taken to calling her in his head. He'd already promised not to kill her—though her mouth was making that promise harder to keep by the day. She was unpredictably difficult. Some days she challenged him with sharp words and flaring eyes; other days she was quiet, withdrawn, her fear seeping through. And that face of fear always brought back that night, dragging up memories he'd buried deep and beaten bloody.

He had been so ready to be rid of her. Back when they were walking, he'd already planned to call on the few loyalists he had near Haven, eager to strand her here with the villagers while he moved on. The truce would have ended. Neatly. Cleanly.

But fate had other plans.

Still, he couldn't complain. He was fed, clean, warm. Enjoying a quiet night with a book on traditional animal skinning—very informative. Wilt rested against the armchair beside him, polished and sharp.

Ah yes, this was the life.

There was just one small annoyance.

"Are you seriously drinking coffee in the middle of the night?" Yep, there it was.

Ruby stood in the doorway, wrapped in borrowed red. The village dress was soft and faded, its black crane pattern trailing up from the hem like smoke. The sleeves drooped over her elbows, and the sash around her waist sat unevenly, as if tied in haste or by unfamiliar hands. Her hair, damp from her shower, clung to her cheekbones.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped, sitting herself in front of the fireplace and dragging her fingers through her hair to let it dry.

"What's with the yukata?"

"Well, I can't exactly wear dirty clothes after a shower. I washed them in the sink and hung them up," she said, flicking some water from her fingers into the fire. It hissed quietly.

Ah. So that's why she'd been upstairs all this time.

"I washed yours too. You're welcome," she added with a click of her tongue. "Though I see that was unnecessary. Wearing old clothes after a shower is so nasty." She looked him up and down, clearly judging his continued use of the ATLAS uniform. As much as he despised it, the insulative fabric was a game changer in cold like this.

"Did you find that upstairs?" he asked, gesturing to her clothes.

That made her wilt slightly, her gaze drifting to her exposed toes. "I think it belonged to the chief's wife. Maybe their daughter... I feel horrible just wearing it, but there was nothing else..."

Adam laughed—sudden, sharp, genuine. Ruby's face scrunched in offence.

"What?"

"You were ranting earlier about respecting the dead. Is this your new form of respect?"

Her cheeks flushed to match the yukata. She stood abruptly. "I'm going to change."

"And wear what?"

"My clothes probably dried by now. Or I'll fashion something out of cloth," she said, moving past him.

He reached out and caught her wrist—not roughly, but firm enough to stop her. With his other hand, he set the cup down. She looked back, cheeks still red.

"What?"

"Stop being difficult. Wear the yukata. It's not like she's coming back for it."

He pulled her gently in front of him and began undoing the haphazard knot. She tensed.

"What are you doing?!" She hissed, holding the yukata together as she writhed in his grasp.

"Shut up. I'm fixing the knot. It irks me seeing it worn like that."

She stopped squirming, cheeks still burning, and stood still as he tightened the sash around her waist. His movements were efficient, confident.

She watched in quiet awe. There was something surreal about it — Adam fussing over a sash. His expression was unreadable, but his hands were steady.

"How do you know how to tie a sash?"

"These clothes originated from Menagerie," he said simply. "You think I don't know how to tie my own people's garments?"

"You're from Menagerie? Same as—" Blake. She bit her tongue, stopping herself from saying the name. Every time she mentioned her, they would argue. And each time, although she was quick to defend Blake, Ruby figured it was easier not to bring her up and avoid another fight altogether.

"I'm not from Menagerie. Menagerie was made fifty years ago as a way to contain the Faunus. Erase them from the rest of the world. The Faunus made the yukata. It was their original design before greedy, filthy humans stole and appropriated it."

She gasped, the tightening at her waist stealing the breath from her lungs.

Noticing her tension, he loosened his grip, allowing her some space to breathe. With a quick hand, he finished and pushed her away lightly before returning to his book.

Ruby lowered herself back onto the hearth rug, fingers tugging absently at the hem of the yukata. Silence lingered for a beat, then—

"So... where did you grow up?"

Adam didn't look up, but his hand stilled for the briefest moment. "Why do you care?"

"I'm curious... and bored."

"Pick up a book, then. I'll be damned before I give you anything useful."

She scoffed. "How is that useful? I'm from Patch. That's an island just off of Vale. I live with my dad, my sister, and our dog, Zwei. We've had him for six years and he's—"

"I'm trying to read, Rose."

"And what's with the 'Rose'? It's Ruby. You don't see me calling you Taurus. Is it that hard to remember my name. I'd have thunk that it would be harder to make nicknames than calling me by my actual—"

"Gods above, you just love talking," he sighs, rubbing his temples. 

"I'm trying to boost camaraderie. It seems like we're going to be together for a while."

"We're not. And it's thought, not thunk. Thunk isn't even a word."

"It is! You say it in that phrase—'Who'd have thunk?' And unless you've come up with a better idea than I have, we are going to be stuck here a while."

He finally looked up, brow raised. "What brilliant plan did you manage to think of? Praying your fat dog comes to rescue you?"

"Zwei is not fat! You haven't even seen him!" she snapped. "And for your information, I was thinking—when I was upstairs, I realised something. If we found one village in a twenty-mile radius, there has to be another nearby. Takayama couldn't have survived all on its own. They'd need trading partners. Neighbours."

"So?"

"So tomorrow, if we keep moving south—towards Haven—we're bound to reach another village eventually."

"And what if we don't?" Adam asked, voice low, flat.

"We will," Ruby replied firmly. "It's impossible for there to be nothing. The closer we get to Haven, the closer we get to civilisation."

"Haven is five hundred miles away," he shot back. "We're not even near its outskirts."

"Maybe not," she said, folding her arms, "but it's still better than sitting here, waiting for something to change. There's got to be somewhere with working comms."

Adam scoffed. "It's stupid to charge into the unknown. How long would it take to find another village? A day? Two? A week? You think you can survive a week with no food—"

"So we circle back to the ship," Ruby interrupted. "Head down and pack up the rest of the GIA stores. There's enough rations in that wreck to last us three months—"

The sharp snap of a book slamming shut cut her off. Adam rubbed his temple as though her voice was a drill boring into his skull.

"You want us to spend another day hiking down that mountain for rations?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"It'd be quicker if I went alone," she muttered.

A laugh burst out of him—loud, hollow, and close to unhinged. Ruby flinched slightly at the sound, frowning.

"What?" she asked, tension rising in her shoulders.

"So that's what this is," he said, still laughing as he leaned forward in his chair. "You were going to leave me. Burst off in a trail of petals and strand me here, weren't you?"

"That's not what I was thinking!" Ruby's eyes widened in disbelief. "I was going to come back for you—"

"Oh, were you?" he snapped, voice sharp as a blade. He leaned in further, the space between them electric with fury.

"Where is this coming from?" she demanded. "I haven't done anything to make you think I'd abandon you—"

"You're a human," he growled, eyes burning. "A filthy, disgusting human. And your best friend is a traitor—"

"What is wrong with you?!" Ruby shouted. She stood up so fast the fabric of her yukata rustled around her legs. She stared down at him, anger blazing in her eyes. "You're fine one moment, and the next you completely lose it. What is it? Anger issues? Some deep insecurity you haven't dealt with?"

Adam rose to his feet as well, towering over her, fists clenched at his sides.

"Watch your mouth, Rose," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.

"Or what?" Ruby challenged, eyes narrowing.

She didn't move. Didn't blink. She met his fury with something stronger—certainty.

Because she'd figured it out. Adam Taurus was both bark and bite, yes—but not with her. Not lately. Not since the ship. Since that day. It was like cracking the code. 

Would he hit her? Throw her? Snap again like he did in Haven?

She was testing the limits now. And curiosity, she reminded herself, always killed the cat.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand twitch—fingers curling tighter into a trembling fist.

"You won't let me take night watch. Fine," she said, voice sharp but steady. "You always make sure I'm within ten feet of you. Alright." She took a breath, but her words didn't soften. "Every paranoid demand, I've followed. I've tried—really tried—to show you I'm not going to leave. That I won't betray you."

Adam didn't speak. Didn't move.

"And every time I do," she continued, "you just get more suspicious. More volatile. So tell me—what would you like me to do?" Her voice cracked slightly at the edges, but she didn't back down. "Because I'm getting really, really sick of your hot and cold bullshit." 

They stood there, locked in silence. Ruby could feel the weight of it pressing down, could hear his breath flaring sharply from his nostrils like steam from a vent.

"You want the night shift?" he muttered, voice clipped. "Fine. Take it."

He grabbed Wilt without looking at her and trudged up the stairs, boots heavy against old timber.

"That's not what I meant—Adam!" she called after him. "You can't just keep running away from conversations—!"

She followed, but was met with the door slamming in her face, the sound sharp and final. She barely stopped in time to avoid being hit, jerking back with a grunt of frustration.

"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.

Her foot lashed out, kicking the door with a solid thud before she turned and stomped back down the stairs, planting herself in the seat he'd abandoned.

She slouched into the cushions with a huff, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Anger still simmered under her skin—but it didn't last. Not really. Not when the fire crackled so warmly beside her and the night air cooled the back of her neck.

Guilt crept in, slow and stubborn.

He hadn't raised a hand to her.

For anyone else, that might've felt like a win—being temporarily partnered up with a violent, volatile former terrorist and walking away unscathed. That should've been something to be grateful for.

But she wasn't. Not really.

She couldn't touch him anymore. Couldn't even think about it. Not without that sickening coil of dread twisting in her stomach, the cold lick of memory wherever his hand had once been.

Her thoughts always came for her when she was alone—empathy chief among them.

Was he the same?

Could he not touch her either?

Because he was traumatised too? She tipped her head, letting the warmth of the fire kiss her hair. Gods, she hated this. 

Chapter Text

It was cold. Always cold. There was never a time where he didn't shiver. He blew his breath into his pale hands, attempting to warm them up. In front of him was an adult Faunus, a deer, who trudged forward, with antlers dulled and posture perpetually bowed.

He followed him, he had no choice in the matter really, the shackles on his thin wrists prevented him from doing anything else. In front, a man in a hazmat suit and a baton barked orders.

"Keep in line for inspection! Now!" His booming voice pierced his ears, but he didn't have the strength to pull his hands to cover them. Opposite them, heading in the other direction, were lines of female Faunus, just as shackled, walking to the tempo of another hazmat-clad figure.

The commanders.

Eventually, the marching halted. All turned to face one of the men in suits. His baton, still stained with blood from earlier, bobbed idly in his gloved hand. Even with the visor, Adam knew he was smiling. He always smiled.

He hated the man, hated his perversive tendencies and preference for young Faunus. 

Walking across them, he smacked the heads of those who were supposed to come forward, two men trailing behind him to uncuff the chosen ones. The deer beside Adam winced as the baton struck him, then stood still as the cuffs were removed.

Adam darted his eyes, around, watching, assessing all who were chosen from both his and the womens' side. Frail Faunus. Old ones. Injured ones. Once the commander had done his lap, he returned to the middle, facing the Faunus who were still chained. 

"Let's see, that leaves about forty available spaces..." Adam watched as the unchained Faunus realised their fate, though most did nothing. Only one, a man with a broken arm, moved. He staggered to the commander, on his knees.

"Please! I can still work. My arm just needs a week to heal!"

The commander didn't hesitate. His baton came down hard, slamming into the Faunus's head with a sickening crack.

"Don't fucking touch me, filth," he snarled, voice shrill and furious. "Ugh, how gross. This is the fourth hazmat suit I've had to burn because of you!"

He kicked the man's head, over and over. The sound—wet, fleshy, final—rang out through the line. It was a grotesque sight, the squelching of the blood, the pants of the commander as he finally set down his bloodied boot, cursing about having to take a shower now.

Nobody flinched. Nobody moved. Not even his subordinates, who just waited until he was done with his temper tantrum before dragging the body away by his leg. The rest of the Faunus followed him, their fatigue tattooed in their eyes. They were happy to go. 

Adam jolted as he opened his eyes, the droplets of water dripping from his nose. He looked up, allowing more water to assault his eyes. Cursing, he turned in the shower, letting the heat soak in his bones and wash away the suds. 

He hated reminiscing. Looking outside the small window, he saw the light peaking through. It was finally morning. He didn't sleep that well, not that he ever slept well. After three hours tossing and turning, he decided to take a shower.

Wiping the fatigue from his eyes, he gave his hair one last rinse before finally stepping out, steam emanating from his skin. Drying his body, he wrapped the towel around his waist before circling to the sink.

His skin was flushed red from the heat—almost matching his hair. He never took the time to groom, who has time keeping up appearances when you have a cause to fight for?

Still, he knew how much people looked up to him and if it's a show they wanted, then he was glad to perform. A real leader had to put up an act to retain loyalty. And he knew he was leader. Even now, when the White Fang was no more, he was still High Leader Taurus. 

He just needed to get into contact with his subordinates. Then, he'd be back on track. It could be any day now, they had to have gone searching for him. Bunch of mindless ducks, they'd be lost without him to guide them. Lead them. 

He found a razor in one of the cabinets, hiddren behind cotton swabs and what seemed to be a homemade concoction of shaving cream. With the care of ritual, he groomed himself. A leader needed to be clean. Flawless.

He was twenty-one. He wouldn't be seen as weak. Not like Ghira, with his sagging muscle and wild, undisciplined body hair.

Ghira looked like a cuddly bear. It made perfect sense he'd father someone as naive and sentimental as Blake. Blake... Just the thought of her name made his blood boil. He gripped the razor, snapping the wooden handle in two. 

Before, when he couldn't sleep, he would imagine meeting her again. The things he'd do. Shackling her. Forcing her to live what he'd lived—what the humans had put him through.

Such a thing used to bring a smile to his face. He knew that no matter how crap he was treated, the female Faunus had it worse. They were always being dragged off, the prettier ones were picked before they even entered the mines; they were always the first to die. 

He knew what had most likely happened, and before, he didn't mind. It never really mattered to him, it wasn't like he was in a position himself to care. He never made the difference between how they were treated compared to the women, but he wanted the humans, Blake, all the traitors and defectors to go through it. Suffer what he had suffered. In that unforgiving cold...

That was until the incident.

Having been young, he had never properly undergone the effects of Siren Dust, never realised the exact feeling of being taken over, forced into the mind of an animal.

He never realised the anguish of the girls, who sometimes didn't get to have Siren Dust. It was more fun that way, the commanders would say. He didn't realise anything until Ruby. Now, every time he remembers it, a sickening feeling washes over him. 

This was all Blake's fault. If she hadn't ended the White Fang, he wouldn't have been put in that situation in the first place. No, it was Illia, her uselessness and betrayal helped the Haven Police Force to arrest the members. No...Yang! Her and her stupid loyalty to Blake...If Yang wasn't there, then Ruby wouldn't have been, and they wouldn't have been shipwrecked in the first place.

No...It was...It wasn't Ruby. He couldn't blame her as much as he wanted to. He almost laughed at his inability. Correctly pointing out the fault of others was his gift. He could always prove it was someone else's fault. 

If they'd just obeyed, none of this would've happened.

But Ruby...

It was her fault they collided with the ship.

It was her fault they were forced to survive in the wild.

It was...

It was her fault the Siren—

It was...

It wasn't.

It wasn't her fault.

It was the pilot's, for carrying Siren Dust in the first place.

Yes. 

It was his.

His.

His.

HIS

"It was my fault," he breathed.

The words slipped out before he could stop them. He clamped his mouth shut. A growl ripped from his throat as he stared at himself in the mirror. He punched himself in the gut—once, twice, again—until the pain forced his body to lurch forward and empty its contents into the toilet.

A punishment. He was weak. If he was stronger, he would have resisted. A true leader wouldn't have succumbed to it. And he was a true leader. He was! 

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then turned on the tap. Rinsing and gargling, he spat all his shame and rage into the sink. When he finished, the familiar light-headedness settled in—an old companion. He sighed and reached for a robe.

The chief had taste—archaic, but refined. Adam rifled through the wardrobe until his hand paused on a black yukata, embroidered with black spider lilies from the hem to the waist. A crimson belt accompanied it, stitched with roses. Formal, perhaps. Or sentimental. Judging by the consistency of embroidery throughout the rest of the garments, he guessed the latter.

He dressed without ceremony, sliding on the socks and sandals that completed the look. Wilt rested against his hip, sheathed but ever-present. Seven hours had passed since their standoff.

He'd imagined her curled up next to the fire. A weak child like that would have. I mean, her? Backpacking across Mistral? It would've been possible with her Uncle there. Qrow Branwen had been a target for the White Fang for years.

Many were sent to dispatch him. All have failed. He was close to taking a crack at it before that annoying amber-eyed witch interrupted him in the forest that day. Ah, Cinder...

If there was anyone he could blame for everything falling apart, it was her.

The White Fang had been strong before she came. Blake was still loyal. He had still mattered. They were winning. They had power. It was Cinder who dismantled it all with empty promises and blood-soaked ambition.

He made a silent vow then and there: if he ever saw that witch and her pathetic followers again, he'd sever her head and cast it into the ocean.

Descending the stairs, Adam listened carefully. No rustling. No breathing. Ruby was loud when she was awake—like a walking storm.

But the house was silent.

Too silent.

He stepped into the main room, eyes scanning the fireplace. Empty.

"Rose?" he called, tone tight. No answer. A flicker of unease curled in his stomach.

He moved through the kitchen, checked the corners of the room. "Ruby?" he tried again. Still nothing.

His pace quickened. He circled the house, checking every room. Nothing. Then he flung the door open and stepped outside.

The sun had risen fully now, lighting the village in a pale, cold glow.

"Ruby!" he shouted. "Rose!"

Nothing but wind.

Panic curdled in his chest. Then fury.

"So you did leave?!" he screamed, voice cracking. His grip tightened around Wilt as he stormed through the village, slashing at anything that moved—wooden shutters, hanging laundry, snow-covered crates.

How dare she? 

How dare SHE?

HOW COULD SHE?

LEAVE HIM?

HIM?!

"STUPID FUCKING HUMANS!" he bellowed, cutting through doors, barrels, anything in reach.

The Grimm heard. They came, drawn by his rage. Mistake.

He slaughtered them with a ferocity that bordered on euphoric. Yukata or not, sandals or not, they fell before him like leaves in a storm. His laugh turned maniacal, echoing through the ruins of the village until only silence remained.

Breathing hard, he returned to the house. His throat was raw. He grabbed a cup and gulped down water, nearly choking on it. But it didn't soothe the fire in his chest.

Ruby. Ruby. Ruby.

His thoughts tore at him. If she'd run... gods help her.

He hurled the cup against the wall. Glass shattered.

He scanned the room, desperate to release more rage—until something caught his eye. A folded piece of paper. Resting atop a plate, barely covered. He stalked over and snatched it up, eyes scanning the scrawled handwriting.

Dear Adam. 

I've gone to get the GIA. I'll be back in like a day. Wait for me. 

From, Ruby.

Slowly, he flicked off the top lid to reveal plate of cold rice, some meat, and an egg—carefully arranged.

Simple. But cooked with effort.

He stared at it, the rage draining from his face. Only silence remained.

Meanwhile, Ruby was soaring through the air. It'd been a while since she'd freely used her Semblence. Now, she was petal bursting through the air, stopping to fall from great heights, giggling all the way down. 

It was freeing. Exhilarating. And after last night, she needed this. She had set off a few hours after she'd fought with Adam. She was sick of him always shooting her ideas down, shooting her down. Then, he had the nerve to mock her leadership. 

Well, if he wanted her to act like a leader, then fine. She would. Silently, she stole Adam's clothes, having previously assessed it last night when she was washing it. It was made of cotton and insulative fabric.

Unlike her flowy corset and skirt, his was actually built for cold weather. So, stepping outside, she ran circles with it, using her Semblence to boost herself high in the sky before dropping and letting herself and the clothes fall with her, drying it.

Her hair dried too. She remembered her father yelling at her to just use a hair dryer when she was younger, but this was significantly more fun. After half an hour of that, her rage had calmed and left her only with conviction. 

She ate her plate that Adam had prepared for her before, and started her plan. Stripping off her borrowed yukata, she pulled on Adam's clothes. The jacket was massive on her, so she cinched it at the waist with the sash and wore it like a dress. The trousers were more difficult—clearly not made for someone as small as her—but she managed to tuck the excess into her boots, which she'd decided to keep on.

Finally, she pulled up her red hood. The fabric was soft and familiar, comforting like a lullaby.

She kept the yukata too, folding it into a makeshift carrier. She tied it up and packed it full with all the GIA gear she could carry. It was heavy—immensely so—but she didn't care. Her Semblance made it manageable.

Besides, Penny had been heavier that one time... and Ruby had only grown stronger since then.

So really, this was a piece of cake compared to when they set off on foot the day before.

Ruby used her Semblence, took breaks and trekked when she felt like it. Unlike the journey before which took nearly ten hours, this one took her only six both ways.

Since she was doing well in such short time, she wondered if she could perhaps return without him even waking up. Oh, that would be the best thing ever. Even the idea of getting to gloat in his face made her even more determined to pick up the pace. 

When she finally saw the familiar trees lining the path to Takayama, she burst into petals—spiralling through the cold air—and landed a bit wobbly in the centre of the square. Panting hard, she looked up at the sky, catching the pale sunlight as it filtered weakly through the clouds.

Not that she needed it. She was already warm from the run—hot, actually—but there was no time to rest. Hoisting the overstuffed sack back onto her shoulders, she trudged toward the house, eyes scanning for any signs of life.

In her mind, she'd done it. She'd travelled twenty-six miles alone in record time. He was still asleep. Her plan had worked.

Grinning from ear to ear, she dropped the sack by the door with a loud huff, stretching her arms high above her head and letting out a breathy squeal of satisfaction.

"Back already?"

The voice made her jump.

She turned—and there he was. Adam sat at the far end of the room, lounging in the worn armchair like he hadn't just turned the place upside down hours earlier. He was dressed sharply in the black and red yukata, the embroidered silk catching the light.

One leg was hooked over the other in a lazy figure-four, his ankle resting on the opposite knee, foot dangling in midair. Wilt was laid casually across his lap, its edge gleaming under the sunlight.

"Oh, you're awake," she said, trying to keep it casual. "Look, I packed up all the rations. I told you I'd be faster on my own. It's much easier with my Semblance."

She dropped to her knees and began laying out the supplies on the floor, unaware of the tightness in his jaw. "We have enough for three months—four, if we ration properly. One meal a day. I also brought the toolbox—it wasn't that heavy, but we're definitely going to need it sooner or later—"

"You left without me."

Her hands paused mid-motion. Slowly, she looked up. Confusion flickered across her face as her silver eyes met his. Adam wasn't looking at the food. He was staring at her—at her tired face, her messy hair, the way she always looked a bit windblown.

"I wrote you a letter," she said carefully. "After our fight last night, I didn't want to wake you... and it's not like I was gone long—"

"That's not the issue!" he snapped, and stabbed Wilt into the floor beside him. The impact echoed through the hollow room like a gunshot.

Ruby was taken aback. "Why are you mad? This is good! We've got supplies now—"

"You went missing for hours. Did you not think that that was something I should be aware of?"

"I did tell you, in the letter-"

"That pathetic excuse for a briefing? No notice of exactly how long you've been gone. No mention of if you're armed. Tell me Rose, if you were plucked out by a Grimm and died, how exactly were you going to tell me?" He interrupts, glaring down at her.

"Wha-I...Wait, are you worried about me?" 

"What I am is pissed," he snapped. "This is survival, Rose. Not a school trip. Not a mission with backup and comms. You vanish for half the day and I'm supposed to just wait around hoping you reappear?"

She stared at him, thrown. "But I did come back."

He let out a sharp breath, stepping forward. "That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" she said, frustration flickering to the surface now. "I brought back food. Medicine. Tools. I didn't do it to spite you, Adam. I did it to keep us alive."

His expression twisted, but he didn't shout. Not this time. When he spoke, his voice was lower, rougher.

"You could've died," he said. "And I wouldn't have even known until it was too late. You think that's not something I should be informed about?! You don't get to vanish like that. Not here. Not now."

Ruby's breath hitched. "I was trying to help."

"You always are. And that's the problem." Adam's voice was low, venom-laced, but beneath it—strain. "You act like this is Beacon. Like you're still on a team, playing hero."

"I'm not playing—"

"You're gambling with your life," he snapped. "And dragging mine along with it."

Silence. Just the ticking of some old, unseen clock in the walls.

Ruby looked down at her hands, fighting back the tears. She hated being talked down to like this. "You didn't have to wait."

"No, I didn't," he said, walking off, leaving Ruby still sat on the floor. 

Ruby felt awful. She didn't know why.

Logically, she'd done the right thing. She'd brought back food, supplies—everything they needed. Team RWBY would've praised her. Weiss would've made a compliment and attach a mean little quip at the end, Blake would've smiled, and Yang would've called her a badass.

But Adam was the opposite.

He didn't shout. Didn't scold. He just iced her out.

No matter how many times she tried to strike up a conversation, he gave her nothing. Not even a glance. Not even to ask for his clothes back—though, secretly, she was a little relieved. His clothes were warm, unbelievably so. And surprisingly comfortable. 

Still, she wanted him to be okay with her. Civil, at least. She never liked the silent treatment. It reminded her too much of Yang—those long, punishing silences whenever her sister was truly angry, the kind that only broke when Ruby was in tears.

But Adam remained distant, opposed to her in everything but words. He worked in silence, repairing the wagon, sorting their supplies, loading it with food, rope, kindling. She tried to help—gathering clothes, rolling blankets—but it made no difference. It was like she didn't exist.

It made her nervous. Anxious.
Like if she blinked, he'd be gone.

She kept watching him, following his movements with the same wary focus she might've given a ticking bomb.
And when he finally returned—leading the last surviving horse he'd managed to track down through the snowy trees—her stomach twisted with a thought she didn't want to entertain.

He could leave.
Without her.

She watched him hook the horse to the wagon, tightening the satchels with practised movements.
Ruby stood nearby, useless and uneasy. Maybe... maybe it would be better if he did leave. Maybe she should go on alone. She could Petal Burst her way to the next village, supplies on her back, no one slowing her down or judging her.

By herself.

The thought hit harder than she expected.

By herself.

Ruby had never been alone before. Not truly. Not even once. Yang had always been there growing up—loud and fierce and protective. At Beacon, there was her team. And after, Jaune and the others, her uncle, always someone at her side.
Even now—after everything—she'd landed with Adam.

And now, for the first time, the possibility hung there.
That she might actually be alone.

Her chest tightened. It wasn't just nerves anymore. It was fear.

Real, hollow, lonely fear.

Then the wagon jolted forward.

She blinked.

He was leaving.

"Wait—!" she shouted, stumbling through the snow, boots crunching hard as she sprinted for the back of the wagon. "Wait up!"

She grabbed the side and hoisted herself up, breath ragged, the cold biting at her lungs.

He didn't turn around. Didn't say a word. Just kept riding, reins in hand, eyes fixed ahead like she didn't exist at all. She pulled her knees close to her chest, anxiety biting at her. He was going to leave her...No, he hadn't said anything about her climbing aboard. 

But he started to leave without her. Distressed by her thoughts, Ruby buried herself deep into her knees, hopeful that Adam wouldn't strand her in the middle of nowhere. 

The wagon rocked beneath her, the snow crunching beneath its wheels. Cold wind stung her face, but she didn't look up.

She didn't want to see the back of his head.

Didn't want to see how easy it was for him to pretend she wasn't there.

So she stayed curled tight, listening to the rhythmic clop of hooves and the quiet groan of old wood, wondering how long he'd let her stay before deciding he'd had enough.

Wondering if he ever really intended to stop.

Chapter Text

Adam was being childish, and he knew it. Four days of silence. his self-imposed punishment for Ruby's disappearance had ended up punishing him just as much.

It was lonely, having someone so close yet unable to speak to them.

Worse than being alone.

After the first day, his rage had cooled into conviction. After the second, that conviction began to fray. By the third, it felt more like stubborn pride than anything else. Ruby had stopped trying to draw him into conversation after two solid days of stonewalling, choosing instead to carve idly into the wooden beams or spend time with the horse. The only times she seemed to interact with him was when there were Grimm nearby.

She was still wearing his clothes: his jacket swallowed her whole, the sleeves so long she had to roll them up three times, though sometimes she left them loose, idly fiddling with the cuffs. His trousers hung just as baggy, tucked into her own shoes, and he suspected they were rolled up at the hem as well.

He'd always known she was small, but not just how petite she was next to him. Still, he remembered the weight of her blows — she could pack a punch, even if her overall technique left room for improvement.

It hadn't even occurred to him to ask for his clothes back. 

The silence between them had grown heavy, so much so that even the sound of the horse chewing on some grass felt loud. Adam found himself glancing over at her more than he'd like to admit, watching the way she sat cross-legged in the wagon, the faint crease in her brow as she concentrated on whittling some scrap of wood into a rough shape.

She didn't look at him. Not once.

The lack of her usual chatter gnawed at him. No complaints about the cold. No questions about where they'd go next. No infuriating optimism. Just... quiet. 

Stopping for another break, Adam slipped off the horse, stretching his legs to calm the ache. Ruby hopped off, ready to sneak another snuggle from the horse. He was old, wandering through the ice and snow for any sign of food. 

After coaxing him over with a handful of hay he took from Takayama's barn, the animal followed without hesitation. Slower than he'd like, but still better than walking the whole way. Age had dulled the horse's pace, and unlike a fit mount, this one moved at little more than a plodding walk.

Ruby had named him Button, for the neat, round markings on his legs. A frustratingly slow Button, but still preferable to dragging the wagon themselves. The horse gave a soft, pleased neigh as Ruby reached for his mane — freshly braided by her the day before.

It had grown as fond of her as she was of it.

"Button, Button, who's a cute horsey? You are!" she cooed, voice dipping into the sort of baby-talk that made Adam's teeth itch. Button tossed his head and neighed triumphantly under her attention, earning an affectionate hug.

Sometimes, when she was tired of sitting down, she would walk alongside the horse, calling it affectionately and feeding it secretly, much to his irritation. The last thing he needed was the horse being slower because it was mid-chew. But his resolve to not talk to her shut him up.

After twenty minutes of idleness, he hopped back on the saddle. This hinted to Ruby to finish up her coddling and climb back into the wagon. Yet, after another two hours of traveling, the horse refused to move, signalling its exhaustion.

"You moved less than yesterday," Adam muttered under his breath, grip tightening on the reins. "Move, you useless—"

"Don't be mean to him," Ruby snapped — the first words she'd spoken to him in days.

She was out of the wagon before he could answer, unhooking Button from the traces with quick, practised movements. Leading him to a nearby tree, she looped the lead rope over a low branch, giving him room to rest. 

"He's useless, Rose." No reply. He couldn't believe it. "Are you ignoring me right now?"

"Oh, so you're speaking to me now? I thought you were talking to yourself," Ruby clicked her tongue, glancing back at the horse. Adam felt a vein throbbing in his temple.

"I was doing it to teach you a lesson—"

"Well, you can continue. I quite like the silence." Now he was definitely mad. He was itching to grab Wilt and cut down the forest, along with the old mount basking in affection.

However, he took a deep breath and sat down on a nearby boulder, watching the exchange between her and the horse. The forest was cold, frost icing over most of the foliage and leaves, but it was growing ever so slightly warmer the further they went, a sign they were closer to Haven.

The horse had now fully settled, sitting down firmly, staking its intent: it wasn't going anywhere.

"Aw, Button, are you tired? Need a nap?" she cooed, rubbing his head. He leaned down, resting it in her lap as she continued to stroke him. Adam couldn't believe it. He glanced around, half-expecting hidden cameras — he was starting to think he'd wandered into a children's movie.

But worst of all, that dingy animal was rubbing its unwashed fur all over his clothes. 

He was burning holes in her back, and not wanting to feel the heat any longer, Ruby sighed before turning to him.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

Adam stilled, disbelief tightening his chest.

"I realised that, although I thought I was doing what's best, I shouldn't have left you," she continued. "If I were you, I'd be worried too — not just for the other person, but for how it would affect me, having to wait and hope they'd come back. I'd feel abandoned. So... I'm guessing that's how you feel. Maybe. Somewhat," she trailed off, uncertain.

Adam's jaw clenched, the words striking deeper than he wanted to admit. Silence stretched between them, thick and uneasy.

Finally, he muttered, voice rough, "You think I'm just going to say 'sorry' and it's fixed?"

Ruby shook her head. "No. I don't expect that. I just want you to know I get it. I get why you shut me out. But punishing me with silence? It's not helping either of us."

Adam said nothing. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the back of her collar, yanking her to her feet. Ruby gasped, startled, and even Button neighed in protest. She pushed him off, stumbling back.

"What the hell?!" she yelled, eyes wide.

"You're right. It isn't helping," Adam said, voice low but steady. "From now on, our partnership's sole goal is to make it to another village with local comms—in one piece. So put 'em up, Rose." He unclasped his belt, tossing both it and Wilt aside, then settled into a fighting stance, sharp and confident.

Ruby stared, confusion flickering across her face. "You... want to fight me?"

Adam clicked his tongue. "Your balance is non-existent. Your speed timings barely make up for your poor energy, and you fight like a child expecting a clean fight. You're easy pickings."

Ruby's cheeks flushed, a mix of embarrassment and challenge. "I don't need to fight with my fists. I've got Crescent Rose."

He chuckled darkly, eyes glinting. "Crescent Rose isn't here to help you now."

Before she could respond, he lunged forward. Ruby squealed, ducking and scrambling backward, keeping her distance. Ruby couldn't believe it. He was dead serious about this. 

Adam moved with sharp precision, every step measured and controlled. Ruby, still shaken from his sudden challenge, tried to mirror his stance but was a beat slow. Her footwork faltered, and she stumbled slightly as she circled him, Crescent Rose still wrapped in the wagon which he blocked.

"You're too stiff," Adam taunted, eyes narrowing. "Loosen up. This isn't some choreographed dance."

Ruby gritted her teeth, lunging forward with a wild swing. Adam dodged effortlessly, a grin forming. He countered with a quick jab, and Ruby barely managed to twist away, her balance faltering again.

"Come on, Rose. Is that the best you've got?"

She swallowed hard, cheeks burning with frustration, and threw another punch — slower, more cautious. Adam caught her wrist, twisting it and forcing her to stumble backward.

"Not bad," he said, releasing her. "But you're all reaction, no strategy."

Ruby shook her arm, breathing hard, then charged again. This time, Adam sidestepped smoothly and delivered a light but firm push to her chest. The momentum sent her sprawling backward onto the frosted ground with a soft thud.

For a moment, Ruby lay there, staring up at the sky, blinking away the shock.

"What's this sudden urge to spar with me?" she asked, panting.

"You think Grimm are the only enemies in the forest? Bandits are everywhere, and even those who look weak can catch you off guard in a second. You won't always have Crescent Rose with you."

"Why do you care about that? I thought I was just a burden to you."

"You are. Hence, the training," he said, almost spelling it out. In truth, he was bored out of his mind. He'd already gauged Ruby was barely worth the effort. So, amid his never-ending boredom, he'd thought of a new game: train the idiot.

If, by any chance, they ended up on opposite sides again, at least he'd have some fun before cutting her down. Yeah, that's what it was.

"Get up, Rose," he ordered.

She looked at him, newfound fire burning in her eyes. "Or is that all you have in you?"

With a sharp scream, she charged again — only for Adam to catch her mid-run and shoulder-throw her hard onto the frosted ground. 

"Pathetic," he spat, "Is this all Beacon student can do? No wonder it fell so easily." 

This angered Ruby, who, whilst still being on the floor, used her leg to kick the back of his, forcing him to kneel as she kicked her other leg to meet his chin. 

He recoiled, stumbling back. The horse neighed as if it were laughing at him, fueling his anger as he spat out some blood. She was on her feet now, more determined than ever to shut his smart mouth.

Ruby's breath came in sharp gasps as Adam struck first — a quick jab aimed at her ribs. She barely twisted in time, the blow catching her side and knocking her off balance. She staggered, nearly falling, and scrambled to steady herself.

She swung wildly, desperation driving her fists, but most of her punches went wide or were easily blocked. Adam barely flinched, slipping past her clumsy strikes with ease.

"Too slow," he muttered, landing a sharp jab to her shoulder that made her wince.

Ruby tried to retreat, but her footing was uncertain on the frost-covered ground. She tripped slightly, and Adam was on her in a heartbeat, grabbing her arm and twisting sharply. Pain shot through her wrist as she stumbled forward.

She tried to pull away, but he shoved her hard against a tree, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs. She gasped, struggling to breathe, before pushing back weakly.

Adam caught her feeble shove and countered with a light but firm shove to her chest, sending her sprawling backward onto the snow.

Ruby hit the ground hard, breath knocked out of her, and lay there for a moment, blinking up at the grey sky. The cold bit through her clothes, and she knew she was outmatched.

Yet, without missing a beat, "On your feet, Rose."

“Adam… why do I have to learn this?”

He didn’t answer straight away. Blood streaked the corner of his mouth — a souvenir from the commanders who’d taken turns working him over earlier. He spat red into the packed snow, then looked at her. The girl in front of him seemed almost breakable, thin limbs trembling as she raised her arms in what could only generously be called a fighting stance.

“Because you need to be able to fight them off if you get taken,” he said flatly, stepping in to press her elbows inwards, lowering her shoulders into something resembling readiness. Then he backed off, falling into his own stance. “Now, one more time, Eve.”

Her lips trembled. She lunged anyway, movements scrappy and wild, nails snatching at his sleeves and swiping past his cheek.

“Harder!” he barked. “Use your nails!”

The command made her flinch, her attack faltering. His eyes narrowed. With a swift motion, he caught her arm and kicked her squarely in the side, sending her stumbling and rolling across the frozen ground. Pain lanced through her ribs, leaving her gasping.

“Get up.”

“It hurts,” she sobbed, voice catching. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

He closed the gap in two strides, his shadow falling over her. Fingers fisted into her hair, yanking her upright with a sharp cry from her lips. The wind howled through the open yard of the mine, carrying the metallic tang of iron and the stink of sweat and dust. None of the other Faunus so much as glanced over — this was one of the few scraps of rest they’d get all day, and her screams were nothing new.

“Get. Up.”

Her sobs broke into ragged breaths as she forced her shaky legs beneath her, swaying but refusing to fall again.

“Try again,” he ordered, tone edged like a blade. “Aim for my eyes, my groin — anything. You need to be able to fight him off.”

Her voice was barely a thread. “What if I can’t?”

He didn’t soften. “Then you’ll end up like your mother.”

The next few days went by in a flurry. Whenever the horse refused to move or stopped for a break, that was when they sparred. He didn't care that she was nursing old bruises or was tired from the spar two hours ago. 

In his mind, a fight can appear anywhere and with any frequency, much to Ruby's protests. Still, she listened each time. And each time, she landed on her butt. He was gentle enough to not break her aura. But that was like not adding the final straw to break the camel's back. 

The horse, now used to the idea of his lovable owner fighting with his annoying owner, starting watching as if it were entertainment. Ruby, eyeing the horse, had an inkling that he was taking more breaks just to watch her get beat up again.

She couldn't say for sure, but she had her suspicions. After another rough sparring session, Ruby started exercising more out of frustration — even at night, when Adam finally allowed her to rest so he could sleep.

Under the cover of darkness, she returned to her usual routine: fifty push-ups (pushed to a hundred on Adam's orders), fifty crunches (again doubled), and fifty pull-ups (increased to a hundred and fifty because Adam was feeling particularly mean).

She used low-hanging branches for pull-ups, her only motivation the sneer Adam gave whenever he sensed she was about to give up. What started as something Adam sprung on her now became a fond routine. 

Yes, she hated the horrible pains and sores she got, but the refreshing feeling of her strength regaining gave her a little pep in her step. The only downside was the fact that she became very sweaty afterward, and the only bathroom she had were the few lakes she would use to wipe her sweat-laden body. 

Of course, Adam was always asleep or deliberately looking the other way during these secret rinse-offs. She figured that was the smallest trace of chivalry he possessed. Still, a quick splash of lake water did little to replace the comfort of an actual bar of soap, which she sorely missed.

She hadn't thought to pack any hygiene products, save for a tube of toothpaste. Was the village really this far away? How far had they travelled already? The horse was slow, sure, but they must have covered at least thirty miles by now.

The nights were the hardest—not just because of the biting cold or aching muscles, but because of the silence that settled over everything once Adam finally drifted to sleep. In those quiet hours, her thoughts were loudest, swirling with fear and doubt.

What if they never find another village? What if it was just miles and miles of open land until they reached Haven? What if they'd been going in circles this whole time? Those fears crept inside her mind and she tried her hardest to push it down, trying to focus on the stars instead.

They were beautiful, untouched by light pollution, glistening alongside the bright, shattered moon. When she rested her eyes on it, it comforted her, somehow. It was probably the only definitive thing in her life currently.

Adam was asleep, at least, she thought so. He'd finally let her take a night watch, though it was only for a few hours before he woke up and didn't fall back to sleep.

She noticed he always slept with his sword, and whilst she too loved her weapon like it was her baby, had never really cradled it in her sleep like he did. Almost like he was raring to wake up and spring into action. 

Somewhere along the eighth day, he'd changed from his Yukata into the ATLAS uniform. She suspected it was because he was also hoping that a village was nearby. The nomad life clearly didn't suit either of them. 

She was still wearing his clothes, with her ones being tucked in the wagon, folded and ready for when the weather warmed up a bit. It was weird when she thought about it, wearing his clothes that still had his scent lingering on it. 

When he started training her, she hadn't had a panic attack, nor had she had any flashbacks of the incident, much to her fortune. Thinking on it, the clothes might've been a big helper, allowing her to get used to him. Almost like exposure therapy.

She was still jumpy, and she couldn't sleep without burrito-wrapping herself in extra blankets, but she was no longer apprehensive of him. Out of all the issues she'd had since the start of this unfortunate partnership, at least that had ceased, just a little. After all, he was just as much a victim as her. He didn't want to. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't. It wasn't his fault. It was the Siren Dust. It was the pilot. It wasn't his fault. 

"It wasn't his fault..." she whispered to herself. "It was mine..."

Chapter Text

It was a miracle. After seven consecutive days of travelling, with Ruby finally being allowed to ride Button, she'd spotted the sign that pointed to Kanagawa Village, three miles ahead. She'd squealed so loud Adam woke up with a jolt, one hand already on Wilt as he peeked his head out.

"What?!" 

"We're finally here!" She squealed. "Well, not here here... yet, three miles, but we made it!" 

He groaned, slumping back into the wagon. "Wake me up when we're there, Rose." 

Ruby whispered a sorry before humming as she lightly snapped the reins, urging for Button to pick up the pace. She eagerly awaited their destination as Button clopped forth, the path becoming more flat and clear; manmade. 

Adam was still lightly drifting off in the back, having found nothing else to do. His insomnia still terrorised him, but surprisingly, the presence of a happy-go-lucky idiot near him made his nerves settle, just a little. 

She would be the least likely to stab him in his sleep.

Half an hour later, the village gates came into view. A wooden arch stood tall, a large plaque nailed to its centre, Kanagawa carved deep into its surface. Beyond it, a sprawl of one-storey houses and huts spread out, villagers moving about in flowing, traditional robes that stood in sharp contrast to the modern style of the kingdoms.

"Adam! We're here!" she whisper-shouted, looking back into the wagon.

He was already upright, slicking his hair back and fixing his helmet into place.

"I know, Rose," he said, voice low. "And from this moment on, don't refer to me as Adam Taurus."

"What, like you want me to go by a nickname? Ad? Dam? Just Taurus? Adrus-"

"Just call me Rowan. No last name," he says, sliding his boots on as he stretched. She kissed her teeth before looking forward, eager to finally call her family. 

As soon as they reached the gate, a man, clad in simple armour that consisted of a breast plate and knee plating that only covered one leg. He held a simple weapon, a spear with a rusted edge and a few knives that poked from his makeshift utility belt.

"Hello there, what's a girl like you doing out here?" He asked, tipping his head up to nod at her, "You're a long way away from civilisation, little lady."

She chuckled, making him grin. "I'm here with my partner, we uh-"

"We crashed a couple dozen miles up ahead, near the mountains. Valuable resources were lost," Adam interrupted, emerging in full ATLAS uniform as he towered over the man. He looked Adam up and down, whistling.

"I've never seen an ATLAS uniform in real life before. You two are a long way away from home."

"We need to use your comms to signal for help. Is there a way you can lead us to your village chief?" He asks, his usual harsh tone turning formal as he pronounced every syllable like a true Atlesian. Ruby almost shivered at how similar he sounded to Weiss. 

The guard rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, trying to maintain his grin, "Well, I can surely take you to the chief's place. But the comms have been broken for over a week. We've been waiting for someone from the Kingdom to come and fix it, but it's hard to even get the word out these days."

"Wait, so you also don't have signal?!" Ruby blurted out.

"Sorry, little lady. I doubt any rural villages here have signal. I know Takayama did, but we  haven't heard from them since our comms broke. Um...Maybe Shirakawa...I definitely know that Nagano and Sakuragawa have them, but they're quite a journey from here."

"How far, exactly?" Adam asked. 

The guard put a finger to his chin as he looked to the sky. "Uh...Shirakawa is about thirty miles south, little bit to the east. Nagano is the same way but you gotta go West, and Sakuragawa is the furthest but the largest one I know, that one is like a hundred miles away. We normally schedule a large migration of sorts to travel there once every few months to stock up on some supplies."

Ruby let out a heavy sigh, feeling her anticipation fizzle. She had charged her Scroll during their stay at Takayama and hadn't used it since, hoping to save the energy and use it to call her sister should there be signal. 

At this point, it was starting to feel like a useless brick. 

Noticing the disappointment on her face, the guard's voice perked up," But don't worry, we've got just as much as the other villages. Even if our comms are down, our bathhouses are the best and we've got our signature flower bread!"

She tried to keep up her smile but her eyes didn't match. Looking to Adam, she waited for him to reply. She couldn't tell what face he was making behind his visor, but his mouth remained in a straight line and he showed no other sign of frustration. 

"That would be appropriate. Are there any inns here?" He asked. The guard turned around and pointed to a building with a green roof. 

"That's Shiro's inn, he's the best innkeeper here, though, he's the only one so I guess he wins by a landslide," The guard chuckled slapping Adam's back. He jolted forward, and Ruby could see the flash of teeth that came with his signature 'I want to murder you' look.

"That's great, thank you!" She quickly smiled, hopping off Button and dragging Adam by his arm. 

"I wasn't going to," he stated.

"Sure you weren't," she rolled her eyes, taking in the rest of the village. It was one of the smaller ones she visited, but it was no less beautiful.

The village didn't so much greet them as reveal itself in patches. Narrow lanes of packed dirt wound between squat wooden houses, their once-white plaster walls streaked with age and rain. Roof tiles were mismatched in places, replaced hastily after storms, and here and there moss clung stubbornly to the eaves.

Market stalls leaned into the streets, their awnings faded from the sun, selling everything from bundles of dried fish to jars of pickled vegetables. The smell of woodsmoke hung in the air, mixing with the sour tang of fermentation from the sake brewer's corner.

A few chickens scratched around in the dust, scattering as a cart rumbled past. The people moved with a slow, deliberate rhythm, glancing at Ruby and Adam with mild curiosity before returning to their business. Somewhere, a blacksmith's hammer rang against steel, echoing faintly through the winding lanes.

Even with its rough edges and worn-down corners, the place had a quiet charm—a lived-in warmth that made it feel sturdy, dependable... the kind of village that had weathered more than its share of storms and was still standing.

Coming up to the inn, the carved out path transitioned into cobblestones, worn out and hammered in by repeated steps. The inn was larger than most of the buildings, with wide sliding doors framed by dark cedar beams, their surface worn smooth from years of hands pushing them open. 

A faded noren curtain hung over the entrance, its painted emblem almost washed out to nothing, the threads fraying at the edges. Paper lanterns swayed gently under the eaves, their glow soft and yellow against the encroaching dusk.

The upper floor jutted slightly over the lower, its windows latticed with thin wooden slats. The faint scent of simmering broth and grilled fish drifted from within, mingling with the earthy smell of rain-soaked timber.

Hammered into the dirt was a wooden post, simple in design, with a small bell hanging from it. Strips of paper—some neatly written, others faded and weather-worn—fluttered gently in the breeze. Ruby gave the bell a curious ring, watching it sway, fascinated by the delicate craftsmanship.

"Stop that, you look stupid," Adam muttered under his breath, still playing the part of an ATLAS soldier. His sharp uniform drew curious stares from passing villagers, who paused to whisper behind their hands—likely wondering what an ATLAS soldier was doing in a remote settlement like this, and why he was accompanied by a girl dressed far from the part.

After a short wait, the inn's front door slid open with a soft, woody rasp. An elderly woman knelt just inside, dressed in a simple but elegant kimono, her warm smile framed by a face mapped with gentle creases.

"Welcome to the inn. May I know how long you'll be staying?" she asked, voice smooth and steady.

"Just a few nights. No longer than a week," Adam replied before Ruby could speak. The woman's gaze lingered on him, a glint of recognition and curiosity flickering in her eyes.

"An ATLAS soldier... it's been a long while since we've had one here," she murmured, before turning to Ruby with another polite smile. "One room?"

Ruby's cheeks flared with heat as she began to stammer a protest, but Adam's firm "Yes" cut her off. She shot him a look that could have knocked a lesser man flat, but he ignored it entirely, visor fixed forward.

"Can we also have a change of clothes and a bath?" he added, pulling a thick wallet of lien from his pocket—judging by the wear and crisp notes inside, almost certainly taken from the buried pilot.

The old woman's brows rose a fraction, but her composure held. She nodded with quiet grace. "Of course. The private bathhouse is at the rear—you may use it whenever you wish. As for clothing, I'll have my granddaughter bring something suitable to your room."

She slid the door further open, inviting them inside. Warm light filtered through paper screens, casting the polished floor in a grid of pale gold. The air smelled faintly of cedar, rice, and the lingering sweetness of incense. 

Adam stepped in first, movements controlled and measured, scanning every shadowed corner. Ruby followed more openly, her eyes drinking in the calligraphy scrolls, ceramic vases, and the faint creak of ancient floorboards. 

"This will be your space," she said softly, sliding the door shut behind them. Ruby looked around, appreciating the well-kept tatami mats and hand-painted walls. Her shoes were discarded at the entrance, allowing her bare feet to feel the texture. 

"This is so cool," she breathes. "I've never stayed at an inn like this before!"

Adam was quick to take off his helmet, revealing a black strip of cloth tied around his eyes, replacing his mask. He sat down cross-legged, already stripping off his gloves. "You said you backpacked through Mistral."

"Um, yeah! But we never actually got to stay in an inn, what with the time priority of making it to Haven quickly."

She didn't stop to sit, eagerly looking around and poking the different textures. Her eyes were comedically large as she rolled around the tatami mat, giggling to herself. Adam stared at her like she was an idiot, but didn't comment on her enthusiasm.

For him, this inn was nothing special. It was run down, he thought, noticing the lack of other guests and paper screens that had been mended one too many times. But she didn't care, or maybe she was just too dim to notice. How had she been made leader against Blake?

He had a hankering for revenge, yes. But he had still trained her. She was almost an equal fighter like he was, she was certainly more emotionally stable, and followed orders well. She was his right-hand when he was away on important business. The thought of his Blake ever following the orders of a sparkled-eyed girl like Ruby truly confused him.

Maybe the humans had made her stupid. 

Unbeknownst to his swirling thoughts, Ruby, sprawled out in a starfish position on the floor, sat upright as a soft voice came from the other side of the wall. "Miss, I have prepared your bath."

"Awesome! I'm going first!" Ruby nodded at Adam, crawling over to open the door and happily skipping away with a young girl whose eyes mirrored those of the elderly innkeeper.

Adam had finished his bath, climbing out and drying himself off, before getting dressed. He was dressed in borrowed clothes, the Yukata being more lavish than he had wanted. An intricately embroidered herringbone patterned haori dressed over a dark undershirt with red lining, stitched together with golden thread. His trousers, a traditional hakama of the same styling as the haori, was belted tight with a black sash tied around his waist, secured by a simple knot, accentuated with long cords. 

Completing the look were some traditional socks and sandals, as well as some crimson embroidered black armguards, perfectly matching his weapon that was tucked into his sash. The old man, whom he deigned to be the old woman's husband, hummed as he helped Adam into his garments. 

Looking up, the man pointed towards his head. Adam's visor was still on.

"I can't take this off, military rules," he said. The man looked sideways at him, still pointing towards his head. What, was he deaf?

"I can't. The helmet stays on." Another ignore. He was getting angry now. Here he was, trying to have a peaceful evening and this old man is so eager to get him to remove his helmet. Maybe he should, and cut them man down for seeing his horns. Maybe he should gut everyone in this village, while he's at it.

As his frown started to form, another man walked into the bath house, his round brown ears in full sight. 

"Shiro, how are you," he nods, smiling as he sets his eyes upon the man before traveling to Adam. Adam assessed the Faunus; taking note of his old appearance and worn out eyes. He was big, burly even, with a large stomach that took up most of his body.

Shiro waved at the man, who walked over to shake his hand. "Are you okay?" He asked, loudly. 

Shiro paused for a moment before nodding vigorously, pointing toward Adam.

"Hello, are you a guest?" The man asks, extending a hand to Adam, "I'm Zhou. My bakery is opposite the inn. Our flower bread is top-notch, you should come and try it."

"I'm Rowan. I'm here on official business," he said smoothly.

"Are you an ATLAS soldier? I've never seen one of their headgear up front. Amazing, even Faunus can be one these days, my how times have changed!" 

Adam stilled, his grip tightening as the man continued to shake his hand. Of course, how could he forget? 

"What? I may be an old man. But I can smell another Faunus a mile away," he laughed. "So, what are ya? I take you for someone serious. Tiger! No...Puma! No...Bull!"

He was dangerous. Adam knew how Faunus could sniff out other Faunus, but he had always underestimated the rumours about bears and their keen sense of smell. 

"You have to speak up with Shiro here, his hearing isn't that good. Ain't that right, old man!" he bellowed, a hearty laugh escaping him.

"I see. I'll be sure to speak up," Adam gritted, unhappy with the man's presence. Why was a Faunus interacting so happily with a human? Where was his sense of pride?

"Well, you're dressed in some of the finest we have to offer. Be sure to show your new threads tonight for the festival."

"Festival?" Adam echoed.

"It's a little tradition of ours. If a month goes by without any Grimm attacks, we have ourselves a celebration! I'll be handing out my goods there too, so be sure to swing by!" He patted Adam on the shoulder, his strength making Adam slightly jostle before going behind the curtain into the showers.

Adam was still shocked by the encounter. A festival? That Faunus were taking part in? With humans? He could almost spit in disgust. However, Zhou's distraction had allowed Shiro a window of opportunity to climb on his tiptoes and pull Adam's helmet off.

"What the hell?!" Adam shouted, moving back as he touched his eyes. He felt for the black cloth that he had retied before, physically relaxing as he realised it remained on. Then his anger surged again as he reached for Wilt, ready to stab Shiro.

It wasn't until another voice called out that he stopped his actions, "Grandfather?! Where are you?!" 

A man, dressed in a similar garb as Shiro walked through the door, holding a bamboo basket full of sheets. He looked around, noticing Shiro and walking toward him with a scowl on his face. 

"What did I say about walking around without telling someone? And why are you working?! Go sit down, your back's going to break!" He chastises, his frustration evident. He had the intention to go on, but, realising Adam was there, plastered a polite smile.

"I'm so sorry, esteemed guest. My grandfather just loves his work. You look amazing, my Mother stitched those clothes herself. If you need any help, please, come to me. Don't mind him," he bows, his hand on Shiro's shoulder.

Adam visibly tensed at the boy, looking frantically between them. Shiro was old, his tanned, spotted skin contrasting with his pure white hair. He was frail, due to age, but his smell was human. He was human.

But his grandson. Skin two shades lighter, hair that was dark blue. 

And antlers embedded in his head. 

The grandson peeked his head up, noticing Adam's silence. 

"Oh, I haven't given you my name yet, have I? I'm Aoi, you're the guest who came in with the girl, right? My sister's with her. I've just come from the girl's bathroom, she's all ready," he smiles.

"Right...Thank you..." Adam says, turning to walk away, because that's all he could do at the moment. Shiro. Human. Aoi. Faunus. Impossible. 

No, Shiro must be a secret Faunus. He had to be. Or Aoi was adopted. No...There's no way a human would ever willingly shelter a Faunus child...Especially if it wasn't blood-related to them. Illegitimate, perhaps?

He hadn't noticed that he walked all the way from the bathhouse to around the entire inn, until he stopped at the entrance, noticing a familiar scent. Looking up, he saw Ruby, only, it didn't look like Ruby.

Her hair was clean, its short strands swept up and styled with a red and green rose pin. Her kimono was a splash of multiple colours; with sky blue washing into black, accentuated by the patten of pink dahlias. Her sash was a deep red, tied with a blue and red decorative knot, embellished with more roses. 

She was talking to a girl who was slightly taller than her, dressed in a more simplistic yet pretty pink kimono, her light blue hair whisked into a traditional bun, decorated with crocheted flower pins. Her antlers, which also peeked out through her sea of blue, had pink and red ribbons wrapped around decoratively, with small bows ending at the knot. 

She looked back at Adam, before bowing her head slightly, gaining the attention of Ruby who looked at him, her big smile decreasing as she took his new appearance in. 

"Wow! You look so good! Your mother truly is a magician!" Ruby gasps, smiling at the girl. Ruby's cheeks were abnormally red, and her lips were painted a wine colour. 

"She is talented, she made the kimono you are wearing," the girl replied, proud. 

"Oh my gosh! Really?! This is gorgeous!" Ruby gushed, twirling. It was gorgeous, he couldn't think otherwise.

"Adam, this is Aoko, she helped me wear this! Isn't it beautiful?!" 

He wanted to say yes, she was. Wait, why would he want to?! Yes, the kimono was beautiful. Not her. 

"Wow, I've never seen a bull Faunus before," Aoko exclaims, taking a step forward. He reflexively straightened, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. 

Ruby walked next to him, as if sensing his apprehension. "Really? I'd have thought you'd get a lot of Faunus types here."

"Mainly just the villagers who live here, which is Zhong, our family, Akira, who's the blacksmith's wife...There's not much of us, though, there aren't many villagers in general," she giggles.

"You just...live among them? Like nothing never happened?" He whispers.

"Well, we all know each other, being neighbours and all. Not many new people come to visit, especially since the Vytal festival. But Faunus and humans have always lived in peace here. It's our normal," she shrugs.

Their normal. What?

"But look at me rambling, go, go! The festival will be starting soon!" She ushers them off with her hands. 

"Wait, aren't you coming?" Ruby asks, looking over her shoulders. 

"I've got to finish up a few tasks at home, but my brother and I should be there soon. After all, the festival only happens once a month!" She yells as she waves them grandly before turning to walk inside the inn.

Adam, being led by Ruby tugging on his sleeve, walked out the gate and onto the main road where lines of modest stalls were being set up. Children were already on the streets, dressed in bright clothes and carved masks, their laughter livening up the evening.

"It's so beautiful, I can't believe it," Ruby breathes. Adam didn't reply. He was still deep in thought. 

Her features matched Aoi. She looked younger than him too, around eighteen. But she was also a Faunus. He couldn't mistake that smell. She was a Faunus. Aoi was a Faunus.

"What's got you looking like that?" Ruby asked, her face popping before him. He looked up, his feelings written across his face. 

"She was a Faunus."

"Aoko? Yeah, a deer, I think. Do deers have antlers? I was never good at anthropology, but they're so cute! And her ribbons were adorable, I might start doing the same. On my hair, obviously, because I don't have any antlers. But if I did have antlers, I would definitely style it that way-"

"She was a Faunus," Adam cut through her ramble, making her face scrunch in a similar manner.

"Yeah? And?" But before he could elaborate, a booming sound grabbed Ruby's attention.

"Come one, come all, try my famous flower bread! Kanagawa's specialty!" It was Zhou. He was dressed in a brown yukata, with a green apron tied haphazardly around him and flour dusting his cheeks and nose.

Children clamoured around him, their bodies jumping up and down as they energetically handed over their coins. 

"I want one! I want one!" They cried in unison, not stopping their chanting until all their demands were met.

"Go on, you little tykes, get home to your mamas," he chuckled, handing out bread with a quick hand. He looked up, noticing Adam and pointing at him.

"Hey! Bull guy! Come on over, my bread's the best in Mistral, that's a fact!" His point made Adam's ears slightly red as he cursed the large dolt for exposing him like that. However, Ruby pulled him with newfound strength towards the stall.

"Hi! Is that flower bread?!" She exclaims, aweing at the loaves at the stall. There were many different types: normal bread with intricate scoring, rolled goods, buttered and chocolate goods, but the most abundant one was a roll that was cut like a waterlily, its petals lined with different coloured borders and sprinkled with sugar.

"Sure is, my wife's specialty. Each petal has a different taste. We've got chocolate, red bean, pistachio-"

"I'll take two!" She interrupts, fishing for money.

"Haha! What a gorgeous little lady. You've lucked out, Bull guy!" He chuckled heartily, slapping his knee as his eyes twinkled with good humour.

"Wha—No! His name is A—Rowan, he's my partner! Work! Partner! We work together!" Ruby stammered, cheeks flushing as she waved her hands awkwardly.

"You don't say? You two look like a perfect pair. Just like my wife, Himari, she should be somewhere... There!" He pointed behind them with a broad grin, beckoning their attention to a youthful lady approaching. Her buttery blonde hair caught the light as she carried a bag of flour.

"Zhong! I've got more—Whoops!"

She suddenly tripped on her kimono and tumbled forward, flour spilling as Zhong hurried to catch her, lifting both her and the bag with ease.

"Mind yourself, love. We can't have an accident," he chuckled warmly, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear as he steadied her.

"Zhong, put me down! We have customers!" She whisper-shouted, bonking him with all her strength on the head, though he remained unfazed, laughing softly.

"Can't a man show his wife some love in public?" he teased, exasperation in his voice as he planted a quick kiss on her cheek. She blushed deeply, playfully pushing him away before turning her attention to Ruby and Adam.

"Sorry about that, I'm a tad clumsy," she said with a sheepish smile, brushing flour from her sleeves.

"Human?" Adam asked, voice low and cautious.

"Yep, and you're a Bull Faunus! I haven't seen any before!" She gazed at him with wide-eyed wonder. "What can I help you with?"

"Um..." Ruby mumbled, patting down her kimono nervously before glancing at Adam with worried eyes. "I didn't bring any money..."

Adam's jaw clenched sharply. "You idiot."

He reached into his inner pocket, producing a couple of lien with a deliberate motion, dropping them onto the stall with a soft clink. "Two flower breads."

"Aww, what a lovely couple," she gushed, gathering the coins with a delighted smile.

"N-No, we're—"

"Work partners, they say. Ain't that funny," Zhong chuckled, tearing open the flour bag with a grunt of effort.

"Why's that funny?" Ruby asked, curiosity bright in her voice.

"Don't mind him, my husband's an idiot," the woman teased, nudging Zhong playfully.

"Your idiot," he corrected, raising an eyebrow.

"My idiot," she laughed softly. "That's what we used to say when we first visited the festival together years ago."

"Really?" Ruby's eyes sparkled, captivated. "That's adorable! Was it love at first sight?"

"More like love at first fight." Zhong laughed heartily, the sound booming but warm. "She smacked me over the head with a skillet."

His wife's cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she glanced away, biting her lip in embarrassment.

"I thought he was a Grimm. Imagine seeing a two-metre man prowling about in the dead of night, especially with those ears of his," she defended, voice teasing yet affectionate.

"What?! So you beat him?" Ruby exclaimed, leaning forward with wide eyes.

"Sure did! She nearly caved my head in!" Zhong bellowed with laughter, shaking his head as he returned to the stall, bringing out a fresh batch of flower breads.

"I did not! I stopped at two smacks once I realised he wasn't a Grimm!" she protested, crossing her arms but smiling fondly.

"And I fell in love ever since," he said quietly, chuckling more softly this time, his eyes warm with affection. Ruby almost melted with admiration at the tender moment.

Adam, however, remained stone-faced, folding his arms tightly and looking utterly appalled, unwilling to share in the sweetness of the scene. Ruby, oblivious to his mood, continued chatting away with Himari as she handed over a paper bag filled with their food.

Adam stayed stoic, but inside, his mind was racing, questioning everything around him. Meanwhile, Ruby dragged him from stall to stall, enthusiastically engaging with the villagers and coaxing him into parting with more lien to satisfy her seemingly endless appetite.

At last, when she spotted Aoko and hurried off without him, Adam finally allowed himself to rest on a nearby bench. His eyes took in the bustling street: children weaving in and out of the crowd, both human and Faunus, their laughter bubbling through the warm evening air.

Stalls run by Faunus, with human customers paying full price without a hint of bargaining or theft. Smiles exchanged freely, warm conversations flowing between species. It was a sickly sweet utopia—one that jarred harshly against his beliefs.

How could they be so content with each other? Had they forgotten everything? How they had been oppressed?

"A wonderful sight, isn't it?"

Adam's hand tightened on Wilt, instinctively preparing to leap up from the bench. But a firm weight pressed him down—a presence settling beside him. It was Zhong, his usual boisterousness tempered into a gentle smile.

"Never in my thirty-five years have I ever thought something like this was possible."

"You're... not from here..." Adam guessed.

"No, I'm not. I came to Kanagawa about ten years ago—though it feels like longer. It was strange, uncomfortably so. Everyone was so happy, Faunus and humans alike. Nothing like the rest of the world. The kingdoms were still steeped in their racism, so for a small village like this to be so... welcoming, well, it was almost unwelcoming," he chuckled quietly.

"How can you be so nonchalant about this? After everything they did to us—"

"But these humans didn't do anything, did they?" Zhong countered. "They just live peaceful lives here. And eventually, after leaving the White Fang, so did I."

Adam's ears pricked as he fixed the old man with a steady gaze. "I was there, alongside the first members of the White Fang when it was just starting. I knew Ghira well—like an old friend—though we had bit of a falling out."

"A falling out?"

"He was so... peaceful," Zhong said, staring ahead, his voice low. "Annoyingly so. Even when we were still called animals. Even when we were treated like animals. No matter how much mud they threw on his name, he held firm in his pacifism. As a hot-headed youth, there was nothing I despised more."

"So why leave? You could've stayed and fought."

"I did. Our falling out was over a mission gone wrong in Haven. Do you remember the attempted assassination of Haven's headmaster?"

"The bomb that failed to detonate? I recall," Adam replied, remembering the case from White Fang files—a botched assassination attempt on Lionheart that caused a tunnel collapse instead.

"Dozens died then. My closest comrades—my family..." Zhong paused, as if wading through painful memories. "I was the only survivor. But I didn't want to survive."

"There were no survivors recorded. The file said—"

"I know what the file said. No survivors, fifteen dead. The truth is, it was fourteen. I was alive but badly injured. The tunnels were narrow, so a big man like me couldn't fit even if I wanted to. My brother..."

His voice faltered, swallowing hard as he continued. "He went on without me. Patted me on the back, laughing that it was easy work. That the tunnels would lead them to the heart of Haven within two hours. The bomb went off two minutes after they entered, and I just happened to still be nearby. A bit of metal pierced me here." He gestured to his right side.

"I tried to dig them out, but the Huntsmen arrived too fast. So I ran. Blood pouring from my side, I ran what was a hundred or so miles until I limped to the nearest house, hoping to find cloth for bandages. Instead, while searching a toolbox, a girl half my size smacked me clean over the head with a skillet—and I was out cold."

"Himari..." Adam murmured.

"Himari," Zhong repeated with a small smile. "She was human. One of the weakest I've ever met. But she was warm. And stronger than she looked." He whistled softly. "She dragged me inside, patched me up, and nursed me back to health. And I stayed here, ever since."

"As a baker," Adam said with disdain.

"As a baker. As a husband. And as a father," Zhong replied, unfazed by the edge in Adam's tone.

Adam looked ahead, spotting a young girl no older than three skipping around Ruby. Her brown ears poked out from her thick head of blond hair. Ruby lifted the child, spinning her with a squeal of delight.

"My Kiko. Someone I never imagined having with a human of all people. But when she came... things just felt right. Like I could bring her into a world where fighting between races wasn't necessary."

"It's still necessary. Our brothers and sisters are at the mercy of humans. We need to take a stand—"

"Are you sure about that?" Zhong raised a brow.

"What?"

"Are you sure the Faunus are truly at the mercy of humans? Because that's not what I saw."

Adam's jaw clenched. "And what did you see?"

"I saw a beloved tournament, showcasing the future protectors of our world, attacked by airships dropping Grimm on a school full of children. I saw the proud faces of an organisation that would've died twice over before stooping to such actions." His voice turned cold, the warmth fading as his grip on Adam's shoulder tightened. "I saw a young man, full of promise, lead one of the worst massacres I've witnessed in all my years. Crimson hair and a very noticeable matching sword cutting through ATLAS military."

Adam tensed, his grip on Wilt increased to the max. He knows. He knows who he is. 

"Calm yourself, boy. I'm not here to fight. Just to warn," Zhong said, sensing Adam's rising alarm. "As I said, I'm a baker. A husband. And a father to a beautiful girl, with a wonderful wife who's carrying our second child. I live in peace now — a heaven compared to before. And I won't let some hot-headed youth ruin that with dangerous ideals. And don't think for a second that they're not. Racism, whether born from fear or hate, still breeds chaos. And that kind of hatred doesn't discriminate."

"Why tell me all this?" Adam growled.

"Because I see myself in you. I know what you did, Adam Taurus. But if you were the same man I saw on TV that day, then you wouldn't be here, travelling with a human girl."

Adam glanced back at Ruby, who was now trying on accessories at a nearby stall with Aoko and Aoi, debating between a red or white pin with rapt attention.

"We're just temporary partners," Adam said flatly.

"And I'll believe you. Hearts don't change overnight. But right now, you're dangerous to me, Adam Taurus. If my wife were here, she'd welcome you with open arms. But it's me. And I won't sacrifice this beautiful life, even hypothetically, if it means giving you character development. So by tomorrow, I expect you and your temporary partner gone."

INSPO OF THE CLOTHES BY SUMIWOW ON TUMBLR

Chapter Text

Ruby was confused. After the festival had ended, she returned to the inn, only to find Adam already asleep. He had dragged his futon to the furthest corner from hers — much to her surprise.

She had grown used to sleeping close to him, what with them travelling for weeks on end together. But seeing his turned back now, she guessed he wasn't. And, even though she would vehemently deny it if brought up, it stung — just a little.

Still, she said nothing, just crawled into her futon and let sleep take her. That was normal enough. What wasn't, was his coldness the next morning.

Aoko had brought them their breakfast — grilled fish, rice, and miso soup — which Ruby had been so excited to try. She'd even taken pictures with her Scroll, showing off her new festival ensemble, promising to show the rest of team RWBY when she returned. But Adam ate in silence, his expression flat, and left the inn without a word beyond telling her to wait.

When he returned, he was carrying three heavy sacks. "Supplies," he said curtly, setting them down and ordering her to take them to the wagon while he fetched Button.

Now, Ruby sat in the back of the wagon, her knees tucked close, watching Adam speak with the guard. The unease from last night hadn't faded — and now it was mixed with a pinch of irritation. They'd barely arrived in this village, and already they were leaving?

She caught the guard glancing her way, offering a small wave. Adam turned on his heel, climbed up onto Button, and took the reins without meeting her eyes. The wagon rolled forward.

"I don't get why we had to leave," she muttered. "I thought we were staying for a few days."

"We got what we need," Adam replied, his tone clipped. "No point staying longer."

"We could've stayed another day to rest, at least. I never got to visit the blacksmiths with Aoko."

"You've known her half a day. You'll live."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "What's with you? You were fine yesterday, and now you're back to Ice Adam. What happened with Zhong?"

Adam glanced at her briefly, brow furrowing. "Ice Adam?"

"It's my new nickname for you when you close off for no reason." She flicked her hair over her shoulder with exaggerated flair, leaning back on her palms and stretching her legs out in front of her.

"It's nothing. Quit asking." His tone was flat, but there was a slight tension in his jaw.

"It's something, clearly," she pressed, her gaze sharp. "I thought we talked about this. Our truce depends on us not shutting each other out, or at least giving an explanation."

Adam kept his focus on the road, the leather reins creaking in his hands. He didn't know how to explain it — or rather, he didn't want to. Kanagawa had been the most uncomfortable he had felt in years. Seeing Faunus and humans living side by side like that, seeing Zhong — someone who had once been pro-violence for the White Fang — laughing with his human wife as if the past had never existed. 

The memory made his lip curl. And then there was the insult. Zhong had dared to threaten him. Him. Adam Taurus. High Leader of the White Fang. The part of him that still burned with old rage wanted to have drawn his sword there and then, to have taken the man's head for speaking to him that way.

But he hadn't.

He told himself it was because he was tired, not in the mood for a fight. That excuse had sounded convincing at the time, but it rang hollow now. The truth was uglier. He hadn't killed Zhong because of Ruby. She had been enjoying herself at the festival, bright-eyed and distracted. If Adam had cut the man down, the villagers would have turned on them in an instant. And while Adam could have slaughtered them without effort, Ruby was different.

She had left Crescent Rose in their room, and her infuriating idealism would have stopped her from joining him in the bloodshed. She'd more likely end up dead at their hands — or worse, she'd turn against him. That thought made his teeth clench.

He still needed her. She was the only one in this cursed land who could match him in a fight, and her Semblance was useful. He told himself that was the only reason.

So, he had done what the old Adam never would have considered. He walked away. Even now, the poisonous urge to turn back and set Zhong's house ablaze coiled in his chest, keeping his pulse sharp and restless. But he couldn't risk it. Not yet. Not until he was back among his comrades, where the odds were his again.

"Adam?" Ruby's voice broke into his thoughts, suspicious of his long silence.

"It was nothing important," he said curtly. "I spoke to the chief yesterday. The next village is fifty miles from here. I saw no need to waste our time. Our real goal is to reach a village with working comms—remember that."

"I never forgot," Ruby replied, picking at the loose threads on her kimono sleeve. "I'm just saying, one more day of rest wouldn't have exactly changed things. It'd take us, what, a week to get there?"

"More like two with this decrepit-looking mount." He flicked a glance down at Button, who was plodding along with deliberate, heavy steps, steam curling from his nostrils in the cold air.

"Don't say that to him, he can hear you!"

"He's a horse."

"A horse with feelings," she countered, giving him a stubborn look.

Adam rolled his eyes and faced forward again. Ruby shuffled forward on her stomach so she could lean on her elbows, chin propped in her hands, studying him. His usual Grimm mask had been replaced by a simple strip of dark cloth tied across his eyes. Even when sneaking up on him last night to check if he was really sleeping, he had it on. 

She wanted to ask about it—badly—but something in the set of his jaw told her not to. With a sigh, she rolled onto her back, letting the rocking of the wagon sway her as she watched the clouds drift overhead.

Adam was irate. It had been nearly three weeks since they'd left Kanagawa, and each day brought him closer to killing someone. The first few days had gone smoothly enough—taking turns riding Button, splitting the night watch, even sparring to break the monotony. Ruby had been irritating, yes, but at least she'd kept him entertained.

Then, on the eleventh day, they reached Shirakawa, east of Kanagawa. Or what was left of it.

The village was ash and ruin, the charred frames of houses still bleeding smoke into the pale morning air. Ruby had bolted ahead, calling out for survivors, but there were none. Not a soul. Not even scraps of food. Only a single post stood in the centre of the wreckage, marked with the same crude scrawl as Takayama: BANDITS WERE HERE.

Adam's hands curled into fists. The bastards had ruined his plans, taken resources he'd counted on. He cursed them until his throat burned, but in the end, there was nothing to do.

So they turned west, toward Nagano—a place the chief had said still had working comms. The terrain smoothed out, the roads widening and levelling, and they covered the distance faster, arriving in seven days.

It didn't matter.

Nagano was just as dead. The streets were empty, the silence thick, and in the centre of the square stood the same nailed-up warning. No bodies, but the absence of life was almost worse. At least this time, the village wasn't burned to a crisp.

Ruby searched for survivors. Adam searched for supplies. Both came back empty-handed. He might have smashed the nearest wall in frustration, had Ruby not started crying that night.

It wasn't a few quiet tears—it was sobbing, raw and unguarded, until her voice gave out. She cried herself to sleep, leaving him restless and unnerved. They stayed two days, longer than he wanted, just so she could regain her composure. He didn't know why he'd allowed it. He just had.

Now they were on the road again, and fate was still playing games. Button had slowed to a plodding crawl, and Ruby... Ruby wasn't herself.

At first, it was small things: sleeping in, getting winded during sparring, a few nights of muffled weeping. Then she began eating less. Adam couldn't entirely blame her—the GIA's rations were barely edible, the taste clinging to the back of the throat no matter how much water you swallowed. Even he had started forcing them down out of necessity rather than choice.

Still, she was getting slower, sicker, even he could realise that, even though she disregarded it as a bad day or aches. He knew it was probably something more, but didn't care enough to say anything until it had reached day 25 of their road trip.

Having no other choice, the duo had decided to go further South to Sakuragawa, hoping they weren't yet raided by bandits. They were a larger village than the others, and conducted a lot more trade into Haven so Adam was uncharacteristically optimistic.

And Ruby was uncharacteristically not.

She lay face up on the wagon, her breaths shallower than usual. Adam, stopping to let Button hydrate near a creek, circled around the wagon before finally entering, staring down at her. She looked pasty, with her zoned-out face turning into a scowl when she saw him.

"What?" She asked.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked, bluntly, kneeling next to her. She pushed her body up by her palms, turning her face toward him as she rubbed her neck.

"What are you talking about?"

"You've been weaker lately, I've been close to breaking your aura more times than I can count. What's wrong?" 

Her scowl deepened as she turned away. "I don't want to talk about it, okay. I'm fine, I'm just a bit queasy." 

Unsatisfied, he turned her back to face him, earning a sharp protest as she tried to bat him away. "We had a conversation about this, Adam! No touching!"

"We also had a conversation about not keeping things from me, didn't we?"

She stopped struggling, meeting his eyes. His grip was firm but not rough — he made sure of that.

"What's wrong with you, Ruby?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

She turned away, her face colouring. "It's nothing, I'm just..." Her words trailed into a mumble.

"What?"

"...on my..."

"Speak up."

"I think it's my period, okay?" she blurted, shoving him back and curling in on herself.

Adam froze, heat creeping into his face. Oh. Women menstruate. He immediately hid his hands behind his back, clutching his wrist with the other as he looked down.

"I—uh... do you need supplies, or—?"

"No, I'm not bleeding," she said quickly, voice muffled against her knees.

"What? Aren't you supposed to—?"

"I haven't bled since Beacon," she admitted, finally lifting her head, cheeks still crimson. "Doctors said it's from trauma and stress. Still get the symptoms though..." 

Adam stayed kneeling beside her for a few moments, trying to process the information. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with it. "Right... period," he muttered under his breath, the words feeling awkward in his mouth.

He watched her curl tighter on the wagon, jaw set and arms crossed over her knees. Clearly, she didn't want to talk further, and Adam decided not to push. He didn't need to understand everything about women—he just needed to make sure she kept moving and kept fighting.

Stepping off of the wagon, he absentmindedly re-saddled Button and continued the journey, his thoughts lagging behind. It wasn't until nightfall that the shame had made him bang his head against a tree. 

Ruby sat leaning against Button's warm flank, absentmindedly braiding his mane. Her rations sat half-open beside her. She tried to eat — closing her eyes, holding her breath — but the moment she caught that sour fish smell, her stomach lurched.

She gagged and pushed the packet away, wiping her mouth. "Stupid period," she muttered under her breath. The sole bane of her warrior self — cramps, nausea, oversensitivity to every little thing. It always threw her off. She was practically thanking the stars that she didn't also have to deal with the blood. 

Thinking back on Nagano, she wanted to smack herself. She'd seen worse raids before with Team JNR and never broken down like that. Hormones. Always the bloody hormones.

She didn't even want children, so why did she have to suffer with this? "Sterilisation..." she groaned, curling forward as another wave of queasiness rolled through her. 

Button whinnied in consolation, the sound rumbling warmly through her side. She managed a small smile, resting her cheek against his neck. She was hungry — Gods knew she was hungry — but the thought of those rations made her stomach knot. Fine. If her body wanted to protest food, then it could starve.

"Mind over matter," she told herself coolly.

As she made her proclamation, Adam returned to camp, hands full. She barely looked up, assuming he'd fetched more wood for the fire. Instead, he stopped in front of her and extended his hand.

In it was an apple.

She blinked up at him. "What's this?"

"Food. Take it," he said.

"You're... giving it to me?"

"Gods, are you stu—" He cut himself off, huffing. "Just hurry up and take it."

Still looking bewildered, she took the apple. Without another word, he dropped a small handful of wild nectarines into her lap before retreating to his side of the fire.

Ruby glanced between the fruit and his back. She wasn't sure whether to thank him or accuse him of trying to poison her, but the sweet smell rising from the apple made her mouth water. She hungrily took a bite, savouring the sharp, sour taste.

Adam watched from across the fire as she made short work of the apple, then the nectarines, her earlier stubbornness gone without a trace. She didn't notice his gaze — or if she did, she ignored it.

When she finished, she set the cores aside and leaned back against Button, eyes already drooping. The fire popped softly between them, the only sound in the stillness of the camp.

"Don't eat it," he ordered, taking away the stale bread.

"But I'm hungry," Eve whined, extending a hand to try and take it back, only to be swatted away by Adam. He glared at her, teeth sinking into the bread and finishing her day's ration. 

Tears stung her face as she pushed him away, "Why did you do that! I haven't eaten in so long!" 

"You can't. Bear with it for another day. Only eat once every three days," he orders, catching her hands and bringing her close to him. His forehead touched hers, and she melted into him, crying as she clutched her stomach.

"But it hurts..."

"Has the cut healed?" He asked, looking at her. She wiped away the tears in her eyes as she nodded. Cursing, he looked around for a sharp rock, pulling up her skirt and reopening the wound on her thigh, allowing blood to form. 

She winced, grabbing his shoulders with all her strength as she stifled a sob. 

"Look at me. When it heals, you need to reopen it. Do it until the week is over," he said.

"But what if they find out?" She whispered. "We can't keep it from them forever."

"Do you want to be dragged to the cages? Be put on rotation for Siren Dust?" 

"N-no..."

"Then do as I tell you. We won't be slaves forever. We just have to hold on until then," he whispered. "We have no one but each other."

"We have no one but each other," she whispered.

Chapter Text

Sakuragawa was alive with energy. After nearly forty days on the road, they had finally reached the bustling city. Adam, having paid for a room at an inn, now sat outside a café with Ruby, quietly enjoying a sandwich.

Ruby, on the other hand, was ecstatic, buried in a ludicrously indulgent cookie bowl. The "bowl" itself was sculpted from cookie dough, piled high with five large scoops of ice cream, drowning under a mountain of whipped cream and sauce.

Adam's expression tightened as he watched her attack it, the sparkle in her eyes fuelled entirely by an inhuman quantity of sugar.

"Wha? Wanth thome?" she asked, pointing at the dessert with her spoon, cheeks stuffed.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Rose," he sneered, looking away.

Ruby swallowed and sighed with satisfaction. "This is exactly what I needed. I'm fired up!"

"How about eating something that won't give you diabetes?" he muttered.

"I'll have you know all this sugar gets burned off when I fight. I'm a lean, mean, killing machine," she declared, chin raised, eyes closed in mock pride. Adam only scoffed but didn't bother to contradict her.

As much as he judged the peppy girl across from him, he far preferred this version, bright-eyed and full, over the half-dead one who'd trudged alongside him during their travels. In fact, he decided, this was the perfect moment to end their truce.

He'd already mapped out his next steps on the journey here:

1. Reach Sakuragawa.

2. Use Ruby's Scroll to contact Grey and have him send a chopper.

3. Leave Ruby in Sakuragawa and return to his true mission, reviving the White Fang and liberating Faunuskind.

Step one was done. Unfortunately, Ruby's Scroll had died two days ago and was now back in their room, charging.

Until it was ready, they had agreed to explore. Ruby had changed back into her original black corset dress with the familiar red hood, her hair bouncing as she skipped down the street.

Adam, less conspicuous, stuck to his yukata, which he'd grown unexpectedly fond of. The haori's hood shaded his hair and horns as he followed behind, strolling rather than skipping, eyes scanning the streets from beneath his veil.

Sakuragawa was bigger than he'd expected. Not like the other villages they'd passed through, this one was modern. Three-storey houses lined the roads, and the sheer number of people here could have outnumbered all the other villages combined.

The road they walked along was lined with open shops and stalls, each vendor proudly displaying their signature wares, from salted fish to luxurious silks. Up ahead, Ruby's attention locked on to a particular shop, and without a second thought, she dashed inside.

By the time Adam caught up, he realised it was a weapons shop.

"Wow! New fine-lined blade nunchucks with a collapsible pistol? Oh my gosh! Is that a sheathable chainsaw sword?!"

"Haha! You sure know your weapons, missy!" the shopkeeper chuckled, his broad frame towering over her as she waded eagerly through the shelves and racks.

"Rose!" Adam's voice was sharp enough to draw both their eyes to him. "Don't run off like that."

"Oops, sorry," she said, wincing as her earlier burst of energy dipped back to a normal level. "Can I just get those refills and a couple of normal combustion dust cartridges?"

"Sure thing, and just because you're cute, I'll throw in an extra safety knife," the man said with a wink. Ruby's cheeks flushed, a bright smile spreading across her face, while Adam's frown deepened, darkening the space between them.

"That'll be four hundred lien, please," the man said, ringing up the cartridges with practiced efficiency.

Ruby whistled, wide-eyed. "Wow... much pricier than Haven."

"So, you're from the Kingdoms, are ya? Figured, what with that fancy-looking weapon you've got behind you," he said, gesturing towards Crescent Rose. "You look a little too young to be a Huntress—maybe a student at Haven?"

"Actually... Beacon," Ruby replied, shrugging slightly, though a shadow passed over her features.

He whistled, low this time. "Shame what happened there. I was watching the Vytal Festival with my brother... man, what a mess that was. All because of those White mutts."

Ruby tensed, feeling Adam's quiet fury simmer just behind her shoulder. "Actually, it was much larger than that... a big conspiracy thing," she added hastily, trying to soften the situation.

"Still though, I'm glad the White Fang broke up. Those good-for-nothings always bring trouble," the man said, shaking his head.

"You know they disbanded?" Adam cut in sharply, stepping closer and nudging Ruby aside. "It's only been a month since they fell apart."

"A month? No, no..." the man said, frowning. "I remember the Haven Police Department talking about them back in May. It's July now, and September's nearly around the corner... it's closer to three months, isn't it?"

The two froze.

"That can't be right," Ruby laughed nervously, her voice catching. "We've only been gone for a few weeks... haven't... we...?" She glanced at Adam, and her expression fell.

She started counting quietly on her fingers: nine days at the crash site, two days at Kanagawa, eleven days travelling to Kanagawa. "...Forty days to Sakuragawa..."

"Forty days? Gods above... where did you travel from?!" the man exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Kanagawa," Ruby said softly. "We went from Kanagawa to Shirakawa, to Nagano, and then here."

"You covered two hundred miles?! What are we, backpacking through Mistral?" His voice rose in astonishment, gesturing with both hands. "Takayama's a mission and a day away; it takes us village folk a month to trek up that mountain—not to mention the Grimm along the way. But Nagano... huh. Haven't heard from them in a while. Have you met Lissa? She makes the best noodles in Mistral!"

Ruby's face fell, her radiant smile dimming. Silence spread between them like a weight. The man's own grin faltered as he noticed it.

"What? What happened?" he asked, concern creeping into his tone.

"Nagano... was raided by bandits before we got there. There were... no survivors," Ruby said heavily. Her words hung in the air like smoke. She watched the life drain from his eyes as he staggered back, hand on the counter for support.

"Hey, are you okay?!" Ruby exclaimed, stepping forward instinctively, hands outstretched to steady him.

"Nothing... I-I'm fine. Here's your stuff," he said quietly, his voice tight. Ruby opened her mouth to insist, but Adam slammed the lien on the counter, grabbing the ammo with one hand and dragging Ruby away with the other.

"Hey, wait! He needs help!" Ruby cried, spinning around to see the man collapse onto himself, hands covering his face.

"Use your brain, Rose," Adam snapped, silencing her. "That wasn't a situation we could help. Just leave him alone."

They walked on for another block, turning a corner until they reached the street where their inn stood. Ruby finally pulled her hand free, scowling at Adam.

"We could've consoled him, at least," she muttered, her voice tight with frustration.

"Saying what? 'So sorry Nagano got wiped off the map... how about I pay full price?'" Adam mimicked bitterly, his lips curling.

"You don't have to be such an ass! You could tell he knew her!" Ruby snapped back, heat rising to her cheeks.

"Sometimes the best thing to do is keep your mouth shut," Adam said, voice low and sharp. "Enough of this. Let's just go to the inn and call for help."

Ruby didn't argue. She fell into step behind him, her head as low as her spirits. "Was he right?"

Adam slowed his pace, glancing back as if to catch her words more clearly. "About what?"

"About us... being gone for three months... That can't be right. It felt like weeks," she muttered, her voice almost swallowed by the hum of the street.

"I don't know. I don't even know what month it is..." He exhaled heavily, thoughts tumbling as he replayed the store clerk's words. Three months. He tried to recall when he'd last checked the date. Ruby had attacked him around the last half of May.

They had been stranded there for a week, maybe longer. Then came all the travelling, which had stretched far longer than it should have, thanks to the Grimm and the horse whose legs shook more than its steps. Not to mention all of their pitstops along the way. Gods above, how much time had actually passed?

"I keep adding up the days... what I can remember. I keep adding, re-adding, re-re-adding... We can't have disappeared for three months. That's..." Ruby's voice trailed off, swallowed by uncertainty, as her mind spun with the impossibility of the timeline.

"Would they have stopped looking for us by now?" She breathed, finally stopping him. She had stopped a few paces back, her fists clenched and hood covering her dark face. 

He couldn't answer. If it were him, he'd have given up on the missing person long ago. If he called his subordinates, would they be surprised he was still alive? Did they think he died during Haven's attack? No, he was Adam Taurus. High leader. They were fools slamming into eachother without him. 

He was order. He was justice. He was revolution. Maybe Ruby's sappy sack of friends would've forgotten her. 

"Who can say?" He finally said, turning back to walk. "But there's no point in thinking about it now." 

His mind was racing at a million miles a second, that familiar churn in his stomach like a knife twisting inside his guts. He can't have been forgotten. How dare they forget him? They couldn't. They weren't able to. 

"But what if-"

"I said I don't know!" He shouted, turning on her. She took a step back, face written in shock. 

"Wha-"

"Maybe your friends did. But I am High Leader! I am the future! My subordinates wouldn't have forgotten me! I cannot die. My memory lives on for far longer, I am the one who will liberate the Faunus!"

Yes, he was. He was their hope. Their salvation. They were nothing without him. Nothing. They needed him. To live. To lead. To guide. Lost sheep waiting for their shepard to return. He gulped on air as if it were running out, never seeming to fill his lungs. 

"Maybe your friends forgot you, but my organisation would never."

Ruby's face lit with anger. "Huh, organisation? Not friends huh? Typical, I guess the great Adam Taurus doesn't have any. How can that be? What with your amazing personality and optimistic attitude?"

Adam stepped closer, closing the space between them. The two of them squared off in the middle of a deserted street, shadows stretching long in the dim light.

"You know, maybe your friends did forget you. Perhaps they moved on. Blake must have, she's always been good at deserting her teammates like they're yesterday's trash. And let's be honest, the heiress probably forgot you while deciding which polish to wear. And your sister—"

He didn't get to finish. Ruby's hand shot out, striking his cheek with a sharp crack. Adam froze, more in surprise than pain, before slowly turning to her, eyes dark and full of barely contained fury.

"Don't. Talk about Yang like that," she warned, her voice low but trembling with anger. "Don't you dare."

"Or what?" he said, his tone quiet, cold, but with a dangerous edge that made the air between them feel heavier.

They stared off for what seemed like forever, until a nearby crow cawed, flying in between and separating them. They both stumbled back, the initial hostility dissipating into lingering anger. 

"Let's hurry up and call for help, so I can finally be rid of you," she spat, purposefully colliding into his shoulder as she walked past. 

Adam cursed behind her, following her all the way into their room. There, on the bed, was her Scroll in its charging port. The battery was at 89%, good enough for them. 

Ruby grabbed the device, pressing it to her ear and immediately scowling at Adam, who hovered impatiently at the door, shifting from foot to foot. She dialled Yang's number first, the tiny beeps of the Scroll echoing ominously in the quiet room.

The ringing felt interminable, stretching seconds into minutes. Then, finally, a familiar, warm voice cut through. "Ruby?"

Ruby's scowl melted instantly, replaced with pure relief and joy. "Yang—"

Before she could finish, the Scroll emitted a sharp, piercing beep, cutting the call mid-word. "Wha—Yang? Yang?!" she shouted, frantically pressing the call button, her fingers fumbling as she tried to send a message at the same time. Her heart raced, panic bubbling with every second that passed.

Adam's patience snapped. "What?" he barked, foot tapping angrily on the floor, his shadow looming over her.

"I've lost the signal..." Ruby said, her voice tight with frustration, eyes flicking nervously across the screen.

"What?" he demanded sharply, striding forward and snatching the Scroll from her hands.

"Hey!" Ruby protested, reaching for it, but he ignored her.

"Shut up, Rose. What the hell?!" Adam's voice cut through the tension, low and dangerous.

He hoisted the Scroll, shaking it slightly, scanning for a signal bar. The icon stubbornly displayed a crossed-out line. "Where the fuck did it go?!" His voice was harsh, frayed at the edges, and his dark eyes flared with a mix of disbelief and growing panic.

"Maybe we're too far out of reach," she suggested, already half-way out the door. "Let's get closer to the tower."

Ruby didn't know what to expect when they reached the main square, where the Village Chief's house loomed over the heart of Sakuragawa. Perhaps more market stalls, the dancers she'd glimpsed earlier — but not this. Not a heaving, furious mob.

The square boiled with noise. Dozens of villagers were crammed shoulder to shoulder, voices clashing in a raw, chaotic chorus. An elderly man stood on the wooden patio above them, his weathered hands raised in a futile attempt to calm the storm.

"They looted our barns!" one man bellowed from somewhere near the front.

"They killed our horses!" a woman's voice rang out, thick with fury.

Adam swore under his breath, his gaze flicking over the restless crowd. More people were spilling into the square from side streets, their faces hard with anger. Someone jostled him, and he seized a passing man by the arm.

"What the hell's going on?" Adam demanded.

"The bandits again," the man growled, spitting the word like poison. "They set fire to one of our crop barns. All the wheat's gone." With a sharp tug, he freed himself from Adam's grip and plunged into the press of bodies.

Ruby wove between people with the agility of someone used to slipping through tight spaces, edging closer to the front. Adam tried to follow but his height and broader build worked against him; he was wedged in after only a few steps.

"Please," the Chief's voice carried over the din, shaky but determined, "we can't face them directly—"

"They're treating us like fools!" a burly man interrupted, his voice booming over the crowd and drawing a wave of agreement. "It's only a matter of time before they invade!"

Another villager surged forward, her voice cutting like a whip. "We can't just stand here! We have to fight back!" The swell of cheers that followed nearly drowned the Chief out.

"These bandits are dangerous!" the old man insisted, but the plea only sparked jeers and muttered curses.

"We need to fight!" someone cried from the back.

"What about the children?!" a woman's voice cracked, thick with fear.

"Should we just wait for them to kill us all?!" another villager shot back, earning a roar of approval.

Ruby craned her neck, trying to see past the forest of raised fists and bobbing heads. The air felt heavy, thickened by the heat of so many bodies pressed close together, the smell of sweat and churned earth rising from the crowd. Someone's shoulder slammed into hers, nearly knocking her forward.

Adam finally managed to reach her side, jaw clenched. "This isn't our problem," he said under his breath.

She ignored him, her attention fixed on the Chief — hands still raised, palms open, his face taut with strain.

"This is our problem if they're burning villages," Ruby murmured back, urgency threading her tone.

Adam's gaze flicked to her, sharp and warning. "You want to go chasing armed bandits for people you've known five minutes?"

Before she could reply, another surge of shouting rose, louder than before. A rock clattered against the patio steps, making the Chief flinch.

"They'll keep coming unless we do something!" a deep voice roared from within the mass.

"Do what?!" came the reply. "We're farmers, not soldiers!"

Ruby bit her lip, caught between staying silent and stepping forward. Adam's watchful glare weighed on her, but the thought of doing nothing while these people waited for the next attack made her stomach twist.

Then, without warning, the noise dimmed. A ripple of murmurs spread as the crowd began to part. From the far side of the square, a man advanced — tall, broad-shouldered, his patched leather coat weathered from long use. Two others flanked him, each carrying a spear. His steps were unhurried, deliberate, his gaze sweeping the assembly like a hawk surveying prey.

Ruby drifted closer to Adam, her voice low. "Who's that?"

Adam's eyes narrowed. "Trouble."

Upon closer inspection, Ruby recognised the man from earlier. "The weapons keeper!"

He wasn't happy at all like earlier, instead, his face was hardened with anger, identical to the furious faces of the two men behind him, identical in every way. 

"H-Hong, what are you doing?" The Chief's guard stepped forward, armoured and armed with a spear, but his presence seemed to shrink in comparison to Hong's towering frame.

Hong gave no answer. Instead, he turned his back on the guard and faced the crowd.

"Nagano is gone."

A ripple of whispers threaded through the assembly.

"They were raided by bandits," Hong went on, his voice ringing clear. "Shirakawa too. Are we going to stand here and wait until it happens to us?!"

A ragged chorus rose in answer. "No!"

"Are we going to wait until they burn our houses? Kill our children?!"

The reply came louder this time, almost defiant. "No!"

"Hong, stop!" the Chief's voice cracked from the patio. "Why do you stir up discord like this?"

Hong turned to him slowly, the weight of his silence almost heavier than his voice had been. When he spoke, it was with the quiet intensity of someone past the point of restraint.

"Discord? This chaos exists because of your failure to defend your people. Because of the failure of those villages to defend themselves."

"H-Hong—" the Chief began.

"My Lissa!" The shout tore from Hong's chest. "My only baby sister. I raised her myself — taught her to read, to write. I walked her down the aisle at her wedding. And now she's dead! Are you going to wait around for your children to be murdered?! Your family?!"

A furious chorus of "No!" erupted, the sound crackling with grief and fury.

"We need to do something!" a woman barked, her voice cutting through the square, and the crowd surged with renewed fervour, every villager on edge, ready for action. The mob's frenzy grew, a tidal wave of shouting and wild gestures, until a sharp, booming crack split the air.

All eyes swung upward. The Chief stood firm, gun raised to the sky, the echo of the shot hanging in the air. Behind him, a figure stepped into view: a young woman, dark hair streaked with a soft peachy pink near the tips, wrapped neatly with a long hairpin. Her presence radiated authority, yet her features carried a youthful sharpness, a mix of determination and calm.

"Enough with the shouting!" her deep, commanding voice cut through the tumult, rivaling the mob itself. "Do you think this will help us achieve anything?! You'll bring the Grimm right to our doorstep!"

The square fell into hushed whispers, the riotous energy dissipating as villagers glanced nervously at her. Ruby's eyes took in the newcomer: a cut kimono top flowing lightly over tight black shorts, a metal-armoured skirt etched with intricate designs and tipped with spikes. Her arms were encased in armour, and her colourful peach-and-pink tights disappeared into dark green boots. Every detail spoke of skill, readiness, and a quiet menace.

"What do you expect us to do, Momo? Wait for our own demise?!" Hong bellowed, voice raw with grief and rage.

"I expect you, of all people, to remain calm in this situation, Hong," she said, her gaze unwavering, stance perfectly balanced. "It is true that the Branwen clan has been a thorn in our side for a long time, but that is no excuse to incite a mob. Anger brings Grimm. Panic brings death."

"My sister is dead!" he shouted, his fists clenching.

""And many others will also die if you continue like this," she said evenly, her voice carrying across the square, resolute and unwavering. She drew in a steady breath, scanning the crowd. "I understand your fears. I, too, know the bandits are a threat. But rushing in blindly is a death sentence.

"Instead, we will enforce our perimeters. I want watches posted at all hours, and I will personally organise a team to scout the forest for any suspicious activity. Once we know what we're actually dealing with, then we shall plan our next move. For now—disperse. Collect your children from school and ensure your homes are secure."

The crowd murmured as it dissipated, leaving Ruby entranced by the girl, especially by the fans she had. It was so beautiful, as if it were calling her. She hadn't noticed sneaking up on the girl until she was right next to her, startling her. 

"Is that a collapsible triple bladed fan?!" She squealed. 

The girl blinked twice before nodding. 

"Oh my gosh! That's so cool! Does it have any other features? Can I chec—Hey!" Ruby's excitement was cut short as Adam yanked her back by her hood, startling Momo, who hadn't even noticed his presence.

"You are such a pain in the—" Adam began.

"Um...who are you?" She asked, earning the attention of the duo. Ruby batted Adam away before straightening herself, offering a hand, "Hi, I'm Ruby Rose. Huntress in training."

"Hoshigawa Momo, also a Huntress in training. I go to Haven Academy," she shakes her hand.

"Haven? Shouldn't school be in session right now?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well I live close enough to the school. Distance is nothing when I've got my motorcycle. We're on a break so I thought I'd spend my time at home. How about you? You from Vacuo?"

"Beacon." 

Momo's face dropped slightly as she rubbed her neck awkwardly. "Wow, sorry bout what happened there. I watched it all from my room, and before I could call anyone, the CCT was destroyed."

"Yeah, it's been crazy since then," Ruby shrugged. "What was that all about?"

Momo sighed, "Bandits. Again. They're starting to get on my nerves."

"Are they the reason why the comms are down?" Adam asked, stepping forward. Momo looked him up and down, a curious face forming. 

"Are you also a huntsman-in-training?" 

"Yup, he also went to Beacon!" Ruby says quickly, smiling. "His name's Rowan." She says, remembering the name from before.

"Cool, nice to meet you. As for the comms, they were cut just an hour ago. I don't even know how, the wires were just...burned."

"That's weird..." Ruby mused. 

"How do you know it was bandits?" He asked, frowning. 

"There's been rumours going around. Village after village in Mistral has been hit these past few months. Comms cut first, then crops burned, followed by raids. No—"

"Survivors," Ruby finished, the word sharp as it left her lips. Shock rippled through the guards and the Chief alike.

"How did you know that?" she asked.

"I've seen the same pattern in villages I visited. Takayama, Shirakawa, Nagano... it's the same bandits, isn't it?"

"Takayama? That's miles away!" A guard exclaimed, incredulous.

"Was it you who told Hong about Nagano?" a third demanded.

"Yes, but I didn't think—" Ruby began.

"So you're the reason he's staging a revolt!"

"No, wait—" she tried, but the accusation cut her off.

"Watch your mouth," Adam grit. 

"And who are you?!" The guard shouted. 

"Shut up, all of you!" Momo snaps, sending a threatening look to the guard who backed off. "Sorry about that, Ren's a bit touchy when it comes to the Branwen clan."

"None take- wait...Did you say Branwen clan?" Ruby repeats.

"The Branwen bandits are supposedly the ones behind the attacks. They're scum, all of them. Led by the bitch leader herself, Raven Branwen," Ren spat. 

"That's yet to be confirmed," Momo interjected evenly, "but it's the most likely lead. The clan's been rumoured to have been seen near these parts."

Ruby's posture stiffened, her smile tightening almost imperceptibly as Momo began issuing orders with crisp authority.

"Lian, take Grandfather back inside. Kuro, you're with me—scouting perimeter routes. Ren, you're going into the village to calm the crowd."

"What? No—let me come with you. I can help!" Ren protested, stepping forward.

"You are helping," Momo replied firmly. "By going into the village."

"But—"

"Ren!" Kuro barked, cutting him off. "The chief's granddaughter gave her orders. Follow them." He shoved Ren lightly in the chest to get him moving. Ren's jaw tightened, and he stalked away, his footsteps thudding against the dirt with barely restrained frustration.

Momo let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of her neck.

"He's got some... history with the Branwen clan?" Ruby asked cautiously.

"Ren's a hothead," Momo admitted. "Not from here. His home was raided by the clan years ago. He's been itching for a chance to strike back ever since. He means well—he's just... angry." Her eyes lingered briefly on Ren's retreating figure before she pulled her focus back to the group.

"Yeah... I get that," Ruby said softly, her lips curving in a sympathetic smile.

Momo's own expression warmed for a moment before she straightened, rolling her shoulders as if shrugging off the momentary softness. "Kuro, suit up. As for you two—" she looked to Ruby and Adam—"I don't know much about Beacon's students, but you're better trained than most of the villagers here. Mind giving me a hand?"

"Yes!" Ruby chirped without hesitation.

"No," Adam said flatly, almost in the same breath.

Momo blinked, caught between their clashing answers, as Adam caught Ruby's wrist. "We're leaving."

"No, we aren't."

"Yes, we are."

"I'll... give you two a moment. Kuro, let's move," Momo murmured, offering a quick, strained smile before striding away. Ruby kept smiling until Momo's silhouette disappeared, then whirled on Adam with narrowed eyes.

"What the hell, Adam?"

"This is trouble we don't need," he replied, voice low and hard. "Let's just go."

"Go where, exactly? Backpack it to the next village?"

"Yes."

"No! How long would that even take?! It's already been three months. I'm not wasting more of my life stranded in this damned countryside. I'm going home."

"And how exactly do you plan to do that? The comms are down."

"Why do you care? This was supposed to be temporary. As far as I'm concerned, this is where we part ways."

"No. The deal was until we reached somewhere with working comms, then we could call for help. That hasn't changed. The comms are still dead, and we're still stuck, so as far as I'm concerned, we're sticking together."

Ruby let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. "Pfft. You think I'm still going to play happy partner with you after earlier? Here." She shoved her Scroll into his hand. "Take it. Go on. Take Button and wander Mistral to your heart's content. I'm staying here."

"And you'll do what?"

"None of your business." Her voice was final, her glare cutting like glass. "Our truce ends here, Adam. Goodbye." She turned on her heel before he could answer, marching towards where Momo had gone.

Adam stood there, as if he couldn't understand what just happened. By the time he processed what was said, Ruby was already gone.  His stunned face morphed into anger, realising that he had been left behind. 

He was about to run after her when someone else called his name, "Adam?"

He turned around, the deep voice sounding familiar to him. Looking down, he saw him. "Lacer."

Chapter Text

"Where is she?" Adam rasped, dragging the heavy baton along the ground. The metal scraped stone with a grating hiss, leaving a thin trail of blood in its wake.

The commander staggered backwards, one hand raised feebly in defence while the other clawed at the floor, trying to drag his broken body away. AAdam, unamused by his lack of answer, brought the baton down on his leg, right next to a gashing wound. 

His screams curdled as his body curled. "I-I don't know. Commander Watson had her last. She-she was to be sent to disposal after what she did..."

Adam's chest burned, fire crawling up through him as his eyes locked on the pathetic figure. The man's helmet lay discarded, glinting faintly beside his fallen comrade.

"Please," the soldier gasped, desperation choking him. "I—I have a family."

Adam's expression did not shift. He crushed the man's leg beneath his boot, waiting for the scream to rip free again. The instant his mouth opened, Adam rammed the baton down his throat and thumbed the trigger.

The shrieks came strangled this time, smothered by the buzz of raw current. The stench of seared flesh thickened the air, crawling into Adam's lungs until the man's convulsions ceased.

Adam wrenched the baton free, spat a curse, and ground his heel into the man's face before stepping over him.

Through the jagged hole blasted into the mine's stone wall, Adam pressed forward. Around him, voices cried and begged—but none of them belonged to the Faunus.

His grip tightened on the weapon.

"Eve..."

----

The forest was wild, its tall pine trees offering little protection against the sun. Gods, it was warm. Ruby hadn't realised how used she got to the colder climate these past months, but her limit was certainly being tested.

She looked through the scope of Crescent Rose, spying on the ground before. Momo was a few trees away, and Kuro was down in the dirt, hidden. They'd been at this a while, stalking the forest slowly as they went deeper. 

After a few minutes of watching, Momo flashed her a signal with her fans. Ruby nodded, packing up Crescent Rose as she Petal burst another hundred metres deeper onto another tree, resuming her position. 

Momo was right behind her, jumping from tree to tree, using the blades in her fans as hooks as she climbed onto the branches. Looking through her scope, she saw a man threading his way between the trees, head twitching with every sound, one hand fixed to the pistol at his hip. His paranoia was obvious; every few steps he half-turned, scanning the empty woods as if he knew something was coming.

Ruby lowered her scope and gestured back. Did Momo see him? She caught the older girl's steady nod. Then, with a breath, Momo raised her hand.

From her aura bloomed a small, spectral bird, pink and translucent, its form delicate yet impossibly alive. It cocked its head at Ruby, feathers rippling as though stirred by wind Ruby couldn't feel. A heartbeat later, it took wing, flitting off with an uncanny grace.

Ruby watched with amazement, barely noticing Momo's sharp motion until it came—two quick flicks of her fan. Fall back.

She hesitated, confused. From her perch the man looked alone. But Momo's gaze was locked elsewhere, narrowed, as if reading the forest itself. Whatever she'd seen, it was enough.

They regrouped at a safe spot, a couple hundred metres from where they had started. Ruby pulled her cape free from her damp neck and turned to Momo, curiosity brimming.

"What was that?" she asked, eyes wide. "That bird—it came out of nowhere."

"Oh, the pheasant?" Momo replied casually, though there was a faint pride in her voice. "That's my semblance. I have three companions I can call on—a pheasant, a monkey, and a dog."

Ruby's lips parted in awe. "So cool..." she whispered, almost to herself.

A sudden movement made her jolt. Kuro emerged from the undergrowth right at her side, brushing dirt from his knees. He'd clearly been crouched in cover, watching.

"What's the deal? Why are we falling back?" he asked, lowering his voice.

"I sent the pheasant to scout," Momo explained. She pressed her palms over her eyes, then drew them away—her irises now glowing a soft pink. "The man isn't wandering. He's leading us back to their camp. Once we know its position, we can make a proper plan."

"From what I saw, the dude looked pretty lost," Kuro said.

"The man isn't lost—he's leading us back. And now..." Momo's fan flicked open with a snap, pointing toward the treeline. A thin plume of smoke rose in the distance, faint as a candle flame against the sky. "He's not lost. There. Their camp."

Ruby squinted, straining. The smoke was barely visible, a pale thread against the horizon. She finally caught it, her breath quickening.

"Where? Where am I looking?" Kuro demanded, craning his neck.

Momo clicked her tongue in irritation, seizing his chin and angling his face. "There. Focus."

He narrowed his eyes, scowling. "I still don't see a thing. You sure about this?"

"Positive."

--------

Adam leaned back against the wall, watching villagers drift past the mouth of the alley until Lacer reappeared, two skewers of roasted potatoes in hand.

"Here, these are really good," Lacer said, offering one.

Adam took it without thanks, eyeing the man as he bit into his own. Lacer was unmistakably Faunus—spikes tracing the bridge of his nose and running along his jawline like scaled armour.

"What are you doing here? I never called for you," Adam said, narrowing his eyes.

Lacer chuckled lightly, tearing into another potato. "It's been a while. Gods, when I saw you, I couldn't believe it. I thought you were dead."

"Impossible. I would never fall at the hands of humans." Adam's hand tightened around the skewer. "I got into... complications at Haven. Chasing after the Belladonna girl."

Lacer's gaze softened. "I'm just glad you're alive. The Fang... well, we hit a wall after Haven. Many of our brothers and sisters were arrested by the Haven Police Force. And in Menagerie—our ambassadors were killed."

Adam's eyes flashed. "Corsac and Fennec are dead?"

"I think so. I heard Corsac was, but Fennec—" Lacer shook his head. "Unclear. Either way, it's been a mess. Recruitment collapsed. Most of us... left."

Adam's head snapped up. "What?" His voice was sharp, dangerous, but Lacer didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah. Lucky for us we wore those Grimm masks. When I split, no one knew I was Fang. I took up an alias, blended in as a traveller. Been living here three months now."

"You just abandoned our cause?"

The levity drained from Lacer's face, replaced with disbelief. "There was nothing left to fight for. The world saw us attack the schools—everywhere we go, we're branded as terrorists. And worse—our High Leader vanished. You vanished. For months. Everyone thought you were dead. We even held a funeral. Set a gravestone, right beside the old High Leader Khan."

Adam's eyes blazed, his voice breaking into a roar. "You buried me next to Sienna?!"

"We thought you were dead!"

Adam drew a long breath through clenched teeth, trying to steady the furious pounding in his chest. "It doesn't matter. I'm back now. Once I return to Haven, I'll call on the few loyalists we have left. I will rebuild the White Fang—restore it to its rightful glory—"

"There is no one left," Lacer cut him off. "Once people started leaving, the rest scattered. Someone must've ratted us out because the Haven Police Force raided most of our hideouts. There weren't even enough hands to keep the candles burning."

Adam stilled. "They're all gone?"

"Well...Everyone in Mistral is gone. Some went into hiding, others left the continent entirely. I think a few die-hards migrated to ATLAS. Gray and Trifa, if I remember."

"ATLAS, you say?" Adam repeated. That was a long way away. Not to mention the impossibility of getting past all their security. Though...for him...it wouldn't be more than a workout. 

Sensing his scheming, Lancer spoke, "You're not actually thinking of going there, are you?"

"So long as my brothers continue to fight, so will I."

Lacer’s tone was weary, almost pleading. “The villages have changed, Adam. You can feel it. The sneers have stopped, shops aren't turning us away. Things are… different now. Humans and Faunus are living together. Side by side. ”

Adam barked a laugh, cold and humourless. “Different? Tell me, Lacer — did Mantle open its gates to Faunus families? Did Atlas dismantle its mines? Did the SDC stop hiding our people in company housing like livestock? I missed that headline.”

Lacer’s jaw tightened.

“Don’t mistake quiet for progress,” Adam pressed. “Humans have learned to hide their hatred behind politeness and paperwork. They’ll smile at you in the street — then make sure you’re never promoted, never welcome at their table, never seen as equal. Is that the ‘change’ you see? With the White Fang— ”

"You've been gone too long. After Haven... when the Faunus of Menagerie stood up to the White Fang and helped save the school—it was broadcast. Thousands across Mistral saw Faunus fighting against you. Against us. And they hailed them as heroes."

Adam's hands curled into fists. "Lies."

Lacer shook his head. "It's almost laughable. For years we fought to prove our people's strength, and in the end, it was us—our masks, our war—that united humans and Faunus, against the White Fang."

"And how long do you think that will last? Until they go back to blaming the Faunus for the sky being grey or whatever problem they need a scapegoat for?"

"I'm tired, Adam," Lacer said, exhaustion threading his words. "I spent six years in the White Fang. I've fought, killed, and dreamed of a day when people wouldn't spit on the steps I walked. This may not be enough for you...but it's enough for me. I've got a job now, and a girl I'm seeing—"

"You may have turned your back on our cause, but I haven't." Adam's voice trembled with barely contained fury, his grip on Wilt tightening until the metal creaked. "I'll continue to fight for our liberation, even if I die doing it!"

"You did die." Lacer's words were calm, almost clinical, but they struck Adam like a hammer. He staggered back slightly, the weight of the statement sinking in. "Three months ago. For someone whose face is plastered everywhere, you should be glad to be presumed dead. You could start over. Settle somewhere. Live."

"I. Will never. Settle. With humans." Adam spat the words, eyes blazing, fists clenching at his sides. Every muscle in his body radiated anger, barely contained.

"Then who was that girl you were with before? She smelled human." Lacer leaned back, studying him with a faint, incredulous tilt of his head.

"She's...nothing." Adam's jaw tightened, his voice low and harsh, teeth gritting.

"She didn't look like nothing when you were protecting her from that guard." Lacer's gaze pierced him, steady and unyielding, the quiet certainty in his tone cutting sharper than any blade.

"That's none of your business," Adam growled, his fists trembling slightly, the tension coiling like a spring beneath his skin.

"You're right, it isn't. The White Fang isn't my business, not anymore. It was nice seeing you, Adam. I'm glad you're not dead," he says, jokingly, though Adam didn't laugh. Rubbing the back of his neck, awkwardly, he turned around, preparing to walk away before stopping to turn back.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but promptly closed it as he walked away.

Adam was still holding the potato stick, untouched. It was cold now, but he didn't care. He stood there for what seemed like forever, before throwing the stick to the floor and stomping on it with his boot.

"No. They need me. The White Fang needs me." There's no one left. Those words rang heavily in his ears. "They need me. I'm their saviour. I'm all that they have."

He stumbled out of the alleyway, the sun burning his eyes as the noise pierced his ears. Everything seemed so bright, so loud. His head ached, dizziness climbing through as he stumbled. 

A girl passing by slowed, concern flickering across her face. She reached out instinctively, her hand gentle as she asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

Adam recoiled, eyes flashing. He struck her hand away with a vicious motion, venom dripping from his words.

"Don't touch me, human." 

She scoffs before walking away, muttering about how rude he was. It was hard to breathe all of a sudden, and was the Sun blaring extra hot? Adam felt his lungs constrict, as if they refused to breathe in air properly. 

There's nothing left to fight for... NO! That can't be true! If it was...

Then who would he be?

His fists clenched until his knuckles creaked. He was High Leader. He is High Leader. He would not be reduced to nothing. The White Fang lived through him, through his will, through those who remained loyal. He only needed to reach Gray. He was always the most dedicated to the White Fang, having earned the rank of lieutenant. The White Fang lives. Its cause would never die until the humans did. 

Fumbling with the Scroll, Adam tried his luck calling Gray's number. He cursed when it didn't dial, going straight to the automated message. Of course, how could he forget about the cut comms. 

He shook the Scroll as though he could force life into it, force Gray to appear, to be there. 

Gods, it was happening again. His hand shook violently, unable to stop even when it clutched it with his other. Stumbling to the fountain, Adam sat down as he tried to stop the shaking. It wasn't until he had slammed his hand on the ceramic fountain edge that it stopped, and his ears pricked.

"We leave now. If we track them, we'll find the bandits and finish this." Adam shifted Wilt just an inch from its sheath, tilting the blade to catch the reflection of the group talking.

"But what about what Momo said?" one of the men murmured—the same face Adam remembered tailing Hong in the mob.

"Fuck what Momo said," spat another, venom in his tone. "Those bastards killed Lissa."

"You think we'd even stand a chance? The guards here listen to her. They'd never let us form a squad."

"I don't care. If it means going alone, I'll go. But I won't let Lissa die unavenged. At least one of those bandits should bleed in her honour," Hong growled, gripping his spear so tight the wood creaked.

"You're right. I'm in," his companion said reluctantly. "But the others will need convincing."

"Convincing? This is the Branwen Clan. Anyone who crosses them ends up dead. All we have to do is wait a day for Momo to disappear—then we rally the mob."

"Are you sure? She's a Huntress."

"She's a child who talks too big for her boots. It doesn't matter. We do this—for Lissa."

"For Lissa," his twin echoed.

Adam sheathed Wilt with a click, leaning forward on his arm.

Anyone who crosses them ends up dead.

Our truce ends here, Adam. Goodbye.

The memory stung like a blade across old scars. Clicking his tongue in frustration, Adam pushed himself to his feet and stalked toward the gate.

You have to make them pay.

---

Adam trudged over the strewn bodies of commanders and scientists, his boots smearing red across the stone floor. To his left, a suited man convulsed on the ground as a spider Faunus crouched above him, cackling with unhinged delight.

"How do you like it, sweetheart?" she jeered, shoving a jagged rock into what remained of his mouth. Blood bubbled out, choking his gurgled screams. Her laughter cracked the air until it faded into a breathless sigh. She glanced back at Adam, eyes sweeping over him. A grin tugged at her lips, sharp and approving, before she turned back to her grisly work, pounding until the skull split like ripe fruit.

Adam marched on, remembering the way to disposal from before when he was forced to carry the bodies over. He couldn't forget the quiet chokes of the Stag Faunus as he threw him into disposal, well aware that he was alive. 

But it didn't matter. He was deemed useless. So he had to go. Adam tightened his grip on the baton as he shook off the unpleasant memory. Moving on, he finally made it to disposal; the door already cracked open. 

Inside were cages upon cages, emptied. The large furnace in the middle raged with quiet fury as Adam scanned the room. Blood was smeared everywhere, and bodies in hazmat suits littered the exits. They tried to get away, he could almost laugh.

He entered deeper into the room, ignoring the whimpering pleas of workers who were slowly bleeding out.

"Eve!" He called out, voice cracking. "Eve!"

"Adam?" A shaking voice whispers. He turns to the cages, dropping the baton as he digs at the pile of bodies. There she was, her frail body crawled in on itself, ragged breath filling the room. 

He dug her out, cradling her as his hands searched through her body. Wounds. Bruises. Cuts. She winced as he traced over each one. "You're going to be fine," he breathed. "I'm gonna get you out of here."

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, "I tried so hard to hide it..."

"It doesn't matter. They're all dead. Someone's come to rescue us, the Faunus are free. We're free," he whispers, sliding his hand under her legs as he hoisted her up, before dropping to one knee.

She weighed less than a bag of feathers, but he had no strength. Even the baton, a weightless thing, was so heavy he had to drag it. 

"Adam... Stop..." She coughed. 

"No. I'm getting us out of here."

"I don't think I'll make it..."

"Shut up. We're getting out of here," he says, resolute, trying to get up again. Only this time, the weight made him fall, dropping her next to him. She landed on her side, and that was when he saw it. 

His hands shook as he extended it to her side, letting the blood imprint on his fingers. "What did they do to you?" 

"He...He found me," she whispered. "When I was making another cut. He knew what I'd been doing. Threatened to send me to Rotation,"  she choked. He pulled her to his chest, cradling her head.  "But he-he wanted..."

Adam pulled her tighter, as if he could shield her from words themselves. "Don't. Don't say it."

"He wanted the first go..."

Adam's eyes burned with rage. "Tell me he didn't. Tell me-" He choked up at his own words, a large ball developing in his throat.

She smiled weakly, "I gouged out his eye. Like you told me to."

He smiled, sniffing back the tears that threatened to emerge. "Good girl."

"That's the first time you complimented me," she chuckled, her body shaking as she did. He held her tighter. 

"When we get out of here, I'll compliment you more," he promised. "But we need to go, now."

"I don't think I can..."

"You can. You're a Taurus. You're strong," he said, looking at the entrance. "Someone will come. One of the other Faunus. We just need to hold out. Just a few more minutes."

"Adam," she whispered. He refused to look at her. Refused to look at her side. Refused to acknowledge the leaking wound that was still bleeding. 

"We're going to make it."

"I don't think I am..." 

"Shut up, don't say that," he choked, tears forming. "You're gonna make it. And we'll get to see what a tree looks like. And taste cake."

"You remembered?" 

"You kept talking about it forever, even when Aunt Lilith died."

She giggles softly. "She said it tastes like a sugary cloud." Her smiles turned into sobs as well. "I don't want to die."

"You won't."

"I want to live. It's not fair," she sobbed. "I-I hate them. I hate those humans for everything."

"I know. When we get out of here, we'll make them pay," he grit. "But you've just got to hold on. Just for a bit longer."

"Adam..."she whispered, her voice growing fainter. She gripped his shirt with all her might, forcing his attention to her stone-cold face. "Make them pay."

"Eve...? Eve!" 

Chapter Text

Ruby didn't know how it happened. They were a hundred metres away, hidden high in the trees; Kuro in the bushes. Momo was leading them from ahead, with Ruby fixed on her scope.

The surveillance had been all but boring, with monotoned stalking in the trees at the bandits who were lurking in the forest. They were definitely bandits, observable from their mean faces and grunge looks, but were they Branwen bandits?

That name alone had wormed its way deep into Ruby's thoughts.

Raven.

Yang's mother. Her father's first wife. Qrow's sister. And her...Stepmother? Was she even that? Her mother married her father after Raven split, but all the books she read dictated that a Stepmother comes after the mother. 

So, Summer Rose was Yang's stepmother, but what was Raven to Ruby? 

An annoyance? Her daughter's half-sister? Tai's other daughter...

In truth, she had no actual bond nor relation to Raven. Heck, she barely even had a relationship with her real daughter, let alone Ruby. But she had remembered what Yang had said before.

How she and Weiss came across Raven - for better or for worse - and managed to use her Semblance to get to Haven.

A Semblance that could lead her to her family...Finally...

It was like a light shining in the pitch black. A ray of hope that she desperately clung to. Raven disappeared after the battle at Haven, leaving her and her team at the hands of Cinder. And then Adam came and Ruby went after him and Blake. 

And everything up until now had happened. She felt a certain type of way about Raven, angry that she had teamed up against them, sad that Yang and Qrow had to fight against her, disappointed that she had chosen the bad guys over them.

But she also felt longing. She didn't want to judge Raven for what she had done. She had forgiven others, held out hope for them. And most of all: Raven had been her mom's friend...

Call it wishful thinking, but Ruby wanted to keep any part of her mother close to her, to try and feel her even after all this time. 

So she teamed up with Momo to try and track down the bandits. Against Adam's wishes. Though, she was just fed up with him. He never had a nice thing to say to her, and whenever she had thought they were making progress, he'd turn around and unleashed a world of nasty upon her.

She could tell that he was freaking out, but she didn't know why. She was in the same boat as him, but she wasn't snapping at every second. He needed serious help, and as gracious and patient as she was, she clearly couldn't help with whatever was plaguing him.

So she left. She gave him her Scroll so he could call for help or do whatever. Without her. She could always get a new Scroll, just make up a lie that it fell when she was Petal Bursting in the sky and someone random must've picked it up.

He'd looked like he'd swallowed a bag of coal when she said goodbye, but she couldn't afford to care. Raven could be here. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that she had migrated with her band after Haven, hoping to keep clear of Salem's grasp.

From what her dad and Uncle Qrow had told her, Raven only ever cared about herself and her clan. She didn't care about the war, about humanity or faunus, or about the looming threat of extinction. She looked out for number one.

Still, Ruby felt a pang of guilt at leaving Adam alone. But she forced herself to believe he'd do the exact same thing in her place.

After all, hadn't he said it himself? He only kept her around because she was useful.

Maybe that was true. Maybe it wasn't. Ruby didn't have time to dwell on it—because the next instant, a woman with a permanent sneer and slanted eyes crept up behind her. Ruby never heard her coming.

The blow landed hard. Darkness.

When she came to, her wrists were bound behind her, her ankles tied, and a bag was pulled tight over her head. Her aura was already knitting the swelling lump at the back of her skull, but it still throbbed.

She wriggled, trying to loosen the sack. Nothing. She tried to scream, but only muffled groans came out—met with cruel laughter.

"You've done well, Scrat. How'd you bag yourself a huntress?" A deep male voice chuckled.

"Please," the woman scoffed, her tone grating. "This pipsqueak's as much a huntress as I am! The boy was harder. It's not every day you run into a Semblance like mine—but his wasn't half as good."

Ruby grit her teeth against the gag. Kuro... they meant Kuro. Was Momo here too? Were they near, but just out of reach? She leaned back—cold ridges dug into her spine. A cage.

"So what now?" another woman asked. "Do we kill them?"

"Are you thick?" the deep voice snapped. "Raven said no unauthorised killings."

Ruby froze at the name. Raven. Raven was here.

"Calm down, Boot. It's not like accidents haven't happened before," another man drawled, smug.

"Disgusting," Scrat spat. "Didn't I tell you to keep your goofy ass away from me?"

"I'm not here for you, Scrat. I heard about our newest captives and wanted a peek. That's all."

"You're not laying a finger on the pipsqueak. Gods only know why you're still breathing. Raven's brat should've killed you outright instead of knocking out your teeth."

"Fuck you, Scrat!" Ruby heard scuffles, and then blows. Ruby heard the sound of the scuffle, blows landing heavy in the dark. From the commotion, it seemed they'd turned on each other. It wasn't until a deeper, colder voice cut through the chaos that Ruby's blood ran cold.

"What's all this?! Were you idiots born without brains, or did you lose them along the way?"

"I—I, uh, Raven!" the one Ruby had dubbed Scum stammered. "Didn't expect you back so soon."

His words were punctuated by a sharp crack and a thud, as though Raven had floored him with a single strike.

"No fighting," Raven snapped. "Fighting attracts Grimm. And you—what is that?"

Ruby screamed as loud as the gag would allow, desperate for recognition.

"Oh! That's a spy I caught up in the trees," Scrat piped up, her tone suddenly saccharine, as if she were trying to earn points. "I brought her back so we could wait for you!"

Silence. Then Raven's voice again, low and commanding:

"Unbag her. Bring her to my tent."

"Wh—what?" Boot quavered.

"Did I stutter?"

"No, ma'am!" they barked in unison. A rush of motion followed—keys jangling, a cage door screeching open—and then the bag was yanked away.

Blinking against the dim light, Ruby's eyes locked with hers.

"Raven..." she breathed.

"Ruby Rose."

Ruby didn't know what she was doing. She sat cross-legged on a plush cushion inside a vast tent, its floor layered with intricate carpets and its walls divided by heavy curtains that turned the open space into smaller chambers. A low table stood before her, set with small plates of dried fruits, decorated biscuits, and a steaming cup of tea without a handle — the traditional way.

She didn't touch any of it. Her hands stayed folded in her lap as her thoughts circled the same point: how to convince Raven to help her. It was a relief, at least, that Raven hadn't greeted her with the same murderous intent she'd shown at Haven.

But would she help her? That was another matter entirely.

At last, the flap stirred and Raven entered, lifting her massive Grimm mask free and shaking her dark hair out of her face. She glanced at the untouched food, her expression unreadable as she set the mask on the table.

"Not to your liking?"

Ruby startled slightly, then grabbed the teacup. "Oh—no, it's good," she said quickly, taking a sip to prove it.

"You're a long way from home, Ruby Rose. Tell me—have you finally rid yourself of my infuriating brother? I'd be glad to know one of you took my advice to heart."

"That's not—" Ruby sucked in a breath, steadying herself. "That's not why I'm here."

"Then indulge me. Why aren't you with my idiotic brother and your sentimental little team?" Raven sat opposite her, eyes sharp.

Ruby hesitated only a moment before speaking. "I was... attacked. During Haven. I ended up stranded in Mistral." She explained her journey so far, careful to leave certain names out.

"So, you're lost. And you want a way home."

Ruby gripped her cup. "Yang told me about your Semblance. That you can open a portal to her, wherever she is. Please. I just need to get to her."

Raven laughed under her breath. "And what makes you think I'd help you? Did you forget Haven already?"

"I didn't forget. But I also know that when you and Yang went into that vault, she came out alive." Ruby's eyes narrowed. "Yang's strong—one of the best fighters I've ever known. But she was missing an arm, and yet she's the one who walked out holding the Relic over both you and Cinder. It doesn't take a genius to guess what really happened. You were protecting your own."

Raven tilted her head. "You glare at me as though you want me dead."

"I don't want anyone dead. That's not why I fight. I want to help people. Save them."

"Do you honestly believe you can beat her?"

"I won't know unless I try. And I'm not asking you to fight with me. I'm asking you to let me fight."

For the first time, Raven went quiet. Then, in a low voice, she said, "You... sound exactly like your mother."

Ruby froze, teacup halfway to her lips. Mom?

"She was an idealist too. Always believed that hope and stubborn determination could achieve anything," Raven said, a small grin tugging at her lips as though caught in memory.

Ruby's heart ached with questions, but she forced herself to stay focused. "So... will you help me?"

"I can create a portal to send you to Yang. But help you fight? That's not my problem." Raven smirked faintly, reaching for her tea. "Besides... the doctor won't be here until tonight."

Ruby blinked. "Doctor?"

Raven leaned back, her expression sharp and amused. "What, you thought I didn't notice? I assumed you wanted it taken care of. Strange, really—I didn't think you were the type. But then again... even Summer had her wild streak at your age." She gave a short, dry laugh.

Ruby froze. Her hands trembled against the porcelain cup.

Raven tilted her head, smirk fading into something colder. "Wait. You did know you were pregnant, didn't you?"

"What did you say?" She stammered, looking down at her stomach. "I—I'm not—there's no way— You're wrong. You're wrong, Raven."

Raven's eyes trailed down to Ruby's abdomen, the red of her eyes bathing in blue hues, like dancing flames. "Then why can I see a manifesting aura in your stomach?"

The cup slipped from Ruby's fingers, shattering against the carpet. The tea bled into the fibres, unnoticed.

"Ruby Rose," Raven said, each syllable sharp, her voice cutting through the room, "who is the father?"

For a long, taut silence, they didn't move. Then, slowly, she rose from the cushion, her cloak shifting about her shoulders like wings. Instead of drawing her weapon, she knelt beside Ruby and caught her chin in her hand, firm but not cruel.

"Look at me," Raven said, voice low, dangerous. "I need you to nod yes or no. When you said you were attacked..."

Ruby's trembling, tear-bright silence was all the answer she needed.

Raven's hand slipped away, curling into a fist against her thigh. She turned her face aside, jaw tight, as if showing even a flicker of sympathy would betray something in her.

"You'll stay here tonight," she said finally, her voice cool but shaking faintly at the edges. "Tonight, I'll send the doctor."

Ruby didn't even look as she left the tent. Her lip quivered as her hands trailed to her stomach. There was no way. It was impossible. She couldn't be.

She held out her hands, trying to count the days, and count them again, and again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

She screamed, running her hands through her fingers as tears spilled freely. Her breaths came shallow and ragged, the world tilting, moving on as if she didn't exist. She curled up into a ball, crying heavily until she had no tears left, instead, leaning next to a chest with her back up against it, one of her legs propped to her chest as the other was left extended.

What was she going to do? She had thought she was lucky. That the one time hadn't changed anything. That the nightmare could be left forgotten in the past, and she could move on with her life. Gods, how could this have happened?!

Hours passed, the sun sliding from gold to the soft pinks of evening through the slit in the tent. Her mind raced and stalled at the same time, every heartbeat echoing the same impossible question: What was she going to do now? 

Imaginations of the future invaded her head, trying every possible route. She could raise it... How? With a bag of hope and prayers?

She could give it up for adoption... Oh yeah, give a baby up in a random orphanage and hope the Grimm doesn't get to it. 

But it could be a good orphanage well within the kingdoms... What? With Vale's track record of Grimm in the kingdoms. Where should she give this one to? ATLAS? Vacuo? 

It can be cared for... It's part Faunus. Where would it go without facing discrimination? Menagerie? Would she be doing the right thing bringing a discriminated class into a world where they still weren't seen as equal?

But it can have a good life... Maybe... Maybe not... What then? Oh, stupid Ruby Rose. There's only one thing for you to do. You have a mission. You have a responsibility. 

"I have a mission," she breathed, the final tear dripping down her tear-soaked cheek. She knew what she had to do. 

It was if on cue that as soon as she made her resolution, the tent flap opened and revealed a slightly older woman carrying a toolbox.

Ruby studied her: she had cropped white hair and a prominent facial scar starting from her left lip all the way to her cheekbone. Her skin was considerably tanned, making Ruby think she was from Vacuo, and she wore bandages as a crop top, coupled with flared pants that were ripped and haphazardly sewn together.

"Hello, you must be the special guest I've been hearing about," Flore said with a gentle smile, her eyes soft with pity. Ruby, curling in on herself, offered only a curt nod, saying nothing.

"My name is Flore. I'm just going to check up on you," she continued, kneeling beside Ruby. "Is it alright if I touch you?"

Ruby mumbled a quiet, hesitant yes, and watched as Flore took out a stethoscope, pressing it against her chest.

Flore worked in silence, offering warm, steady expressions as she tested Ruby's reflexes and listened to her heartbeat.

"It's not true... is it?" Ruby whispered, her voice trembling. "It's not true that I'm... I only did it once, and I had my period after. I just..." She faltered, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on her.

Flore's gaze was calm, understanding. "It only takes one time," she said softly.

Ruby's eyes widened. "But... how? I went to my gynaecologist a year ago. I hadn't had a period in months! Don't you need one to be fertile?"

"You're a Huntress, right?" Flore asked.

Ruby nodded, biting her lip as the headache from all the crying and stress throbbed through her skull.

"You're in excellent shape," Flore continued, "and I understand you've been under serious physical stress recently?"

"More so than usual..." Ruby admitted.

"Sometimes, with young Huntresses or athletes, the physical stress of extreme exercise can stop bleeding or delay periods. It doesn't mean you aren't fertile—your body just doesn't want to 'risk bleeding,' so to speak. In fact..." Flore snapped off her gloves and lifted her hand toward Ruby's stomach, letting a faint glow illuminate the area. "I'm surprised Raven even discovered this. From what I can tell, this pregnancy wasn't going to be revealed until very late."

Ruby cringed, imagining herself far along. "How late? Like... six months?"

"No," Flore said. "Sometimes, in these extreme cases, a woman doesn't even realise she's pregnant until labour."

Ruby's stomach knotted. "What? That's impossible! What about the bump and nausea? Isn't that... what pregnancy is?"

Flore shook her head gently. "Miss Rose, did you experience any nausea—more than usual?"

"No..." Ruby admitted, voice small.

"Exactly. In these cryptic pregnancies, fatigue and mild discomfort can be masked by your normal work and stress as a Huntress. But... I understand you were considering ending the pregnancy?"

Ruby's lip trembled, and she couldn't meet Flore's eyes, shame boiling inside her. Suddenly she felt utterly exposed, like the dirtiest creature on Remnant. She wanted to cry again, but Flore's hand rested over hers, grounding her.

"It's alright," Flore said softly. "I understand. I'm not here to judge you."

"I... I'm not usually—this isn't—" Ruby started, her voice breaking.

"All girls, no matter the circumstances, have the right to decide what happens with their bodies," Flore interrupted gently. "If you don't want to carry this pregnancy, you don't have to. I'm a doctor. I help, not judge."

Ruby sniffed up her tears, desperately hoping that they wouldn't spill. "I...I've never done this before..."

Flore's face melted as she reached for her bag, "It's alright, I'm a pro. I just need to do some more checks — blood pressure, specifically. Roll up your sleeve please."

"Why... are you here...With the bandits, I mean?" Ruby asked, extended her now exposed arm.

A tug of a smile formed on Flore's face, "I was actually an ATLAS physician, can you believe. I worked with some of the wealthiest faces around."

"Really?"

"Mhm, I was the best. Tending to all the rich housewives and their daughters, it was my whole career. But one day...A girl whose father was high up in the council found herself pregnant. And she didn't know what to do. So, being the doctor I was, I helped her."

Ruby's face changed, "Why's that a reason for you to be here?"

"When I was just about to help her terminate the pregnancy, her father found out. He stormed in my operating room like he owned the place — he did, by the way," she chuckled lowly, stopping to think about her next words, the smile slowly decreasing. "He beat her half to death in front of me, calling her awful names, so much so that the girl bled out. And once he was done and the police came, he blamed me for malpractice."

Ruby's eyed widened at the story, distracting her from the light squeezing on her arm. 

"I was thrown in jail, my lisence revoked and consequently tossed out into the Tundra, with nothing but the skin on my back. It just so happened that a few Faunus rebels found me and we all migrated to Mistral together. But there wasn't any point in resuming my work legally, everyone thought I was dead. And I wanted to be. That was until Raven found me. She employed me in her clan and I've been working here ever since."

Ruby looked down at the woman, whose eyes shone with wisdom far beyond her years. "These bandits may look out for themselves, and they're a greedy lot, trust me. But, despite my affiliation to them, I've set myself on this earth to do good by my patients. And I'll help any girl who comes to me in need, now, are you ready?"

Ruby gulped down hard, truly thinking now. The earlier what ifs churned through her mind, clawing at her. But then she clenched her fists, drawing in a shaky breath.

"I'm not ready to be a mum. I have a mission."

Flore's lips pressed together. "Then, I'm going to need you to lie—"

BANG.

Both their heads snapped to the tent's entrance. Shouts ripped through the camp, bullets cracking the air.

"What in God's earth—?"

Chapter Text

Adam didn't have a plan.

That was a lie. He always had a plan.

It was something he prided himself on — the simplicity of his schemes, the brutal efficiency. His plans were so clean they seemed obvious after the fact, which only added to his reputation as a genius.

This one? Easy. Trail Zhong and the "twindiots" into the forest. Let them lead him straight into the Branwen clan. Let them serve as bait. Simple.

But every plan had a flaw, and his flaw had a name: Ren.

Adam had waited just beyond the fountain until Zhong and the twins — Yao and Bao, apparently — slipped through the gate. Their armour was laughable, cobbled together from scrap metal, dented plates hammered into shape by someone who thought "blacksmithing" meant "hitting things until they stuck."

Disappointing, really. Zhong was supposed to be a weapons dealer. He should have had more class.

Still, Adam lingered in the treeline, watching. Their bickering about footprints and which way the wind blew provided him some amusement. He could have tracked the clan himself — he was more than capable — but why bother when bait was this convenient? He wasn't interested in wasting his blade on rats.

What? Had he really sunk so low that bandits were worth his time?

His smirk soured when the short, spiky-haired nuisance of a guard appeared. He remembered the hot-headedness of the guard back when they were speaking to Momo. And, for all the thoughts that Adam had about him, he didn't think he'd be this much of a pain in his ass.

Immediately, he had confronted the group, headbutted his way in and demanded to join in their mission. Adam watched them from up in the trees, hearing their conversations. 

"Why should we let you? You're Momo's lackey!" Bao confronted. 

"I'm not anyone's lackey. I want to fight. Momo doesn't understand what kind of scum the Branwen clan are. Her stupidity's going to get us all killed!" Ren spat back.

Adam nearly chuckled. A boy railing about stupidity while standing in the centre of his own—ah, the irony. Such was the fate of humans too blind to see themselves.

"Piss off, Ren! I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," Yao snarled.

"Well, a big lard-arse like you could throw me quite far."

"What'd you say?" Yao growled, grabbing Ren's collar.

The spearhead was at his throat in an instant. Ren's voice was low, sharp. "Get your hands off me."

Zhong gave Ren a look of pure disdain. "You're not coming with us. Go back home."

Ren scoffed, folding his arms. "You think you can stop me? You need me. Without someone who actually knows how the Branwen clan works, you'll be dead in a day."

"Shut it," Bao snapped. "No one asked for you."

"Then you'll be thanking me later when I save your sorry arses."

Yao shoved him, and Ren shoved back. In an instant, the two were grappling, snarling like dogs. Adam, watching from the trees, shook his head in disappointment. They were meant to be sneaking, yet here they were, kicking up dirt and shouting loud enough to wake the dead. If they didn't shut up, the bandits would—

A sharp whistle cut the air.

The forest went silent.

Shadows shifted. Branwen scouts melted out of the undergrowth, bows drawn, spears levelled. The group froze, too late.

"Drop your weapons," one of the bandits barked.

Adam sighed. It was like watching a play so predictable it bordered on parody. Right on cue, Zhong and the others tried to fight their way out.

For a moment, they held their own. Zhong hurled men aside with his fists, smashing heads together. Yao and Bao fought in rough tandem, and Ren swung his spear like a man with a grudge.

But skill meant little against numbers. The three stooges — and their mutt — were soon overwhelmed. Forced to the ground, hog-tied, and dragged through the dirt, their resistance ended as quickly as it began.

"Gods above, how many of these village bumpkins are going to cause trouble? We haven't even raided their village yet," one bandit muttered.

"Who knows? I just want tomorrow over with. Sick of this place already," another said, hauling Ren by the rope, ignoring his muffled protests as his face ground into the mud.

Adam didn't intervene. He only watched, patient, waiting for the bandits to lead their prizes back to camp. Along the way, his thoughts played in his mind. 

Why was he doing this? He had a goal now: Make it to ATLAS. He had no need for Ruby anymore. She certainly didn't need him when she ended their partnership. 

Goodbye, Adam.

He bit his lip, annoyance creeping in. How dare she leave him? To do what? Follow that pink-streaked air-head off into battle? Save the village? Gods, did she think she lived in a storybook?

If she wanted to go around playing the hero, being sidekick to someone...

I mean, he wasn't exactly raring to team up with a human.

But she was more capable than the idiots he'd had to put up with so far...

She could fight better now, all thanks to him. And her weapon-wielding is far superior to others he'd seen; and he'd seen a lot. Her optimism is annoying...but he could tolerate it.

I mean, what exactly was he thinking? She should be jumping up and down in glee at the opportunity to serve under him. After all, he was fighting for a noble cause. There was no reason she wouldn't want—

You're every bit as weak as your sister.

The heiress probably forgot you while deciding which polish to wear.

The words struck him like a blade to the chest. His own voice, cruel and mocking, echoing back at him. He froze, lips pressing into a thin line, the fire in his chest faltering for just a moment.

Then he swallowed it down. Hardened his eyes. Forced himself onward.

It didn't take long before the bandits led their captives into camp. Barely an hour's march from the village, hidden beneath a canopy of thick, gnarled trees. The place was a fortress in its own right—impossible for ordinary villagers to stumble across, but perfect for cutthroats who knew the land.

Adam settled into the branches of an oak, surveying from above.

There were dozens—close to a hundred—bandits milling about, all hard-faced and armed to the teeth. The camp sprawled in an organised chaos: rows of tents pitched tight, with one larger structure at the centre that could only belong to their leader. The layout was irritating—tents clustered so tightly that whole swathes of the camp disappeared into blind-spots.

His gaze followed the prisoners. Zhong and the others were shoved into a cage along the right flank, jeered at by passing thugs who rattled the bars for sport.

Adam moved, bounding silently from tree to tree until he found a better vantage point. That's when he saw her.

Leaning against the bars of another cage, hair tangled, pin slipping loose, a filthy gag strapped across her mouth—Momo. A sack half-torn from her head, her breathing ragged.

Adam's breath caught. His stomach twisted.

Had they done the same to Ruby? 

He landed near the cage with a muted thud, quick to hide himself as one of the bandits flocked to the area in suspicion. She looked around, before sneering at Momo.

"Hey pretty, guess a few of your villagers wanted to come and visit you. Haha, I think Raven's gonna be pretty pissed, maybe she'll let us raid the place earlier," she snorted, kicking her through the bars before walking away.

Adam emerged from in between the tents, looking around quickly before scanning the cages for Ruby. Unfortunately for him, it was just Momo and that sidekick of hers, Kuro...was it?

Momo wormed around, pressing her back to the cage yet again as she wriggled inside her restraints. Adam creeped up behind her, sticking a hand through the cage to cover her mouth as he fished out his pocket knife.

"Don't scream," he ordered, feeling the muffled movements of her mouth. He cut her hands free, watching her pull off her gag as she turned to face him. 

"You? Aren't you the partner of Ruby?"

"Where is she?"

"I-I don't know. Last I heard, she was dragged into Raven's tent," she says, panicked, "They said she was really mad to see her. I think they have bad blood!"

Adam bit his lip, cursing. Just as he was about to speak again, a shout pierced his ears.

"Intruder!"

The shout cracked through camp like thunder. A bandit pointed straight at him, and within seconds dozens more were bearing down. Adam cursed, tossing the knife back to Momo as Wilt slid free with a hiss.

"You know how to fight?" the bandit leader barked.

Momo scrambled to Kuro's side, slicing through his bonds. "Of course—I'm a huntress!"

Adam didn't wait for more. The first bandit lunged, knife glinting. Adam slipped past, his movement almost lazy, before slamming Wilt's hilt into the man's spine. The impact launched him forward—perfect footing. Adam vaulted off his back, twisting mid-air to drive both boots into a second bandit's chest. The man toppled, bowling over a third in his fall.

Adam landed lightly, red eyes glinting as the rest of the horde encircled him. A grinning thug with a gold tooth stepped forward.

"A Faunus, eh? Heh. Give it up, pet. Be nice, and maybe we don't kill ya. Can't promise it won't hurt."

Adam said nothing. Wilt slid back into Blush with a soft click. Then—snap!—he thumbed the catch. The blade fired from its sheath, slamming the thug square between the eyes.

Before the others could gasp, Adam blurred forward, snatching Wilt mid-flight. He brought it down in a crimson arc that absorbed the hail of bullets screaming towards him. The next slash redirected the stored energy in a concussive blast, hurling the shooters backwards. A stray rock rattled loose—Adam kicked it up, flicking it into another man's temple with pinpoint precision.

He pivoted, Wilt poised to finish the downed gunman—

—but the kill was stolen. The bandit crumpled, Kuro standing over him with the blunt end of stolen spear in his grip. His grin was wild, the weapon clumsy in his hands but effective. He looked up and down at Adam, as if he was observing him like an animal.

"You weren't really gonna kill the guy, were ya?"

"I deal whatever force they come at me with," Adam simply said, cocking his head back to avoid a punch by another bandit, whom he pistol-whipped soon after. 

Meanwhile, Momo leapt into the fray, bouncing between foes with acrobatic agility. She snapped her fingers and conjured a translucent pink monkey, the construct shrieking with joy as it swung from rifles, yanking them from startled bandits' hands.

"You! Bull guy! Behind you!" Kuro bellowed.

Two more rushed Adam from behind. Without even glancing, he spun Blush in a brutal backhand sweep. The clubbed strike cracked ribs and sent both men sprawling. He landed lightly, shifting his stance, morphing seamlessly into a rhythm that combined Kuro's reckless spear strikes and Momo's fluid, unpredictable movements.

The trio tore through the bandits with terrifying precision. A few glanced around at the carnage and bolted, shouting for reinforcements.

"Next time you take my fans, I take what's left of your teeth," she spat, grabbing her fans from the bandit's belt. 

"Momo!" Kuro shouting, earning her attention. She looked up, dropping the slumped body of the bandit and twisting her fans in her arms. 

"Okay, it's Adam right? You go on ahead and find Ruby, Kuro and I will release the rest of the hostages," she said, flapping open her fans.

Adam looked at her incredulously, "Are you going to fan them away?"

Momo smirked, before projecting herself in front of him towards an oncoming bandit with a rifle. 

She twisted her fans, cutting the man lightly as she pivoted his rifle away from him, before snapping the fan in his groin and head, sending him tumbling to the ground. "More or less."

Adam held back a grin, not wanting to play into her ego as he ran in another direction, fighting bandits as he looked through the cages for Ruby. 

"Rose!" He shouted, looking around for a reply. The bandits seemed neverending, but he paid them no mind as he cut them down, just holding back enough not to kill them on the spot. He didn't care about defeating the bandits, he just wanted her and to leave; Momo and her village be damned.

Stomping on the head of yet another bandit, Adam called out Ruby's name again, only for his hairs to stand up as he turns himself and hoists up Wilt to shield himself from a fierce attack, the sharp clang of metals clashing as bloodlust fills his nostrils.

Adam's eyes met hers through the Grimm mask, red slits drilling into him like blades. Shock shot through him—this opponent was more than he'd expected. He braced himself, feeling the familiar thrill of battle surge through his veins.

They clashed again. Adam pivoted on his heel, backflipping while swinging a wide arc at her. She blocked it, the impact sending her tumbling back a few paces—but only enough to reset, not falter.

He knew instantly. This was the leader of the Branwen clan.

"You... you're barely older than a child," she observed, sliding into her stance.

"And you're old," he shot back, launching another attack. Steel met steel in a violent dance, sparks and slashes filling the clearing. The clash of their weapons was deafening in contrast to the stunned silence of the bandits, who scrambled to avoid the ricochets.

Adam was exhilarated. He hadn't felt this alive in months. Raven, by contrast, was all precision and lethal focus, her expression unreadable except for the cutting intent behind every strike. They traded blow after blow, each parry and riposte faster and sharper than the last, a blur of red and black.

Finally, they broke apart, panting, circling each other like predators still sizing one another up. Every muscle tensed, ready to react to the smallest movement.

"I'm not here for trouble. I'm looking for a girl—about this high," Adam said, motioning just below his chest. "Dressed in red and black."

"I have no reason to answer you," Raven replied, voice cold, almost amused. "Not that it matters—you won't leave here alive."

"You're good for a human, but you're old," Adam sneered. "I'm not opposed to killing grandmas."

"And you're pretty good yourself, for a Faunus. Had you not disrespected my clan like this, I'd have offered you a place here," she sneered back.

"I'm not low enough to work under a human," he grimaced, tightening his grip on Wilt.

"You're deeply pressed about the positions of Faunus and humans. A member of the White Fang, I presume? Well... former member, is more correct," she chuckled, a dark glint in her eyes.

Adam's jaw hardened. "High Leader, actually."

Raven's sarcasm vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness. "Not... Adam Taurus, I wonder?"

"One and the only," he smirked, but smirk hadn't even faded when Raven exploded forward.

Her blade blurred, a storm of red and black steel. The first strike tore through his guard, the next slammed into his ribs with bone-jarring force. He staggered, breath hitching, only to feel her boot drive into his gut with brutal precision.

He folded, gasping for air, but she didn't stop. The follow-up strike cracked across his jaw, snapping his head sideways in a spray of spit and blood.

He swung Wilt in retaliation, desperate to catch her, but she was already behind him. A savage elbow drove into his spine, forcing him to his knees.

Raven didn't even give him the dignity of recovery. She yanked him up by the horn and hurled him face-first into the dirt.

Adam roared, thrashing, managing to roll just enough to swipe at her legs. Wilt bit nothing but air. Raven's sword was already on him, carving a line across his shoulder so deep his aura shrieked in protest.

The pain flared white-hot. He collapsed again, clutching the wound, only for her boot to slam down on his wrist, pinning him. The pressure increased, inch by inch, until Wilt slipped from his grasp.

She kicked the blade away and drove her heel harder into his wrist. Bone creaked. Adam choked back a scream, nails carving bloody crescents into the earth.

What was happening? Was he being bested by a middle-aged woman? Pathetic. He was High Leader. He was Adam Taurus!

 A blade cut across his abdomen, searing through muscle and cloth. Before he could react, she kicked Blush from his left hand and back-kicked his chin toward the sky, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Groaning, Adam rolled to the side, blood trickling from his mouth. "You... bitch!" he spat, disbelief roaring through him.

Before he could rise, a sharp kick slammed into the back of his neck, dazing him. Two bandits grabbed his arms, yanking him upright by brute force, leaving him exposed.

Raven stepped forward, removing her mask. Dark hair tumbled over her shoulders, and Adam's blurred vision caught the glint of something hauntingly familiar.

"You... remind me of someone..." he murmured, his thoughts slipping out like a gate forced open, a strange recognition stirring amidst the pain. There was something about the curve of her mouth. Her red eyes. Her fire.

"I do, don't I? Let's see if you can put two and two together?" She taunted, smacking him again with the sharp edge of her mask, allowing three jagged lines to appear on his cheek. "My name is Raven Branwen."

Branwen. Branwen? Of course she'd be named that, he'd assumed the Branwen name came from somewhere. And it'd be fitting that the leader would have the same name as her clan.

But Branwen.

Branwen.

Branwen?

"My Uncle Qrow was the best Scythe wielder, like, ever! Until he trained me!" He remembered Ruby's haughty tone as she babbled off during their long journey to Sakuragawa.

Qrow Branwen. 

Her uncle.

Branwen.

Qrow Branwen, Uncle to Ruby Rose, who doesn't share the same last name. Qrow. Raven.

Qrow and Raven Branwen. 

Fuck.

"You're both named after birds?" The words spilled out of his mouth in a slurred jumble, his teeth clicking together as another swift kick cracked against his jaw. His ears rang, high and sharp, drowning out his own groan.

His aura was dangerously low, faltering with every hit. Disoriented, he tried to piece it together, but dread weighed him down like iron.

Branwen... Branwen... Uncle... Brother to his sister...

Meaning... she was their mother. She was her mother. 

"You're... Yang's mother?" he breathed, choking on his own disbelief. 

Raven answered with silence, letting her boot crash into his ribs do all the talking. Pain burst through him, jagged and sharp, sending him coughing blood into the dirt. The red stained the ground beneath his cheek, sticky and warm.

"I heard about what you did," Raven said, her voice a cold blade itself. She crouched low, close enough that Adam could smell the faint smoke of her hair, hear the venom roll on her tongue. "And while I'm not in the business of fighting my relatives' battles... I still believe that blood should be paid with blood."

She tilted her head, studying him like prey already snared.

"I noticed you're right-centred," she murmured, eyes flicking to his sword arm. "Yang used both her hands. She was very ambidextrous like that. But for sword-wielders like us... losing our dominant hand cripples us, doesn't it?"

The words slithered into Adam's skull, burrowing deep, curdling his rage into panic. His mind cracked under the weight.

He roared, struggling against the bandits who held him in place, spitting obscenities at him. Raven stood up, pulling out a large red blade and holding it toward the light before resting it on his right arm.

"An arm for an arm," she said. 

Adam screamed, closing his eyes as he waited for the impact, until he heard the familiar voice.

"What's going on?!" Everyone turned toward the main tent where Ruby was, flanked by Flore who gasped at the scene. Ruby looked at Raven before flickering to Adam.

"Raven!" she shouted, running toward her. "What are you doing?!"

"This is a joyous occasion, Ruby Rose," Raven said, smiling coldly, turning back to Adam and hoisting her blade. "I'm enacting justice for your sister."

Ruby Petal Burst forward, stepping in front of Adam.

"Get out of my way," Raven snarled.

"You can't do this!" Ruby shouted.

"Still dazed? This is the scum who crippled your sister," Raven spat.

Ruby's chest rose and fell quickly, but her voice cut sharp and steady. "Yang doesn't need you avenging her. She fought her own battles, and she's still standing."

Raven's glare sharpened, her tone like ice. "You think standing makes her whole? You think she'll ever forget what he took from her? I'm doing what you're too weak to do—making sure he pays."

"Yang isn't you!" Ruby cut her off. "She's tempestuous, yes, but she doesn't seek violence. She became a huntress to protect people! This isn't justice—it's revenge. And it's not what Yang would have wanted."

Raven sneered. "And who are you to say?"

"I'm her sister," Ruby said, voice ringing through the camp. "I've been by her side since forever. I know her better than anyone."

Raven's blade stabbed into the dirt with a loud thunk.

"And what about you?" she demanded, eyes narrowing on Ruby.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"Why are you defending him so much? Risking your own life to shield him? Risking angering me and taking back my favour toward you?"

"Wait, but you promised—"

"I never promise anything. But why? Is my question. You speak as if you know him personally?" She grabs Ruby by her chin, forcing her to look up. "How do you know him?" 

Her grip tightened and Ruby winced. 

"Get your hands off her," Adam coughed, his fury flickering as his consciousness returned. Raven glared down at him, then back to her. 

"You were attacked...By someone fighting your friend and who had beaten Yang. You fell somewhere in the North, and made your way here," she recounts, watching Ruby's every facial expression. "Were you alone?" 

Her grip tightened, and Ruby's jaw was beginning to throb. "Was he...?" 

Her breath hitched, as if Raven could read her openly like a book. 

Raven's scowl deepened. "Get out of my way..."

"No—No, wait, please! He didn't—I didn't—" Ruby stammered.

"I said, get out of my way," Raven snarled, shoving Ruby to the floor. Flore was quick to react, helping her up with a firm, protective hand.

"Mistress! You can't be so rough! She's still pregnant!" Flore chastised, her voice sharp with concern.

Adam's head perked up, confusion flashing across his face as he flicked his gaze between Ruby and Flore. "What...?"

Raven twisted, forcing Adam's attention fully toward her, gripping his horn with sudden force. Her eyes narrowed, sharp and calculating. He flinched as her presence pressed close, and he accidentally bit his lip as his face jerked toward hers.

"What, you didn't know?" she said, her tone icy. "I assumed some Faunus were no better than animals... I guess I was right. And what's this? Hiding your animal eyes from the rest of us?" 

Panic washed through Adam as Raven's hand slowly snaked towards his face. 

"No! Don't look! Don't look!" His cries were ignored, and Adam's breath was quickening as he felt the knot pulled loose. He writhed against the bandits, nails digging into his palms until blood formed. 

The long-forgotten wind kissed the bridges of skin that were beginning to show and he felt sick. They would see. They would see.

"DON'T LOOK!" 

The cool wind on his face suddenly stopped, replaced by the soft feel of rose-scented fabric. He opened his eyes, seeing through the red hues of Ruby's cape.

She was in front of him yet again, glaring at Raven. "I said, leave him alone!" 

Raven froze, eyes narrowing at the sheer audacity of the girl. "You really think a child—"

"I'm not a child!" Ruby snapped, fists clenched at her sides. "And I'm not letting you hurt him!"

Adam's breathing was ragged, heart hammering in his chest, but he couldn't move. Shock, relief, and disbelief tangled inside him. Ruby—Ruby—was standing in front of him, putting herself between him and the Branwen leader.

"He...He wasn't the one who... Well, he was but he—he...it...it wasn't his fault," she stammered. Raven looked unamused, hand still on her sword.

Ruby, taking a deep breath, looks at her again. "He saved me. From Grimm. Multiple times. I didn't tell you because I thought it wasn't necessary-"

"You thought me not knowing about him wasn't necessary?"

"It wasn't like I expected to see him again! We parted ways earlier. Please, Raven. Just... Just let me talk to him." Ruby's eyes glinted with sincerity. Raven's face showed no change of emotion. She picked up her sword, aiming it at Ruby's stomach. 

Ruby showed no fear, though, every hair on her back was now standing up. 

"Just this once." The words cut through the tension like butter. Ruby's shoulders slackened as Raven sheathed her sword, turning her back. "Drag the animal into a cage. Be sure to tie him up."

Ruby let out a sigh of relief, before turning toward Adam who was still covered with her cloak. 

"Come on, mutt," the bandit spat as he tugged Adam's arm. 

"Just one moment," Ruby said, grabbing the discarded cloth and fixing it under her cloak. She tried hard not to look, instead just feeling about for his ears and tying the knot haphazardly. When she was done, she removed her cloak, satisfied with her quick work.

Adam said nothing as the bandits dragged him away, anything but gentle with their actions. Ruby was about to go with him but stopped, turning toward Flore.

She looked at Ruby, offering a smile in reply to her conflicted face. "I'll always be nearby, in my medical tent, right there," she said, pointing toward a standalone white tent that was near the makeshift wood storage den. 

"You can visit me once you're done," she finishes. Ruby flashes a small smile, bowing in respect as she tried to catch up to the bandits. She ran along a few more feet before stopping, to turn toward Flore again.

Adam licked his upper teeth, tasting the copper of his blood. He was roughly tied, the ropes forcing his dislocated shoulder into an unpleasant angle, sending sharp waves of agony whenever he moved out of place.

Still, that was better than the rest of his battered body. His yukata was torn, far from the majesty of its previous design, it was now tattered and dirty, with large pieces either torn or tattered. His skin was painted with blue and black bruises, adorned with cuts both minimal and large.

His aura busied itself patching minor injuries, but he knew his shoulder and abdomen would take at least a day to heal fully. Fuck.

How had he missed it? Branwen wasn't exactly a common name. Was he stupid? Everything had been screaming at him, and yet he hadn't seen it. He could almost imagine breaking his own shoulder for such a lapse.

Ruby Rose. Sister to Yang Xiao Long, niece to Qrow Branwen, daughter to Raven Branwen.

Thinking on it, Ruby must have taken more after her father—she bore little resemblance to Raven. Their relationship wasn't close, either, as she had always called her by name. Still, she seemed to fit the Branwen aesthetic enough, he supposed.

Still, what a mess he was in. His head panged with pain as he leaned back, letting out a sore sigh. Through his suffering, he hadn't noticed the cage door open, nor Ruby kneeling in front of him. 

"You're hurt really bad," she whispers, setting down a tray with bandages and salve. He looked in front of her, studying her conflicted face as she started cutting the bandages to pieces. 

He wanted to speak. Gods, he had a million things to say to her. But seeing her now...it was like they haven't met in years. She didn't meet his gaze, focusing on his right leg that was oozing out blood.

He winced, biting his lower lip as she poured the alcohol onto his leg, wiping away the debris from when Raven wiped the floor with him—literally. 

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I...Raven is a skilled fighter. I should've told her about you, maybe she would've been a bit—" 

She couldn't even finish the sentence. Adam knew she was lying. The force and brutality Raven inflicted on him was that of one who was deeply hurt. A mother's rage...

Ruby traced her hands along Adam's right shoulder, touching it timidly before grabbing onto it. Adam snarled as she popped his shoulder back, before lifting up the shirt slightly, grimacing at the large cut that transcended from his right pectoral all the way to his left hip.

"She cut you deep..." She murmured, pouring alcohol onto the wound. He couldn't help but write a little, though, the exhaustion in his bones prevented him from moving too much.

"Payback for what I did, I guess," he surmised, watching her dab on ointment around the wound.

She opened her mouth again, but her voice hitched. What could she say? She was surprised Adam wasn't bursting into flames right now. But she guessed that the beatdown Raven gave him jumbled his senses a bit.

At the same time, Adam, still trying to overcome the massive throbbing in his head, was also trying to say something.

But what could he say? What was she willing to say? He couldn't believe it. Did he want to believe it?

His feelings to such a situation couldn't even be described in words. Just the thought of it made his blood go cold.

"When were you going to tell me?" He whispered. She stopped applying the salve, not daring to meet his eyes, before resuming her work.

"I...About Raven?" She asked, downcast.

"You know what about. Don't play dumb," he muttered, his usual harshness replaced with fatigue. Ruby looked distraught, as if someone just slapped her. 

"How long have you known? Since when?" His voice was tighter now, a low hiss as he pressed, tension coiling in his chest.

"I—"

"Was it that week? When you told me you were on your 'period'? Was that a lie?"

"No! I did think—" Her voice cracked, defensive yet fragile.

"I've been with you since every waking hour, Rose. When exactly did you find out?"

"I found out a few hours earlier, honest."

"It's been three months," he hissed, voice taut with disbelief. "That's a long time not to know."

Ruby's eyebrows knitted as she glared at him. "I told you, I thought I got my period. How was I supposed to know?"

"Not bleeding is usually a sign!" He shot back, incredulous.

"I haven't bled since Beacon!" She hisses. "Remember?! When a certain someone attacked my school with Grimm."

"You were all hunters, weren't you? What? Can't handle a bit of Grimm? How are you supposed to protect the world if you can't handle that?" He sneered, his usual callousness returning. 

"I can handle Grimm as well as the next Beacon student. But in Amity, in the sky where no one had their weapons? Surrounded by a bunch of normal citizens who came to watch?! Where ATLAS military were attacking the kingdom? Oh! Not to mention seeing my friends get hurt and killed! And my sister—" her voice cracked, hurt flickering in her eyes as she scrunched the bandage in her hand.

She bit her lip, before exhaling and resuming the bandaging. "I didn't know. I was under so much stress, and the doctor said that stress can hide symptoms...I don't even know how Raven found out..."

She opened her mouth again, but her voice hitched. What could she say? She was surprised Adam wasn't bursting into flames right now. But she guessed that the beatdown Raven gave him jumbled his senses a bit.

But soon, the lack of talking was stressing her out, instead.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" She whispered.

He laughed, deep, "What can I say? Maybe this is all just a hallucination from having my ass kicked so bad." 

Adam tipped his head back, letting the pain drown him and his thoughts.  It was unbelievable! A pregnancy. A child. Gods, he felt nauseous. 

"It's got to be a lie. Tell me you're lying."

"I'm not. Why would I lie about something like-"

"Because you're human!" He seethed. "All your people do is lie and steal and kill!"

"Are you seriously going to say this again?! I'm not lying, Adam! Do you think out of all the jokes in the world I could say, a baby would be the best one? Hey, it's got a wicked punchline!" She exclaimed, sarcastically.

Adam's mind swam. A child. A baby. His baby. His child. Was this really real? No, she was lying to him. She was playing a sick joke.

But it was Ruby.

It's a human. They're all filthy, disgusting liars. 

She practically wears her heart on her sleeve. 

They're all the same. Evil, filthy scum. 

But it's her. He felt his skin crawl, a mix of revulsion and mental exhaustion wiping over him. 

"Are you sure it's mine...?" Ruby's eyes shone with astonishment, and even he regretted the words as soon as they came. Was it his? Was he stupid? He was never once away from her. He was the only one. He knew that. 

"You don't have to look so dejected," she interrupted his thoughts, "I'm not keeping it." 

That sent a new wave of emotion throughout him as he snapped back to reality, the pain suddenly subsiding. 

"What?"

"Before you unceremoniously dropped in, I was with Flore. We were going to..." She inhaled a deep breath. "I was taking care of it."

Anger washed over him. "So you were just going to get rid of it?" 

She looked at him with confusion. "What? What else was I going to do?"

"Were you not ever going to inform me?!"

"I didn't even know you were still in Sakuragawa! Why are you still here, in fact? I gave you my Scroll. Shouldn't you be travelling through the forest to your White Fang buddies." She shot back. 

"That's none of your business..."He bit. 

"And this isn't any of yours," she retorted, wrapping his bandages roughly now. 

"It's part mine," he bit out, surprising even himself.

"You weren't even supposed to know about it!" She screams, anger matching his. "Or what? Do you want me to have it?! Oh sure! Maybe we can work out an amazing co-parenting schedule: I have it one week with me and you can take it for a week, chilling with the White Fang. Will you take it for ice-cream after your terrorist activities?" 

He slammed his fist next to him onto the floor, his fury escaping as he shouted, but she was having none of it. 

"I can't have this kid, Adam. I'm on a mission! And, I can't believe you're even getting angry at this? I'm sure you would rather die than have a child with a filthy, disgusting human," she quoted. 

Adam was at a loss for words. It was incredible really. He always had something to say, always had a retort or comeback ready in his arsenal, but he couldn't. 

The words should have rolled off him. He’d said them himself a hundred times, spat them like poison at every human he’d ever loathed. But from her lips, they gutted him.

His tongue felt thick, his throat dry. Why was he even angry? He didn’t want this inconvenience.

He was High Leader.
He had a responsibility.
He needed to liberate the Faunus.
He needed vengeance on his traitors.
He needed to destroy the humans who had spat on his kind and cast him aside.

And yet—his chest ached. Breath uneven, pulse hammering. The convictions he had sharpened into iron over years cracked beneath a weight he couldn’t name.

Ruby's words echoed in his head, each one a blade. Filthy. Disgusting. Human. He had spat those same curses a thousand times, worn them like armour. But now...

He bit back his rage, letting the red from his mind dissipate like fog as he stared at her face. She had an identical expression to his. Her eyes, big and glossy, threatened tears as she worked on him. 

Her lids were red and puffy, like she'd already been crying, and her hair was messed up, as if someone pulled at it. Was it Raven? Was it her? Did she have a panic attack? He certainly felt like having a panic attack. 

He should be glad she was terminating. Think logically, Taurus. A baby. A baby? He was the saviour of the Faunus. Did he really have time to even entertain the thought of a child in the mix?

Did he deserve to raise

Did he even have the energy to? No. No, it was good. He was glad she was being mature about this. 

He was happy he didn't need to convince her into getting rid of it. Yeah...He was happy. He was. 

He...was...

The ache in his chest throbbed, sharp and unrelenting.

Adam turned his head away, voice raw. “So...when’s the termination date?”

Ruby’s breath caught. Her eyes dropped to the floor. “I don’t know… maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. Flore’s got her hands full with all the bandits you beat up...”

A flicker passed through him — relief, anger, something tangled and unnameable — but he latched onto the distraction. “Momo. What happened with those two?”

Ruby blinked, thrown by the question. "I... don't know. I haven't seen them. Maybe they escaped?"

He let out a tired sigh, sinking back against the bones of the cage. This was a cold day in hell: Adam Taurus, wondering about the fate of a pair of humans. The irony almost made him laugh. How far he had fallen.

His gaze drifted into the distance, unfocused, his mind slipping away—until Ruby's soft breath brushed his skin. He startled, looking down to find her kneeling in front of him, eyes sharp with concentration as she pressed a damp cloth to his cheek.

He hissed at the sting, earning a murmured apology as she swapped the cloth for a cotton swab dipped in ointment. Her hands were steady, careful, almost meticulous.

"This might leave a scar," she muttered under her breath. "Unless your aura kicks in soon."

He said nothing. Breathing alone was a battle, especially with her this close. Her warmth pressed against him in waves; the scent of roses clung to her clothes, achingly familiar. He turned his face, half to give her better access, half to escape her gaze.

She really did beat the sense out of me, he thought bitterly. Gods, he wanted to set this whole place alight.

Ruby leaned back at last, studying her work with a faint, professional nod.

"Your aura should kick in soon. Once it does, the pain will stop. The scars will probably heal too."

She rose smoothly from her knees, dusting off her palms as she turned away.

"Ruby," he called out, voice rough.

She stopped. Turned. And for the first time, she seemed to take in the full weight of his vulnerability, the fractured man staring back at her from inside the cage. 

"What's wrong?" She asked, head tilting slightly. 

"...Nothing," he says, snuggling more into the bars. She bit her lip, half-hoping he would continue with his words.

"Okay...So...I'll...leave now," she says, slowly.

His eyes remained on the floor, as if he couldn't bring them to meet hers. "I...I hope...you won't be in pain..." 

A slight giggle escaped her lips, "It can't be worse than what you're in right now. But thank you... And...thanks...for everything...I never got to say it before." 

The heaviness in her head lifted, slightly, as if a weight had been taken off. She looked at him, her partner for three months. The tormentor of so many people and...just another tormented guy. 

She turned around, one foot already out the cage before she heard his reply. "Thank you... as well...And I'm sorry..." 

The last part was barely a whisper, but its meaning had all the same effect. She used all her will to not cry then, exiting the cage and leaving it slightly ajar, hoping he would understand her intention. 

Raven probably wouldn't let him leave alive. The momentary respite she begged for was probably being reported to her as done. And she may be sharpening her sword as they speak.

But Ruby had courage that he would be safe. After all, he was Adam Taurus.

Ruby waited inside Flore's tent, bundled in a blanket, watching Flore stitch a wound. The last patient waved goodbye eagerly, skipping toward the lunch tent.

Flore, having seen dozens of wounds, finally sank into a huff of exhaustion.

"You okay?" Ruby asked. Flore turned her head slightly, smiling.

"I'm absolutely knackered, but that feeling of fulfillment energises me. Unfortunately, I don't trust myself to brush my teeth without poking out an eye, let alone do your procedure right now."

"That's fine. I... can wait another day," Ruby said, looking down.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

"Do what?" Ruby asked, confused.

"Rub your belly like that." Ruby glanced down, shocked to see her hand making gentle circular motions over her abdomen.

"I—oh. I... didn't even know I was doing it..."

"I see it all the time in my profession, dear. It's a reflex many expectant mothers do. Some say it calms the foetus; others say it's just the awe of being pregnant."

"Really?"

"But... for those who have chosen not to continue... such a gesture can be torturous. It can make them question their decision. Unless you want to—"

"No!" Ruby said quickly, forcing her hand to her side. "No..."

Flore gave her an apologetic look. "I will always understand if you change your mind. That is your right."

"No... I... I've made my decision. This world... I have a mission. I can't do it while being pregnant."

"While I do not intend to dissuade you, remember this is a cryptic pregnancy. Realistically, you might have gone the term without issue. Just a fact."

Ruby tried to smile. "I think I'd mentally change. And besides, my mission doesn't really have a time limit. It could go on for years... I just don't think it's right to bring a child into that mix."

"I've heard of this mission for some time. What exactly is it?" Flore asked, intrigued. Ruby opened her mouth—but a shriek erupted outside the tent.

Alarmed, she shook off her blanket and grabbed Crescent Rose, running outside. There was a large crowd forming in the middle, near where the entrance gate was. 

Ruby, suspicious, pushed her way forward until she got into the middle, before freezing in shock. 

Blood pooled from under the body, with limbs snapped inhumanely and tufts of dark blue and pink hair slowly turning red.

"Momo?" Ruby breathed, extending a shaking hand forward. Nausea rushed up her throat as she gagged, earning jeers from some of the crowd who stepped away. Flore soon rushed forward, showcasing a similar reaction to Ruby, before stepping toward the body, a hand on her neck.

"No pulse... How did this happen?!"

"She- She just fell from the sky like that!" A bandit cried, the voice belonging to the same person who screamed earlier. 

"Who did something like that?"

"Wasn't that one of the captive we had? Was it someone in camp?"

"She escaped earlier during the fight! No one's seen her since!"

"Who could've twisted her limbs like that?!"

"Who could've dropped her from the sky?! That's bullshit!"

"Fuck you! I know what I saw! Her fucking head went splat!"

"Where's Raven?!"

A rising roar of outrage cut through the shouts. The gates slammed open, splinters flying as a tide of villagers surged in. Pitchforks, spears, and crude axes glinted in the sunlight, raised high with fury.

"Bandit scum!" they bellowed, their voices raw with anger. Smoke began curling from the fires they set along the fence poles and tents at the border of the camp. The acrid scent of burning canvas and wood stung Ruby's nose as ash drifted through the air.

Ruby, still trying to control her response, looked up. The mob was from the village, headed by Zhong who acted as the leader. Ruby hadn't seen him since he'd escaped earlier, tucking tail as he ran into the forest.

But now...

She watched the bandits show shock and anger as they quickly ran and equipped themselves with their own weapons. 

The crowd pushed forward, setting fire to the border of poles, as well as any nearby tents. Their fury bounced back on all surface, eyes darting around until they all directed on the pool of blood near Ruby. 

Jeers silenced in fright as they took in the grisly sight.

"Is that Momo?!" One shrieked.

"Look at what they did to her!"

"Kill them all!" 

"Wai-" Ruby tried to say, but her gags took over. She was feeling very nauseous, and the shock of seeing a newly made friend in such a state certainly didn't help. 

Chaos erupted, and a previously quiet campsite was quickly engulfed in screams and fire. Ruby forced herself onto her feet as she expanded Crescent Rose, using it as a stick. She tried not to look at the mangled body of Momo, instead focusing on the chaos in front of her.

"Stop it," she groaned weakly, "Stop it all of you!" 

Her pleas were met with disregard, the violent screams of both bandits and villagers falling piercing her ears. Panic surged up her body as the scene sparked familiar memories.

The screams.

The blood.

It was just like Beacon.

She jostled, her balance collapsing under the weight of the situation. Looking around, she tried to find an ally, but there was none.

There was no Yang. 

No Weiss.

No Blake.

No Jaune. No Nora. No Ren. She was alone. 

The screams continued until finally, an earthquaking sound shot through the camp. Suddenly, Raven was in front of her, her sword resting a hair's breadth from Zhong's throat.

"What is the meaning of this?!" She roared. No one dared to move. No one, except the bandits. 

"They attacked us, Raven!" One bandit shouted, holding his arm as blood dripped down slowly.

"You burned our village!" A villager accused.

"You evil fuckers!" Another roared. "Just fuck off and leave us alone!"

The statement was met with cheers from the villagers.

"We didn't touch your fucking village!" Another bandit shouted, shoving that villager into the dirt. "We've been here, this whole time."

"You expect us to believe that?!" The villager said, getting up and pushing him back, "You've been burning villages from Takayama to Nagano! All of them were raided by the Branwen scum!"

That was met with a punch by the bandit, which caused a few more fights until Raven's voice cut through. 

"That's enough!" She bellowed, looking at Zhong. "We didn't burn any villages, what a waste of time."

"Bullshit!" Zhong spat, "You were responsible for Nagano's demise. You killed Lissa!"

"Who's Lissa?!" A bandit asked, incredulous.

"She was my baby sister, that's who," Zhong growled, jaw tight with rage. "And you all killed her. I'm gonna make you pay!"

"Try it," Raven dared, pressing the tip of her sword against Zhong's throat. A drop of blood glistened on the steel as his glare burned into her, full of lethal intent.

Raven turned her eyes toward the rest of the camp, her presence a razor-sharp divide amidst the chaos. "My bandits didn't burn any villages! We've been here since the attack on Haven! Not one of my people has raided a single village!"

"Bullshit! Look what you did to Momo!" a villager shrieked, pointing toward the twisted, bloodied body near Ruby.

Raven's face hardened, her expression sharpening into something like disgust. A bandit nearby staggered forward, leaning in, voice low and defensive.

"We didn't do anything to that girl. She fell from the fucking sky!" he hissed, eyes darting nervously to the mob and the lifeless body, every muscle coiled with fear and defiance.

"You expect us to believe that?!" a villager cried out, fists raised in disbelief.

"Our village is on fire!" another yelled, pointing to the flames creeping along the tents.

"Our horses were slain!" a third screamed, voice raw with panic and grief.

"You all just want to lull us into a false sense of security and then kill us! Well, not if we kill you first!" The declaration was met with a surge of cheers from the villagers, a roar of fury that rolled through the campsite like a wave.

The sound grew louder, bouncing off the tents and smouldering poles, until a sudden, ear-piercing shriek cut through the clamor, silencing every voice. Ruby froze, every fibre in her body reacting instinctively to the familiar, guttural roar. Her heartbeat accelerated as the vibrations thrummed through the scorched earth beneath her boots.

The villagers' cheers evaporated. Even the bandits held their breath, weapons trembling in hand. Ruby crouched low, tuning herself to the ground, feeling the tremors intensify, rolling up from the soil like an ominous drumbeat.

"Grimm!" she shrieked, but it was already too late.

Thousands of Beringels and Boaarbatusks tore through the burning gates, their jagged limbs glinting in the firelight, eyes glowing with malice. They descended immediately upon the nearest villagers, snapping and screeching with predatory precision. The air was filled with the screams of the humans and the harsh, metallic crack of Grimm claws striking wood, flesh, and bone.

Ruby sprung into action immediately, her body reacting naturally. She Petal Bursted behind a Beringel, who was beating his chest whilst roaring, snaring his neck on her Scythe and thumbing the trigger to allow the shot to pierce a nearby Boarbatusk whilst decapitating the Beringel.

She looked around, scythe swinging with practiced ease as she cut through the Grimm, trying to save any villager. The bandits, having been caught off guard and wounded before, struggled to fight the Grimm.

Raven was a storm of her own, her blade flashing like lightning. One villager nearly screamed when she appeared behind him — not to strike him, but to cleave a Grimm lunging for his throat. She didn’t waste words, only fluid motion: slash, vanish, reappear. Where Ruby’s fighting was a dance, Raven’s was pure predatory efficiency.

Around them, the villagers and bandits were chaos. Men and women swung in blind arcs, weapons clattering against hides that were too thick to pierce. Screams rose as Grimm tore through gaps in their line. A bandit swung an axe into a Beowolf’s ribs, only to be dragged down by two more from the side. A villager’s spear splintered on a Beringel’s hide; the next moment, he was flung into a burning tent with a sickening crunch.

Ruby’s eyes swept the blazing campsite, desperate for some sign of relief. None came. Every scream, every spike of terror only drew more Grimm, their hulking shapes swarming over the dissipating corpses of their brethren. The stench of ash, blood, and wet fur clogged her throat.

She forced herself not to think. Not to feel. Just act. Scythe, shot, spin, slash. But the tide was endless, each kill drowned in the flood of bodies pressing closer. Her arms ached, her breaths turned ragged, and the rhythm that once felt effortless now stuttered with fatigue. Villagers fell in droves; only half the bandits still stood, and even they staggered, weapons slipping from bloody hands.

Raven carved a path of her own, cold and precise. With a single sweep, she severed three Ursa heads, their black blood soaking the dirt. Then, slamming her boot into the earth, she sent a violent tremor racing outward. Magic surged like a pulse through the ground, smothering the flames with a rolling shudder of dirt and stone.

Ruby froze mid-swing, her chest heaving. The hum in the air — sharp, wrong, familiar — cut through her exhaustion. She turned, eyes wide.

“Raven…” Her voice trembled with realisation. “Are you the Spri—”

She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to. The look Raven gave her was confirmation enough. Cold, heavy, unflinching. Of course. How could she not have seen it? There was no other reason for Raven to run; not unless she still had something that Salem had wanted. She still had the power.

“There’s no time for explanations,” Raven snapped, already lunging back into the fray. “Fight.”

Ruby jolted, Crescent Rose snapping back into position. She pushed the revelation down and followed Raven into the storm.

For a time, together, they turned the tide. Ruby’s scythe blurred silver arcs, slicing Grimm down in showers of petals. Raven’s blade was lightning in human form, cutting down monsters with merciless precision. The surviving bandits rallied behind her, their messy strikes guided by her example, while terrified villagers clung to Ruby’s wake, their courage borrowed from the sight of her fighting.

And then, at last, the Grimm began to retreat. The air shifted, their numbers faltering, vanishing into the tree line with guttural roars. A victory. But a hollow one. 

Ruby panted, hands on her knees as she struggled to remain upright. All around her were splatters of blood and carnage, but no bodies. They'd all been dragged away...

She gulped down air, using Crescent Rose as a cane, leaning against it. A few feet away from her was Raven, who was staring at the broken remnants of her clan. Her face shone with pain and grief, looking at her people who were heavily wounded, and worse.

"How the hell did this happen..." She breathed, turning around to face the other side of the campsite, and Ruby. 

Ruby could offer no explanation, nor any consolation. She couldn't even look at the soiled ground properly without wanting to spill out her stomach. 

Closing her eyes, Raven relaxed her face, allowing her practiced leader persona to shine through. "Salvage what you can! Any resources and equipment! We leave as soon as!"

Ruby looked around at the dejected bandits, who whilst limped and clutched their gashed wounds, started rummaging for anything useful.

Raven’s gaze returned to Ruby, her tone flat, detached. “I’ll send you to your sister. You have no place here.”

Ruby swallowed, guilt prickling. She wanted to say something that mattered, but all she managed was a soft,  thank you. 

"I...I'm so sorry that this happened..." She muttered, looking at Raven. "I hope...you do well in the future."

"Such words are meaningless to me, Ruby Rose. Not while she's on my tail. So...I bid you well in your mission, however futile it is."

"Thanks, Raven," she half-smiled.

Raven unsheathed her sword once more, gripping the hit tightly as her confident face cracked once more. "You could...stay here...With the bandits, I mean."

"What?"

"Going up against Salem is a death wish. She will win. No matter what. The best thing you can do is avoid her for as long as possible. It just so happens that I have a few vacancies here."

"I...appreciate the offer. But I've already resolved myself to doing the best that I can. She will win if no one fights."

"And your child?"

Ruby stilled, a heartbeat passed before she forced a smile. "I'll find someone. Who can...help me...I doubt Flore can help me right now, and I'd like not to dawdle."

"I see," Raven said, silence washing over them. Raven bit her lip before looking up at Ruby, meeting her glossy eyes. "You...are so much like your mother..."

Ruby's breath caught. "Was she...Is that...a good thing?"

"She was...the best of all of us...I...I'm sorry for what's happened to you," she says, voice breaking. Ruby's own eyes starting tearing up as she embraced her. 

"Thank you for everything Raven," she whispered, burying herself in her chest. Raven was startled, unused to the physical affection, but soon also pulled her closer into a hug. 

They stood in silence, grief and resolve pressed together, until Ruby finally pulled away, wiping her tears with the back of her sleeve.

Her usual perkiness flickered back as she gasped. “Oh! I have a question.”

Raven raised an eyebrow. “What is it, budding Rose?”

"How did you know? That I was...I mean..."

"I could see it. The soul manifesting. It's taking your aura so to speak, trying to make a colour of its own," Raven explained.

Ruby’s lips parted. “So that’s why I’ve been so tired...”

“Likely. Pure magic is fascinating,” Raven said, almost wistful.

Ruby tilted her head. “So... what colour is it?”

“What?”

“No, that’s silly, you don’t need to—” She stammered. 

“Red.”

Ruby froze. “Huh?”

Raven’s gaze softened, a rare smile tugging her lips. “A beautiful scarlet red. She’s working hard to grow.”

Ruby’s throat tightened, her chest filling with a strange, heavy warmth she couldn’t name. Her voice was barely a whisper. “...She? It’s... a girl?”

“Do what you wish with that information,” Raven murmured, her tone rare and unguarded. “But just know… you’ll always have a place here. And—”

“Raven...”

The voice was hoarse, choked. Both turned to see Scrat stumbling forward, her body trembling.

“One minute, Scrat—” Raven snapped, irritated.

“Raven...” Scrat coughed, blood bubbling at her lips.

“What?!” Raven barked, spinning around—only for her face to freeze.

The bandit staggered two more steps, a dark bloom spreading across her chest. Her knees buckled, the weight of her axe slipping from her fingers. She hit the ground hard, eyes wide, breath shallow.

Ruby gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

The weapon that felled her jutted grotesquely from her back: a spear, sleek and jagged, forged from black glass. It pulsed faintly with heat, a shimmer of fire dancing along its edges.

And behind her—calm, poised, almost amused—stood Cinder Fall.

Chapter Text

Cinder stood, proud. She wore a long, sage green dress, coupled with a scarf that hid her hair. She was dressed like any normal villager, but that grin bore more malice than any normal person.

"You," Raven snarled, sword already angled toward her. "How are you still alive?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Cinder's lips curved cruelly.

"That's why I asked." Raven's eyes narrowed. "I thought you'd be shattered into icy pieces by now."

"It would take more than that to kill me," Cinder hissed, her golden eye burning. Flames curled at her fingertips, flickering into the shape of jagged knives.

Ruby's chest tightened. She'd always been fast — faster than her peers, faster than her teachers — but she couldn't track them.

Raven blurred. In one instant she was on the ground, the next she was already clashing mid-air with Cinder, blade sparking against flame-forged daggers.

The force of each clash rattled the world. Blows parried with such violence that shockwaves split the soil, blasting tents into tatters, splintering trees clean in half.

Ruby reacted instinctively, scattering into petals as a blast seared too close, reappearing high in a tree. Crescent Rose snapped open, scope pressed to her eye, her breath steadying. She tried to follow them, to catch an angle, but the fight moved too fast. Each strike blurred — Raven's steel a flash, Cinder's fire a streak — and Ruby clicked her tongue in frustration. No clear shot.

Below, the battle raged.

Raven's movements were sharp, deliberate — no wasted energy. She ducked beneath a flaming arc, her counterstroke slicing the air so close Cinder's scarf caught and burned away. Cinder only laughed, twisting with unnatural grace, answering with a geyser of flame that turned the ground to glass.

The heat forced Raven back, boots grinding into the soil as she raised her sword to block. Sparks showered her cloak. She hissed, retaliating with a sweep that summoned cutting gales, a storm of blades in the air.

Cinder pressed harder, relentless. She fought like a wildfire, every strike chaotic but devastating, heat licking at Raven's armour, her blows raining down in merciless succession. Raven matched her — but barely. Sweat gleamed on her brow, her breaths measured but heavier with each exchange.

Their clash illuminated the ruined camp like a second sun. Flame and wind tore at each other, firestorms ripping through the air while icy shards rained down where Raven channelled her magic to counter.

Ruby's scope shook in her grip, her knuckles white. She couldn't tell who had the advantage. She couldn't even tell what attack was whose anymore. Ice and fire raged around them like a halo, the two opposing seasons fighting for dominance. 

"You're slower, guess it was worth tiring you out!" Cinder cackled, summoning a hundred poised arrows behind her as she struck forth again, her blades clashing against Raven's steel. She pushed off, letting her foot upper-kick her as the arrows fired.

Raven reacted quickly, summoning her own blades, which swirled like a tornado, entrapping Cinder and licking her skin with its jagged teeth. She screamed in pain before combusting, melting Raven's iced shards.

"So it was you who set fire to all those villages? Was that your plan? Make them all attack us and tire me out?"

"You speak as if it was so simple and stupid, yet it worked, didn't it?" She sneered. Ruby watched on, her scope poised on Cinder. She was about to thumb the trigger when something sharp cut her wrist.

Her body reacted before she did, jumping off the branch to see Neo there, poised with her umbrella, a sharp knife sticking out at the end. Neo's face had a haughty sneer as she pushed off the tree, engaging with Ruby in battle. 

Ruby scattered into petals, landing on the floor, gun aimed and fired at Neo, who shattered into pieces, only to reform behind her, kicking her in the back. 

Ruby stumbled, using her palms to touch the floor and kick up at Neo, though it was avoided. Neo was a pro at deflecting attacks. But this time, Ruby was stronger. Through countless spars with Adam, she had grown proficient at hand to hand combat, allowing her to avoid some of Neo's attacks and even get some licks in herself.

Still, Neo overpowered her, using her umbrella to smack Ruby in her knee, head and back consecutively before gliding over Ruby's back to her other side, kicking her promptly after. Ruby, low in aura, couldn't keep up with her.

She was pushed to the edge, stumbling as she tried to keep her grip on Crescent Rose. Neo smirked as she stalked over.

"Why are you doing this?!" Ruby shouted, "I haven't done anything to you!"

Neo’s grin warped into a snarl. She flicked her parasol — and her body rippled.

Torchwick’s face stared back at Ruby.

Ruby’s heart stuttered. “Is that—? Wait. You’re blaming me… for him? For Torchwick?!”

Neo pointed the umbrella at Ruby, still as Torchwick, and attacked again. She would've speared Ruby right through the stomach had Adam not parried the attack with his sword. 

 "Adam?!" Ruby exclaimed. 

 "Stay back," he ordered, before pouncing toward Neo.

An hour earlier

Adam watched Ruby leave, disappearing behind a tent. He tried not to look at her when she left, but couldn't help watching her, hearing her footsteps until he couldn't anymore. 

He sat there, bones creaking as his aura sewed his flesh up from the inside, waiting for the perfect time to leave. It was funny enough that the bandits, however cunning they might think they are, didn't even notice when he slipped out of the cage, limping all the way to where his sword lay and out of the campsite. 

He was a strong fighter, that much was known. He'd been a league of his own for years, cutting down opponents like they were weeds. Much of it fueled his ego on how faunus were much stronger than humans. 

That was, until now when he clutched his right side in pain as he staggered away. Raven Branwen. A human so proficient in her swordplay that even he'd be stupid not to accredit her.

Such a thing was a blow to his ego, and perhaps a few months ago, he'd storm in once more to demand another fight, clash with her until her finally won, proving that faunus were indeed superior. 

But he wasn't exactly the same as he was half a year ago. That much was sure. Even thinking on it now, he was surprised at how he's just... walking away?

Such a concept was foreign to him three months ago, before a red tornado of cheery trouble whisked him away. 

Through all of their adventures, surviving in a ship in the middle of a frozen wasteland; travelling together for months; sharing food, stories, trauma... 

She was a human. Someone he was supposed to hate. He'd known his fair share of racist, evil humans but she...

She was a rose who stubbornly bloomed through the garden of hate he tended to. And damn him, he wanted to go back.

Adam Taurus wanted to go back to her. 

He turned on his heel, as if ready to run all the way back to camp. He could do it, his aura had mostly healed him and well, there was no way she could have gone far already. But Adam stayed stuck in that position.

She was a rose who bloomed through the darkest of seasons. And he...

Adam had always felt he was the gift that Faunuskind needed; the hero they were waiting for. But right now, he didn't feel that way. 

Clenching his fist, he forced himself to turn away, walking further from Raven’s camp. He had a mission. A responsibility. He had—

His thoughts stopped cold.

The stench of burning wood clawed into his nostrils. He looked up, eyes widening at the black plumes curling into the sky from Sakuragawa. Alarmed, he sprinted toward the direction, stopping right in front of the gate, which was the only thing not on fire. 

Adam's ears pricked, trying to tune into any screams or cries for help, but there was none. No voices, nothing but the crackling roar of the flames. And that biting feeling of dread that now formed in the pit of his stomach.

It was weird. It was familiar, no, it was identical to what happened to Nagano. But it couldn't have been the bandits; their raid was scheduled for tomorrow. Meaning this was someone else's doing. 

He cursed, looking around for any clue as to who might've done this when all of a sudden, a twig snapped. Adam froze, slowly turning his head to where a certain loud-mouthed rat was cowering in the bushes.

Adam wasted no time in marching over and grabbing Ren by his throat, pushing him into a tree and aiming Blush at his head. "What the hell happened?!"

Ren's face was anything but the confident, quick-tongued, hothead he saw in the forest, now he was reduced to a blubbering sack of tears.

"I-I didn't mean to-" He stuttered.

"Didn't mean to what?" Adam snarled.

"She-she said she would help me. She would get them to finally take a stand!"

"Who?!" He pressed, but Ren clutched his head as if it was too painful to remember.

"It wasn't my fault, I didn't mean for them to die," he blubbered.

"What?" 

"I didn't know. She could control the Grimm! I didn't know!" He pleaded. Adam dropped him, watching him curl up into a ball, chanting about his lack of accomplice. Adam, feeling the sinking feeling rise again, looked back where the bandits were situated. And saw smoke. 

He never ran faster than any other time in his life. Regardless of his wounds that still screamed with agony, he ran, hopping in the trees above the pathway. Along the way, he met with Grimm, countless numbers of them, all leading to the same direction. 

He shot at some, still remaining in the trees as he looked forward, cursing at the sheer number of them. When he was halfway there, he saw the Grimm turn back, most with bloodied bodies and the strong scent of human blood, some with limbs still stuck in their teeth. 

He knew they weren't hers. She was a huntress. A subpar excuse for one, maybe, but he had trained her. She was strong. She was mostly capable.

But she's pregnant.

That doesn't really change anything...does it...?

The memories of her keeling over in pain and tiring out quicker during their sparring flashes through his mind. He bit his lip, pushing himself to run faster. He finally jumped down to the ground when all the Grimm had run the other way, making it to the campsite - or what was left of it.

He heard fighting sounds, and wasted no time in tracking down the scent of roses all the way to the edge of the campsite, where he quickly intercepted a pink and brown coloured girl aiming at Ruby's stomach.

"Adam?!" Ruby exclaimed. 

 "Stay back," he ordered, before pouncing toward Neo. She looked startled, quickly blocking his barrage of attacks. Adam pushed further, ignoring the pain growing in his chest. He remembered this weirdly coloured girl as being a lackey to that annoying ginger. 

But he hadn't expected to see her again after his very timely demise — he hated the ginger pest. 

Neo twisted under Adam’s blade, her parasol ringing as it deflected strike after strike. Adam pressed harder, each swing of Blush a heavy, punishing blow meant to kill, not spar. Sparks showered the dirt as steel scraped glass.

She was fast — faster than Ruby — darting in and out of his range, her illusions fracturing into a dozen versions of herself. Adam snarled, his sword cleaving through the fakes, each one shattering like broken mirrors.

“Cheap tricks,” he spat, eyes narrowing as he tracked her aura’s real flicker. He lunged, slicing the true Neo across her arm. She hissed, recoiling, her face twisting into a silent scream.

Ruby staggered up, Crescent Rose half-open, her aura nearly depleted. “Adam—!”

“Stay down, Rose,” he barked, not taking his eyes off Neo.

Ruby gritted her teeth, hands trembling on her weapon, torn between obeying and helping.

Neo lunged again, parasol jabbing for Adam’s throat. He sidestepped, slamming his hilt into her ribs, then smashed a brutal kick into her stomach that sent her sprawling across the dirt. He stalked after her, bloodied, breathing hard, eyes burning.

She looked at him, as if remembering who he was. Then, she smirked as her appearance changed yet again to Blake before returning back to her usual self.

Adam roared, bringing his blade down in a savage arc. Neo blocked, knees buckling under the weight of the blow. The ground cracked beneath them.

For a heartbeat, it seemed Adam would crush her outright. His strength, his rage — she couldn’t match it.

Then pain ripped through him.

The wound in his side, torn open from the sprint and the fight, split wider. Blood gushed hot down his ribs, his aura struggling to contain it. His knees faltered, his swing slowing just enough.

Neo’s eyes glittered. She twisted under his sword, spinning gracefully, her parasol whipping up to crack across his jaw. Adam stumbled back, vision flashing white.

She twirled elegantly, tipping her hat as her umbrella hooked behind his ankle, sweeping him onto one knee. The knife extension gleamed, angling for his chest—

A shot cracked the air. Neo shattered into glass, the bullet tearing through where her heart would’ve been.

“Are you okay?” Ruby rushed over, scanning the battlefield. “Be careful, she’s still here somewhe—ah!”

Her warning cut off as Neo appeared behind her, legs in a vertical split, her heel slamming Ruby in the ribs. Ruby cried out, crashing into Adam and driving him flat to the ground. He groaned as she scrambled off him, blood smearing across her torn torso.

There was no time to react. Neo was already descending, parasol aimed to skewer them both—

And froze.

 Adam's face crinkled with shock as he saw the girl frozen like an ice-lolly. He followed Ruby's gaze, his own blood about to freeze as he saw Raven Branwen mid air, her hand extended in Neo's direction, before being pushed back by Cinder.

"What the fuck?" He breathed. He looked up and down, trying to see if there were any wires or they were fighting on stilts. But they weren't. They were flying. And fighting. Ruby clicked her tongue, petal bursting away from him as she aimed Crescent Rose at Cinder, following her movements frantically.

"Do you know how hard it was setting up all those villages to burn? How annoying it was to make sure all the bodies were cleared away?! The final annoyance was that fan-wielding bimbo! Did you see how her limbs were twisted?!" Cinder shouted, clashing swords with Raven. "All so I could set the stage for this!"

"You just don't learn when you've been beaten!" Raven snarled, slashing a wide arc which Cinder easily blocked. Her attacks were getting slower as the gradual fatigue caught up with her. 

"Before, I was caught off-guard with your little Maiden switcharoo, but now, I've got you where I want you," Cinder cackled, slamming her makeshift spear into Raven's side. 

Adam watched it all with wide eyes, before flicking back to Ruby who was trying to take a shot. “Ruby—”

“No time to explain!” she shouted. “Cinder’s the bad one. We need to help Raven!”

He wanted to ask for an explanation anyways. Neo was frozen. Not metaphorically. Literally. Frozen. And her mother and his ex coworker from hell were fighting midair with...magic? 

Still, it was pointless even asking. One glance at them in the sky easily discerned that Raven was faltering. She was going to lose. 

“Shit,” he hissed, staggering upright. His grip on Wilt was iron, his knuckles whitening.

He looked at Ruby, breath harsh. “Aim at me.”

She turned her scope on him like he’d lost his mind. “Are you insane?!”

“Just do it!”

Her lip trembled, but she obeyed, thumbing the trigger.

Adam unsheathed Wilt with a snarl, deflecting each bullet she fired, sparks flaring as steel met steel. The impacts surged through him, his aura catching the energy, recharging, burning through his veins like fire.

Ruby fired every bullet she could, realising what he was doing. It was as if on cue that Cinder delivered a deafening blow to Raven, who crashed to the ground, shaking the earth. Ruby was quick to petal burst to her air, helping her up. Raven was heavy, and her strength was all but gone. 

Cinder's face contorted with amusement as she extended a hand forward, fire encapsulating within her palm. "Goodbye, Reds." 

Ruby turned her face from the half-conscious bleeding Raven to Cinder, anger painting her face as her eyes flickered. Cinder recoiled, as if electrocuted just as Adam’s hair blazed red, his aura erupting. He unleashed a slash so violent it split the air like lightning, a strike that might have cut the moon itself.

Ruby couldn't see it fast enough, but she definitely saw Cinder try and deflect before being whipped away by the energy. Adam stumbled as soon as he activated his Semblance, clutching his chest as blood seeped to the floor. 

"Adam!" Ruby cried, laying Raven down as she reformed from petals from behind him, catching his limp body. "You idiot, what did you do?!"

He coughed, lips cracked into a rasp of a smirk. “I’m the idiot? I counted three times you left yourself open... and at least four when you should’ve struck.”

“Is this really the time?!” Ruby snapped, tears streaking down her face as she pressed her hands to his wound.

Raven dragged herself closer, sword used as a cane. She sank to her knees beside Adam, gaze sharp despite her pallor.

“Come to watch me die?” he rasped, bloodied grin pulling at his mouth.

“Such a thing would bring me joy,” Raven said coldly. “But not yet. I have another task for you, Taurus. Get up.”

Adam rolled his eyes, but Ruby gaped at her. “Raven—”

“You cut off my daughter’s arm. You terrorised her friends for months.” Her voice darkened. “You impregnated my daughter’s sister.”

“Raven!” Ruby squeaked, cheeks burning. “Is this really the—”

“And yet, you protected her. You protected Summer’s child. So I’ll say it again, Adam Taurus—” Her eyes blazed with iridescent blue. “Get. Up.”

Adam's body glowed a vibrant blue, the blood from both Ruby's clothes and his picking itself up and trailing back inside him, as if it never left. Adam felt his energy returning, his aura surging as he leaned forward in an instant, feeling for the wound that was nowhere to be found. 

"How did—What the hell are you?" He stared. Raven's face didn't change as she hobbled up again, helped by Ruby who quickly appeared at her side. 

Raven didn’t answer. With Ruby’s help, she forced herself up, her face hard again. “Don’t look at me as if I wanted to save you. Consider it a boon. I won’t do it again. Now, you need to leave.”

Ruby’s voice shook. “What about you?”

“I’ll regroup elsewhere. Cinder cannot claim two Maidens’ power. The end is nearer than I thought.” She smiled thinly, then swept her blade wide. The air tore like cloth, opening into a swirling red void.

“This will take you to Yang.”

Ruby’s throat tightened. “Thank you, Raven. Truly.” She hugged her. To her surprise, Raven allowed it.

“Tell Yang I—Nevermi—”

Ruby cut her off with a tremulous smile. “I’ll tell her everything you did. And how much you love her.”

For the first time in years, Raven smiled — truly smiled — pressing a kiss to Ruby’s forehead before stepping back into steel composure.

“I wish you well, Summer’s daughter. And I'm...I—”

Raven couldn't even finish her sentence. It was as if time stopped for a fraction of a second as an arrow pierced through the air at lightning speed.

Ruby turned around, and the world moved in slow motion. Adam's eyes widening. Ruby's face freezing in shock.

And the arrow imbedding in her back.

"Raven!" Ruby screamed, catching her as she blocked Ruby, crumpling onto the ground. Cinder emerged, her arm extended as the other was curdling, smoke steaming off it. It was inhuman. Demonic.

"I WILL SUCCEED!" She screamed, crazed.

Adam sprung into action, immediately blocking the two, but Raven's body erupted, a raw force of power surging out of her, encompassing the trio in a hurricane of spiraling icy shards, easily uprooting trees. 

Cinder screamed from the outside, her shrieks drowned out by the hollow roar of wind.

"Go," Raven bit, looking at Ruby.

"No, I won't leave you here, come with us," Ruby grit, trying to pull Raven's body toward the portal. "Adam, help me!"

Adam snapped from his trance of looking around, running toward Raven and trying to pick her up. He had one hand on her back before cursing, removing it and seeing his palm burn.

"It's...poisoned...Eating me from the inside..."

"But you can heal it, you can!" Ruby shouted.

"Not while keeping her out and the portal open. I'm already stretched thin. You need to leave."

"I said I'm not leaving you!" Ruby snarled. "Adam, help me help her up!" 

Ruby staggered as she tried to lift Raven, buckling to one knee.

"Your aura is close to breaking as it is, you need to leave—"

"I still have some strength—"

"Go!" She bellowed, her voice emanating from the hurricane itself. Ruby was unfazed, trying again to stand and pick her up.

"Not. Without. You."

"Yes, you will," Raven snarled before grabbing Adam, her eyes glowing, "Take her."

"No!" Ruby shouted.

"The portal will close any second. And then we'll all die. Is that the fate you want for your daughter?" She whispered. Adam stilled, looking at Ruby, then at the portal which was shrinking every second.

"Adam! Help her up!" Ruby screamed, frustration evident. Adam looked at Raven, whose eyes showed identical fury.

"I'm already dead. It's made its way to my heart. This magic is the only thing keeping me alive and its disappearing. Make your choice," she seethed. Adam knew it. The hurricane was decreasing in ferocity, and Cinder's voice was getting louder. He was a skilled fighter, but right now he didn't even know if he was dreaming or not. I mean, he's in a magical hurricane!

Cursing, he marched over to Ruby, whose face broke with betrayal. She screamed, slapping him straight across the face as she tried to push him away, but he caught her hands, enveloping her body in his arms like a cage as he pulled her toward the portal.

She screamed bloody murder, every fibre of her fighting him. But she was weak, her aura a hair's breadth from breaking and her bones tired from the constant fighting. Still, she clawed, bit and cursed, before begging him to let her go. 

"Raven!" She screamed, inching closer to the ever-shrinking portal. "Raven!"

Her tears cracked her voice as she saw Raven's tearful smile. "Tell Yang I love her. My idiot brother too. And tell Oz... I'm sorry."

Ruby screamed as she writhed against Adam, who was halfway inside the portal. "No! No!"

"I'm so glad I got to help Summer's daughter and granddaughter live," she choked, the hurricane dissolving around her as Cinder's silhouette finally revealed itself. She pounced, surging toward Raven. 

Ruby's face was the last to be engulfed by the portal, long enough to see Cinder's Grimm hand reaching toward Raven. Raven forming a frozen dagger in her hand, closing her eyes as if she were to drift off into sleep. And slitting her own throat.

The last thing Ruby could hear was Cinder's agonising cry. 

And then it all went dark. 

"Jinn, what's Ozpin hiding from us?" 

"Wait, Ruby?!" 

"A long time ago..."  

Chapter Text

Ruby’s eyes fluttered open to a vast sea of white. She wasn’t standing on anything solid—her feet seemed to glide noiselessly across a floor that wasn’t there. The air felt weightless, empty, almost too clean, as though she were walking through the inside of a dream. No horizon. No ceiling. Just endless, blinding nothing.

Her heart quickened as she turned her head, trying to find an anchor. Then—movement. A silhouette in the distance.

“Hello?” Ruby’s voice cracked in the silence, small and uncertain.

The figure didn’t respond, only stood still, her long, ink-dark hair trailing like a shadow down her back. Ruby swallowed, her boots making no sound as she quickened her steps.

“Hey! Can you hear me?”

Still no answer. Ruby was nearly close enough to touch her when the figure began to turn. Her face was just coming into view—

—and the ground fell out from under her.

Ruby plummeted, a scream tearing from her throat until—

Her eyes shot open. She gasped violently, bolting upright with a strangled cry. Cold metal pressed against her palms; she was lying on a table, her body clad in a pale gown, tubes and wires snaking across her arms. The sterile tang of disinfectant filled her nose.

Panic hit instantly. She clawed at the wires, ripping them free as alarms began to shriek overhead. Her legs stumbled to the floor, bare feet clanging against steel. Her chest rose and fell in ragged bursts, her eyes darting like a trapped animal’s.

The door banged open. Boots pounded. Several men in white coats and uniforms surged in, their movements quick but wary.

“Miss Rose, please calm down—”

“Who are you?!” Ruby’s voice cracked between fear and fury.

One of them reached for her arm. She reacted without thinking, shoving her shoulder into him and sending him sprawling with a grunt. The others drew back instantly, circling her like handlers around a cornered beast.

Ruby’s breaths came faster, shallow and sharp. Where was she? Who were they? Where was Adam? What happened? Her thoughts spiralled into a dizzying blur. Her grip tightened on the nearest piece of tubing, ready to swing it like a weapon.

And then—

“Ruby!”

Her whole body froze. The voice cut through the panic like sunlight through storm clouds.

Ruby’s head snapped to the doorway. Qrow stood there, hair dishevelled, chest heaving as though he’d sprinted across the world to reach her. His eyes were wide, frantic, but unmistakably hers—her uncle.

Her arms went limp. The tubing clattered to the floor.

“Uncle Qrow…” Her voice broke apart, tears spilling hot and fast down her cheeks.

He didn’t hesitate. Qrow rushed forward and pulled her into a fierce embrace. Ruby buried her face against him, inhaling his scent—the biting tang of alcohol, the smoky trace of cheap wood and old leather. It was real. It was him.

For the first time since waking, Ruby let out a sob, clinging to him as though he were the only solid thing in this endless nightmare.

“Are you real?” Ruby whispered, her voice trembling as she clutched at him. Her arms tightened desperately, as though she feared he would dissolve into smoke if she let go. She hadn’t seen him in what felt like forever—how could he be here now?

“I’m real, kid.” Qrow’s tone softened, steady despite the rasp of his breath. He smoothed a hand over her trembling shoulder, grounding her. “You’re okay. You’re in Atlas Hospital.”

Her head jerked up, eyes wet and wide. “What?”

“You did a real number on us,” he explained, trying for lightness though his voice carried an edge. “Falling into the General’s office with a criminal dragging you down—it scared the hell out of us.”

Ruby blinked, the words slow to process. “Criminal? What? You mean… Adam?”

Qrow hesitated. His jaw clenched as he forced himself to nod.

“Don’t worry. He’s detained. Ironwood’s probably interrogating him right now—”

Ruby shook her head fiercely, her tears drying into stubbornness. “But why? He didn’t attack me, Uncle Qrow. He saved me!”

That caught him off guard. His brow furrowed as he stared at her. “…What?”

“Uncle Qrow,” Ruby said again, more firmly this time, her small fists gripping his sleeve. Her silver eyes hardened, clear and resolute despite the fear still clinging to her. “Take me to Adam.”

A strangled cry tore from Adam's throat as the collar sparked again, arcs of electricity searing through his nerves. His back arched violently against the chair, the restraints biting into his wrists and ankles. The cuffs were bolted steel, unyielding no matter how he twisted.

The warped voices crackled through the comms in the ceiling, distorted and cold. “I’ll not ask again, Taurus. Who are you working for and—”

Another voice cut him off, sharp with fury. A woman. “What did you do to Ruby?!”

“Yang, please—” came a calmer voice, male this time, but he was drowned out.

“Tell me!”

The current surged again. Adam’s roar echoed against the sterile metal walls, his teeth grinding as sparks burned against his skin. His chest heaved, lungs clawing for air, but he forced the words out between clenched teeth.

“I haven’t... done... anything...”

“Liar!” Yang’s voice spat like fire through the comms.

“Yang, please—” another voice, higher, refined, almost pleading. Weiss.

“No! He did something, I know he did!” Yang’s fury shook with desperation. “Why won’t she wake up?!”

The collar flared again, and Adam writhed, the smell of scorched cloth rising from his shirt. His head sagged forward, breath ragged, but even then his words came out low, rough, defiant.

"...I didn’t...hurt her...”

From above, in the glass control booth, the rest of Team RWBY stood shoulder to shoulder with General Ironwood, Winter, and Specialist Harriet. The fluorescent lights caught in the polished steel, casting Adam’s shadow long against the floor as if the room itself wanted to pin him down.

Yang leaned hard over the console, her knuckles white around the button that activated the collar. Her finger hovered, circling the switch like a vulture. “He’s lying. He won’t talk unless we push him.”

Behind her, Weiss’s arms were folded tight across her chest. She looked on with stiff composure, though her lips pressed into a line of worry. “Yang… perhaps you should let General Ironwood take over.”

“It’s no use.” Yang’s eyes burned red as she glared down at Adam. “He won’t say anything. We need to increase the voltage.”

“Yang!” Weiss snapped.

“How do I do that?” she demanded, eyes snapping to Ironwood.

The General’s face hardened, though his voice remained flat. “Miss Xiao Long. Perhaps Weiss is right. This isn’t—”

“Why are you all looking at me like I’m the problem here?!” Yang’s voice cracked into a shout, raw and ragged. Her fiery eyes darted across the room, locking on the only one who hadn’t spoken. “Blake. You’re with me on this, right? He’s the one who stabbed you! Don’t you want revenge?”

Blake stood apart, her arms limp at her sides, ears drawn down flat against her skull. Her amber eyes were fixed on Adam below, but her face twisted in quiet pain.

“Blake!” Yang’s voice broke with desperation.

Before she could answer, Winter’s crisp voice cut through the air. “Our objective is not revenge. It is extraction. If you cannot separate the two, Miss Xiao Long, you may stand aside and watch.”

Yang bristled, her glare slamming into Winter’s icy calm. “I am calm.”

Winter simply stepped forward. Weiss tugged gently at Yang’s sleeve, guiding her back. With military poise, Winter lowered herself into the interrogation chair, pressed the comms button, and sighed softly before speaking.

“Adam Taurus. You are wanted in all four kingdoms for terrorism, murder, larceny, destruction of public property, and incitement of violence. For such charges, you will be tried under military law. Interrogation methods will escalate if you resist. Now—once more. To what degree of harm did you inflict upon Ruby Rose?”

Adam lifted his head, crimson hair matted against his brow. “I didn’t inflict any harm,” he spat, voice raw.

“On May 23rd, you kidnapped Ruby Rose and held her hostage for three months—”

“Bullshit!”

“—you evaded police across Mistral and inflicted trauma that our medical staff is still uncovering—”

“Did she say that?!” His voice cracked, fury bleeding into desperation.

Winter’s gaze flicked briefly to Ironwood, who gave a solemn nod. “The victim has remained unconscious for forty-eight hours. Her tox screen is clear, but she has yet to wake.”

Adam’s body jolted against the restraints. “Where is she?!” he roared.

Winter hesitated. Then, with a small intake of breath, she thumbed the button. The collar shrieked, sparks biting into Adam’s flesh. His cry echoed through the steel chamber.

Weiss flinched and turned away, her nails digging into her sleeves. Yang, however, leaned forward, lips twisting into a grim, satisfied smirk as Adam writhed.

Winter rose smoothly from the seat, adjusting her gloves. “Specialist.”

“Alright kiddos, that’s your queue.” Harriet stepped forward, her casual tone a poor disguise for the steel in her eyes. She gestured toward the door. “Lunch time.”

“What?!” Yang whirled.

“The rest of this is classified,” Harriet said flatly. “Military eyes only. You four weren’t even supposed to sit in on pre-interrogation.”

“You can’t just expect us to wait outside—” Weiss began, but Winter’s piercing glare silenced her.

Blake was the first to move, her boots dragging as she slipped out without a word. Yang scoffed and stormed after her, Weiss pausing just long enough to shoot her sister a worried glance before following. Harriet closed the door with a hiss of seals, locking them out.

Inside, the air grew colder.

Ironwood himself took the chair, his every movement precise, deliberate. He pressed the mic.

“Adam Taurus.”

A low, bitter laugh rattled in Adam’s chest. “General Ironwood.” His voice dripped venom.

“You are wanted for terrorism, murder, larceny—”

“You’ve said that already,” Adam muttered, lifting his head just enough to sneer.

“—destruction of public property… kidnapping… and rape in the first degree.”

Adam’s breath stopped. “What?”

Ironwood’s voice did not waver. “Did you truly believe we would overlook your crimes against Miss Rose? The first test performed for women at Atlas General is routine—a pregnancy screening. One ultrasound was enough to establish a clear timeline. On May 23rd, you abducted Ruby Rose—”

“I didn’t—”

“—you assaulted her, evidence of which lies in her pregnancy—”

“That’s not what happened!”

“—and you drugged her to evade military pursuit. She remains unconscious under an unknown influence. The punishment for these crimes is immediate execution by firing squad.”  

The words “execution by firing squad” clung to the sterile chamber like frost, heavier than the steel walls themselves.

Adam sagged forward against the restraints, his breath ragged, the collar burns still smoking on his neck. “What the fuck do you want from me,” he rasped, his voice hollow but edged with defiance.

Ironwood’s expression didn’t shift, but the curl of his mouth suggested a smirk as he pressed the microphone again.

“During the Fall of Beacon, you unleashed Grimm into the city and conspired with Cinder Fall to attack the school. I want to know who you were working for.”

Adam barked a low laugh, bitter and humourless. “Y’know, everything went wrong when that bitch came to me all those months ago.”

Ironwood leaned forward. “Cinder Fall recruited you, you say?”

“She turned up with those two street rats she had, spouting off about some Master who wanted to build a new world.” His voice dropped, thick with disdain.

“And you believed her?”

“Of course not. I’m not an idiot. Some invisible puppeteer who can change the world? Please. This isn’t a fairytale. But she had connections. Resources. Weapons. She was useful to me, so I let her run her mouth.”

“So you’re admitting you formed a partnership?”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “We had a mutual goal. That was all. I lent her my men, and all I got in return were charred corpses. If I could turn back time, I’d have cut her head off where she stood.” His voice shook with seething anger, and for the first time, it didn’t sound like an act.

Up in the observation deck, Harriet crossed her arms. “He’s got to be lying. Why dump all this information for free?”

Winter’s eyes stayed locked on Adam. “It isn’t free. He’s paying for his life with every word.”

Ironwood pressed the mic again, tone hardening. “Where are the rest of the White Fang?”

Adam looked up, the collar digging into his skin as he shifted. “…What?”

“I want the names of your affiliates. Specifically those operating in Atlas.”

Adam gave a slow shrug. “Beats me.”

The collar sparked, the charge ripping through his nerves. He bit down a scream, smoke curling off the fabric of his shirt. When it ended, he lifted his head again, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. “Last I heard, they disbanded.”

A lie. One he clung to. Like hell he’d hand over what remained of the Fang. If they were still alive, still fighting, he’d never let Atlas hunt them down.

And yet… he couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d seen.

When he dragged Ruby through Raven’s portal, he’d stumbled straight into Ironwood’s office — right into a council of familiar faces: RWBY, JNR, Winter, Qrow… and a boy, no older than fifteen, clutching a lamp. The lamp that spilled out a blue, ethereal woman who had unravelled the deepest truths of the world right before his eyes.

“Jinn,” they called her.

He had seen Ozpin’s failures. Salem’s face. The curse of immortality. The end of the world spelled out in smoke and light.

And when the vision ended, every hand was on him, dragging him away from Ruby, pinning him like a beaten dog. He hadn’t stood a chance before the cuffs slammed shut.

Now, shackled and burned, he tilted his head back toward the mic.

“Hey, Ironwood,” he rasped.

The general raised a brow.

“That little smoke show wasn’t real… right?”

Ironwood’s chair creaked as he leaned in. “…What exactly did you see?”

Adam’s laugh was dry, bitter. “I saw a floating blueberry hand me Ozpin’s secret diary, narrated all the skeletons in his closet and how we're all doomed to be wiped out by some immortal witch who happens to be his ex.” His eyes narrowed. “So tell me, General… what did you see?”

Harriet swore under her breath, fingers twitching toward the control panel. “He knows too much.”

Winter raised her hand sharply, silencing her. “Stand down.”

Her eyes flicked toward Ironwood. “What do we do, sir?”

Ironwood’s finger hovered over the mic. Before he could press it, Winter’s Scroll buzzed sharply in the silent room. The interruption startled even him. She answered quickly, murmured into the receiver—then looked back up at Ironwood, her expression shifting.

“She’s awake,” Winter mouthed.

Ruby sat in a wide, sterile waiting room, the kind that smelled faintly of disinfectant and stale coffee. A long table and plastic chairs sat in the centre, too clean, too orderly. She clutched Qrow’s jacket tight around her hospital gown, the rough fabric grounding her as she twiddled her thumbs and stared at the door.

Her heart lurched when the handle finally turned.

The door slammed open, and Yang was the first through. She froze on the threshold, eyes sweeping frantically over Ruby’s body as if counting every limb.

“Yang?” Ruby whispered.

Yang was on her in an instant, throwing her arms around her, crushing her close. “I thought I lost you,” Yang breathed, voice breaking. Tears soaked into Ruby’s shoulder, and Ruby felt her own spill hot and fast. She followed her sister down to her knees as they clung to each other, neither wanting to let go.

The next figure through the door was Weiss. Her hand flew to her mouth, her blue eyes shining with disbelief. She hesitated only a second before Blake moved past her, ears drooping low, and joined the hug, pulling Weiss into it with surprising force.

“I knew you’d be alright,” Blake whispered, her voice cracking as she pressed her forehead briefly to Ruby’s. “I just knew it.”

Ruby giggled weakly through her tears, wiping her cheeks. “Did you miss me?”

“More than life itself,” Weiss murmured, smiling through her own tears.

The moment shattered as Nora’s booming voice rang through the hall. “Is it true?! Is it true?!” She barrelled through the doorway and tackled Ruby, nearly knocking her off balance.

“Nora!” Ren scolded, hauling her gently back. “She’s still a patient!”

Ruby laughed as Jaune and Oscar came in next, enveloping her in another hug.

“Jaune! Oscar! You’ve gotten so big!” she marvelled, blinking up at Oscar especially, who now towered over her.

“Yeah, well… time does that,” he sniffled, cheeks pink as he wiped his eyes. “I’m just glad you’re back, Ruby.”

“Me too,” she said softly.

Qrow lingered in the doorway, watching the whirlwind of embraces with something like relief softening his face. At last, he stepped inside, voice gruff but warm. “Alright, kiddos. Ironwood’s got something to say.”

On cue, Ironwood strode in with Winter and Clover flanking him, all three of them polished and severe. The warmth in the room chilled a degree.

“Ruby Rose,” Ironwood began, his voice formal and measured. “I’m glad to see you’re recovering. My condolences for all you’ve endured. Just know that we’ve been making progress with Taurus—”

“Is he alright?” Ruby blurted, her voice high with worry.

“Why are you asking that?” Yang snapped, already defensive. “He hurt you, Ruby.”

“No, he didn’t! Well—he did, at the start, but I mean—” Ruby faltered, then steadied herself.

Qrow cleared his throat, stepping in. “She’s already told me some of it. Ironwood, maybe let her explain herself before you—”

Ironwood’s tone didn’t shift, but his words cut in. “I think this conversation requires fewer voices. Everyone else—please.”

Yang’s head snapped toward him. “What? You expect me to leave my sister after everything—?”

“No one’s saying—” Qrow began, but Yang bulldozed over him.

“No! I’m not leaving her again!” Her voice broke into a snarl, her eyes glowing red.

“Yang.” Weiss reached out, but Ruby’s voice cut sharper than both.

“Yang.” Her sister froze, breathing hard. Ruby’s eyes softened. “I’ll be fine.”

Yang looked around, anger and anguish twisting her face. With a furious huff, she stormed out. The others hesitated, reluctant, but followed—Blake casting Ruby one last, unreadable look before disappearing.

Oscar trailed behind, only to stop as Ironwood’s voice caught him. “Actually… Oscar, would you stay?”

Oscar blinked, startled. “Oh. You want… oh.” His face fell, but he nodded, slipping back into a chair near Ruby, awkward in the silence.

Ruby lowered herself into a seat at the head of the table. To her left sat Qrow and Oscar; to her right, Ironwood, Winter, and Clover. The arrangement felt deliberate, like lines had already been drawn.

Ironwood folded his hands neatly. “Let me begin by saying how proud we are that you’ve survived, despite everything. Your endurance speaks to your character, Ruby Rose.”

“…Thanks,” Ruby said softly, her fingers worrying the edge of Qrow’s jacket sleeve.

“We’ve been interrogating Taurus,” Winter said crisply. “He is being charged with treason of the highest degree, alongside a litany of other crimes—including his offences toward you.” She slid her Scroll across the table.

Ruby hesitated before picking it up. Her eyes scanned line after line: Adam’s birthday, his suspected parentage, his affiliations. Then the charges—terrorism, murder, kidnapping, rape. Each word felt like a stone sinking in her stomach.

“This… this isn’t right,” she whispered.

Winter arched a pale brow. “Are there charges you think are missing?”

"No! Nothing like that! It's more of...well Adam didn't kidnap me," Ruby said, explaining all that had happened, including the Siren Dust.

Qrow's face hardened as she recounted that day, his fist clenching as he listened solemnly. Oscar looked down as if he wasn't supposed to hear it, while the military side remained stoic. 

"I'm going to kill him..." Qrow bit, stepping up from his seat.

"Uncle Qrow, wait!" 

"Qrow, I think you should take a seat," Clover said.

“You expect me to calm down when my niece’s rapist is sitting in the next wing?” Qrow snapped, voice sharp with venom.

"The boy was also a victim, so to speak," Winter said, "though it doesn't excuse what happened to you. I'm deeply disgusted that a Schnee worker may have been harbouring illegal drugs, more so that it caused you great harm."

“That may be,” Ironwood cut in, his steely baritone reclaiming the room, “but I am most concerned about Raven Branwen. Is it true she was the Spring Maiden?”

Ruby jolted at the word was. The air seemed to hollow around her. She turned toward Qrow. His eyes were shadowed, his face carved in despair. Oscar shifted uneasily in his chair, his shoulders drawing inward.

Ruby’s voice was fragile. “Is Oz going to join this conversation?”

“Oh, um…” Oscar fumbled, eyes darting.

Qrow snorted, unscrewing his flask. “Oz isn’t exactly ‘up for a chat.’ The bastard’s dug himself so far down in Oscar’s head, you’d need a crowbar to get him out.”

“I’d hoped,” Ironwood said tightly, “that if Ozpin was still listening, he should hear this. If Jinn’s revelation was true…” His jaw locked. “…then we are all waist-deep in the mud.”

Ruby’s mind flickered back to that vast white expanse, to the blue woman unfurling the story of Salem and Ozma. Her stomach tightened. “So…” she asked, her voice small but steady, “what do we do now?”

"Well… that’s the million-lien question," Clover said at last, breaking the silence with a dry, awkward chuckle that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Winter folded her arms, her posture immaculate but her voice clipped. "It’s troubling that the Spring power has vanished without a trace. Do you have any idea who might have been in Raven’s thoughts at the end?"

Ruby’s fingers tightened around the edge of Qrow’s jacket, the rough fabric grounding her against the sudden chill in her chest. She shut her eyes, trying to summon the memory—but all that surfaced was the image of Raven’s blade flashing, the cold bite against her own throat, and the sharp sting of crimson. The recollection jolted through her body, forcing a shudder she couldn’t hide.

"I–I don’t know," Ruby whispered. "She mentioned… Qrow, Ozpin, Yang—"

"Yang?" Winter’s eyebrow arched sharply, her tone flat.

"It would make sense," Clover added, tilting his head. "She is her daughter."

Qrow scoffed, though the tightness in his jaw betrayed unease. "Yang hasn’t shown any signs of being a Maiden."

Ruby’s brow furrowed, her silver eyes flicking between them. "How do the signs even work? Is it… immediate? Or gradual?"

Qrow’s gaze darkened, drifting away as if the memory of Amber’s last moments lingered on him like a stain. His voice was gruff, bitter. "When Cinder tore the power out of Amber, it was instant. But that was… different. Salem’s hand was in it. As for a natural transfer… only one person here would know." He turned his sharp eyes toward Oscar.

The boy stiffened under the sudden weight of every gaze. His hands twisted in his lap, knuckles pale, as though he wanted to vanish into his chair. "I—I…" His voice cracked before settling, deeper, steadier, not entirely his own. "Ozpin remembers. The power should pass immediately—if one young woman dies and another is in her thoughts." He paused, glancing at Ruby, then at Qrow. "But if Raven’s last thoughts weren’t of another woman… the power could have scattered. It could go anywhere."

Ruby swallowed hard, her heart sinking. "So the power is just… lost?"

Oscar’s eyes lowered, his tone weary but undeniably older. "Perhaps so. Which does make it significantly harder to decide what to do with the lamp." The last word hung heavy in the room, his voice carrying Ozpin’s cadence more so than his own.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Ruby hesitated, her voice squeaking as she broke it: "Um… this may be a bad time to ask but… what will you do with Adam?"

Winter’s face didn’t shift, but her words were edged with steel. "The criminal is due to be processed before sentencing. Execution is the most likely outcome."

Ruby’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “Is that really the only option?”

Ironwood’s voice was clipped and unyielding. “I understand you may have grown…fond of him during your months away, but sentiment has no place here. He is a terrorist. He is the reason Beacon fell. I cannot have someone like him roaming Atlas, waiting to link up with White Fang stragglers.”

Ruby blinked, her throat dry. “They’re still active?”

“Annoyingly so,” Ironwood replied, his jaw tight. “And we don’t know where. Add to that his allegiance with Salem—the man is too dangerous to keep alive, especially without a way to control him.”

Ruby swallowed. Her voice was quieter, but no less firm. “What if…there was?”

Ironwood leaned forward, steel-blue gaze narrowing. “Do tell.”

Adam leaned back in his cell, stretching his body despite his skin still feeling on fire. He was dressed in borrowed Atlas uniform, though the clothes were a little more than tight on him. 

In his mind, execution was imminent. He wasn't stupid. He knew how amazing the White Fang was in prison breaks, but they didn't know he was alive, and if it were him, he certainly wouldn't try and break into Atlas military of all places regardless of who it was.

So, here he was, resigning to his fate. Really? After talks and grand gestures of reshaping the world? He was now ready to die? 

The old Adam would've spat in his fate if he saw him now. But fuck him. The old Adam didn't just get a big billboard message saying the world's ending.

He still couldn't believe that. 

All his life, he dreamed of a future where Faunus reigned supreme. Where those who shackled him ended up in shackles. And within a split second, a floating blue lady popped his dream like a balloon. 

Salem. 

Her life was something out of a fairy tale. Trapped in a tower, saved by her knight in shining armour. 

And then the Gods, Gods? He always said it as a figure of speech but he never actually thought they were real. And what, they abandoned humanity? Left them to fend for themselves?

And Salem wants to bring them back, most likely to have them destroy the world. Damn it. The world should burn. He was happy to set the pyre alight himself. But not with him in it. Not with...

His mind trailed back to Ruby, and all her hints toward her 'mission'. Was this what she was working to prevent? 

Maybe it would be easier if he let death take him. Better the void than waiting for gods to snuff out the last embers of existence. But if he did…

“Adam?”

His head snapped up. Ruby stood just beyond the glowing wall of his cell, her small frame haloed in sterile light. An Ace-Op lingered at her side like a shadow—Harriet, arms crossed and suspicion sharp in her gaze.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes, and Ruby gave her a look, "Can we have...some privacy?"

"You want me to leave you alone with a Class S criminal?" Harriet raised a brow.

“Can any criminal escape a cell that burns them if they so much as touch it?” Ruby countered softly.

Harriet hesitated, scepticism flickering across her face, then exhaled sharply. “Five minutes. That’s all.” She stalked off, boots ringing against the floor.

Ruby watched her retreat, then turned back to Adam. Her hand lifted almost unconsciously toward the wall—

“Ruby, don’t—”

She touched it. The wall flared. “Ow!” She yanked her hand back, red blossoming across her skin.

“Careful!” Adam barked, springing upright despite the ache in his limbs. He met her at the barrier, eyes blazing. “Idiot, you just said it would burn you, and then you touch it?”

She gave a nervous chuckle, rubbing her hand. “You’re right. That was silly of me.”

He studied her—dishevelled hair, pale skin, swallowed up in a hospital gown and slippers, a man’s jacket draped around her shoulders like armour too big. His voice dropped. “Did they hurt you?”

“I could ask you the same.” Her lips trembled, but she held his gaze. “Weiss told me what happened. I’m sorry for…Yang was just—”

“I get it,” he cut in. “I cut off her arm. Least she could do was fry me a little. What about you, though, how’s—”

He couldn't finish his sentence, but his eyes betrayed him, lingering toward her stomach. He didn't know why he was asking. They probably already terminated it when he was being tortured. A gift, really. Now he could die without having to worry having to make sure the kid was gone. 

"They said they're going to execute you soon..." she mumbled. 

"I figured."

"They said that if you gave up any White Fang members, they might lighten your sentence."

"Not gonna happen."

"Adam..."

"I won't sell out my brethren."

"Just give them something, anything! It doesn't have to be about the White Fang! It can be anything about Salem, Cinder—"

"I know nothing. And they'll get nothing."

Anger flashed through her face, "Why aren't you even trying? You're going to die!" 

“We’re all going to die,” Adam growled. “That’s what that blue genie thing said, isn’t it? Maybe I’ll be glad to go a bit sooner, rather than stand around waiting for the apocalypse.” 

His tone darkened. “Besides, I’ve really got nothing left to live for. The Fang’s gone; liberation’s meaningless if we’re all dead within the year. The kid’s gone—”

He stopped, eyes narrowing as Ruby flinched, looking away.

“You did terminate…didn’t you?”

She bit her lip.

“Didn’t you?” His voice roughened, harsher now.

"I...I missed the window..." She finally said. 

"What do you mean?"

"Atlas law says I can't terminate past ten weeks. The individual aura will have been established by then. I can't terminate without it being detrimental to my health."

Adam’s stomach dropped. “So you’re keeping it?”

“I don’t really have much of a choice—”

“You’re not going to still fight, are you?”

“Of course I am—”

“While pregnant?” His voice spat the word like poison.

“It’s not like Cinder didn’t already want me dead. I’ve always had a target on my back. Nothing’s changed—”

“Everything’s changed!” Adam roared. His boot lashed out, striking the wall, sizzling against the barrier before he pulled back with a snarl. “So there’s a chance Cinder will come for it?”

Ruby lowered her eyes. “I can protect it.”

“You couldn’t protect yourself against that acrobatic pinkhead—”

“I’ve gone up against Cinder before! I can do it!”

“Before you were pregnant, or after?”

“That makes no difference—”

“You’re not putting the kid in danger—”

“You’re not the boss of me! You’re going to die soon, remember?”

His breath came hot and ragged. He turned from her, then spun back, fury and something unspoken knotted in his chest. “You won’t face her without protection. People will want to protect a pregnant girl.”

Ruby shook her head. “Cinder can cut through them like paper. You know it. There are only a handful who’ve survived fighting her. And when it comes down to it…” her voice faltered, “…Ironwood might not think my protection is the priority.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “What are you getting at, Ruby?”

Ruby inhaled sharply, steadying herself. “You care. For the baby. Don’t scoff and lie to me—you do. As much as I do. I was already a target for my silver eyes—”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“This child will probably inherit them,” she pressed on, voice trembling but determined. “And Cinder already hates me. It’s marked before it’s even born. But having someone who’s fought Atlas, who’s killed huntsmen, who’s…you…” she swallowed, “someone by my side could make the difference.”

Adam’s laugh was harsh. “Me? I’m going to die, remember?”

Ruby’s eyes held his. “Not if Ironwood pardons you.”

He barked a bitter laugh. “Pardon? By working under Ironwood? Fat chance.”

“For him. Not under him,” Ruby corrected, her voice firm now. “He’d grant clemency if you dedicate yourself to fighting with us.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “And how does he know I won’t turn on him?”

Ruby hesitated, chewing her lip before speaking. “There would be…terms. A chip. Implanted.” His face twisted. 

“You want to chip me?”

“For tracking,” she said quickly. 

 “Like a dog with a collar.” His laugh was cold, humourless. “Figures.”

“Are you not hearing me?” Ruby’s voice cracked under the strain, louder than she intended. “Your crimes would be pardoned. You wouldn’t be Adam Taurus, wanted in all four kingdoms anymore. You could just be…Adam Taurus.”

He stared at her like she’d grown another head. “And who is Adam Taurus, if he’s not fighting for liberation?”

Ruby’s eyes flashed, her exhaustion boiling into anger. “Someone who’s there for his child,” she spat back. “The choice is yours. I begged them to let me come here. I fought for this chance. It’s up to you whether you throw it away.”

The silence that followed was jagged, cutting between them.

The hiss of the cell door broke it. Harriet appeared, arms folded and expression unyielding. “Time’s up. Five minutes. Visiting’s over.”

“Just a few more—” Ruby tried.

“Ironwood’s orders. You’re due for your check-up.” Harriet’s voice had no room for compromise.

Ruby exhaled, shoulders sagging. She gave Adam one last look, lingering, soft, and uncertain, before stepping back. She didn’t even get to say goodbye before the door sealed shut again, cutting her from him.

Adam was left staring at the glow of the wall, the silence pressing hard against his chest.

What was there to think about? He’d rather die than work for Ironwood. A leash. A collar. Never again.

Cinder will come for her.

She’s strong. She doesn’t need me.

Salem will destroy them all.

She’ll be helpless.

And what could he do against a witch who could not be killed?

His gaze slid back to the thought he couldn’t shake.

He was going to be a father.

The words echoed like a curse. He snarled, driving his boot into the wall again. The barrier flared, leather sizzling, the air filling with the sharp stink of char.

Ruby lay stretched across Yang’s lap, the weight of her body limp with exhaustion. Her sister absentmindedly ran her fingers through Ruby’s hair while the others sat close, their voices a low hum in the room as they caught her up on everything she’d missed.

“So you all crashed a train, got chased through a village full of Apathy, with an old lady who just so happened to be one of Penny’s father’s patients?” Ruby summarised weakly, blinking up at them.

“Don’t forget Ozpin,” Yang muttered, bitterness threading through her words. “Turns out he’s a two-bit liar who decided to burrow inside Oscar.”

Ruby frowned. “And…how did you all even get here?”

“I returned first, with Qrow,” Weiss explained primly, though fatigue dragged at her posture. “It took me a full day to secure authorisation for the rest of you to enter Atlas. We confronted Ozpin about Leonardo, and then you appeared out of nowhere and Jinn showed us…everything.”

The word lingered heavy, drawing the air from the room.

Ruby shifted against Yang, looking up at her sister’s face. Yang’s eyes were fixed down on her, heavy and tired. Ruby’s voice softened. “Are you okay?”

She had already told them everything—Raven, Adam, the cell. Yang’s temper had exploded the moment Adam’s name left Ruby’s lips, Jaune taking the brunt of it when he tried to hold her back. He still sat now with an ice pack pressed to his cheek, Blake beside him in silent solidarity.

Yang twined another strand of Ruby’s hair around her fingers, her expression faraway. “I’m fine. Just a bit…frazzled.”

"It...must be hard..." Weiss said, leaning next to her. 

"She was never my mother...Could never replace Mom. But she was...I just...I wanted to know more about her. And now..."

Ruby lifted herself from her lap and hugged Yang, letting her burrow her head into her shoulder. The silence was solemn, filled with warmth before the door finally opened. Walking through was Qrow, who took a seat next to Nora, who was scarfing down some sandwiches. 

"I don't know how you did it, kid. But he agreed," Qrow said, taking a swig from his flask. 

"Wait, the Adam Taurus agreed to be chipped?" Nora raised a brow, swallowing the last sandwich. "Are you sure we can trust him?" 

"Not as far as we can throw him," Qrow said. "But, he is a valuable asset, as Ironwood so bluntly put it. He can work alongside us-"

"He's the reason why Beacon fell!" Jaune interrupted, voice laced with anger. "He worked with Cinder, he's the reason why Py-." 

"Jaune," Ren said, placing a hand on his shoulder, as if motioning him to breathe. Jaune sat back down in his seat, downcast. 

"I don't trust him."

"No one really does, but right now, we're in a bind. Almost all the huntsman and huntresses in Haven are dead. Vale's compromised, and Vacuo's not been answering any calls. We're two down, and we don't know who's the next target. We need all the skilled fighters we can get," Qrow said. "Trust me, I'm not exactly excited for this to happen, but Ironwood's convinced. And he's got someone vouching for him."

They all looked at Ruby, who looked back with a resolute gaze. "I trust him. He's changed."

"People like that don't just change," Weiss said. 

"He didn't just change though. He's got a motive. We all do. Beat Salem."

"How exactly do we do that?" Jaune said. "We all saw how Jinn said Ozpin can't kill Salem."

"Maybe not," Ruby said, "But maybe we don't have to kill her."

Adam scratched the back of his neck, still not accustomed to the sensation of metal embedded inside him. The skin there throbbed faintly, as though his body hadn’t yet decided whether to reject or accept the foreign object.

Winter had been present throughout the procedure, her expression carved from ice.

“This is an official probationary period for you, criminal terrorist Adam Taurus,” she intoned, her voice clipped and surgical. “Failure to adhere to any military orders will be grounds for termination of your probation. You are now an asset of the Atlas military.”

The injection had been freezing cold, a liquid sting that made his spine arch involuntarily against the restraints.

“The chip has been embedded just below your brainstem,” Winter continued, unflinching at his discomfort. “No one except highly trained Atlas surgeons can remove it without risking paralysis. It carries both a tracker and a miniature shock system, in case you decide to… defect.”

“She never said anything about that,” Adam snarled, his voice rough.

Winter’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of disdain glinting beneath the calm veneer. “And why would we tell her? Ruby Rose is a vital asset to this kingdom — her bloodline, her family, her ties to Ozpin. It was only through her pleading that General Ironwood agreed to mercy at all. You should count yourself fortunate. However…” Her tone sharpened, steel biting steel. “…should you betray us, it will not just be your life forfeit. It will be hers.”

Even now, those words burned in him like acid. A hostage situation — dressed up in military rhetoric. And Ruby most likely didn’t know the half of it.

Now, staring at his reflection in the mirror of the barracks, Adam barely recognised the man looking back.

They’d stripped him of his White Fang tatters and dressed him in Atlas efficiency. A long, black, double-breasted coat tailored to his frame, the faint sheen of military-issue fabric catching the light. Along the seams, a thread of deep crimson lined the edges — a nod to his old colours.

On the back, embroidered into the fabric with near-perfect precision, was his personal crest, which, upon closer inspection, was cut from his original clothes and stitched on. 

A red turtleneck clung to his throat beneath the coat, warmer than anything he was used to. His hands were covered with dark gloves, his boots lined with fur to fend off the Atlas chill. Even Wilt had been returned to him, the blade gleaming with a new polish. 

The chips along its edge were gone, the hilt refitted with an ergonomic grip. The message from the technicians had been simple: maintenance complete.

His eyes — hidden still by the black band that replaced his fraying ribbon — flicked to the Scroll resting on the table. An Atlas-issued model. Sleek and efficient.

And then came the voice.

“You clean up nice,” Clover said easily from the doorframe, leaning casually as though the room weren’t filled with tension sharp enough to cut glass. 

His smile was the sort that could disarm most people, but Adam only narrowed his gaze. "I'm Clover, leader of the Ace-ops and your official officer."

“Ironwood sent me a babysitter?” Adam asked, his voice flat.

Clover chuckled, stepping further inside. “More like a parole manager. You’ll be working with me directly on missions, and in turn, I make sure General Ironwood hears good things about you.” He crossed his arms, all warmth and charm. “Don’t worry. I’m personally rooting for you. I like the idea that anyone can change — even the more… stubborn types.”

Adam scoffed. “You think you’re going to reform me?”

“Not my job,” Clover replied. “I’m here to make sure you follow orders, pull your weight, and don’t get yourself — or anyone else — killed. What you do with your second chance is up to you.”

He tilted his head, the smile softening just slightly. “But for what it’s worth, I do believe you can be more than the man everyone says you are.”

Adam’s jaw tightened. He turned back to the mirror, staring at his reflection one last time — at the soldier they wanted to make him into.

“Let’s get this over with,” he muttered.

“Good attitude,” Clover said, clapping him on the shoulder as if they were old friends. “We’ve got our first assignment in two hours. Consider it… a trial run.”

Adam didn’t respond. He only gripped Wilt a little tighter, his knuckles whitening beneath the glove.

A soldier of Atlas. A walking hostage is more truthful. Still, he made a choice. Now, he was following through. 

INSPO PIC OF ADAM'S NEW ATLAS LOOK. I DONT OWN THIS, I JUST SAW IT ON PINTEREST AND WAS LIKE ME LIKEY! FULL CREDITS TO SQUIRA ON TWITTER. I'M NOT SAYING X BC THAT'S JUST STUPID. ALSO, PLEASE REPLACE THE GRIMM MASK WITH A BLACK EYE COVERING SIMILAR TO GOJO SATORU'S. JUST FOR REFERENCE SAKE. THERE'S NO ACTUAL WAY IRONWOOD WOULD LET HIM CONTINUE WEARING A GRIMM MASK AND TBH, THE MASK WAS PROBABLY LOST SOMEWHERE IN THE EARLIER CHAPTERS SO YEAH

Chapter Text

“Team Alpha here, we’re moving further into the mines. Stay alert for the target,” Clover said into his earpiece, his voice light despite the weight of their surroundings.

Adam kicked a loose rock, watching it clatter across the ground before sparking faintly where it struck exposed dust. The glow fizzled out with a sharp hiss.

“This place is armed to the teeth with volatile dust,” he muttered, his gaze travelling along the jagged walls. Crimson and azure veins of dust glimmered faintly through the stone like frozen lightning, dangerous and alluring all at once.

“Yup,” Clover replied easily, sweeping his torch beam across the tunnel. “Geist’s a few hundred years old. Smart enough to build a nest out of live dust deposits to keep huntsmen away. No one’s been able to get close. That’s why they sent us.”

Adam tuned him out, senses sharpening. Every scrape of boot against gravel, every drip of condensation from the ceiling echoed in his ears.

“You know,” he said suddenly, turning his head toward Qrow, “I might hear better if I didn’t have to listen to your constant grunts.”

Qrow didn’t bother replying. He just strode past, pulling out his flask. The metallic clink as he twisted the cap carried clearly through the silence. Clover reached out quickly, steadying his wrist.

“What’d we say, Qrow?”

“Give me a break,” Qrow grumbled, yanking his arm free. “You’ve got me working with him. I’m either sober and pissed, or drunk and tolerably pissed.”

Clover gave him a half-smile. “Your niece is back. Focus on the good things.” His gentle tone finally coaxed Qrow into tucking the flask away.

Adam was already several paces ahead, Wilt dragging along the stone floor, sparks flicking up where the blade scraped against embedded dust crystals.

“Hey, Adam, wait up!” Clover called, jogging lightly to catch him.

Adam didn’t slow. “Has anyone ever told you you’re very annoying?”

“Only about a million times,” Clover said cheerfully, undeterred. “But I like to think if your smile is high, your happiness touches the sky.”

Adam shot him a flat look, unimpressed, then pressed deeper into the mines.

He hated this place. He knew exactly what mine it was, and the memory gnawed at his gut. Still, weakness wasn’t an option — not in front of Clover, and especially not with Qrow watching him like a hawk for any excuse to drag him back to his cell.

Half of Ruby’s allies seemed to share the same sentiment. Qrow, Yang, and even that scraggly boy Jaune all treated him like a ticking bomb. Qrow and Yang, he understood. But Jaune? The boy barely scraped by in a fight, his sword swings clumsy, his stance sloppy. By rights, he shouldn’t have lasted a week at Beacon. And yet, there was something sharp buried in his gaze that Adam instinctively distrusted.

A shrill screech split the silence.

Adam reacted instantly, stepping back as a blind worm erupted from the earth in front of him. Its mouth opened wide, green acid bubbling across its teeth before it spat a spray toward him. He raised Wilt in a fluid motion, the steel catching the corrosive spit before he fired, the blast slicing the worm clean through. Its carcass collapsed into the dirt, hissing smoke rising where its blood touched the dust.

Behind him, Qrow clicked his tongue as he walked past, brushing shoulders with him deliberately. “Watch where you’re going.”

Adam’s grip on Wilt tightened. Oh, this was going to be a long mission.

“Don’t mind him,” Clover said quietly, leaning closer. “He’s… protective. Talks about Ruby like she’s his daughter. So you can probably understand why—”

“I get it,” Adam snapped, eyes narrowing. “But I’m not doing this for him.”

Meanwhile, Ruby walked a different stretch of tunnel with Harriet and Marrow. The air was damp and heavy, the scent of earth and rust mingling with the faint ozone crackle of raw dust. Her breath curled white in the cold, visible even beneath the new outfit Pietro Polendina had tailored for her — thicker fabric, fingerless gloves, silver buckles that caught the faint light.

Yang, Blake, and Weiss flanked her, their own Atlas-issued uniforms polished and practical.

“This place is…” Blake trailed off, her ears twitching faintly as she scanned the walls. “I remember where we are. This mine closed after an explosion years ago.”

“I remember that disaster,” Weiss murmured, her expression tightening. She looked at Blake, regret shadowing her pale eyes. “My father was furious when— I’m sorry, Blake for all the harm my company has inflicted on the Faunus, and my complacency in it."

"It's fine, I'm not the one who needs it, I think," Blake says. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang asks.

"This place...I think it's where...Adam escaped from..." 

Ruby stilled, looking around at the cold, decrepit mine pathway. "What?"

Blake looked at the ground, clutching her arm, "He uh, hasn't told you...has he?"

"Told me what?"

"I shouldn't be the one to say. It's something really personal to him," Blake said, looking very uncomfortable. "He wasn't the best type of person but...he didn't exactly have the best childhood either."

Weiss’s lips parted, her face paling. “Was he also a victim of—” She couldn’t finish, shame colouring her cheeks. Her silence was answer enough.

Yang remained silent, purposefully looking toward Harriet who was assessing a large boulder that blocked the path. 

"Hey, Blake!" Marrow called, "Care to use your nightvision to check if there's any Dust behind this. If not, we'll just blast through it."

"Oh, sure thing!" She called back, squeezing through the gap between the boulder and the wall. 

"Do you see anything?" Harriet asked through the comms. 

"Nothing, it looks clear from Dust and-Ah!" She screamed as the Geist popped up in front of her, trying to claw at her face. She shot at it, her bullets sending it scattering. 

Harriet growled as she blasted through the boulder, rubble skidding across the tunnel floor. Dust clouds rolled back, revealing the geist floating ahead, its form flickering like a shadow caught between worlds.

It screeched, then darted deeper into the mine.

“This is Brava — target sighted, moving deeper!” Harriet barked into her comm.

Yang slammed her gauntlets together with a metallic clunk, stepping forward. She was just about to fire when the earth split. Blind worms erupted from the ground in clusters, their shrieks reverberating against the stone. Acid dripped from their jaws, sizzling against the dust-lined floor.

Yang grimaced. “That’s disgusting.” She met the first with a punch, her gauntlet discharging with explosive force. The worm’s head ruptured in a spray of acid and steam, collapsing at her feet.

Another snapped toward Blake, its teeth bared. She slid back, Gambol Shroud in hand, her whip wrapping tight around its neck before she yanked, severing its head with a clean strike.

Ruby darted past, Crescent Rose unfolding with a metallic snap. She spun the scythe low, its blade cleaving through a worm’s body. Dust ignited where its blood splattered, a blue flare of firelight filling the tunnel.

“Careful!” Weiss called, summoning a glyph that bloomed beneath Ruby’s boots, launching her clear of the flare. She flicked Myrtenaster, shards of ice spiralling outward to freeze two worms in place before Yang smashed them apart.

On the other side of the chamber, Qrow’s blade met the geist itself. His scythe sang through the air, striking its shifting body, though every blow seemed to disperse its form like smoke. The geist hissed, dozens of blind worms erupting in answer to its call.

“Persistent bastard,” Qrow muttered, sweeping back as the swarm closed in.

Adam stepped forward then, Wilt flashing crimson in the torchlight. He slashed through one worm, then fired into another, the blade’s shotgun blast echoing thunderously. The worm toppled, its body rolling into the dust-lined wall — a dangerous spark flaring where acid met crystal.

Clover cursed under his breath as another worm dissolved into smoke. “Taurus! Watch where you’re aiming!”

Adam snapped his head around, firing a second round straight into the gaping maws of two more. They collapsed in sizzling heaps before vanishing into black mist. “A bit hard in this cramped tunnel!” he shot back, wiping a fleck of acid from his coat.

By the time the last of the worms scattered, the teams pushed deeper until the narrow tunnel widened into a cavernous hollow. The air was frigid, mist curling around their boots, the walls glittering with frozen Dust veins that pulsed faintly like veins of light.

The three teams, including team JNR, Vine and Elm eventually made it to the heart of the mine. At the very centre, the Geist had anchored itself into a hulking mass of ice. The thing had fused several boulders into a monstrous frame, jagged limbs laced with glowing Dust crystals that shimmered whenever it moved. 

Jaune’s eyes went wide, his shield half-raised. “How the hell are we supposed to deal with something like that—”

Before he could finish, the Ace Ops were already in motion. They moved like a machine, precise and practised, their synergy so tight it looked rehearsed.

Elm thundered forward first, her hammer slamming into the cavern floor with a seismic boom that rattled the walls. The shockwave staggered the geist’s ice-limbs, forcing its massive body to lurch backward.

“Now!” Clover barked.

Vine darted in next, his aura threads snapping out with whip-like precision. They wrapped around the boulder-construct’s arm, vines constricting and dragging it down like a hooked beast.

Clover leapt past him, his fishing-rod weapon extending with uncanny speed. Adam had scoffed at it before — it looked ridiculous, like a toy — but now he watched in surprise as Clover’s hook latched into the geist’s core, yanking it cleanly from its icy shell with a strength that belied his easy grin.

Harriet blurred in as nothing more than a streak of lightning. She struck the geist in mid-air with a brutal uppercut, the blow so charged with kinetic energy that the creature detonated, its spectral form shattering with a scream. The explosion sent shards of ice and fragments of raw Dust raining down like deadly hail.

“Catch it, catch it!” Weiss shouted, throwing glyphs into the air to steady the largest shards. Elm caught an armful in her hands, Vine snagged several with his threads, and Clover reeled in another crystal with his hook.

But one glittering piece slipped through. It fell, tumbling end over end toward the stone floor. Harriet dashed, her fingertips just inches from it—

A rush of rose petals shot past her. Ruby burst from the air in a flash of red, twisting mid-spin as she snagged the shard against her chest. Her momentum carried her into a roll, her back striking the cavern wall with a dull thud.

“Ruby!” Yang shouted, rushing toward her.

Ruby winced but sat up quickly, giggling breathlessly as she held the crystal aloft. “Got it!”

Her teammates swarmed her, Yang pulling her to her feet, Weiss fussing over her scrapes, Blake sighing in relief. Even Jaune managed a grin, shaking his head at her recklessness.

But Adam didn’t cheer. He hung back at first, watching her with narrowed eyes as the warmth of the group wrapped around her. When they began the trek back through the mine, he slowed his pace until he was at her side, his voice low enough that the others wouldn’t hear.

“Are you hurt?” he asked.

Ruby blinked up at him, brushing a streak of dirt from her cheek. “Hm? No, I’m fine.”

His jaw tightened. “Be more careful next time. And don’t put yourself in that position again—”

Ruby’s smile thinned, her voice hardening. “Adam, I’m a huntress. I’m going to be active in the field.”

“You could get hurt—”

“A cut won’t kill me. Or the baby,” she hissed under her breath.

Adam clicked his tongue, glancing away. He could hear the paranoia in his own voice, the sharp edge of desperation. But he couldn’t stop it. He hadn’t wanted to be in this mine, hadn’t wanted to fight alongside Atlas’s poster children, or her drunk of an uncle, or that endlessly cheerful captain. But he did it. For her.

"I'm just..."

"You're worried. I get it." Ruby’s voice softened, steady and sure. "But I know my body. I'm not made of glass, I can handle a few hits."

Adam let out a long, weary sigh. He didn’t want to argue, not when she looked at him with that stubborn determination in her silver eyes.

The rest of the day blurred past in fragments. Ruby and her friends receiving their Huntsman licenses. Nora stuffing four slices of cake into her mouth at once — and winning. Gods, if someone told him she had a tape worm, he wouldn’t bat an eye.

Ruby sat with her strange, chipper friend — the robot girl. Protector of Mantle, Ironwood called her. A student promoted straight into command. Nepotism of an entirely new breed.

He hadn’t believed it when Ruby first told him Penny had an aura. Even now, he kept his distance, unsettled by the sight of her moving and smiling like a real girl. It was too uncanny. Too…wrong.

But the one person he couldn’t stop watching was Blake.

She lingered with the Schnee heiress and Ruby’s sister, her every movement calculated not to look at him. He noticed. Of course he noticed. After months of replaying what he’d say if he saw her again, of planning how he’d confront her, the speeches with venom sharpened on his tongue — nothing came. No words. No action. Just silence.

He could hardly call her a traitor anymore. Not when he’d betrayed everything he once believed in by bending the knee to Ironwood. But the bitterness wouldn’t rest. It gnawed at him.

When Blake’s eyes finally flicked up and met his, the look lasted less than a second before she turned away. It was long enough for Yang to notice. Her glare was like fire, protective and hostile, before she tugged Blake further from his line of sight.

“You look very sad. Does the cake taste bad?”

The voice behind him made him jolt. Adam snapped his head around. “What the hell?”

“Salutations!” Penny beamed, hands clasped neatly in front of her. “I don’t believe we’ve met! I am Penny Polendina, best friend to Ruby Rose!” She thrust out her hand, smiling wide.

He stared at it, then back at her. “I’m not shaking your hand,” he muttered, more out of discomfort than cruelty.

“That is fine,” she said breezily, retracting it. “You must not be fond of physical touch. I cannot say that I share the same sentiment.”

Adam raised a brow. Was relentless cheeriness part of Ironwood’s hiring process? Still, she was the only one to approach him when the others avoided him like a plague.

“You must not know who I am,” he said.

“Of course I do.” Her eyes sparkled as if reciting a list. “You are Adam Taurus. Wanted for treason, larceny, murder of the first degree, amongst many other Class One crimes. Temporarily pardoned, under strict surveilled probation by General Ironwood’s orders—”

“If you know,” he cut in, voice dropping low, “then why are you here? Or does none of that matter to a robot like you?”

“Those crimes do sadden me deeply,” Penny said, her tone bright as ever. “And I do wonder why General Ironwood has not placed you on death row yet.”

Adam scoffed.

“However…” She tilted her head, smile softening. “Ruby has spoken fondly of you. She has defended you many times. So I also feel fond of you. I trust her words more than anyone’s.”

His brow furrowed. “Why’s that, robo-girl?”

“Because she accepted me for who I am,” Penny said, the lightness in her tone giving way to something quieter, gentler. “Not what I was. When it was revealed I wasn’t a real girl, Ruby didn’t reject me. She validated me. She made me believe I could be more than what I was programmed to do.” Penny sat down beside him, her inhumanly wide smile fading into something thoughtful. “She… makes me feel warm inside. And it’s not my circuits frying.”

The joke pulled a startled laugh from Adam before he could stop himself.

“See? You can laugh,” she said, as though it were proof of some grand theory.

“Don’t read into it,” Adam muttered, gaze fixed firmly on his plate. “You’re just…strange.”

“I’ve been told that before,” Penny admitted, not offended in the slightest. “But I don’t think strange is always bad. Strange is just another way of saying different. And different can be… good.”

Adam said nothing, but his grip tightened around his fork.

“Ruby believed that about me. And,” Penny continued, lowering her voice now, her tone almost conspiratorial, “I think she believes it about you, too. She must, otherwise she wouldn’t have fought so hard for you.”

He bristled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Maybe not,” Penny said cheerfully, unbothered by his sharpness. “But I do know what it feels like to think you’ll never be accepted. To think you’ll always be the sum of what you’ve done, or what you’re made of. I know how heavy that feels.”

Adam finally glanced at her, really looked at her. The steel glint beneath her skin, the way her smile carried no malice, just simple conviction.

“And yet,” she went on, “Ruby proved me wrong. She made me feel like I was more than just a collection of parts. More than what people decided I was.” She leaned forward slightly, her tone soft, but pointed. “If she can see that in me... then maybe she sees something like that in you, too.”

Adam let out a slow, steady breath through his nose, as if the words had pressed against something buried deep inside him. His eyes flicked to Ruby across the room, laughing with Yang and Weiss. He hated the way his chest tightened at the thought that Penny might actually be right.

“You really don’t shut up, do you?” he muttered.

Penny’s grin returned, bright and unshakable. “Nope!”

And for once, Adam didn’t feel the immediate urge to walk away.

Adam grimaced as he turned in his bunk. Irritatingly, he’d been assigned to share with team JNR, their dorm conveniently situated right next to RWBY’s. A neat way of keeping him under watch — or so Clover had said.

He’d protested at first, of course. But the choice had been simple: this or the cell. He’d grudgingly taken the bunk. Still, he wasn’t sure JNR had agreed to the arrangement; the looks they shot him when Clover escorted him in were venomous.

“You can’t be serious?” Nora had asked, hands planted firmly on her hips.

“Sorry team,” Clover replied, all false cheer. “No one else in Atlas is cleared to know about Adam yet, and Ironwood’s orders are clear: surveillance, all hours of the day.”

“I’m not bunking with him,” Jaune had snarled, and Adam had rolled his eyes beneath his headcovering.

Ren had masked his disdain better, but even his question — is there no other option? — carried a quiet edge.

“Sorry, troops. You drew the short straw. And before you ask, I’d stick him with RWBY, but then there’d be the little issue of Yang possibly, you know—” Clover dragged a finger across his neck and made a slicing sound.

“Who can blame her?” Jaune grumbled, glaring openly at Adam as he sat down.

"This is one of the jobs of being a hunstman. You've sometimes got be surrounded by certain people you may not like as part of your duty. Don't worry, you've just got to keep an eye on him! I'll be back to collect him at 6 o'clock sharp!" He said, flashing a smile.

Ren pressed his lips into a tight line as Nora eyed him up and down, disgusted. "He's not bunking with me."

"Or me," Jaune said, siding with Nora. 

Ren sucked in a deep breath before saying, "He can bunk with me."

"Nice job, trooper. Love that you're always so level-headed!" Clover laughed, patting him on the shoulder. Ren showed a sign of defeat as he turned toward Adam. "Top or bottom?"

"Dealer's choice," he replied.

"Top it is!" Clover said, picking for him. Ren nodded before moving his pillow to the bottom bunk. Adam was about to change his mind, not wanting to cause further inconvenience when Clover pulled him closer, whispering, "Don't worry, they'll warm up to you soon."

He flashed him a thumbs up before leaving Adam to it. Nora sharked him all the way from her top bunk. Jaune was quick to turn in, showing his back to Adam. Ren was the only one who said good night before turning in himself, leaving Adam with two kids who hated him, and one tired peacekeeper who wasn't exactly his number one fan; not that he cared.

He faced the wall, listening to the soft snores of JNR.Sleep, however, refused to come. His old curse: insomnia. The dorm was filled with the soft rhythm of snores, but he only lay awake, staring into the dark, until the memories clawed their way back in. The cold of the mines. The echo of voices.

Adam! Hurry up!

He sat bolt upright, shoving the blanket aside. No use trying. He climbed down the ladder and slipped into the adjoining common room. It was the private common room between RWBY's and JNR's dorm, acting as a hang out spot. 

The space was dim, lit only by the soft glow of a lamp on the counter. He crossed into the kitchenette, snatched a bottle from the fridge, and drained it in one long gulp. The dry taste in his mouth lingered until the plastic crumpled in his fist and he tossed it into the bin.

And then—he caught it. Roses.

He turned. There she was. Ruby, swaddled in blankets on the sofa, a steaming mug cradled in her hands, pretending to read a book though her eyelids sagged. Her head lolled once, twice, before she craned her neck and spotted him.

“Adam?” she mumbled.

“What are you doing up?” he asked, crossing the room.

“I, uh…was reading,” she said, blinking slow. “But I don’t remember what I read.”

He picked up the book from her lap, glancing at the cover. The Man with Two Souls. “Is it good?”

“I think so. I borrowed it from Blake.”

Her name made his jaw tighten. Ruby noticed. “She said something today…about the mines.”

He stilled, shame prickling through him. “Did she tell you—”

“She didn’t say anything,” Ruby interrupted quickly. “Told me it was your story to share.”

Adam sank onto the sofa beside her with a sigh. “It was nothing.”

Ruby pouted faintly, eyes drifting shut again. “Didn’t sound like nothing… I’m almost jealous. I hardly know anything about you.”

“Is that so?” His voice softened despite himself.

“Mmm… yeah…” she drawled.

He let the silence hang before speaking. “It was the mines where my father died.”

Her eyes cracked open. “…What?”

"My father. He died in that mine during an accident where an explosion killed him. The Schnee Dust Company quickly covered it up though. Blamed it on him as the Supervisor. Even sued us for damages, causing my mother to become bankrupt and to be sold to a mine along with me. That mine...was known for its cruelty toward Faunus..."

Ruby’s lips trembled. “I’m so sorry…”

“I was four,” Adam said simply. “And I had my cousin with me. We survived together.” He paused, then added, “Anyway. That’s why I don’t like mines.”

Ruby’s hand slid from her blanket to rest on his. Warm. Gentle. “I’m sorry for asking. And I’m sorry that happened to you.”

He let out a long breath. “…I told you, so it’s fine.”

She drifted then, her head lolling, her lips pouting faintly as sleep finally claimed her. Her hand stayed on his. Adam sat frozen, drinking in the peace on her face. For a moment, warmth dulled the cold that never seemed to leave his bones. His eyelids began to droop.

But before he could sink into that fragile comfort, a hand fisted his shirt and yanked him upright.

Yang.

Her eyes blazed even in the low light. “What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed, careful not to wake Ruby.

“I was getting water,” Adam snapped.

“Stay away from my sister.” Her voice was venom. She shoved him back, then bent and scooped Ruby into her arms with the ease of long practice.

Adam stood rooted as Yang carried Ruby away, the door slamming shut behind them with a look of pure warning thrown over her shoulder.

And the cold returned.

Chapter Text

Ruby took a bite out of her corndog, extending her hand for the maximum cheese pull. Blake was next to her, watching her with content eyes as she scarfed down her food. They were in Mantle, having visited Pietro and Maria once more. 

Ruby was amazed to find another silver-eyed person, having thought it was a rare eye colour. However, after hearing about her backstory, she was less enthusiastic. She knew that Cinder targeted her because of her eyes, but to hear that the bloodlines of silver-eye warriors were hunted down to near extinction...It made a pit form in her belly.

Blake, having heard the story from Maria before, showed little emotion compared to Ruby. But the two still left his clinic in unified silence. 

That was until Blake suggested they grab a bite to eat before returning to Atlas.

"This is amazing!" She awed, "What's the occasion for treating me?" 

"I just feel like we haven't had a lot of time to hang out on our own, you know?" She said, sipping her tea slowly. 

"I feel the same. It's been ages since we got to have our book club," she giggled, earning a small chuckle from Blake. They had 'started' a book club back in Beacon, where Ruby began to borrow some of Blake's books.

She didn't mind, she was rather happy that someone took an interest in reading. Weiss only preferred textbooks that taught you facts and Yang preferred comics or books you can use to hit people with. So this was their thing. A way they could bond.

Ruby guzzled down her tea, "this is way better than coffee."

"Can...we talk...?" Blake asked, her ears slightly drooping. 

"What about?" 

"I mean...This...the um..." Blake didn't want to say it, didn't know how to say it. But Ruby visibly wilted as she understood. 

"Did Yang ask you to talk to me?" 

"No! I mean, she did express her concerns but this wasn't influenced by her in any regard," Blake quickly said. "We're all just...worried for you, Ruby. A baby...is a big responsibility."

Ruby leaned back into her seat, letting her hair fall in front of her face. "I know that...It was one of the reasons why I wanted to terminate."

"Did... he change your mind?"

Ruby startled. “No! He wouldn’t—wait, what? Blake, no!”

“I’m sorry,” Blake said quickly, grimacing. “That was… a bad way to ask.”

Silence stretched between them before Blake sighed and stared down at her tea. “I just don’t want him to hurt you...”

Ruby pressed her lips thin as she extended a warm hand to Blake's directing her attention to her.

"I can't ever excuse his past, and I will never ask you to forgive him, but I can proudly say that for better or for worse...He's changed."

Blake’s gaze lingered on the steam rising from her tea. “…When I first joined the White Fang, I was partnered with Adam, mainly due to our similar age. He was like an older brother to me, and his talent for fighting put him far above most adult ranking members.

I thought, that if it were him leading the Fang instead of my father, maybe Faunus would finally be free... I fought so badly with him that when he left, I stayed in the Fang with Adam...I was sixteen at that time."

Her hand tightened around the cup. “ Eventually our relationship changed. At first I thought it was love. But I see now that it was reverence. Adam...Loved the fact that I was there. Alongside him. Needed it. He never really told me that explicitly, but every time I didn't tell him where I was or where I was going, he would freak out, accuse me of abandoning him... every time I tried to have a life outside him, he viewed it as betrayal. I told myself it was passion, but it was possession.”

Ruby stayed quiet, eyes wide and gentle. Blake continued, voice low. “And then the missions... humans started dying. At first by 'accident', then because it was ‘necessary,’ and then... he stopped pretending there was a difference. I watched the boy I trusted turn into something else. And I was too afraid to admit it until it was too late.”

She finally met Ruby's eyes again, regret written all over her face, "I still think that maybe if I hadn't left the way I did...Maybe if I tried harder to make him see that what he was doing was wrong-"

"Blake, you weren't at fault," Ruby interrupted, adamant. 

A small smile cracked through, "I think that, maybe I would've never been able to change someone like him, not when I used to be so similar to him but..." 

She let out a small giggle, "How do I put this? When I met you, I thought....Wow, this girl is the personification of optimism and innocence. That was something that I hadn't seen in a long time. I think, it was your undying strength and optimism that was the key to changing a man so consumed by spite-"

"You're giving me way too much credit—" Ruby started.

"I don't think people give you enough. When I left for Menagerie, I was so guilt-ridden over...what happened to Yang..." She says, her voice hitching, "I didn't think there was anyone who could've forgiven me, not even myself. But I remember thinking one time, Ruby would've. I don't know what it is, maybe it's just a talent some people have but you are so kind, and so welcoming, even ice would melt."

Ruby flushed, giggling nervously. “You’re making me mushy.”

Blake joined in, wiping a lone tear that formed near her eye. "I've trusted you so far, and I will continue to. If you believe your way of acting is best, and that Adam can be trusted, then I'll support you. But...I will give you a word of warning...Adam doesn't like to be lied to."

Ruby's smile disappeared as she stared down at her stomach. 

Blake's ears drooped again," Are you...going to tell him?"

"I...will...eventually...I just...It was so hard getting Ironwood to agree, and even harder to get Adam to."

"He'll find out eventually...one quick web search and it'll all be out in the open."

"I hope that by then it will be too late," she giggled awkwardly, her smile not matching her eyes. Then, her shoulders visibly slumped, "It's just...hard...I feel like the baby is the only thing he cares about—"

"That's not true—"

"You don't have to lie," she laughs, her tone darker, "I appreciate how much you trust and look up to me but...Adam and I only have a relationship born out of necessity and trauma, he doesn't feel any type of way toward me. When he was faced with execution, he didn't bat an eye. This child is the only thing he cares about and...I just...I couldn't let him die..."

She wipes her tears as Blake gets up from her seat to hug Ruby. "It'll be alright. I'll talk to Yang. We'll support you in whatever you do. You're our leader, Ruby Rose. And our friend."

Ruby wraps her arms around her, "Thanks Blake."

"We should get back now. I think Yang and the others should be back from their jobs."

"Oh yeah...what was it again?"

"JNR's out helping with the construction of Amity, and I think Yang's with Qrow."

"Amity..." She remembered Ironwood's briefing on their next steps.

It was weird seeing Adam next to Clover. Despite his age, Adam toppled over Clover easily. Qrow was on Clover's other side, glaring at him. Even Winter showed apprehension toward him, but kept her eyes forward.

The war room was filled to bursting—RWBY, JNR, the Ace-Ops, Ironwood, Winter, Penny, Qrow, Oscar, and Adam. The air carried a restless weight, everyone waiting for someone else to speak first.

Ironwood finally broke the silence. His voice was low and deliberate, as though he’d rehearsed this moment a hundred times.
“It is clear that we have a conundrum on our hands, what with Jinn’s revelation. It took me quite some time to… accept such information. And even longer to form a plan for what comes next.”

“What do we do next?” Nora blurted, leaning casually against Magnhild.

Ironwood’s shoulders tightened. “That… is the question. And at this moment, I have no definitive answer.”

Penny’s hand shot up, as though she were in class. “Our planning team—consisting of my father, the General, Winter, and several others exclusive to this room—has considered precisely twenty-three different outcomes!” Her tone was bright against the heavy air. “Three were selected for further planning beyond draft stage—with one outshining the others!”

“Thank you, Penny.” Ironwood inclined his head before turning to Ruby. “Miss Rose, if you would.”

Ruby stiffened as the spotlight fell on her. She stepped forward, fiddling with her hands. “Well… it’s just an idea. But… we have the relic here in Atlas. And we have an empty vault. If only a maiden can open the vaults… maybe we could trap Salem inside.”

Murmurs rippled through the room, doubt and suspicion filling the space faster than any smoke.

“Right,” Harriet cut in, sceptical, “and how exactly do you plan on luring her in?”

“I… um—”

“She’s an immortal, powerful witch,” Elm said flatly. “She won’t just step into a cage because you ask nicely.”

Ruby floundered, cheeks warming. “Um…”

“This plan seems very risky for what little it offers,” Vine added, hands folded neatly behind his back. “Especially when we don’t even know where the Spring Maiden is.”

Ruby opened her mouth again, but Yang cut across them, tone sharp. “Hey. Give her a chance to speak.”

“This isn’t a classroom, Xiao Long,” Harriet snapped back. “We’re at war. Half-baked ideas waste time.”

“At least it’s something,” Weiss interjected coolly. “I don’t see anyone else offering alternatives.”

Harriet sneered. “Because this isn’t black and white, princess.”

“Heiress,” Marrow corrected without looking up, arms crossed.

“Enough.” Ironwood’s voice cut through the bickering like a blade. “We’ve said already—this is a draft. No one is committing to anything yet. For now, our priority remains resuming global communications. The Amity Project takes precedence. As for the maiden plan—our first step will be resuming the search for the Spring Maiden.”

Jaune raised a hand, hesitant but practical. “There’s a lot of talk about Spring… but why not lock her in the Winter vault?”

“Um…” Oscar shifted uncomfortably. “To do that, you’d have to move the Staff of Creation. And that’s… very dangerous.”

“What do you mean?” Ren asked, brow furrowed.

“The staff is currently holding up Atlas,” Qrow said with a scoff, leaning back in his chair. “Another brilliant move from Oz.”

Oscar flinched at the scorn, his hands tightening in his lap. Since Jinn’s revelation, suspicion clung to him wherever he went. Jaune had only just started speaking to him again. The Ace-Ops’ eyes lingered too long. And Qrow’s distrust was loud and physical—Ruby still remembered Blake described how Yang had to pull him back after Qrow punched the boy in the face.

Only Ironwood, and Ruby herself, had openly stood by him.

Ironwood smoothed the moment over, voice measured. “That is to say—Spring remains our best option.” His tone softened. “We’ll continue to plan contingencies. But first, Amity.”

The meeting wound down with talk of global broadcast strategies and vague contingency plans for the Maidens. Yang kept quiet after Qrow’s outburst, jaw set tight, and left with him almost the moment they were dismissed.

That was when Blake and Ruby decided to visit Pietro and Maria, while Weiss accompanied her sister Oscar remained with Ironwood.

"Honestly, your idea does sound like it'd work in the end but...there's just too much possibilities to deal with outside of that," Blake said.

"True, but until Ironwood works out another plan...It's the only one we've got. I think we could do it, if we somehow track down another maiden. But then we'd have two relics out in the open. And honestly, I feel uncomfortable that just the lamp is outside its vault..."

"Let's just focus on Amity," she smiles, trying to reassure Ruby, "Once global communications are up, the world can reunite and focus on fighting her together."

Ruby smiled, holding her hand before nodding as the pay and leave. 

"I wonder if Yang's done with her mission yet," Ruby mused.

Yang slammed her fist into Adam's jaw, causing blood to trickle out of his mouth. He turned around, catching the second fist that was aiming for the other side of his jaw. It took all of his self control not to snap her wrist right then and there, but Qrow was quick to pull Yang away from him.

"Calm down!" He grit, encasing her in his arms as she continued swinging at the air. 

"Let me go! I'll kill that bastard!" Yang shouts. Clover was quick to come to Adam's aid, checking on his jaw. Adam, annoyed at him chirping like a mother hen, batted him away.

"No sign of a broken jaw, that's good," he mutters before turning toward Yang. "Xiao Long! That's enough!" 

"Yang! Cool off!" Qrow said, pulling her away from them to behind the ship. Adam could hear their arguing through the howling winds.

"Gods, she got you good," Clover said, sighing, "Sorry about that. I should've realised something like this might've happened."

The four of them were currently in the middle of the tundra, having received word that a pack of Griffins had attacked one of their fleets carrying vital components for Amity. Clover was Qrow's official partner and Yang had been inseparable from him since the last debrief with Ironwood. 

So, the four set off to answer the call. When they arrived, the pilots had already been killed, and the Griffins circled the ship like it was their territory. They made quick work of it, killing the Grimm within minutes before securing the ship.

Adam moved his jaw, working through the throb that was now setting in. Qrow had returned, with Yang marching reluctantly in tow. 

"We're good now, let's get out of here," he said. Yang kept her head down, trailing after Qrow as they secured the ship with Clover and Qrow in the cockpit and Adam and Yang strapped in the back. 

They were opposite each other, but they didn't meet each other's gaze. Yang, fist clenched, looked down the entire time. 

The ride back to Atlas was long, and silent. When they finally landed, Ruby was there, waiting. Her excitement to see them quickly dissipated as Yang walked past her, not even acknowledging she was there.

"Yang?" She called out, but was ignored. Blake looked back and Ruby then to Yang, before following her. Qrow was next to walk out of the ship, walking toward Ruby.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Things got a bit heated. It's nothing you need to be worried about," he said, ruffling her hair. Ruby smiled as Qrow did. Only when Adam walked forward did his perpetual scowl return. Ruby linked her hand to his, earning back Qrow's attention as he looked at her pleading eyes. 

Sighing, he planted a kiss on Ruby's forehead before purposefully bumping into Adam and leaving. Adam, gritting his teeth, gripped Wilt as though he was about to unsheath it, just for Clover to rest a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not worth it, Adam," he said, firmly. A muscle in Adam’s jaw ticked, but he let the blade go with a muttered curse.

"How'd the mission go?" Ruby asked.

"Well the ship has been recovered, even though there were casualties. Adam here did a stellar job though, all which will be reported to Ironwood as proof of good intentions" he said, smiling. "How about you? I heard you took a detour to the good ol' doctor's clinic."

"Mhm, I met with Maria and even got a mini check up myself. Then, I went to Lucko's with Blake."

"Lucko's? They do an amazing cheesy corndog!"

"I tried that, it was delicious!" 

“Lucko’s? You got the corndogs?” Clover’s face brightened. “Ugh, you’re making me jealous. I’ve not had a second’s rest between Amity and babysitting this one.” He nudged Adam playfully, earning only a glower.

"If you want, I'll bring some back next time," she suggested.

"Really? You're a gem, Rose. But I don't think you'll have time soon. Ironwood's busting everyone's chops to finish Amity before the next election."

"Well, I get paid time-off for check-ups," she said. "So I might be making another trip, soon."

"Och, you lucky bunny. Speaking of bunnies, I've got to meet Harriet for another debrief on Mantle. I'll leave you two to have fun, but not too much," he says, cheerily as he leaves. Ruby waves goodbye before turning toward Adam who remained silent. 

"Hi," she said.

"Hi."

"...How was your mission?"

"Insufferable," he grit, walking away. Ruby trailed behind him, and he stopped to let her catch up with his large strides.

“Why was Yang so angry?” Ruby asked.

“She’s got some serious family issues,” Adam muttered.

“You talked about Raven?” She asked, stopping entirely. 

He stopped in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder. “It slipped. She was mourning the pilots like they were her own kin. I told her Raven would never have wasted time weeping over soldiers. That set her off.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “Adam, those weren’t Huntsmen. They were workers—pilots. Most likely with families.”

“They knew the risks when they signed up,” he said flatly. “Death is part of the job. Pretending otherwise is weakness. Raven understood that. Yang clearly doesn’t.”

“Raven is dead,” Ruby snapped, frustration spilling through her voice. “Yang spent so much time searching for her, and she didn’t even get to hear about her death in a respectful way.”

Adam tilted his head. “You saw her die, yet you don’t carry on like Yang does. She was your mother as well." He expected another retort, but was surprised by the silence instead. He looked at Ruby, whose head was facing the ground. "Wasn’t she?”

Ruby’s hands curled into fists. “Raven is Yang’s mother. Not mine.”

His brows rose. “Different mothers?” He studied her face more intently now, as if the pieces were falling together.

“Raven was my father’s first wife. Then she left. My mom came after.”

“And what happened to her?”

Ruby’s voice hitched. “We don’t know.”

“She left too?” His tone hardened, disbelief edging his words. Two women abandoning the same man — he could only imagine what her father could be like.

“Not like Raven,” Ruby whispered. “She went on a mission… a long time ago. She never came back. We… presume she’s dead.”

Adam fell silent. For a long moment, the only sound was the hum of the ship’s systems. He shifted back against the wall, eyes narrowing slightly — not in scorn, but in thought. “…I see.” His voice dropped, unusually measured. “I spoke carelessly, comparing you to Yang. That wasn’t my intention.”

Ruby blinked, surprised.

“…I’m sorry,” he muttered at last, the word sounding almost foreign in his mouth.

“I…” Ruby’s lips parted, but nothing came out. She half-expected him to follow up with something cruel about her mother, some cold dismissal that would cut her down.

But instead—nothing.

Even ice would melt.

Well. Consider her shocked. Ice Adam was melting.

“Ruby, are you alright?” he asked, tone shifting into something unfamiliar—concern. She stared at him, wide-eyed, until embarrassment crashed over her. She couldn’t look him in the eye.

Adam, oblivious to her spiralling thoughts, pushed off from the wall, straightening as unease prickled at him. “Ruby?”

Her head snapped up. “Lemons!”

“…What?”

“The—uh—Doctor Polendina said the baby’s the size of a lemon right now!” she blurted, words tumbling over themselves just to fill the silence.

Adam froze. For a moment, all he could do was picture a lemon cupped in his palm. His chest tightened. “…That’s… so small.”

When was the last time he’d even held an actual lemon? He couldn’t remember. But now he couldn't stop imagining. 

"Adam, are you okay?"  she asked, concern creeping into her voice. Was he not happy? Was he… annoyed?

“Yeah… I’m just… tired,” he said at last, eyes shifting away as he covered his mouth with his hand. The gesture was strange, almost defensive. Ruby opened her mouth to press further when her Scroll buzzed.

Picking it up, she blinked at the name. “Weiss?”

“Ruby!”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“I have a mission down in Mantle and it’s kind of a two person job, do you want to come?”

“Oh! Sure!” She says, “Where shall I meet you?”

“I’ve just left the training room. Meet you outside of the Academy?”

“Got you, I’ll be there in ten,” she said, waiting to hear the familiar buzz of the line cutting. She looked back at Adam whose face was still covered.

“I’m meeting up with Weiss now…”

“I heard,” he said, tone flat. She pursed her lips as she left, stopping to turn back once more.

“You know…I don’t know everything that happened between you and the Schnee Dust Company but…Weiss and the others are my friends. And Yang is my sister. It would mean a lot to me if you tried to get along.”

When she left, Adam finally dropped his hand from his mouth. His jaw worked once, twice, as though testing his control, trying to get rid of the faintest smile that slipped through — a rare, private thing no one else would ever see.

It had been two months since they’d arrived in Atlas, and the team were in front of the mission board yet again, scanning through their options for the day.

“Is that borbatusk still on the loose?” Weiss asked, brow raised as she pointed to a three-day-old notice.

“It’s a slippery one, I guess. Wanna take a crack at it?” Yang suggested, glancing over her shoulder at Blake.

“I don’t know,” Blake said thoughtfully. “I’m thinking about going down to Mantle and helping out with the Faunus.”

“Fair enough. How ‘bout I join?” Yang replied, a grin tugging at her lips.

“You want to?”

“Sure. A day of just helping people out, no fighting—it almost sounds therapeutic.” She shrugged, as if surprising herself. “How about you, Weiss?”

“It does sound like a productive use of time. I wouldn’t mind lending a hand.” Weiss smiled softly, her hands clasped in practiced elegance.

Blake’s lips curved faintly before she glanced around. “Where’s Ruby?”

Yang’s playful demeanour soured as she crossed her arms, “She’s at her check-up, again.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Weiss scolded, eyes narrowing.

“Like what?” Yang shot back, rolling her eyes.

“We said we would support her,” Blake reminded, her voice firm.

“You said you would support her. I’m still rooting for the clinic.”

“Yang!”

“She’s my little sister!” Yang snapped, “And she’s pregnant. With the baby of a homicidal maniacal terrorist, or did you both forget?”

The words hung in the air, heavy and poisonous. Blake flinched. Weiss’s lips parted, but no answer came.

“That… is neither here nor there,” Weiss said at last, though her voice wavered with hesitation.

“Then where is it?” Yang’s purple eyes blazed as she took a step forward.

“Yang! She’s our friend. Your family. And she’s facing one of the hardest choices a woman can make.”

“But she shouldn’t have to be in the position to make that decision!” Yang’s voice cracked, breaking under the weight of her fury. Her breathing quickened as memories surged up, jagged and unrelenting. “When… when he knocked me out in Haven, Ruby stepped in. But she shouldn’t have. I’m the older sister—I should’ve been the one to protect her. And I didn’t.”

“Yang…” Blake’s voice softened, full of sympathy. She reached out instinctively, but Yang pulled back, her hands trembling.

“I raised her since she was three years old,” Yang continued, words tumbling like stones. “I was the who taught her how to read, to climb trees, to ride a bike—it was me. Always me. And now you’re telling me that my sixteen-year-old sister is pregnant. By the man who hurt so many of us, who took my arm—” Her throat closed, and the last words tore out in a raw shout. “That’s utter bullshit!”

Both of them quietened, unable to make a reply. Yang continued, “Adam Taurus took advantage of my sister. Ruby is kind, too kind. She sees the best in everyone. But there’s nothing good about him. Not to me. And if I had my way before, the termination would’ve happened as soon as we found out,” she said, conviction rising.

Weiss drew in a breath as though to speak, her lips parting—but then her gaze shifted past Yang’s shoulder. Her ice-blue eyes widened, colour draining from her face. Blake followed the motion, her ears drooping, mouth tightening as dread washed over her.

“What?” Yang demanded, turning to see what had shaken them.

At the entrance of the hall, Ruby stood frozen, flanked by Penny and Nora. Shock was written clear across their faces. Behind them lingered Adam, arms stiff at his sides, lips pressed into a thin, unyielding line.

Ruby’s whole body trembled. Her silver eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she bit down on her lower lip, trying—and failing—to hold herself together.

“Ruby…” Weiss breathed, extending a tentative hand toward her.

But Ruby’s shoulders hunched, and in one swift motion she swept her cape around her, shrouding herself in crimson before dissolving into a flurry of rose petals.

“Ruby!” Nora lunged forward, desperate to catch her, but her hands closed on empty air. Petals scattered and fell uselessly to the floor.

She took a step as if to chase her, but Penny’s hand pressed firmly against her shoulder, holding her back.

“I’ll go,” Penny said with sudden determination, her voice bright and certain. “I am friend-catching ready!” She dropped into a stance, boosters flaring as fire roared to life beneath her boots. With a sharp thrust, she rocketed after Ruby, leaving Nora and Adam standing in the lingering silence.

Nora rounded on Yang, her voice trembling with anger. “What was that?” she demanded, every word cutting like glass.

Yang opened her mouth, but nothing came. Her golden eyes dropped to the floor, and her fist clenched so tightly her knuckles turned pale.

“Nora, it wasn’t like that,” Blake breathed, “Yang was just—”

“I said what I said,” Yang cut in, her tone like a blade. Her eyes snapped to Adam. “You ruined everything.”

“Don’t blame this on me, Xiao Long,” Adam said, voice low and edged, like a growl through gritted teeth. “Last time I checked, pregnancy’s a team effort.”

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. Yang’s head snapped up, her eyes flashing red. “What the fuck did you just say?” She took a step forward, shoulders squaring, but Weiss and Blake moved quickly to block her.

“Yang, calm down,” Blake urged, desperation in her tone, before whipping to Adam. “Adam, stop—”

He turned his gaze on her, cold and sharp as steel. “I don’t talk to traitors. Stay out of it, Belladonna.”

The word struck Blake like a slap. Her ears pinned back, lips parting soundlessly.

“That’s enough!” Nora snapped, shoving at Adam’s chest. “Take a hike before this gets worse.”

Adam wanted nothing more than to slam Nora’s head into the ground and face off against Yang again, but something in him wanted to leave it and go find Ruby instead.

“Ruby’s life is over because of you,” Yang spat, earning his attention. “Do you have any idea what’s going to happen when the baby is born? How her career is going to end? Her reputation is practically over: Sixteen-year-old huntress knocked up by former terrorist.”

“I didn’t ask for this either, Xiao Long—”

“Then you should have convinced her!” Yang pressed, heat in every word. “Or what? Was this your grand revenge? Against huntresses? Against humans? Do you really think she’ll ever reach her full potential with a child on her hip?”

“Yang…” Weiss whispered, her voice thin with dread.

Adam faltered. He hadn’t thought about after. He’d told himself she was lucky it was a cryptic pregnancy, but the truth hit like cold iron. There would be a baby. A living child. Needing feeding, care, time. A burden heavy enough to shatter any career.

“Do you get it now?” Yang’s voice was a blade. “This pregnancy is the worst thing that could’ve happened to Ruby. She’s not ready. She’s too young.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. His voice dropped, rough and deliberate. “Do you know how she got pregnant?”

Confusion rippled through the room.

“We fought. It turned violent. She smashed a crate of Siren Dust—right into my face.”

Blake gasped, hands curling into fists. The others turned to her, startled.

“What is that?” Weiss asked, bewildered.

Before Blake could answer, Adam continued, tone sharp as broken glass. “The drug drove me into a frenzy. I couldn’t stop myself. If that fight never happened—none of this would have.”

“Why tell us this?” Nora demanded, scepticism hardening her voice.

Adam let out a low, humourless laugh. “Because the fight was about Yang.”

The words struck like a thunderclap. Yang froze, steps faltering back.

Weiss’s concentration wavered; her glyph splintered apart, the pull of gravity collapsing. Adam shoved himself upright, blood still staining his teeth, his eyes locked on Yang.

“She was so desperate to protect your honour she came at me head-on,” he said, voice low and venomous. “And that Siren Dust… that was courtesy of the SDC.” His gaze slid to Weiss, burning. “So really, everything that followed rests on both of you.”

Weiss went rigid, colour draining from her face.

Adam’s lip curled, a cruel smile ghosting there. “If you weren’t so incompetent, none of this would’ve happened. This… is all your fault.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and left, not looking back as Yang sank to her knees.

Ruby scanned herself in front of the bathroom mirror. Eyeing her waistline.

“What are you doing?” Weiss asked, combing her hair as she eyed Ruby.

“I didn’t really think it was possible but look, I’m six months pregnant and my belly is still flat!” She remarked, amazed as she traced along her abs. They were slightly less defined, but she chalked that up to the increased intake she was eating, justifying it as eating for two.

Weiss rolled her eyes playfully ass he pulled her hair into a loose protective braid, a ritual she does to manage her long hair. Her smile faded as the words from earlier flashed through her mind.
“Hey…Ruby…”

“Yeah?” She asked, finally pulling down her shirt.

“Can we…talk…about earlier?”

Ruby’s smile dampened a bit. She remembered reforming outside the building, no longer able to contain her sobs. Penny found her soon after, consoling her by flying her around and indulging her with egregious amounts of food they stole from the canteen.

Though Penny couldn’t eat it, she watched happily as Ruby scarfed down the food.

“What’s there to talk about?” Ruby muttered. “My sister hates me.”

“You know that isn’t true,” Weiss said softly. “She’s worried about you.”

“How many times do I have to say I’m fine before people actually believe me?” Ruby groaned, scrubbing at her teeth with a little too much force.

“A baby is a big responsibility—”

“So I’ve heard!” Ruby snapped, words muffled around her toothbrush. She yanked it out and jabbed it in the air. “They’re a big responsibility, they take up time, they’re the hardest thing ever—I know, Weiss! And I’m still choosing to go through with it!”

“Even when it means sacrificing your career?” Weiss pressed.

Ruby hesitated, her voice quieter when she answered. “...Yeah.”

“That didn’t sound very resolute.”

“I can always go back to hunting after I give birth.”

“With a newborn?”

“Maybe a few years, then.”

“When it’s in school? Who will look after it when you’re gone? What if missions take weeks? What if—”

“What are you getting at, Weiss?” Ruby snapped, eyes flashing.

Weiss drew in a steadying breath. “I’m not justifying what Yang said, or how she said it. But… maybe she wasn’t entirely wrong. You’re not even an adult yet.”

“I’m not a kid,” Ruby shot back instantly.

“I never said—”

“You said I wasn’t an adult. Which means you’re implying I am a child—”

“You’re a teenager,” Weiss interrupted, her tone firm but not unkind. “With your whole life ahead of you. A child is hard, Ruby. Many who have them young regret their choices. I don’t want that for you.”

Ruby set down her toothbrush, staring into the mirror before finally turning herself toward Weiss.

“Did I ever tell you why I wanted to become a huntress?”

“Only about a hundred times,” she smiled, rolling her eyes lightly, “you want to help people.”

“More than anything. But really…I wanted to be more like my mom.” Weiss’ smile faltered as Ruby leaned against the wall. “When I was young, she disappeared. Died. I don’t know. All I knew was that my mom tucked me into bed one night and never came back. Most of the things I know about her are from stories that Yang and my dad told me.

They depicted tales of a beautiful woman with my hair and eyes, who baked cookies and slayed monsters. Her motto was to help, never help in what or help who. Just…to help. And from what Yang and my dad told me, she was never without a genuine smile on her face.” Ruby’s hands twisted together. “She had it all—career, kids, family. Everything.”

“You’re not… hoping that you and Adam could be a family?” Weiss asked carefully.

“I wish people would stop bringing up Adam for five seconds,” Ruby groaned.

“You’re carrying this baby because of him,” Weiss said gently, arching a brow. “I’d say he’s pretty relevant,” she arched a brow.

“That was at first. But now…I love it. Her. I love her. Ever since Raven told me about the colour of her aura I…It feels like I know her already,” Ruby said. “I want this baby. And I may not have the picture-perfect family that my mom had but I thought I had friends and family who I loved just as much, and who could love and help me along the way.”

“Ruby…”

“Don’t worry. When I first made my decision, I kind of knew I was going to be doing this thing alone,” she sighed, smiling awkwardly. “I just…I thought if no one…maybe my sister would be the one person at my side…”

Weiss pulled her into a hug as tears spilt from both of them. “I will always be there for you, regardless of how life pans out. You taught me so much about who I am and what I could do. I can’t imagine a future without you.”

“Weiss…”

“You’re my friend, Ruby,” she says, pushing her away slightly to face her. “I will always be by your side.”

“Best friends?” She sniffed.

“Now, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves,” Weiss said with a faint smile, earning a mock-wounded whine from Ruby before they both laughed and hugged again.

When the quiet settled, Weiss smoothed Ruby’s hair back. “As for Yang… you two need to talk. Properly. She just wants what’s best for you. I think it’s been too long since you’ve had a real sister-to-sister moment.”

“I’d love to,” Ruby admitted. “But she’s been avoiding me for months.”

“That’s because Adam’s been clinging to you like white on rice,” Weiss said dryly. “But I happen to know a certain blonde is sulking on the roof right now. And Clover’s dragged Adam off on another mission.”

Ruby smiled once more, “Thanks, Weiss.”

“Just hurry and go find her. I have a feeling she needs her sister as much as you do.”

Yang sucked in the cold air of the night as she looked out at the entirety of Atlas. It was leagues different to Vale; its monochrome grandeur toppling the warm architecture of her own kingdom. Still, for all of its beauty, it was so cold…Atlas felt like a monument, beautiful but hollow. No warmth. No heart. Just lightbulbs trying to imitate the sun.

She had bolted onto the roof after Blake’s revelation about Siren Dust. The image wouldn’t leave her—the thought of her baby sister being defiled under the haze of some drug. It had sent her gagging into a bathroom stall, tears stinging her eyes.

When she had lost her virginity, it was to a guy from Signal. He was a scrawny boy, always stumbling behind her both in grades and physical performance. Then, like a divine miracle, puberty ran him over like a freight train. And oh wow, anything was possible.

She had never had a proper female role model. There was her dad, who was a dad. He was strict, he was caring, but he couldn’t relate to her past fourteen. Then there was Qrow, her maternal uncle and only actual tie to her mother, whom she knew still remained in contact with her, though vehemently denied it.

And then there was Summer Rose. Her stepmother technically, but her actual mother in all other meanings. She was there when Yang was sick with chicken pox, she baked cookies and confectionaries for every bake sale and was there for every event at school, regardless of her schedule.

Summer Rose was super mom. And she never once thought that she wasn’t her real mother. And Ruby—Ruby was like Summer’s gift. A little mirror with silver eyes and red-tipped hair, almost glowing at night (though Yang always figured her childhood self made that part up).

From the moment Ruby was born, Yang adored her. Then one night, when she was six, a few months before Ruby’s fifth birthday, Summer kissed her goodnight after reading a bedtime story and left. She never came back.

Ruby had sobbed, confused and inconsolable, unable to understand why their mother wasn’t coming back.

Tai was in near pieces when they finally decided to buy a gravestone. If it weren’t for Qrow dropping in more often than not, they probably would’ve been worse off than before. Soon, Yang figured out how to be an adult, or at least pretend to be one…

She was the one who woke Ruby up for school, brushed her hair and helped her with her homework. Through countless tries, she finally perfected Summer’s cookie recipe, which Ruby became almost addicted to.

Through any memories she had, she tried to emulate Summer. Because Summer wasn’t coming back. So Yang had to be the female role model Ruby would never have had otherwise.

Yang adored Ruby. Loved her more than their father, which sounded strange, but it was the truth. Ruby wasn’t just her sister — Yang had raised her. And though she physically cringed at the thought of Ruby growing up, she’d made peace with it. One day, Ruby would become a woman, and she would want to explore, to experiment.

Yang had prepared herself for that day. Prepared to hate every boy who dared look at her, but also to guide her through heartbreak, crushes, and mistakes. She was ready to be the protective big sister and the supportive one, leading Ruby through the complicated woes of love.

Every man who tried would get the beating of his life, of course. But Yang was still ready to help.

That was… until Beacon fell.

When he…When her arm was cut off. She remembered nothing but grey skies and fear. Pure, unadulterated fear. She didn’t know it before, when she was in her bed, trying so hard not to pick at the bandage, praying that her arm would be back, but Ruby had started to grow without her.

And after a tiring journey of her own, when she finally found her in Haven, Yang almost couldn’t recognise the girl she’d grown up to be. Ruby was taller, just by an inch or so, but that wasn’t all. Her hair was slightly longer, her fighting was better, her fashion taste had matured.

Yang felt a pang of sadness. She’d missed so much. Missed her. But before that final battle, Yang had sworn to herself: from now on, she would be there. She would be her big sister again. And then Adam came.

She thought she had grown so much since Beacon, thought that she had finally put the past behind her. But seeing him again. Seeing that sword.

Her arm just started shaking, and she was caught off guard just that one time, enough for him to slam his hilt into her temple and send her flying; the last thing she saw was a bustle of petals landing on the cliff before she blacked out.

When she finally came to, she was lying on a bed with a headache so painful she couldn’t even blink without it hurting. Looking around, she saw Blake with a cast on her leg and bandages on multiple areas.

Weiss was next to her, her eyes widened in shock as she finally saw her awake. But looking around, she didn’t see Ruby.

No one saw Ruby.

She was gone.

Again.

For three weeks, Yang searched every corner of Haven, ignoring the pounding in her skull, ignoring Ozpin’s insistence that they had to move. Only after relentless pressure did she agree to head to Atlas, with the hollow promise that Ironwood would help in the search.

But for all those three months, Yang felt like her heart had been ripped out. She knew she had been moodier, more enclosed from the rest of her team. But the team meant nothing. Qrow’s words meant nothing. Getting the relic to Ironwood. Meant. Nothing.

Not without her sister.

“Yang?” Yang’s neck snapped to the entrance was, seeing Ruby wrapped in her hood, her pajamas peeking through slightly.

“Ruby? What are you doing up here?” She asked, concerned. She stood up from the edge, skipping toward her. “It’s cold here. Let’s go inside.”

“I don’t want to,” she said.

“What?” Yang blinked, startled. “What do you mean you don’t want to? You’ll freeze out here.”

Ruby hugged herself tighter, hood shadowing her face. “I just… wanted some air.”

Yang hesitated, the protective big sister in her itching to bundle Ruby back inside. But the look on Ruby’s face—the mix of exhaustion and something fragile—made her pause. Slowly, she sat back down on the ledge, patting the space beside her.

“Alright,” Yang said gently. “Air’s good. Sit with me?”

Ruby padded over, settling at her side. For a moment, neither spoke. Atlas stretched before them, cold and glittering, and the silence seemed to press down harder than the snow-laden air.

Finally, Ruby whispered, “You hate me, don’t you?”

Yang’s heart cracked. “What? No. No, Rubes. Never.”

“Yang, I—” The words stuck in Ruby’s throat, but her eyes said everything. Yang knew those eyes: the same ones that brimmed with tears when Ruby fell off her bike, when the neighbour boys teased her, when the world felt too big and too cruel.

Yang pulled her close, her human arm curling protectively around her neck. “I love you, Ruby.”

Ruby’s breath hitched, but Yang pressed on. “But I don’t agree with what you’re doing. Why you’re doing it. He’s not worth it.”

“Yang—”

“I know all about it,” Yang cut in, voice sharp. “About the Siren Dust. About how… I just don’t understand how, after everything, you’d still want to keep it.”

“I don’t know either…” Ruby whispered. “Raven…” The name fell heavy in the air. “She was going to help me terminate. And then—I don’t even know why or how—but Cinder came and she…”

Ruby broke off, unable to go further, and Yang found she didn’t have the strength to hear more.

“You haven’t taken it well at all, have you?” Ruby asked quietly.

“No, I have. I don’t care that she’s—”

“She was your mom, Yang.”

“Summer is my mom. Our mom.” Yang’s voice was adamant, almost fierce. “She’s the only mom that was there for me. She’s the only one who deserves that title.”

Ruby opened her mouth, then closed it, deciding not to press the point. Instead, she breathed, “Apparently, Raven could see manifesting auras.”

Yang’s brow rose, but she let her continue.

“She said it was probably part of being a Maiden—that she could see the baby’s aura before I even knew I was pregnant. She said… it was a beautiful scarlet colour, and that she was already fighting to grow.”

“She?”

“I’m having a daughter.” Ruby’s voice cracked with disbelief, her hands resting instinctively against her stomach. “Penny’s dad says she’s the size of a bell pepper right now… and growing fast.”

“Ruby…”

“I know why you’re so reserved about this,” Ruby said softly. “I don’t think I could ever have looked past everything he’s done if the… incident… hadn’t happened. But being there—in the middle of nowhere, no food, no resources, no one else…”

Her voice faltered.

“I think desperation got to us both. I was at my lowest, and so was he. Trauma’s a great bonding agent.”

Yang stared, her chest tightening until it hurt. She hated hearing it—hated imagining Ruby broken and vulnerable like that—but she forced herself to listen.

Ruby’s fingers twisted in her cloak. “But when Raven told me about the aura… when she said my daughter was already fighting so hard just to exist…” Her voice shook, but her eyes gleamed with that silver light Yang had seen so many times in battle. “I couldn’t let her go. I couldn’t.”

For a long moment, Yang said nothing. The city lights below blurred through the sting in her eyes. She wanted to scream at Ruby for being naïve, for risking everything—but she also saw it. That stubborn, burning determination that had driven Ruby to lead a team at fifteen, to face Salem’s forces when others twice her age faltered.

Yang pulled in a shaky breath, her hand trembling as it cupped Ruby’s cheek. “You’re too damn much like Mom.”

Ruby blinked. “What?”

“She’d throw herself headfirst into danger if it meant saving just one person. Even if it killed her.” Yang laughed bitterly, but her thumb brushed gently against Ruby’s skin. “And now you’re doing the same for someone who isn’t even here yet.”

Ruby leaned into her touch, a small smile breaking through.

“I don’t get it,” Yang admitted, her voice raw. “I don’t think I ever will. But if this is really what you want… if this is your choice… then I’ll be here. Even if I have to fight the whole damn world for you.”

Ruby’s tears spilled freely then. She threw her arms around Yang, burying her face against her sister’s shoulder. “Thank you...”

Yang tightened her hold, rocking her gently. “You’ve always been my little sister, Ruby, no matter what course of life you take. That doesn’t mean I’m letting go. You’ll always have me.”

The wind whipped cold across the rooftop, but for the first time in months, Ruby felt warm.

“This doesn’t mean I’m not itching to beat his ass, though,” she added, causing Ruby to break into laughter. They stayed like that for a while, talking and reminiscing about anything and everything. When the chill finally nipped at Ruby’s nose, they decided to take their conversation inside.

Chapter Text

Oscar looked around, watching Nora and Jaune exchange blows, Ren meditating and Ruby petal bursting around the training blocks, separating herself into three before reforming.

“Have you… always been able to do that?” Oscar asked, wide-eyed.

Ruby shrugged, catching her breath as she padded over. “I don’t know. Never thought about it before.”

Oscar frowned. “You’re all improving so fast, and I still haven’t figured out what my Semblance even is.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it,” Jaune said, parrying Nora’s swing. “Took me what, two years of proper training before I unlocked mine?”

Ruby smiled faintly. At least now, everyone saw Oscar as Oscar, not as Ozpin’s vessel.

Across the room, Yang sparred with Blake. One sweep of Yang’s leg sent Blake flat on her back again. Yang laughed, extending a hand to her partner but looking toward Oscar.

“If you want, you can tag in.”

“Oh! Um… would I be sparring with Blake?” he asked, hopeful.

“No way. Best way to improve is to fight the best!” Yang grinned, earning a look from Blake, who rubbed her sore back.

“I say he should fight someone more on his level,” Blake muttered.

“I’m up for a spar,” Ruby offered.

“Really? But aren’t you… um…” Oscar trailed.

“To hurt me, you’d have to break my Aura. And no offence, Oscar, I don’t think you’re quite there yet.” Ruby smiled, though her words carried an edge.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend—”

“No offence taken. I get it—it’s a bit weird. But nothing’s changed. I can still fight, still keep up. I just… get tired faster, that’s all. But hey, them’s the brakes.”

“Thanks, Ruby. But…”

“I think I’d like the practice,” Jaune cut in, stepping up beside him. “I’m worse than you at hand-to-hand, so I’d say I’m more on your level.”

Yang snorted. “Being worse than Ruby—that’s hard.”

“Hey!” Ruby huffed. “I’ll have you know my sparring’s gotten better these past months.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it, Red.” Yang raised her fists, golden eyes flashing.

“Wait—Yang, you’re not serious?” Nora blurted.

“Relax,” Yang smirked. “She’s my sister. I won’t seriously hurt her. But if she’s bragging like this, I gotta check it out.”

“Wait, um! This is intermediate, I am beginner!” Ruby squeaked, but Yang was already swinging.

Ruby ducked on instinct and shot a fist into Yang’s gut, making her stumble back a step.

The others froze in shock—Ruby included.

Yang straightened, unfazed. “Not bad.” Then she lashed out with a kick that cracked against Ruby’s face, sending her skidding. The group winced in sympathy.

Ruby staggered, shaking her head clear. Anger surged, hot and unyielding. She raised her fists.

The sisters circled one another, the air thick with expectation.

In the back of Ruby’s mind, a voice echoed, low and certain.

Never charge in blind. Aim for one place, then strike another when they defend.

She lunged high, fist aimed at Yang’s face. Yang smirked, hand rising to block—

—and Ruby hooked her leg instead, yanking her forward before slamming a punch into her side.

The room buzzed—Nora whispering “whoa” under her breath, Jaune straightening mid-parry.

Ruby pressed forward, her feet light, eyes calculating. Yang swung wide, a heavy hook meant to rattle bones, but Ruby slipped beneath, the move far too practiced to be a fluke. She snapped an elbow toward Yang’s ribs, following Adam’s drilled precision: strike, withdraw, strike again.

Yang grunted at the hit but recovered instantly, catching Ruby’s wrist and twisting. Ruby spun with it, breaking free before Yang could lock her down, countering with a low sweep.

“Not bad,” Yang huffed as she jumped the leg, her grin widening with the thrill of the exchange.

Ruby didn’t let her breathe. She feinted high, jabbed low, then darted around Yang’s side in a flurry of petals. Adam’s words echoed again in her mind—pressure, always pressure, until they break.

The crowd was murmuring now. Ren even tilted his head, intrigued.

But Yang wasn’t just any opponent. Her eyes sharpened, her body flowing with years of instinct. The moment Ruby lunged again, Yang shifted her weight and slammed her shoulder forward, catching Ruby mid-step and sending her sprawling across the floor.

“Ruby!” Jaune blurted, but Ruby rolled, popping back to her feet with a defiant glare.

She wiped her lip, then darted in again, weaving around Yang’s guard. For a heartbeat, it looked like she might actually take control. She drove Yang back three steps, her fists a blur.

And then Yang caught her. One perfect grab—Ruby’s wrist trapped, her momentum wrenched sideways—and a heartbeat later Ruby was on the mat, Yang’s knee pressing lightly against her shoulder.

The room erupted—half with laughter, half with disbelief.

“How the hell did you get so good?” She asked, pulling her up.

“I had a great teacher,” she shrugged, nursing her aching shoulder.

“Are you okay, Ruby?” Blake asked, stepping forward, her ears angled in concern.

“I’m fine. Just a bit sore,” Ruby said with a breathless smile, pulling out her Scroll to check her aura levels. The display pulsed faintly, already regenerating.

“How many months now?” Jaune asked curiously.

“Nearing seven,” Ruby replied brightly. “Though, I don’t look it one bit.” She spun on her heel with a flourish, as if showing off.

“You say that, but I can see you tied your corset a little looser,” Yang teased, smirking.

“Impossible!” Ruby cried in mock outrage, stamping a foot. The room burst into laughter, the tension of the spar melting away.

Ruby glanced around mid-chuckle, noticing a missing voice. “Hey… where’s Weiss?”

“I think she’s with her sister again,” Jaune said, still catching his breath from sparring.

“They’ve been spending more time together lately,” Blake added softly. “It’s nice to see her so happy.”

“Yeah,” Ruby agreed, leaning into Yang’s side as her sister ruffled her hair. “Sister time does that for you.”

“Too much sister time can be torture, though,” Jaune sighed with theatrical weariness.

“You’ve got… three sisters?” Oscar asked, frowning as he tried to recall.

“Seven,” Jaune corrected with a wry smile, “but close enough.”

Blake’s expression softened, almost wistful. “Having a sibling must be nice.”

“Aww, don’t be sad!” Nora chirped, pointing at herself with her usual exuberance. “You’ve got the only-child club right here.” She gestured to Ren and Oscar, who stood just behind her, both giving small nods of acknowledgement.

As they were laughing, Clover walked in, with Adam walking behind him, causing the rest to quieten down.

“You kids have really improved, I love the enthusiasm,” he compliments.

“Thanks, but what are you doing here?” Nora questioned, leaning on Magnhild.

“Well, I’ve come to give you all the official night off, courtesy of General Ironwood.”

“Is this because of elections night?” Ren asked.

“Yep. From tomorrow, we’ll be waking up to a whole new Atlas,” he says, looking at his Scroll. On it, was the election poll, with Robyn ahead of Jacque Schnee 80 over 20.

“Are you sure? We can also help with…whatever needs helping,” Ruby offered.

“That’s generous of you, but you kids can let the adults do all the heavy lifting,” he winked. Adam pressed his lips thin, and Ruby could tell he was rolling his eyes at Clover.

“What about him?” Jaune asked, his tone slightly harsher than earlier as he pointed toward Adam.

Clover looked back, turning around to lay both his hands on Adam’s shoulders. “Ah, Big Red’s with me. Unfortunately, he hasn’t earned enough privileges to be out on his own. But! That will change with a few more weeks of good behaviour.”

“Get off me now,” he grit, causing Clover to lift his hands with mock surrender.

“Can you believe that was him being nice?” He chuckled, unfazed by the statement. “Anyways, you kids go have fun! Tomorrow, you’ll be worked to the bone, I guarantee it.”

Nora cringed at the threat, remembering how busy they’d been thus far, and eagerly skipped to the exit. Ruby and the others tailed her, thanking Clover for the message, with Ruby sparing Adam a second glance, not before Yang pulled her away.

When they were finally gone, Clover crossed his arms and whispered to Adam, “Don’t worry, bud. You and I have got the whole night together!”

“Don’t. Call me bud.”

“Gotcha, chum,” he laughed. Adam let out a slow breath before walking away from him. “Hey, wait up!” 

The streets of Mantle buzzed with energy. Ruby walked between Nora and Ren, trying to keep up with their bickering rhythms.

“I do think Weiss had a good point,” Ren said quietly, remembering an hour earlier when they picked up Ruby from her dorm. “Doesn’t a victory party seem a little… premature?”

“Aww, let them have one sure thing,” Nora countered, skipping along.

“It’s going to be the last sure thing in a while, once Amity is running,” Ruby sighed, half to herself.

"Can we talk about that? We're working exceptionally hard to get Amity up and running but...what's the plan then?" Ren asked, looking toward Ruby. “What do we do about…her?”

“Jinn said she couldn’t be beaten,” Nora reminded.

“No. She told Oz he couldn’t destroy her,” Ruby corrected gently.

“So… maybe someone else could?” Nora pressed.

Ruby shook her head, the weight of it all pressing down. “I don’t know.”

Ren stopped in his tracks, looking down at the pavement, tension radiating off him. “We should be training right now.”

“We’ve trained enough! Just take some time to—”

“We don’t have time!” His voice cut through her protest like a blade. Ruby flinched. Nora’s face tightened.

By the time they reached the warehouse, the silence between them was louder than the bass pounding from inside.

Inside, Mantle’s election party was chaos — music blaring, bodies dancing abd the countdown to the final votes projected across the wall. Robyn’s numbers soared at 74%, though Jacque’s name was beginning to climb.

“Wow…” Ruby breathed, momentarily distracted.

“Ruby! Ren! Nora!”

Penny’s voice sliced through the tension. She popped her head from the crowd, beaming.

Ruby’s relief was instant as she saw her, “Penny!”

“I’m so glad you made it!” Penny chirped, arms widening in dramatic gestures. “It’s just Marrow and me tonight, so more friends means more fun! Where are the others?”

"Wiess is out with the boys, and Yang are Blake are off doing their own thing," Nora explained, her annoyed tone from earlier carrying through. 

“At least they’re back to being friends,” Ren muttered. 

 “Just friends, huh?” Nora arched a brow. 

 “What else would they be?” Ren shot back, voice harsh. 

 "Two people who have been through that much together? I think there's something more going on," she said, her tone ruder than before.

"Well maybe one person feels that way but the other is more worried," he babbled, looking away as he said it.  

"About what?!" She snapped. 

 Ruby, caught in the middle of the storm, edged toward Penny until she was practically glued to her side. Penny bent slightly, whispering, “I am not sure who we are talking about.” 

 “Me either,” Ruby muttered, wilting. Then Penny pressed a finger to her ear, listening. 

Ruby caught the faint buzz of Marrow’s voice in her comm: “Penny, where are you?”

Ruby clutched Penny’s arm in a panic, whispering frantically, “Please don’t leave me with them.”

She trailed after Penny through the crowd, slipping out a side entrance where Marrow stood, his weapon poised and tail twitching with unease. He turned, finally smiling to see Penny through the crowd.

“Hey, Penny—what are you doing here?” he asked, his gaze flicking to Ruby.

“Just hanging out with a friend while she’s on the job,” Ruby snickered, holding out her fist.

Penny gasped before quickly returning the bump—far too hard. Ruby winced, freezing as pain shot through her knuckles. She slowly clutched it as it throbbed, but tried to hide it over Penny’s enthusiasm.

“Yeah, real cute,” Marrow muttered, crossing his arms. “Just try not to be too much of a distraction. We need to be vigilant in case—”

“In case what?” May’s voice snapped like a whip as she slammed her axe against the floor.

“In case someone tries to cause trouble,” he shot back, bristling.

“Oh funny, that’s why we’re here,” she smiled coldly before her face hardened again. “So feel free to take a hike.”

“Listen, the General’s trying to help, alright, just because you—”

“What’s going on here, Wags?” Robyn’s voice carried as she strode over, her sharp eyes immediately spotting Ruby. “Oh, and the pipsqueak’s here?”

Ruby growled at the nickname, though Robyn only smirked.

“We’re concerned about security risks,” Marrow said firmly, posture tightening into a military stance. “Ma’am. The General doesn’t want any surprises tonight.”

“Humph, fine. But stay out of the way.” Robyn brushed past him, throwing her shoulders back. “If I’m elected tonight, we’ll all have to learn to get along.”

May groaned, stomping off.

“Sure, there won’t be a problem so long as you stay within the law,” Marrow smirked.

“Is that why you brought your bulldog here?” Robyn raised an eyebrow. Marrow stiffened. Ruby frowned in confusion.

“What, you didn’t think I’d know about Ironwood’s secret newest recruit? He’s right here, isn’t he?”

Ruby turned instinctively, her eyes catching on the one shadow in the corner that seemed just a little too solid. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Slowly, Adam stepped forward, his hood drawn low to hide his horns, one hand resting casually on Wilt.

“What?” Ruby breathed, stunned. How was he here? Why was he here? Her gaze snapped to Marrow, but he refused to meet her eyes.

“He’s here just in case. You never know when a riot might break out,” Marrow said smoothly.

“Sure, just keep him leashed.”

“He’s here to upkeep the law.”

“The law isn’t perfect, you know,” Robyn replied, her voice softening just slightly.

“Trust me,” Marrow muttered, tail swishing behind him, “I’m well aware.”

Robyn folded her arms. “My only goal is that the citizens in Mantle and Atlas, and Faunus, have an equal chance at a good life.”

“Sounds great! And you’re planning to do all that equalising legally, right?”

She sneered, her bodyguard echoing it. “Everything I’ve done is legal.”

Ruby hardly heard them bickering next to her. Her attention had locked on Adam, disbelief twisting her stomach. She marched toward him, lowering her voice. “Why are you here?”

“My babysitter was preoccupied with other work,” he said, spitting the word like poison. “So I’ve been pawned off.”

“He’s been wonderful to work with, though a bit reserved,” Penny chimed in, brightly.

Ruby’s eyes widened. “You knew, Penny? Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I am not authorised to say his name out loud. Strictly speaking, the person whose name I’m not authorised to say out loud has been officially reported as dead.”

“So I’m a dead person,” Adam sneered.

“Not biologically. Just legally,” she corrected without missing a beat.

Ruby glared at him. “You could have just come with me in the first place.”

“It’s not like I wanted to be here,” he muttered, rolling his eyes.

Ruby huffed and turned away, trailing after Penny instead.

“I am confused,” Penny said lightly.

“’Bout what, Penny?” Ruby sighed.

“Why he lied,” she replied, looking back at Adam.

Ruby blinked. “Wait, what?”

“He called me at exactly one hour ago to ask if there was any need for help. I agreed, because I love hanging out with friends.”

Ruby whipped around to watch Adam, narrowing her eyes as he exchanged quiet words with Marrow while Robyn took the stage.

“Really…” she mumbled.

“Oh, Marrow is calling me back. Got to go, Ruby. I am so glad we hung out,” Penny beamed, pulling her into a crushing hug before bouncing away.

Ruby smiled faintly, then turned back to see Ren and Nora still locked in their spat, their voices raised above the hum of the party. She shook her head, muttering to herself, “I should’ve just gone to the movies.”

She pushed toward the stage as the countdown to the election results began. People were shouting numbers, cheering, confetti already in the air. Ruby looked at the board, seeing Robyn dominate with 53%. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless. She wondered how Robyn would act when she was on the Council.

Maybe start by grilling the General, but better her than Weiss’ father, whose only complaints against Ironwood were for his profits rather than the people of Mantle. Penny waved from the side of the stage, and Ruby lifted a hand in return—

—then froze.

At the edge of the crowd, a familiar segmented tail whipped through the air. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught the glint of that crooked smile, and the mad, delighted cackle she would never forget.

“Look out!” She screamed, extending a hand to Fiona, who was eagerly counting down on the stage along with the crowd. But it was too late.

The lights snapped off. Screams filled the air.

Ruby tried to reach out, but she could hear the pained screams and panicked shrieks of the crowd. One of them shoved her hard, as a hand hit the back of her head. She hit the wall, slipping onto the floor. She couldn’t see—only the brush of panicked bodies and the echo of Tyrian’s laughter cutting through the dark.

Then a firm hand locked around her arm, tugging her upright.

“Ruby! Are you okay?!” Adam’s deep voice thundered above the chaos.

“He’s here, Tyrian’s here!” She cried.

Through the pitch black, she caught the glow of Penny’s blades as she searched frantically around, her emerald eyes glowing. “Ruby!”

“Penny! We need to help her!” Ruby shouted, her hands trying to tug on his arm which caged her in from both sides. 

“I’m not leaving you,” Adam growled, bracing himself against the wall as bodies crashed into him. The mob surged like a living tide, but he planted himself firm, shielding her with his body as elbows and fists struck his back.

His gaze tracked Tyrian, saw the tail stabbing indiscriminately through the crowd. Every instinct screamed at him to go after the scorpion. But Ruby was trembling, clutching her head, overwhelmed with the situation. So he stayed.

His arms locked her in, with his arms holding the wall at either side. But soon the panicked crowd pushed him closer, causing his arms to bend as he was forced closer to her. Ruby couldn’t think straight: the lights, the shouts, that venomous cackle. She would’ve launched straight into a panic attack had she not felt his body close to her.

She didn’t know why, but his scent – that aroma of burnt leather and gunpowder, it calmed her down. She always loved the dirty smells of the workshop. When she was doing maintenance on Crescent Rose, she always found herself caked in oil and grime. He smelled like her workshop. Smelled like...home.

Adam leaned in closer, switching his arm position to protect Ruby’s head, while digging in his knee between her legs, intending on stabilising her.

When the lights blazed back, Ruby was still whole, thank the gods. Penny stood on stage with her swords drawn, Robyn crumpled at her feet. Behind her, the congratulatory image of Jacque Schnee winning the election boomed.

“It’s Ironwood’s robot!” someone shouted, pointing at her. She looked back at the ground, realisation dawning on her.

“I-I didn’t!” Penny cried, putting her swords away. “It wasn’t me!”

The crowd roared, their fear curdling into anger. Robyn’s huntsmen charged the stage, fury written all over them.

Ruby ran to Penny’s side, while Marrow threw his Semblance across the mob, freezing them mid-step. “Stay!” he barked.

Looking around, Ruby dropped to Fiona, seeing her lying on the floor, pressing her hands against the cut on her side.

“What happened?” Nora gasped, running toward her.

Ren finally reached the stage, wide-eyed as he and Nora took in the scene.

“It was Tyrian—he’s here!” She cried, looking around at the carnage he’d laid in his wake.

“Get Penny out the back!” Marrow ordered, not looking away from the crowd of furious huntsmen. 

Ren and Nora nodded at each other before running to Penny, dragging her as she cried her innocence, the jeers following them out.

Robyn shoved past Ruby, her fury plain as she dropped to Fiona. Ruby stumbled again—until Adam’s arms closed around her, steady and certain. 

“We didn’t do this!” Ruby begged, her voice cracking as she extended an arm, but was pulled back by Adam.

He didn’t hesitate. In one motion he swept her into his arms, cradling her against him as if she weighed nothing. “We need to leave.”

Marrow tried to argue, but an arrow snapped into the boards where his foot had been. The Happy Huntresses had their weapons drawn, their eyes burning.

“Marrow! Let’s go!” Adam barked, already disappearing into the panicked tide of bodies with Ruby held tightly against him.

Ruby couldn't even protest against it, not that Adam would be approachable to any other orders. He ran out with Ruby, with all of them reconvening in the back-alley.

Across all the billboards, Jacques Schnee's celebratory announcement was playing. Penny looked around, aghast. 

Ruby’s head jerked toward Penny, but Adam still hadn’t set her down. She reached one hand toward her friend, voice trembling. “Penny.”

Penny looked back at her but didn’t move. Her eyes—normally bright with unflappable cheer—were wide and glassy, frozen in shock.

“Penny, you need to get yourself back to Atlas, now. Back-up’s on the way,” Marrow said, his usual edge muted under the weight of the moment. Still, Penny stood rooted, her expression caught somewhere between guilt and disbelief.

“Penny,” he tried again, softer this time. “Go.”

Still no movement.

“Penny, go back to Atlas and take Ruby with you,” Adam cut in, striding toward her. His voice wasn’t soft, wasn’t coaxing—it was a command, sharp and decisive. Ruby stiffened in his arms.

“Wait, what? No!” Ruby cried, wriggling against his grip until he was forced to lower her to her feet.

“Do you hear that?” Adam snapped, jerking his chin upward.

The sound came then—thin at first, like an old whistle, then multiplying, layering, until the night was filled with a shrill, bone-deep wail.

“Grimm. You’re not fighting here,” Adam said, finality ringing in his tone.

Ruby squared her shoulders, silver eyes burning. “We’ve had this conversation multiple times. I can handle myself!”

Adam’s lips clenched as his expression burned in the shadows of his hood. “I only agreed to work under Ironwood to protect you,” he growled, the words low and guttural. “Which is what I’m doing.”

Her expression hardened, chin tilting up in defiance. “I am a huntress,” she hissed. “I don’t need you to treat me like I’m made of glass.”

“I am stronger. More efficient. And an overall better fighter than you.” Each word was clipped, deliberate, like steel striking stone. “I’m telling you now—if I see even a scratch on you, I won’t do anything to protect Mantle. So for their sake…” He paused, gaze locked with hers, unyielding. “Return to Atlas.”

"Make your choice quickly, Penny needs to leave," Marrow said, looking around for any signs of oncoming danger.

"Don't make me pull you to Atlas myself, then we'll be three down, and Mantle can fend for itself," he threatened. Ruby held his stare, before looking at everyone else, then finally at Penny. 

"She needs you right now, don't let your friend down," he whispered in her ears. She balled her fists. It was an obvious manipulation tactic but...Penny...

She pushed him away before taking Penny's hand. "Let's go," she said, pouring all her comfort in the words. Penny finally looked toward her then back at the group. She picked Ruby up, before flying off all the way to Atlas.

Once Adam saw them disappear, he unsheathed Wilt.

"D'you hear that?" Nora peered above in the sky. The Grimm were in sight now, packs of Griffins flying into the streets.

"It's gonna be a long night," Ren sighed, pulling out Stormflower.

 Ironwood paced furiously behind his desk, boots striking the floor with sharp, deliberate steps. His hand came down hard on the polished wood, rattling the papers and datapads scattered across it.

“This is the worst-case scenario,” he growled. “More people are dead, Penny’s been framed, and somehow, Jacques Schnee is sitting on the council.”

The room bristled with tension. Ren, Nora, Qrow, Winter, Clover, Oscar and Ruby stood in silence, while Adam lingered against the wall, arms crossed, his sharp eyes fixed on the general.

“That’s the second shipment for Amity that was hit today,” Clover said, scrolling through his tablet, voice clipped but steady. “It seems election night was the last push Robyn needed to go from hometown hero to full-on vigilante.”

“I’m afraid the problem is more complicated than that,” Winter added gravely.

Ironwood resumed pacing, each turn heavier than the last.

“It seems Robyn has emboldened our suppliers in Mantle,” he continued, voice like a stone dropping in still water. “They’re refusing to sell us provisions until the city is adequately repaired. With Robyn redistributing the goods her team has stolen, the Amity Project is completely stalled.”

“But we’re so close,” Ruby pressed, her voice the only spark of hope in the thick air. “There has to be some way we can finish the tower.”

“There is.” Winter’s words landed like a blade. “Declaring martial law.”

Ruby’s eyes widened; Nora mirrored her shock.

“You’re not actually considering that, are you?” Ruby asked, stepping forward.

Ironwood stopped pacing at last. His gaze swept across them, his expression carved into cold stone. “What’s more important? Establishing communications, uniting the world? Or appeasing a few city blocks?”

“Don’t make it sound trivial when you know it isn’t,” Nora said, her voice cracking under the strain. “You keep talking about how we just need a little more time, but you’re not the one having to struggle.”

The general’s eyes narrowed at her defiance, but he said nothing. Instead, he sank into his chair, the weight of his decisions pressing down as he buried his face in his hands.

Ruby moved closer, placing a hand on Nora’s shoulder. She gave a small, reassuring nod before addressing him directly.

“Please, General Ironwood. Squeezing Mantle this way… that kind of division plays right into Salem’s hands. That’s why Tyrian is here framing you.”

Ironwood’s head lifted at that. His voice was sharper now. “Are you sure it was Tyrian Callows?”

“Old, ugly-looking Faunus with a metal scorpion tail? It was him,” Adam said flatly from the wall, his voice cutting through the quiet like steel.

Winter’s expression tightened. “Tyrian Callows was accused of countless murders all across Anima. He’s a homicidal maniac who escaped justice when his prison transport was attacked by Grimm. After that, he was never seen again.”

“Well, he’s here,” Ruby insisted. “And he works for Salem.”

“If we had any doubt that Atlas is Salem’s next target, then this is it,” Qrow muttered, folding his arms.

“But now we’ve a suspect,” Ruby interjected quickly, turning toward Clover. “We can tell the people!”

“That a long-lost murderer is loose in Mantle with the military knowing nothing of his location?” Clover said, brow furrowing. “Might make things worse before they get better.”

“Not like things can get worse than this,” Adam muttered. He pushed off the wall, voice edged with bitter certainty. “Took us nearly all night clearing out the Grimm. Maybe what ginger says is right.”

“Hey!” Nora snapped, fists tightening.

“Amity is so close to being finished, Mantle isn’t the priority—” Ironwood began.

Adam scoffed, cutting across him. “Amity would be a bigger priority if your original plan worked. The whole ‘tell everyone about Salem’ only works if you’ve actually got a plan that works. Until then, it might be in your best interest to keep as many people alive as you can for the war you’re itching for.”

“That’s enough, Taurus. Why were you even outside Atlas unsupervised?” Winter’s voice was sharp, interrogating.

“I was invited outside by Penny. You know, the robot currently an inch from hot water?”

“Adam’s been very proactive in missions involving Amity. I thought it was acceptable to let him be lent to other members of the team,” Clover interjected, trying to defend him.

“And as someone who’s led an organisation before, I can tell you that declaring martial law to get what you want isn’t going to work,” Adam said.

Winter’s eyes narrowed. “I doubt your experience in the White Fang counts as any kind of valuable leadership.”

Adam smirked, his reply like venom. “Well, I’m sure leadership as a Schnee carries plenty of value. Tell me, did Ironwood hire you for your skills, or because of all those years of experience lording over Faunus like slaves?”

Winter’s hand snapped to her sword, drawing it with a hiss of steel. Adam was already moving, Wilt half-unsheathed as he pushed off the wall, his stance ready.

“How dare you—”

“Schnee! Stand down,” Ironwood barked. His gaze shot to Adam. “Adam, heel.”

“I’m not your goddamn dog, Ironwood,” Adam snarled.

“Adam!” Ruby’s voice cut through, sharper than usual. He gave her a scornful look before, with deliberate restraint, sliding Wilt back and returning to his place.

“He’s right though, General,” Ruby said quickly, seizing the pause. “We need to start thinking of an actual plan outside of Amity. Has there been any progress?”

“Planning something that can kill Salem is easier said than done. It’s not like we have the advantage here,” Clover said.

“This would be much easier if we had Ozpin to tell us what to do,” Ren sighed.

“Ozpin lied to us,” Nora retorted.

“It’s not like he didn’t have a good reason,” Ren shot back.

“Ozpin isn’t here right now,” Ironwood said, lifting his head at last. His eyes were heavy, but resolute. “It’s just us, against the greatest force that has plagued our world for centuries.”

“Hey, farmboy,” Adam drawled, his eyes sliding toward Oscar. “Want to add anything?”

Oscar, startled, nearly jumped. “Who? Me?”

“I’ve heard about your little soul-merging trick,” Adam pressed. “So. Any of the old man’s memories kicking around in your head yet?”

“I-I’m not sure,” Oscar stammered. His hands twisted together. “This whole thing is… basically everything he’s been trying to avoid. Now… I-I don’t know.”

“Ozpin’s been gone a while,” Qrow muttered, rolling his eyes. “Not that I miss him much.”

Oscar visibly wilted. Adam tilted his head.

“Here’s a question I’ve been wanting to ask: why are you all so pissed at him?”

“Is that even a question? He lied to us!” Nora shot back.

“And why the hell wouldn’t he?” Adam countered. His voice rose, sharp and unforgiving. “Who are you in the grand scheme of things? You’re children compared to him.”

“We’re the ones risking our lives,” Qrow said darkly.

Adam sneered. “He’s been risking all of his lives from what I saw. Or did we see different things? Imagine this—you live a good life with your wife until you die of pestilence. Then, when you’re supposed to be flying with the angels, you get yanked back by the Gods themselves. They tell you your wife has become the devil incarnate. 

You choose her, have kids, then watch said kids be murdered by her. And from that moment on, every waking second of your cursed existence is spent trying to protect the world from her. That’s not his mess—it’s hers. You’re not cleaning up after him. You’re helping him clean up after her.

And if you’re so worried about risking your lives, then why are you still here after knowing the truth? Why not quit, kick back, enjoy what’s left before Armageddon?”

Winter’s eyes narrowed. “What are you getting at, Taurus?”

“What I’m saying,” Adam drawled, his tone dripping with scorn, “is that I get why Oz isn’t exactly gleaming to show his face. You’re all just babies, whining about a role you’re still fulfilling even after learning everything. You’re upset he lied? What makes any of you trustworthy outside of your sappy speeches about friendship and harmony?”

“Screw you, man! I dedicated my entire life to him!” Qrow snapped, his voice rough with anger.

Adam’s sneer deepened. “So did that Lionheart guy, or so I heard. And how did that pan out?”

Silence pressed in on the room. All eyes turned toward Adam, but no one found an answer.

“None of that is relevant right now,” Oscar said quickly, trying to ease the tension, though his voice wavered. “What matters is what we do next.”

“Fix Mantle seems to be the obvious answer,” Adam said with a roll of his eyes. “It’ll get that Robyn girl off your back and do wonders for your ever-sinking popularity.”

“Not one more word out of you,” Winter snapped, her voice like a blade.

“Again, I don’t work for you, you silver-spoon-stuck-up-the—”

“Adam!” Clover cut in sharply, tone laced with warning.

Ruby seized the pause, stepping forward, her voice urgent but steady. “I think he’s right, General. If we don’t have a proper plan in motion, then it wouldn’t hurt to try and boost public morale by fixing the borders. It’ll take what? A week?”

Ironwood rounded on her, his jaw tight. “With Salem’s forces still out there? No. I won’t risk Atlas’s defences—”

“But you’re risking Mantle’s!” Nora snapped, her voice ringing across the office like a strike of thunder.

Ironwood’s eyes cut to her, his glare so cold it could freeze stone.

Oscar finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. “If Ozpin were here, I think he’d say the people matter just as much as the mission. We can’t win this war alone.”

Qrow folded his arms, giving Ironwood a hard look. “Kid’s right. You keep pushing people down, don’t be surprised when they stop holding you up.”

 “So what do you expect me to do?”

“Are your eardrums made of metal too?” Adam muttered under his breath, causing Ruby and her friends to tense as Ironwood and Winter turned their heads, their glares deadly.

“What did you just say?” Winter seethed.

“I asked if his eardrums were made of metal, are yours too? Fix Mantle, you idiots. Don’t come crying later when your Amity thing falls through because half your population were eaten by Grimm and the other doesn’t know how to tie their shoelaces without their servants, let alone fight against Salem.”

“Adam, that’s enough for now,” Clover said, harsh but still carrying his usual perkiness. “It may be out of line for me to say, General, but I think prioritising Mantle this once holds some merit.”

“Clover, you are completely out of—”

“That’s enough, Schnee,” Ironwood said, returning his focus to Clover. “Is that your opinion, Operative?”

“Just a humble one. I will follow your orders no matter what it is, but I think going the peaceful route isn’t a bad idea.”

Ironwood finally stood up, sending everyone except Adam, who was still leaning leisurely on the wall, to straighten their posture. “One week. We will dedicate one week exactly into Mantle’s redevelopment of the borders.

“Thank you, General,” Ruby said softly.

For the briefest moment, Ironwood’s mouth curved into a smile—but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the unyielding severity that seemed etched into his very bones.

“However,” he said, voice clipped, “I want Robyn Hill remanded into custody. If she cooperates, we may be able to offer her a deal.” He stepped away from his desk, boots clicking against the polished floor, and headed for the door.

“We’ll sort it out, General,” Clover assured him.

Ironwood didn’t stop. “Anyone not helping with Robyn will focus on Tyrian. I want to know who he’s working with, what he’s planning, and exactly how that doctored video of Penny ended up all over my kingdom.”

Ruby lingered in front of Penny’s still form, Weiss at her side. The android girl’s body was inert; her eyes closed as though she were sleeping and not hooked up to a charging port. Ruby’s hand hovered, unsure whether to touch her.

“How’s she doing?” she asked quietly.

Pietro looked up from his laptop, his weary eyes shadowed by sleepless nights. He wheeled himself around his desk, voice heavy with strain. “She’s confused. Frightened. We’ll have her visual data shortly—it should prove her innocence. But…” His hand curled into a trembling fist before slamming against the armrest. “The damage is already done.”

On the screen above them, the forged footage looped relentlessly: Penny’s face twisted into a wicked grin as she cut down innocents in Mantle’s warehouse, her swords slicing in the air. Ruby flinched every time the blade flashed red across the projection.

“The things people are saying about her…” Pietro muttered bitterly. “If Penny hadn’t been there, Robyn would have—” His words dissolved into violent coughs.

Ruby’s chest tightened. “I don’t think Robyn was his target,” she said at last, turning away from Penny’s body. “Salem’s goal has always been to divide us. I think Penny was exactly where they wanted her to be. Just like…the Vytal festival…”

“And just like back then,” Pietro added grimly, “someone is using our own technology against us. That doctored footage of Penny came from her own work across Mantle, stolen straight from our surveillance network.”

Maria groaned from the back, “Hacking, technology,” she said with distain,” Why can’t people just…do what they used to and fight to the death! Lot simpler if you ask me.”

Pietro gave her a withering glance before continuing. “Well, if we’re dealing with the same enemy from Beacon, then hacking into Mantle’s symptoms would be simple. Fortunately, the rest of Atlas is running on an updated system,” he says, returning to his computer.

“And how would someone get access to that network?” Weiss asked.

“Well, only a few people have clearance: Ironwood, council, our cyber security and surveillance unit, and a few select few that oversee critical systems like sewage, the heating grid,” he listed, counting it on his fingers.

“The heating grid works in partnership with the Schnee Dust Company,” Weiss murmured, finger pressed to her chin.

“What’re you thinking?” Ruby blinked.

“I don’t know yet, but something isn’t right,” Weiss admitted, her voice low.

“Understatement of the century,” Maria quipped.

Ruby sighed, then turned her concern back to Pietro, “And how are you doing?”

“If Maria hadn’t offered to help me these past weeks, I’d have likely collapsed by now. Getting the communications tower into the sky seems an impossible task on its own but…now,” he confessed, looking at Penny, “to think about what people want to do to my girl…”

“Even if the worst does happen, you can always reactivate her again,” Ruby says, trying to console him. “So…maybe try not to worry so much…”

Pietro only replied with a solemn look. “There’s a reason why Penny is the only one of her kind…” He moved his wheelchair to the picture on his desk, picking it up and looking as if he could transport himself back into that time.

“When the General first challenged us to find the next breakthrough in defence technology, most of my colleagues pursued more… obvious choices. I was one of the few who looked more inward for inspiration.”

“You wanted to protect her with a soul,” Ruby whispered as she and Weiss joined him.

“I did, and when General Ironwood saw her…he did too…Much to my surprise, the PENNY project was chosen over all the other proposals.”

“How could you be surprised?” Weiss asked, “You created an artificial aura.”

“Not…quite…” Another cough ripped from him, tensing everyone as his aura fluctuated.

“You…gave her part of yours?” Ruby gasped, disbelief setting in.

“Yes… and each time I rebuild Penny, it…takes a little more…If the people get their wish and she’s destroyed…I won’t be able to…” he couldn’t even finish his sentence before bursting into tears.

Ruby laid a hand on his shoulder, “We’ll find whoever’s responsible. I promise.”

Adam leaned against the wall, watching silently as he overlooked the city below. He was up on one of the buildings, his hood pulled over his horns, a usual occurrence now. In his ear, Clover’s voice rang through the earpiece.

“Red-two, are you there?”

“Who the hell’s Red-two?”

“You are! It’s your own personal codename!”

“Why aren’t I red-one?” He pressed, unsatisfied with being second.

“That goes to the leader of team RWBY! You don’t mind the title of first going to her, don’t you? If not, I can always tell her that—”

“Just shut up and tell what you were previously saying,” he interrupted. He heard Clover’s laugh through the speaker.

“We’ve scoured through the other streets, this one has a 67% possibility of being the next target where Robyn attacks. Be vigilant. We don’t want a fight, we just want her in custody.”

“You actually believe she’s just going to willingly be arrested without a fight?” He rolled his eyes.

“I don’t doubt she won’t. But just as a big warning, don’t use excessive force. We want to build a relationship with her. I’m sure she’s heard of Ironwood’s pledge to fix Mantle, whether or not she thinks its true is the problem.”

“Got it,” he sighed, watching his breath turn foggy.

“Alright, I’ll go check in with Yang and Blake now, Alpha out,” he says, before Adam heard the much-awaited silence. He looked down, sitting against the edge as his feet kicked out.

He didn’t really care for this mission, but orders were orders. Ha, orders. He was certainly a well trained dog now. Thinking on it, why the hell was he working for Ironwood? Why was he here in freezing conditions, waiting to catch a human who was equally as tenacious and annoying as the tin man himself.

Why was he trying to catch her, instead of finding any remnants of the Fang or rebuild it himself? Why was—

“Adam?” His brooding was broken by a familiar voice, bright as sunlight.

His head jerked as he tried to pinpoint the location of the voice. “Ruby?”

“Oh, good! I thought I dialled the wrong signal. Wait—och, was I supposed to use your codename first? What was it again… Red-One?”

He almost laughed despite himself. “Red-Two, apparently. You’re Red-One.”

“Really? That’s so cool! I never get to be Red-One!” Her excitement tumbled out in a rush. “I mean, not that it matters, but still—”

“Why’s that?” he asked before catching himself.

“Oh, because—wait, that’s not why I called!” Ruby’s voice shifted, serious now. “I met with Pietro.”

Adam straightened. “You did? What’d he say?”

He remembered coercing her into getting another check-up after the incident in the warehouse, dressing it up as visiting Penny. He couldn’t help but worry after the scene.

“Penny’s doing as good as she can…she’s…I mean, she’s such a strong person but…this, it’s so cruel as to how they portrayed her. Everything she has done was to protect the people,” Ruby says, her voice breaking.

“I know, she’s a fighter,” he says. He couldn’t help but warm up to the cold-circuited robot. She was not human, which he guessed was a plus, and she was Ruby’s friend, though that didn’t add much weight to anything. “She’ll be alright. She’s got those cameras so her innocence will be proven quickly.”

“Yeah…”she drawled.

“So…was everything else alright?” He asked, not wanting to openly ask.

“Hmm? Oh! Yep! The baby’s alright. Doc says my stress levels were high so keep an eye on that Something eased in him he hadn’t realised was knotted. “That’s good. That’s… really good.” He cleared his throat. “Have you eaten?”

A beat. Then: “Pardon?”

“It’s been hours since the debrief. Have you had anything since then?”

“Not really,” she admitted. “I’ve been busy with, well… everything.”

“Make sure you eat.”

There was a sharp inhale, then laughter bubbled across the line. “Wow, okay, dad.” The smile in her voice was unmistakable. “Still… I’m kind of bummed I didn’t get to try the food at the party. It looked amazing.”

“I doubt it,” Adam said flatly. “Most of it ended up on the floor when Tyrian attacked.”

“Right… I couldn’t even see him. How did he cut the lights like that?”

“He didn’t. He was too busy cutting through people. Someone else handled the lights. He had a partner.”

Her voice sharpened. “Wait—how do you know?”

“I watched him.”

“In the dark?”

“Yes.”

“How’d you see? I thought only certain Faunus had night vision? Can bulls see in the dark?” Ruby asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

“No, they can’t. Not without some sort of light source like the moon.”

“So wait, how could you see all of that in the warehouse?” She pressed.

“I’m not just a bull Faunus, you know,” he said, kicking his legs on the edge of the building.

“Wait, you’re not?!”

“My father was a bull Faunus; my mother was a lupine Faunus.”

“Lupine as in…wolf?”

“When two Faunus of different species breed, the corresponding child can take after any genetic of either side, or in some rare cases, develop more than one animalistic trait,” he explained, remembering the explanation he got from his own mother, “I have horns from my father and eyes of my mother.”

“That’s so cool!” She sparkled, he could almost imagine her bouncing up and down. “But wait, what does that mean for…”

“For baby red? Dealer’s choice.”

Ruby didn’t speak for a while, before resuming, “I think horns would look really cute.”

“Do you now?” He drawled, looking down. He hadn’t thought about what type of Faunus the baby would take after. He was still trying to get used to the idea that there’s going to be a baby in two months or so.

It didn’t help that Ruby didn’t look pregnant, nor did she act like it. She was still darting about on missions, throwing herself into fights as if nothing had changed. Every time he told her to take it easy, she’d brush him off with the same argument: she was a Huntress, and Huntresses didn’t sit on the sidelines.

Eventually, after their fifth argument about it with the last one being him vs her whole team – Yang was suddenly supporting her now? – that he finally relented and never brought it up again. Instead, he’d opted to take on more missions.

The logic being that if there was no work to be done, then she wouldn’t be able to do any. For a while, it worked, until recently with the elections.

“I do, but a tail would also be adorable. Whether it be a bull one or a wolf one. Wait, I think I like wolf more, imagine how cute a fluffy tail would be!”

He couldn’t help but laugh, his body suddenly not minding the cold. He started to realise he didn’t mind much when it came to her. Perhaps he’d finally grown used to little Red.

“I’m probably distracting you, aren’t I?” She said, her voice more muted now.

“No!” He said, quickly, as though he was afraid of her going, “I’m doing nothing but patrols.”

“Really?”                                                                           

“So tell me, why are you happy to be Red-one?”

“It’s nothing interesting…”

“I’m extremely bored right now, so enlighten me,” he goaded.

He heard her let out a sigh before speaking again, “It’s just that when I play video games with Yang, she never lets me be first player.”

“Really?” He arched a brow.

“Yeah! She’s so selfish! Claims it’s her ‘divine right’ as older sister, but I call BS.”

“That does sound—hang on,” he said, looking down at the streets under him. He narrowed his eyes, locking on the moving shadows as he stood up.

“Adam? Is everything alright?”

“I’ve got to go,” he says, curtly. “Make sure to eat.”

Before she could reply, he ended the call, leaping from the rooftop. He skidded down the fire escape, boots striking metal with sharp echoes, before landing hard on the concrete below.

A prickling sensation scratched at the back of his mind as he tracked the shadows weaving through alleyways, keeping just far enough behind to avoid notice.

Eventually, they led him to a wide sewage tunnel stretching beneath a bridge on the city’s outskirts. He pressed himself against the corner of a derelict building, leaning forward carefully to catch sight of the figures. But when he peered his head forward, he was surprised to not see anyone. Then, suddenly, someone kicked him from behind.

He fell to the floor, with Wilt clattered across the pavement, just out of reach. He stretched a hand towards it, only to find his palm stuck fast to the ground. A viscous grey sheen clung to his skin, tacky and unyielding. Webbing.

His lip curled. He knew this texture.

“Who the hell is that?” a sharp, familiar voice barked.
“Smells like Faunus,” another said—a woman. Her tone faltered. “Wait… is that—”

Adam didn’t wait for introductions. He tore his arm free with a grunt and rose in a single motion, eyes fixed on the figures before him. He said nothing, letting their stunned expressions do the talking.

“It can’t be…” one of them whispered.
“We thought you were dead…”

“Do I look dead, Trifa?” he growled, shoulders squaring as his hand twitched towards his weapon.

Chapter Text

Trifa narrowed her eyes, as if she couldn’t gauge whether she was looking at the real him or a mirage.
“How…why…what?” she babbled, stumbling over her words. “How are you alive?!”

“What a stupid question.” His sneer cut through the tunnel’s damp air. “Who would be able to kill me?”

Yuma, unlike Trifa, broke into a grin and stepped forward. Before Adam could move, the smaller Faunus threw his arms around him in an unguarded hug.

“I’m so glad you’re here! We all thought you were dead!” Yuma’s voice was bright, relieved, almost too much for Adam’s rigid posture. He endured it until the embrace ended, standing still as stone. Yuma only grinned wider. “I’m guessing you heard about the Fang’s break-up and migration to Atlas.”

“More or less,” Adam replied, recalling Lacer’s half-hearted explanation back in Sakuragawa.

Yuma glanced around nervously, then gave Adam a firm push between the shoulder blades.
“We should get out of here. I’ll tell you the rest when we’re inside.”

“Inside where?” Adam asked, his tone hard.

“Can’t say out here. You never know when the tin man’s listening.” Trifa’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial hush, her gaze flicking from shadow to shadow as if Ironwood himself might materialise from the dark.

They led him deeper into the sewage tunnel. The stench clung to the air, a sour mix of stagnant water and rotting grime that made Adam wrinkle his nose. After several minutes trudging through the damp corridor, they reached a jagged hole in the wall. The stone edges looked torn apart rather than carved, rough and uneven as if ripped open by monstrous claws.

“A large Grimm did this,” Yuma explained, stepping into the darkness beyond. “It’s why the tunnel was abandoned—people were too scared it was still lurking.”

“And is it?” Adam arched a brow, his voice flat, earning a dry snigger from Trifa.

“There was, until we came.”

“These are the underground tunnels of Mantle,” Yuma continued, leading him down another winding tunnel. “Mostly uninhabited because of fear of Grimm, but largely because it’s a bit unstable. One wrong move and there could be a collapse…Ah! Here we are!”

Steering another corner, the cramped passage opened up into a cavernous chamber. Adam halted, blinking against the dim glow of makeshift lamps strung along the walls.

The place was massive, tall enough to rival a three-storey building despite being underground. Abandoned rail tracks criss-crossed the floor, littered with crates of stolen Dust and scavenged SDC equipment. Tents lined one side, supplies stacked in precarious towers on the other.

Still…What the hell was this? He had always known that the Fang had mainly been made up of a few survivors but…Looking around, he only counted thirty or so Faunus.

Thirty? Out of the near thousand members they used to have. He skimmed over the entirety of the opening.

looked more like a bandit campsite than the new HQ of the White Fang. No, the bandit campsite was at least outside and didn’t smell like dirt and grime.

Yuma disappeared from his side, running to the tents whilst Trifa remained close. “You look good for someone who went missing for half a year. Where have you been?”

“Story for later. Are there any Lieutenants or high-ranking members left?” He asked, looking around.

“Only three. There’s Arslott, Ravenna and Grey,” she answered, with the last name earning his attention.

“Grey’s here?”

“Grey’s never left!” A booming voice rolled through the cave from afar. Yuma was walking toward him, with a burly man clad in tattered White Fang uniform in tow. He had his signature chainsaw strapped to his back as his seven-foot figure easily towered over everyone around him.

Adam couldn’t help but feel a slight lick of joy as he saw him. Grey was always one of the more testier members, who shared his love for action over talk.

“It’s been a long time,” he said, sizing up the giant.

“Adam Taurus. I could’ve sworn you were dead. How’d you rise up from the grave?” He sniggered, taking off his Grimm mask. Behind it was a chiselled face, with scars ranging from his left cheekbone to chin, and one prominent one in the middle of his forehead. His emerald eyes were stark against his tan skin and inky buzz-cut.

“Don’t joke with me. I went through hell and back to make it into Atlas,” he craned his neck, arms crossed.

“Well, as you can see, we’ve been kicked in the balls. That attack on Haven really fucked things up. Not to mention someone whistle-blowed our hideouts. Only a few of us managed to escape and high tail it to Atlas.”
“Why Atlas specifically?” Adam pressed. His voice dropped, hard as steel. “Borders locked down tighter than a vault, Atlas soldiers crawling everywhere—why risk it? What’s the goal?”

“Oh, it’s—” Yuma began, but Grey silenced him with a single look.

“In the works,” Grey said flatly.

Adam’s eyes narrowed. His gaze flicked from Yuma’s startled expression to Grey’s unreadable face. “You’re keeping things from me?”

“No,” Grey replied evenly, “but certain intel is for Fang members only.”

“And what am I, then?”

“That,” Grey said, his smirk returning, “is to be determined. Where have you been these past six months? What happened after Haven?”

“I was attacked by one of the Belladonna girl’s teammates,” Adam lied without missing a beat. “It took me a while to shake her off.”

“We’ve heard about her,” Trifa muttered, suspicion in her tone. “Seen her in the city. What’s Blake doing here?”

“And how should I know?” His reply was sharp.

“That remains to be determined,” Grey cut in again. “We already have plans to deal with the Belladonna princess—”

“Which are?” Adam interrupted, eyes narrowing.

“—to be heard by Fang members only,” Grey repeated with infuriating calm. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Adam. It’s just that the Fang is already knee deep in shit what with Mistral Police busting our operations in Mistal. We still haven’t found the rat responsible for the leak-“

“And you think it’s me?” He seethed.

“You’ve been gone a long time. And now you show up, without a scratch on you, dressed in very nice, expensive clothes. I just want to make sure your priorities still lie with the Faunus.”

Adam straightened his posture, looking around at the other members who resumed their work, though were listening in very carefully. Yuma looked the most troubled, and Adam could tell that although he trusted him, he won’t go against Grey’s words.

Trifa looked more sceptical, as if Grey was changing her view on him. He hadn’t felt this before. They were suspecting him. Ostracising him. Growling, he sheathed Wilt, before taking his hands to pull down his eye covering, revealing his blue eye, a wonderful ocean colour, and his other eye, crimson-shot and branded with an SDC imprint.

The sight made Yuma look down, as if ashamed to stare. Trifa narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms before looking down. Only Grey remained the same, with the tips of his lips curling up.

“My priorities have always remained the same. Liberate the Faunus and kill anyone who gets in the way of that. I swore to make all those who enslaved me pay, and I haven’t forgotten. If you dare to think otherwise, I’ll cut you down as well.”

His venom sent shivers down the spines of the workers who were listening, turning their heads as they went on with their tasks. Yuma looked hopefully at Grey, clearly won over by his grandiose speech.

Grey, however, only laughed. The sound was deep, mocking, as though Adam’s words were nothing more than entertainment. “I wouldn’t assume otherwise. It’s good to have you back, Taurus.”

“Good to be back,” Adam replied coolly. He tilted his head. “Now, what the hell have you been cooking up in the pits of nowhere?”

“It’s simple, the only way we finally reach our goal is to go after those who started the reason for the movement,” he said.

Adam arched a brow,” You’re going after the companies?”

“Only a few in particular. We have a…What the hell is that?” Grey cut himself short, head snapping toward the tunnel.  Perking his ears, Adam listened intently, faintly picking up the low drum of footsteps before a guttural growl reverberated through the tunnels.

“Grimm,” Trifa spat, taking out her daggers.

“Let’s table this conversation for now,” Grey says, looking to Yuma and Trifa, “what are you waiting for? Go get it.”

They nod before taking off, with Yuma unleashing his bat wings and carrying Trifa in his arms through the tunnels. Adam watched them disappear before returning his gaze to Grey, whose face hardened at the interruption.

“You were saying?” Adam pressed, voice low and unimpressed.

“Never mind that,” Grey replied curtly. “You’ll know when we execute the plan. For now, it’s good you’re here. We’ll pitch you a tent—”

“I can’t stay,” Adam cut in flatly.

Grey arched a brow, slow and deliberate. “What?”

“I’m dealing with a new situation that requires most of my time.”

Grey’s lips curled into a sneer. “And what could possibly be more important than liberating the Faunus?”

“I am liberating the Faunus, you idiot,” Adam snapped, eyes flashing. “I’m working on another project that will do more than rotting in a hole. You seem to be doing well enough as makeshift leader — so keep at it. I’ll be in touch.”

Grey’s eyes narrowed, his arms folding across his chest like stone. “You can’t just walk in here after half a year and then waltz back out like nothing happened. That doesn’t sit right with me, Taurus.”

Adam met his gaze, unflinching. “I don’t care what sits right with you. I’ve already told you — I’m working on something that matters.”

Grey stepped closer, towering over him, his scarred face shadowed under the dim light. “You think you can come and go as you please? The Fang isn’t a pit stop. Either you’re with us or you’re not. Which is it?”

A few of the nearby Faunus had stopped what they were doing, ears perked, eyes flicking between the two men. The silence in the cavern pressed in, thick with unease.

Adam’s hand itched for Wilt, but he kept it sheathed, instead letting his voice cut sharp. “I don’t take ultimatums. Least of all from you. Don’t forget, I’m still High Leader. When I tell you to jump, you say how high. No questions asked.”

“That was the attitude before Haven. Now, you’re back to regular old White Fang recruit. I don’t even know if you’re still at the skill level like before,” he sneered.

Adam growled, unsheathing Wilt as he aimed it at his neck. “Don’t test me, Grey. I’ve seen worse shit than you could ever believe in that thick rhino skull of yours. You don’t need to understand what I do or how I do it. Just know that I do it for the cause.”

Grey was unfazed at the blade to his neck, as if Adam were holding up a butter knife instead of a metre-long sword. He tilted his neck to the side, as if assessing him, then grinned, his pearly white jagged teeth showing.

Adam didn’t wait for his reply. He spun on his heel and sauntered out of the tunnels, remembering his way back. When he finally made it to the hole in the tunnel, he turned around, purposefully clinking Wilt on the walls as he tuned his ears in, listening.

He stood there for a while, watching…waiting… It was only when he heard the muted footsteps that he finally walked out of the tunnel, back into the outskirts of Mantle. The tunnel was embedded in a large hill of dirt where the bridge lay overhead.

Hiding next to the tunnel, he waited again. After a minute, he heard laboured breathing and the faint clicks of someone running outside. He finally uncrossed his arms and stood there, not in sight of the tunnel’s entrance but just on the side.

When he finally heard the sigh of relief, he attacked. He grabbed the arm that was holding her weapon, pulling her toward him before throwing her on that hill and pressing Wilt to her neck.

“Weiss….” He growled.

She looked back at him with a face full of fear, her icy eyes boring into his. He was about to make another move, before hearing Yuma’s voice echo from the tunnels. Cursing, he clamped her mouth shut before pulling her away.

Weiss followed along, initially protesting until Adam whispered into her ear, “Do you want to alert everyone that the Schnee princess is here? It’ll be hard to bring you back to your sister if you’re ripped into pieces.”

That shut her up. Weiss followed in silence, her footsteps unsteady against the cobbles until Adam finally shoved her into a darkened alleyway two streets over. He threw her against the wall, blade kissing her throat again.

“Were you spying on me?” he demanded.

Weiss didn’t answer. Her gaze fixed on the sword, so close to her skin that even a swallow would spill blood. But she wouldn’t meet his eyes.

Adam glanced down, realisation striking like lightning. His eye covering was still slipped up.

“Damn it,” he hissed, dragging the cloth back down to shadow his face. “Did you see?” His voice cracked like a whip, raw fury boiling beneath it. He slammed her harder into the wall, fisting the front of her clothes. “Did you see?!”

Her yelps were ignored by him, as was the haphazard clawing at his fist to release her. “I…”

“Answer me!” He roared in her ear, causing her to wince as she wilted into the wall.

“I only saw a little…”she breathed. His vision burned red as he slammed his fist into the wall beside her head, the impact rattling through her bones. Weiss stood frozen, wide-eyed, watching as he cursed and shouted, his rage spilling over until he kicked a dumpster hard enough to cave in the metal.

Weiss didn’t know what to do. She had originally been with Ruby before Winter had called her to fill in on Vine’s area as he was preoccupied in another task. Reluctantly, she left Ruby with Pietro and made her way near the outskirts, on the lookout for Robyn or any other of her huntsmen.

As she was busy, her eye had caught sight of an quaint shop that rest on the corner near where she was surveilling. Upon closer inspection, it had adorable mismatched knick-knacks, including a miniature plush Beowolf.

It was the size of her palm, and smelled faintly of roses. Scented yarn, or so the shopkeeper told her. She had just paid and turned to leave when she caught a glimpse of Adam’s hood slipping through the buildings.

Feeling suspicious about it, she decided to follow him. It wasn’t purely out of a feeling that he’d done something bad, more so that Weiss couldn’t shake the fact that something bad was going to happen.

After all, Penny, who could never hurt a fly, was framed. Their enemies were upon them, and they didn’t know who. She hoped that when following him, he would naturally clear his own name. Maybe he was tailing Robyn, maybe he was on orders from the General.

Maybe…he was working with the enemy…

No.

She couldn’t doubt him. For Ruby’s sake.

She remembered the conversation they had in the bathroom, with Ruby’s eyes full of longing and hope for the future. A future…that she knew included him in some aspect. After all, he was her child’s father.

Weiss could understand that. She trusted Ruby with all her being and so followed him based on that trust. He couldn’t be involved in something bad…could he?

She trailed him all the way to the outskirts of Mantle, where all that was there were sewage tunnels and pipes. No one really lived out here, it was more a dumping ground for all the heavy machinery that were too unsightly to be in Atlas such as power stations.

Weiss trailed from the rooftops with glyphs, crouching low, trying to listen. The wind, however, tore every word from her ears.It wasn’t until she saw the male bat Faunus push Adam into the large underbridge sewer that she jumped to the ground and proceeded to follow them. It was hard, she couldn’t exactly sneak up directly behind them for fear of being seen.

But the further they went down the narrow tunnels, the more uncertain she was in following them. After all, what if she couldn’t find her way out. It wasn’t until she remembered a Clawrel that she defeated during her journey to Haven that she finally figured out what to do.

Swallowing her disgust of the surroundings, Weiss spun on her heel, twirling twice before stabbing her rapier into the ground with a small squelch. Closing her eyes, she summoned the mole-like Grimm with teeth for eyes and large talons embedded in its paws. It was a grotesque thing, but one of its features were its keen sense of smell, or so Professor Port mentioned in his class.

Still…it was an ugly thing. It sniffed around before crawling through the tunnels, with Weiss following behind intently. It wasn’t as hard to keep up with her summoning now. Like Winter had said, what was an arduous process before now feels almost like second nature. The clawrel led her all the way to another tunnel, where there was a hidden corner that leaked noise.

She heard a multitude of voices, male, female and one whose voice now grew a pit in her stomach. Adam. He seemed to be conversing with someone whose voice was deep, raspy. But for the love of all things shiny, she couldn’t hear what he was saying. All she could pick up were words. Words that sent her hair standing up.

“White Fang…Lieutenant…loyalty…Belladonna…”

Her breath caught. Was he still chasing revenge on Blake? Weiss’s heart hammered. What should she do? Who could she tell? She bit her lip, trembling in the shadows. No…she couldn’t say anything without proper certainty.

Winter was already more scrupulous since the warehouse incident, and she could tell it was a direct effect from Ironwood’s scraping sanity. He was becoming more harsh, more calculated in his orders.

She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He seemed to be hanging from a thread with it becoming thinner each day. He was still a man of discipline…but he was still the General.

If Weiss came to him with even a passing thought of Adam’s loyalty, she may as well be handing him the pen to sign his death warrant. Biting her lip, she tried peeking her head forward, if at least to try and become closer to them.

Weiss bit her lip and leaned closer, desperate to catch more.

She could hear a bit more, carefully trying to distinguish between who was saying what until she heard something that made her heart drop.

“What the hell is that?” The gruff voice says. She jerked her head back, heart beating a hundred miles a minute. She wouldn’t be able to hide in these tunnels, they would know more about the layout than she did.

And she could tell she was easily outnumbered. The White Fang. Faunus who have hunted her family and other families like her for years. She remembered the beheadings. The disappearances. The anger of her father…

Gods knew what they would do to her if they found her.

She acted without hesitation, driving Myrtenaster into the ground once more. A Borbatusk erupted from the glyph, snorting and growling, before she sent it crashing down a distant passage. In the chaos, she sprinted into a side tunnel, perpendicular to the main one.

Within a few seconds, she heard the bat Faunus flying in the opposite direction, and finally…Adam Taurus marched away. She waited a few minutes, hoping for him to leave before summoning the Clawrel again to lead her out.

She tried to be as quiet as she could, but her urgency to be out of the tunnels overtook her thoughts as she ran outside, not stopping until she saw the familiar hues of the broken moon. Relief washed over her as she finally made it out, letting out a huge breath before something yanked her arm and threw her into the dirt.

Looking up, it was Adam. She knew it was him by his crimson hair and identifiable horns. But what she couldn’t stop looking at were his eyes.

His eyes.

A gorgeous sky blue…and a contrasting bloodied one that had the logo of her family’s corporation burned into him. She froze, both physically and mentally, not even thinking when Adam dragged her into an alleyway where she only blinked out of her thoughts when he held his blade to her throat.

Once she realised, disgust consumed her. It was like someone took a hammer to her image of her family and shattered it into pieces. The company she was proud of.

The company she wanted to take over.

The company she boasted about to anyone and everyone.

That company was branded onto someone’s skin.

Adam, having caved in the side of the dumpster, laid into her again, pressing Blush to her temple. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow your brains out right now, Schnee.”

His words dripped with venom and desperation, as if he was only one thought away from pulling the trigger. Fear gripped Weiss as the cold metal pressed into her skin.

“I—"

“How much did you hear? Was this the grand plan? Follow me until I slip up so you can finally execute me?” He asked, paranoia sinking through.

“No!” Weiss said quickly, “I just-“ Her words were cut off by his hand tightening around her throat, causing her to rasp against the pain.

“It would be so easy,” he whispered, “I could just make it look like an accident. One shot to the head, then I’d leave you out in the tundra for the Grimm.”

Weiss grappled against his grip, which was growing tighter with each passing second. Forget shooting her, she would die of suffocation soon. His voice seemed crazed, and Weiss knew that he wasn’t joking.

“Please…” She choked. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“Bullshit,” he spat.

“I…I want…” She gasped. “I want you to live.”

“Why?” He seethed. She was gasping for breath now, her eyes tearing up as her pupils rolled back. Adam, realising, finally released her grip, watching her suck in air greedily as she coughed.

He replaced his hand with Wilt, catching her attention again. “ What’s your game, Schnee?”

She wiped her tears, leaning back into the cool brick walls as she stared at him. His face was blush with rage as he grit his teeth, waiting impatiently for a response.

She rubbed her sore throat, chewing slightly on her lip before speaking, “I…I didn’t follow you for any ill-intentioned reasons…”

“Why were you following me in the first place?”

“I was just a bit…interested…in why you were this far out in Mantle. I thought you were always paired with Clover…”She said, choosing her words carefully.

His eyes narrowed. “How long have you been spying on me?”

“I wasn’t spy—”

“How. Long?” he cut her off, every word sharp enough to draw blood. She gulped, swallowing the rest of her sentence before looking at him again.

“I saw you go into the tunnel… and I followed.” Her voice dipped low, barely audible. She could feel the fury radiating off him, every muscle coiled and ready to strike. “But I didn’t hear anything! I was too far away,” she added quickly.

Adam’s lips curled. “And how am I supposed to believe that?”

“I—”

“If I let you go, what’s to stop you from running straight to Ironwood?”

“I would never—”

“BULLSHIT!” he roared, making her flinch. “You’ve all been waiting for the other shoe to drop. Eager to get rid of me the moment I falter.”

“I’m not!” Weiss shot back, her voice cracking with strain. “I wanted to believe in your redemption. For all I know, you could’ve just been meeting a few friends!”

He laughed maniacally, “You actually expect me to believe that?”

She furrowed her brows, irate at his attitude, “Look, I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt— “

“And why would a Schnee do that?” He asked, saying her name like a slur. “You saw IT. I know how disgustingly depraved your kind can be.”

“That’s not…” She tried to muster, but she couldn’t say anything, not when she saw his eye.

Noticing her reaction, he gave a humourless grin. “Did the Schnee princess not know how daddy’s company dealt with its workers? How they used to force children to work deep in the dust mines, nothing but a shirt to protect them against the weather?”

“I…”

“They loved to put us to work. It was a happy tale they said, ‘the faunus need to work. They feel useless without it’. I’m sure you know all about that.”

Weiss couldn’t say anything. She remembered her father telling her all about how Faunus felt like freedom was a burden. They loved to be able to work for the Schnee Dust Company. Mining dust was their life’s calling.

Like a child, she never questioned it. How could she? She was a child, so desperate to cling to whatever words her father threw at her with a hint of affection that she treated his advice as gospel.

Only during the recent years did she begin to stray from an equal mindset. It started when she met Blake and only grew from there. Still…she never knew how deep it all went. How…horrific…someone can be to another just because they looked different.

“Lost for words, Schnee?”

“My name is Weiss.”

“I don’t give a fuc—“

“You should!” She exclaimed suddenly, shocking both of them. “I…I can’t even begin to unpack everything that is grotesque about this situation, mostly relating to the…extremities…of my family’s company…”

“Extremities?!”

“Still!” She shouted again, regaining composure. “I am Weiss. I no longer associate with the Schnee name in that regard, nor do I share the same mindset of my father. I am part of team RWBY. I’m a huntress. I fight for all, no matter their race. So you can believe me when I say that I won’t do anything that’ll cause you harm.”

“And why should I believe that? Why would you stick your neck on the line for me. Go against that sister you worship for me?”

“I don’t worship Winter—“ She stopped herself, inhaling deeply before opening her eyes and trying to keep her posture. “I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for Ruby. She believes in you, so I do too.”

“You expect me to believe you’re going to lie for me for Ruby’s sake?” He arched his brow, sceptically.

“You’re working for Ironwood for her sake,” she shot back, silencing him. “Ruby is someone who I would lay down my life for. Because she always fights for what’s right.”

He couldn’t say anything. Fuck. This was becoming an increasingly annoying thing. He could never find the words when her name came up. It was like being put under a spell.

Just as he was about to say something, his earpiece buzzed. “Adam, I’ve received word that you’ve travelled outside your designated zone. Is everything alright?”

He cursed under his breath, remembering the tracking chip embedded in his neck. They checked it periodically, and every toe out of line was called in to be accounted for. How was he going to explain being eight miles from his spot?

“Adam?” Clover called out, his voice ringing in his ear.

“Clover?” Weiss called out, ears pricking at the familiar voice.

“Weiss? Is that you?” He asked, switching onto her earpiece.

“Yeah, it’s me,” she answered quickly, darting a glance at Adam. His grip on Wilt trembled with barely contained fury.

“Are you with Adam?”

“Yep, he thought he was chasing a happy huntress and ran into my zone. We just caught up with the suspect just to find it was a pickpocketer.”

“Really?” He asked, voice raised almost in suspicion.

Weiss didn’t flinch. “Yeah. Dumb mistake. We’re on our way back now.”

Adam’s stare burned into her, sharp enough to cut steel. She ignored it, lifting her chin.

“Alright,” Clover said after a beat. “Good that I caught you. The General’s been asking to see you.”

The line clicked out, leaving silence in the alley.

Weiss exhaled slowly, only then realising how tight her chest had been wound. Adam glared at her, as if unsure what action to take next. Sensing his apprehension, Weiss takes out the plushie that she had previously bought, extending it to him.

He looked at it in confusion, glancing up and down between her face and her hand. It was half the size of his hand, yet lovingly stitched together.

“I won’t tell Ironwood about what happened today because I trust Ruby. And I want her and her child to have a good life. Hopefully…with a present father," she finished, looking at him with her icy blue eyes. But before he could say anything, Clover buzzed in their ears again, detailing the coordinates for a ship to pick them up.

Weiss looked around at the halls of her family home. It was weird, walking back after having escaped so desperately she paid someone who helped her illegally fly to Mistral. But here she was, walking through the empty halls as if she had never left. She hated that, how even though their heating system was the best in Atlas, it always felt so cold...

But still, she couldn't afford to dally...she had a mission. She remembered holding the invitation back in her dorm, where the rest of her team as well as Oscar were sitting around, observing the extravagant calligraphy of the letter.

"Only my father would turn a hostile takeover into a fluffy PR move," she grimaced, holding the expensive, lavender-scented paper.

Ruby shuffled in her seat, looking at the invitation before turning to her friends," On the news, he said he just wanted to break bread and hash things out. Maybe it won't be so bad? We do want the General to start opening up to these people, right?"

"Yeah, but on his terms," Oscar added, "Ironwood's going to be locked in a room at his rival's own dinner party. I know Jacques says he's happy to moderate, but all that really means is he'll be the one controlling the conversation."

"Not hard to imagine how that's gonna play out," Blake sighed.

"I still can't believe he won," Weiss said, arching a brow. "Robyn was supposed to be the people's champion, wasn't she? There's just too many coincidences..."

"You really think your dad might have something to do with Salem?" Yang asked, picking up on her suspicious tone. 

"I think my father would do whatever it takes to win."

Ruby narrowed her eyes, her voice filled with resolve. "And we should do the same."

"Meaning...?"

"Well, no one knows your dad better than you, and out of everyone going tonight, I'd say you're the only one who could snoop around the house and not be questioned. If Jacques Schnee is up to something, I think we should know what it is," she said, looking toward Weiss. She pursed her lips, considering the idea before nodding. 

And so she was here, managing to weasel away from Whitley who just wouldn't stop talking — thank God Nora had that taken care of. 

Looking around, she crossed a waitress who asked if everything was fine, to which she politely nodded before finally making it to her father’s office. It was a large, hand-crafted door, embellished with their family crest.
Weiss hesitated in grabbing the knob, suddenly being transported to when she was seven years old, struggling to reach it as she heard angry muffled voices leaking from the room. Whitley was with her, his hand permanently clutching her shirt, like he’d always done since he could walk.

Weiss blinked, the memory shutting itself away as she inhaled deeply before opening the door. Inside was the office, exactly as she remembered it. However, there was one thing off..

“Mother?” She whispered, looking at Willow Schnee who was leaning in front of her father’s hidden liqouer stash. Her eyes flicked towards Weiss, shock spreading as she stood up.

“Weiss?”

Winter clenched her fists, rage seeping off of her as she stood in the hallway, having been sent out by the General for losing her cool with her father. She couldn’t help it. Every time she saw him, it was like being constantly on edge.

She had never seen eye to eye with him, ever since she was young. Even when she was still a child, she was an adult. She was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. She was the role model to her younger siblings. She was the therapist to her mother… The verbal punching bag for her father… The shield to Weiss and Whitley who were too young to know about the twisted dynamic that was their family.

She had bore the responsibility as the eldest child for so long until she turned seventeen; when she was given an opportunity to attend Atlas Academy. Her father thought it was stupid – what use was another four years of school when she could start learning how to properly run the business?

The business? The one which was seeped in blood and gluttonous laughs? She despised Adam Taurus for all the hurt he’d inflicted, but she couldn’t despise him for his earlier words…The family company was corrupted…Caked in blood of so many.

She left as soon as she could, not a care in the world for her father’s ire. Nor for her mother’s weakness to stand up to her father’s abuse. But she did have regrets for the siblings she left behind.

Weiss was nine when she left. Being second eldest, she was next to inherit the company, something that nearly shattered her. Certainly, she could remember when she met Weiss a year later, with her jovial tone replaced by mimicked harshness.

Her plans, her aspirations to be a singer, her light…were all gone. Replaced. Whitley was the same. The brother whom she helped learn how to walk, to talk, now looked at her with nothing but disdain.

She regretted it all. There had been nights she nearly dropped out of Atlas, drowning in guilt. But she had stayed, because she loved the military life. She loved building a reputation that was hers, not her father’s. She loved the exhaustion of training until her body gave out.

When she heard that Weiss had chosen to attend Beacon Academy instead of Atlas, she couldn’t help but smile in pride, something that everyone around her couldn’t believe. Some even asked her if she was feeling well.

She thought she had left it all behind. Thought she had overcome all the nightmares that plagued her. But being in that dining hall…with him… It brought every unpleasant memory back like a flash flood.

“Are you okay?” She turned to her right to see Penny leaning around the corner, her gaze flickering with concern as she walks over.

“I'll be fine. I just let my emotions get the better of me,” She sighs, looking down as she unclenched her fists.

Penny tilted her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“ You wouldn't understand.”

Penny’s eyes flashed with shock, before looking down.“Oh... right.”

Winter’s eyes linger to Penny, who was fidgeting with her skirt. Her expression was pained, and Winter’s eyes widen in realisation.

“No, no, what I mean is, this place holds a lot of memories for me, specifically. I thought I was in control, but... you heard me. I sounded like a petulant child,” she says in disgust, thinking back on her actions.

“I thought you sounded fine. You were just speaking from your heart,” she said, placing her hands to her chest.

“And that is precisely the problem. I should have just stayed in line.”

Penny turned her eyes away, thinking for a moment, before looking at Winter. “I guess you're right, I don't understand…”

Winter didn’t reply, she just remained fixed on the ground. Penny was about to leave, before furrowing her brows and turning back. “You know, a friend once told me that to swallow your truth for another’s comfort is exactly how tyrants keep their crowns. Both metaphorically and physically.”

“My truth is nothing special, Penny,” she sighed, finally looking ahead, “I’m a spoiled, troubled rich kid turned resentful adult. I’m sure there are a few novels with my exact plot.”

“You are someone who has built a life for yourself against your influential parents’ wishes. You lived your life how you wanted. That is something to be commended,” she says, smiling.

Winter smiled faintly, though her eyes didn’t match. “This friend of yours seems very wise. Who are they?”

Penny clasped her hands behind her back, her smile bright. “I am not authorised to say his name out loud. Strictly speaking, the individual whose name I am not authorised to say has been officially reported as deceased.”

Winter’s smile faltered, her expression softening into thought. She realised at once who Penny meant. “So… someone like that could say something so profound.”

“He is very wise,” Penny said earnestly, “though his actions often contradicted his words. I have concluded this was a result of severe psychological trauma and stress. However, he now appears to be experiencing what some would call a redemption arc, with a changed outlook.”

Winter tilted her head, curiosity stirring despite herself. “And what makes you think that?”

Penny’s voice softened, almost proud. “His fondness for his unborn child. It is evident in his willingness to cooperate with us, despite his disdain for the Atlas military.”

“Is that so?” She pondered, looking down at the floor again.

Willow’s voice broke the silence first. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come down for your party. I’m… afraid I’m not feeling well.”

She drifted around the side of Jacques’ desk, setting her bottle and glass on its polished surface.

Weiss shifted uneasily. “Um… it’s okay, Mother. Really. It’s fine.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them until Willow’s eyes flicked toward her daughter. “What are you doing in your father’s office?” she asked, the words slow and deliberate.

Weiss blinked rapidly, caught off guard by the question, but recovered quickly. “Just looking for something I left.”

Willow’s gaze lowered to the glass she toyed with, rolling it in lazy circles against the wood. “That’s right. You… left.” Her eyes lifted again, sharp with unspoken weight. “You left.”

Weiss watched her eyes flicker into something bordering confusion, as if she was suddenly waking up from a haze. She always felt uncomfortable when she was near her, especially when she was intoxicated. Which was, for most of her childhood, the normal state she’d find her in.

Weiss moved further into the room, crossing to stand opposite her mother at the desk. “I need to use Father’s computer.”

Willow’s brows arched faintly. “Why?”

“Because I think… he may have done something. Something wrong.”

A dry laugh escaped Willow’s lips, looking away as she rolled her eyes. “I thought we all simply assumed that at this point.”

She turned her back on the desk, leaning against it with one hand resting on her glass. Weiss’s eyes flicked toward the drink, then back to her mother.

“Yes, well,” Weiss pressed, her voice tightening, “some of us are trying to do something about it.”

Willow’s fingers tensed on the glass before she snatched up the nearby bottle of Six Swans vodka and raised it to her lips. Weiss’s stomach twisted as she looked away, her arms folding across herself as her mother drank deeply.

When Willow lowered the bottle, there was a flicker of realisation in her eyes, quickly chased by sadness. She set the bottle down with a muted thud. “He started locking his home computer.”

She turned and picked up a Scroll from the desk. “But… he still has blind spots.”

With a few taps, she revealed a live camera feed of the office itself. Weiss gasped softly, her gaze snapping to the corner behind Jacques’ desk before looking back at her mother in shock. “You put a camera in here?”

“I put them in every room of this house,” Willow said, her voice taut with old wounds. “For our safety. In case I ever needed to…” She trailed off, gathering herself before she met Weiss’s eyes again.

“You haven’t come back to stay, have you?”

Weiss hesitated. “…No.”

A small, brittle smile curved Willow’s lips. “Good.”

A single tear slid down her cheek, quickly wiped away. Weiss looked away, sorrow pulling at her chest.

“A man came by,” Willow murmured, handing her the Scroll before picking up the bottle again and starting for the door. “I’m afraid your father may be involved in something more dangerous than he realises.”

Weiss looked down at the Scroll, seeing a recording pulled up — Jacques seated with a man who had a clean haircut, contrasting with his flamboyant fur coat.

Her mother’s voice softened, trembling as she turned her head back to her. “No matter what happens, Weiss… please don’t forget about your brother.”

Weiss lifted her gaze, arching her brow in confusion. “Whitley wants nothing to do with me.”

Willow paused in the doorway, turning back with a look heavy with grief. “Of course not. You left him alone.”

Her eyes lingered on the grand portrait of Jacques looming above the desk. “With us,” she added softly, before slipping out and closing the door behind her.

Weiss stared after her, heart clenching with painful realisation. The faint flash of her waving Whitley goodbye as she stepped inside the car that was to drive her to the airport for Beacon. She remembered his scornful gaze from the window, before he turned his back. Slowly, she steadied herself, her eyes falling back to the Scroll. She looked at the frozen image of her father with Watts, suspicion knitting her brow.

“Who are you?” she whispered, pressing play.

Adam cursed under his breath as he jerry-rigged the heating pad on one of the buildings, fingers stiff from the cold as he forced the machine back to life. Around him, Mantle’s citizens hammered their fists against dead radiators in a last, desperate effort to coax out warmth.

Stupendous. Absolutely stupendous.

He had been out circling Mantle’s perimeter—uninvited from the ball thanks to his “classified” position—when the heating grid began to shut down, one sector at a time. He had always complained that Atlas was freezing even with the heaters running. Now, with nothing but his aura and a double-fleeced coat, the air felt like knives against his skin.

He dropped to one knee, boots crunching against the ice, and kicked the side of the radiator. The hollow clang rang out, offering nothing in return. This wasn’t a glitch. This was deliberate.

All around him, the mood shifted. Citizens huddled closer, breaths fogging in the air as whispers carried through the streets.

“What’s going on with the heating?” a man asked, his voice sharp with unease. His friend rubbed his hands together, shaking his head.

“I don’t know. It should be working…”

Another woman glanced about nervously, her voice rising. “Atlas wouldn’t turn the heating off on us… would they?”

The question hung there, heavy and dangerous, drawing more fearful stares from the growing crowd.

Adam gritted his teeth. He could feel the rise of tension even as he tried to get the heating on himself. Cursing again, he pressed his earpiece.

“Can anyone hear me? Hello?” His voice cut sharply against the chill.

Static answered first, then Clover’s steady tone. “Adam, is that you?”

“Where the fuck are you?” Adam snapped.

“I’m still at the Schnee mansion. You sound tense. What’s happening?”

“I need you to patch me through to Ironwood. Right. Now.”

“You don’t have clearance for that—”

“Then fucking pass on a message. The heating’s been turned off in Mantle.”

Silence, followed by Clover’s startled intake of breath. “Wait. What?!”

“Yeah,” Adam hissed. “And if you don’t want a riot on your hands, you’d better get him to turn it back on!”

As if summoned by his words, chaos erupted. A man hurled a trash can through the display window of a Dust shop, glass exploding across the frozen street. Shards glittered like ice as he scrambled inside, stuffing red crystals into his arms while the crowd surged with desperate energy.

Adam’s jaw clenched. This was about to spiral.

“What was that? Red-Two, report,” Clover demanded, his voice hardening into military steel.

“That was the noise of me needing to negotiate a higher pay raise,” he spat before turning off the comms, not before muttering about how utterly useless the military was.

Meanwhile, back in the Schnee dining hall, Clover looked toward Ironwood who was in the middle of publicly interrogating a tied up Jacques Schnee about the video that Weiss had shown the council about his recent affiliation with recently presumed dead Arthur Watts.

“Um…sir…”

Chapter Text

Jacques Schnee looked nervously around, as everyone exchanged muffled sentences about the situation. Councilman Sleet had his Scroll in his hand, detailing the ongoing carnage that was happening in Mantle due to the heating grid turning off.

Gulping, he cleared his voice, earning their attention. “You have to believe me, I-I-I didn't know he was planning this.”

Winter’s response was immediate and explosive. She slammed her hands down onto the arms of his chair, making him flinch like a frightened animal. “You are going to shut your mouth and get the heating grid up and running again,” she seethed, her eyes blazing.

Jacques wrung his hands, his gaze skittering away from her intensity.“… I've been informed that we can't get into the system. It's… it's been blocked off.”

In the corner, Ironwood stared grimly at the alert flashing across his Scroll — Emergency Alert after Security Notification, cascading like a flood. He lowered the device slowly, turning away as if the weight of the words threatened to crush him. At the far side of the room, Robyn stepped up to a window, her hand pressing against the frosted glass as she stared at the streets below.

“Without heat down there,” Councilman Sleet said darkly, his voice dropping into something like a dirge, “people are going to die.”

The words hung in the air. Ruby and Penny shared a worried glance, their faces reflecting the fear none of them dared speak aloud. Ironwood rubbed his jaw, his hand covering his mouth as though to keep his thoughts from spilling into the room. Ruby hesitated, then crossed to him, her small hand settling on his arm.

“General Ironwood? How bad is it?” she asked softly.

The General didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he typed furiously into his Scroll, flipping through screen after screen until one caught the light — a schematic unmistakably resembling the Amity Communications Tower. His voice was grim when he finally spoke.

“He’s using Jacques’ credentials,” Ironwood said, eyes hard. “We can follow that activity on the network. If he’s found his way into the Amity system…”

Robyn’s head snapped toward him. Her sharp gaze demanded the rest.

Ironwood cut her off quickly, his voice clipped. “No. The secret is safe. For now. But if he learns about Amity…” His jaw tightened, the unspoken name lingering like a shadow. “She learns about Amity.”

He strode past Ruby and Robyn, both of whom tracked him with wary eyes.

“Can you block his access?” Weiss asked, stepping forward, her words steady but urgent.

Ironwood brushed past her, then Blake and Yang, swiping across his Scroll. Each attempt only produced the same mocking message: Access Denied. His frustration was palpable.

“It’s too late,” he muttered. “He’s already starting to lock us out.”

Blake’s voice cut through. “Can we trace him somehow? Find out where he’s hiding?”

Ironwood shook his head. “He’s going to be mobile. We need his access point. We need to get him out in the open.”

Robyn’s voice piped up, sharp as ever. “Okay, so let me get this straight.”

The General paused, and all eyes — Weiss, Blake, Yang, Penny — turned to her. She raised her hand with an exaggerated finger gun, flashing a wry grin despite the tension.

“Yep, still here, everyone.”

For a heartbeat, the room was caught between exasperation and disbelief. Then Robyn’s smile fell, replaced by something steely. She walked toward Ironwood, her gaze unyielding.

“How do a disgraced scientist and a disappeared serial killer find each other, General?” she demanded. “Why would they target you? And why are you so desperate to keep them from learning about Amity Colosseum? What’s going on?”

Her words rang out, filling the chamber with a silence sharper than any blade.

Ironwood’s face was steel as the council and Robyn Hill all looked at him. Next to Clover, Yang stepped forward, nodding as if to assure him. “It’s okay.”

He looked around to Team RWBY as well as his own subordinates, earning gazes that held the meaning of loyalty no matter what. Sighing, he looked to Councilwoman Camilla and Councilman Sleet. “There’s something you need to know.”

Adam cut through the tangle of wires inside the heating pad, its casing wrenched open with a crowbar. A small crowd pressed in around him, their breath fogging in the frigid air, their eyes glued to his every move with a mix of fear and desperate hope.

“Are you… sure you know what you’re doing?” a man asked, clutching his wife and child close as though the words themselves might shatter what little comfort they had.

“Shut up. I’m trying to concentrate,” Adam muttered, voice sharp as his dagger sliced another wire. His fingers stung beneath the cloth he’d wrapped around them, scars fresh from the two shocks he’d already taken. Half an hour since the heating grid had gone down, and Mantle was suffocating under the cold.

Bonfires bloomed in the streets like makeshift lifelines. People huddled in rings around them, piling on anything that would burn—scraps, furniture, trash—anything to keep the frostbite at bay. Tension was a living, breathing thing in the air. Adam could feel it, a powder keg ready to ignite. If the Grimm didn’t come for them, their own desperation would.

He should have left. He wasn’t ordered to stay. But then his gaze caught on a little girl clinging to her mother, shivering into the worn plushie pressed tight to her chest. The same design Weiss had once shown him, long ago. And against his better judgment, he stayed.

Being a part of the White Fang left him with a lot of skills. He knew how to lead the people, direct anger, and most of all: hack into Atlas equipment against their main control unit. It had been a while since he’d done it, but after ten minutes of reattaching and ripping out wires, the heating pad flickered on, its warmth immediate as Adam stepped back, his frozen fingers all of a sudden being burned by the pad.

People started cheering around him, huddling closer to try and feel warm. Adam stood up, looking around. There were thousands of heating pads that littered Mantle, and only one of him. Fuck…

The bonfire was roaring against the howling winds that threatened its extinction but it remained lively. Surrounding the fire were angry crowds of people who were still throwing in anything flammable they could get their hands on.

“Atlas turned off the heating!” someone shouted.

“They’ll do anything to keep us in line!” another spat.

Adam’s blood ran cold. Not from the air this time, but from the crawling sense down his spine, that familiar pulse of malice. Grimm. He could feel them already. Mantle was minutes away from being torn apart.

“What’s going on here?” a voice demanded.

Adam turned. Pietro Polendina was wheeling forward, wrapped in a blanket, Maria Calavera at his side. Both were shivering but determined.

“You. You’re Robogirl’s father,” Adam said flatly.

Pietro blinked, then narrowed his eyes. “I am… and who are yo—oh. You must be…” Realisation settled heavy on his face. Maria’s sharp gaze swept over the scene, her frown deepening.

“What the hell is happening here?” she asked.

“What do you think? It’s the trailer for Armageddon.” Adam rolled his eyes.

Maria’s lips pressed into a scowl. “Young man, you may have your eyes covered, but I can hear them rolling.”

“Can you also sense my increasing frustration?” he fired back, before looking at Pietro. “You’re one of the brains behind the grid. Can’t you fix this?”

Pietro tapped a control on his chair, a holographic screen flaring to life as his fingers typed furiously. His face paled. “It seems… someone’s locking out all officials. One by one. Atlas’ entire system is being breached.”

“Well, aren’t we in trouble,” Maria muttered.

“Forget the whole system. Just get the heating grid back up.”

“I—I can try.”

“Then try,” Adam growled. “Or Mantle won’t make it through the night.”

Maria tilted her head, studying him with interest. “You seem to care a lot for saving Mantle, considering your past. Not that I’m judging. Redemption is a good look these days.”

“I’m not doing this willingly. I’m on a leash, remember?” His tone was acid. “Do what you can. The Grimm are coming. Let these people at least die in warmth if they’re going to be ripped apart.”

“And where are you going?”

Adam glanced over his shoulder, already moving. “To stop them from getting ripped apart.”

Sleet rests his hands on his temple, looking up at Ironwood with a grim face. “So you’re saying she can’t be killed?”

“That is what the lamp tell us, yes,” Ironwood affirms.

“And…she wants the relics. All of them to destroy the world?” Camilla says, her voice shaky.

“A bit unoriginal by villain standards, if you ask me,” Yang laughs, trying to bring up the mood but soon stops.

“So…how do we stop her?” Robyn asks, looking down.

“You’re…taking this quite well…” Ironwood observes, looking at Robyn. She straightens, her face hardening.

“You kept this horrible secret from all of us, and I understand why. Such a thing can…well, I’m finding it hard not to lose hope.”

“There is hope, though,” Camilla adds, looking around for any sort of confirmation” Isn’t there?”

Nobody replied. Ruby cleared her throat, “Um…we have a sort-of plan…in…the making.”

“Well what is it?” Robyn asked. Ruby looked at Ironwood who took in a deep breath.

“We have a few plans that have yet to be approved. Our main prerogative is not to kill Salem but to contain her.”

“I’m assuming in one of those vaults you were telling us about?” Robyn asked, catching on quick. “So, who is it?”

“That is…to be determined,” Penny said, her usual joyful tone dampened by the situation.

Sleet removes his glasses, polishing them with his sleeve. “This is all a lot to take in. Professor Ozpin is not dead and is instead reincarnated into a fifteen year old farmboy-“

“Who Jaune has gone to collect,” Clover cut in.

“Beacon attack was not attacked solely by the White Fang but instead by a Cinder Falls who is a maiden-“

“Which she stole from Amber, the previous fall maiden,” Qrow added.

“And is working with Tyrian Callows and Arthur Watts under a woman named Salem who was Ozpin’s old ex-wife who now hates him.”

“For trying to stop her from committing omnicide,” Blake finished. Sleet’s face grew paler at every comment.

Robyn sighed, sitting down next to him as she tried to think. “This…lamp…relic…thing. It still had one question left?”

“Yep,” Ruby nodded.

“So why not ask it how Salem can be defeated,” Camilla raised.

“She can’t, remember,” Sleet grumbled.

“No, they said Ozpin couldn’t kill her. That does stand to question if someone else could. Or if killing her isn’t the only option then containing her as you said.”

“But containing her requires us to at least know the whereabouts of the Spring Maiden,” Robyn countered.

“So we have two choices.” Sleet’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Ask how Salem can be defeated. Or ask…um…what was her name again?”

“Jinn,” Yang supplied.

“Right. Jinn. Who is the Spring maiden?” He rolled his eyes.

“Um…guys…”

Everyone’s head turned to Oscar, who just stepped forward into the room. Jaune was right behind him, shocked as his eyes slithered to the lamp attached to Oscar’s belt which was now leaking blue mist.

“Wait, no!” Ironwood cried, but it was too late. The mist engulfed the room, and Ruby covered her mouth, closing her eyes before opening them again.

She was in an empty room, devoid of colour and any landmarks.

Jinn was before her, her ethereal blue body floating around. Ruby hadn’t seen her properly before, having nearly passed out the first time she saw her. But now…

Jinn gave her a faint smirk before blowing blue mist from her mouth, her voice penetrating Ruby’s mind.

“Long ago, there was an old mage who lived in a quiet cottage on the brink of a field. His name was Ozma.”

The world around Ruby reshaped itself. Grass sprouted underfoot, flowers unfurled in the breeze, and a crooked little cottage appeared not far ahead. She could smell the pollen, feel the soft air on her skin, hear the crunch of earth beneath her boots. Yet before she could step closer, the shutters slammed open and the bitter growl of an old man rumbled from within.

“Ozma had lived in the cottage for decades, isolating himself from the growing world around him. Having sunk into depression, he rarely left his cottage, leaving his garden untended and his heart closed.

For Ozma had no will to enter the world. He had suffered a blow so deep it cut his heart even after years. A wound, that although healed physically, would never be stitched back together.”

A part of the world changed, as if two scenes were sewn together. To her right, was the old man grumbling from his window. To her left, was the burning smell of a destroyed castle, with a young man dragging his limp body by his arm.

In his hand, was a toy horse, charred and still burning, though he never let it go. Behind him, was Salem. Her ghostly pale skin cracked with anger as she conjured up a spear and stabbed it straight through his back. Ruby gasped as she stumbled back, watching the scene dissolve back into the quaint scenery as before.

“Ozma knew he had a mission, bestowed upon him by the Gods themselves. But he neither had the willpower nor the strength to act upon it. So there he stayed, in his cottage. Until one day, a young maiden sat underneath a birch tree.

He was bewildered, having had no visitors in years. They had all steered clear of him, offering neither kind word nor expression.”

Ruby looked at the girl who was sat cross-legged underneath the tree. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing steady.

“Calmly, she sat beneath his tree in a state of absolute tranquility. When the old man demanded an explanation, the maiden simply replied, "My name is Winter. I am on a journey, and I am waiting for my sisters."

With that, she closed her eyes and sat in silence.”             

Ruby watched as Jinn recanted the tale of the four sisters, watching each one intently. She watched as they interacted with Ozma, bringing the old man gifts and eventually, his smile. Finally, as she watched him open the door for the first time in decades, Ruby took in his frailty.

"Why me?", he asked. "Why did the four of you choose to open my eyes? To share with me your gifts? Why am I so special?"

“The four sisters looked to one another, perplexed.  Finally, the eldest spoke.”

"I beg your pardon sir, but we did not do these things for you because you were special. We do what we can for everyone, because we are able."

“The old wizard was at a loss. Never in his years had he come across such kindness. It was in that moment that he knew what should be done.

The wizard summoned his magic, every ounce he could muster, and bestowed it upon the sisters.”

He smiled. "Take this gift, and know now that you are able to do so much more." Ruby watched it all, confused. She knew this tale, had heard it from Ozpin before. So why was she being shown this? As if sensing her confusion, Jinn continued.

But the truth was, in actuality, that the wizard neither had his original power nor did he summon that power to give. It was the power he had conserved from his four daughters, who were slain by the one who gave them life.

The world bent and warped again. Ruby found herself in an ornate chamber strewn with toys and crayons. The door creaked open, and there was the young man she had glimpsed before, guiding four sleepy girls into the hall. The youngest clung to her little horse, eyes half-shut.

“Hurry, loves. We must go,” he whispered, lifting her into his arms as the others trailed close. But one child stopped, staring ahead.

“Mommy?” she murmured.

Ozma froze. And then Ruby saw her. Salem.

Her pale face fractured with rage, her hand stretching forward, black veins crawling like roots across her cheeks. Ruby’s heart seized.

“Wait—!” she and Ozma cried out in unison. But Salem’s magic burst forth, hurling Ruby back.

When she opened her eyes, there was nothing left. No chamber, no children, only a ruined wall standing against the void.

“In the tiniest fraction between his pleading, Ozma projected his power in a last minute effort to save his daughters. But the first thing that his magic touched were their auras. And that was all that was salvaged.”

Ruby clamped a hand to her mouth, choking back a cry.

“The old mage had spent the next half a century drowning in the grief of his lost daughters, the only remnant of them hidden safe in the toy horse of his youngest. His grief continued until he met four sisters who reminded him dearly of his lost children.

He imagined that had his daughters grown up, they too would have been as kind-hearted and graceful as the sisters before him. So he bestowed their powers onto each of the sisters. To spread light and laughter, the antithesis of what their mother spread.”

Ruby watched as the four sisters morphed from appearance to appearance. Different heights. Skin colours. Ages. On and on, detailing the line of maidens that had come after them, until a girl, no older than twenty, with sunshine hair and green eyes finally walked toward her, morphing into Raven.

Raven stood, proud, as the world melted again into her campsite in Mistral, before she keeled over, her expression changing. Ruby heard her voice, twisting her head to see her and Adam.

He had pulled her half-way into the portal, though she was fighting against him. Her hand was extended as she screamed Raven’s name.

"Raven!" She screamed, inching closer to the ever-shrinking portal. "Raven!"

Her tears cracked her voice as she saw Raven's tearful smile. "Tell Yang I love her. My idiot brother too. And tell Oz... I'm sorry."

Ruby screamed as she writhed against Adam, who was halfway inside the portal. "No! No!"

"I'm so glad I got to help Summer's daughter and granddaughter live," she choked, the hurricane dissolving around her as Cinder's silhouette finally revealed itself. She pounced, surging toward Raven. 

Ruby choked back a tear, watching herself be dragged into the portal before it closing a second later. Cinder shot herself forward, extending her bony Grimm hand forward to Raven, but it was too late.

Blood dripped from her throat as she collapsed onto the floor, unmoving. Cinder screamed, stabbing her fingers in Raven’s back repeatedly, trying to grab at any ounce of power that may have been left behind. But there were none.

The scene melted once more, and Ruby felt unceasingly familiar, as if she had been here before. She walked forward, in that empty room, running to a woman with black inky hair and her back turned.

“Hello?” She called out, finally reaching her. The figure turned her head back, her red eyes filled with warmth.

“Raven?” Ruby whispered.

“So it was you, in the end…”

Ruby stammered, her voice breaking. “You…wait... what? I…I saw you...Wait… Why am I here?”

“Come on, Ruby Rose,” Raven said softly, her usual edge gone. “You know where we are.”

Ruby’s breath hitched. “…You don’t mean—”

“I thought of you,” Raven interrupted.

Tears welled in Ruby’s eyes. “This can’t be right. I’m not the Maiden. I don’t feel any power.”

“You’re right. You’re not.”

Ruby froze. “What?”

“I didn’t even know it was possible. I only tried not to think of Yang — it wouldn’t be right to put this burden on her.” Raven’s gaze fell. “Truthfully, I wanted the power to scatter. To fall onto someone random, far away from all this. But in my last moments…” She lifted her eyes again, meeting Ruby’s. “I couldn’t help but wonder. Would Summer Rose’s granddaughter take after her mother… or that bull-horned brat?”

Ruby’s hand instinctively trailed down to her stomach. “You thought of my child?”

“It was a daughter,” Raven said simply. “I suppose any woman works, so long as she isn’t too old. Though this… is far too young.”

“You can’t!” Ruby’s voice broke. “This will put a target on her. Cinder—Salem— they’ll come for her!”

Raven’s eyes softened with sorrow. “It’s already done…”

Ruby shook her head in disbelief, turning on her heel to run. Somewhere, anywhere. Her boots pounded against the endless floor, cloak snapping behind her, the void swallowing her breath. She didn’t know where she was going — only that she had to get away. But as she sprinted into the darkness, a shape coalesced ahead.

Raven.

Ruby skidded to a halt, heart hammering. The woman stood there silently, waiting.

Ruby grit her teeth and veered sharply to the right, forcing her legs to move again. She darted between shadowed pillars that hadn’t been there a second ago, weaving, gasping — only to stumble as Raven stepped calmly out from behind one, unhurried, unshakable, her eyes fixed on Ruby.

Ruby’s chest ached. She whipped around, bolting in the opposite direction. Her lungs burned. Her vision blurred. She pushed harder, harder — until a flash of black hair cut across her path once more.

“No!” Ruby cried, stumbling back. “Leave me alone!”

But Raven was there again. And again. Every direction Ruby turned, every desperate path she tried to carve, Raven appeared before her, closer each time, as though the room itself bent to her will.

Ruby fell to her knees, clutching her stomach, sobbing with frustration and terror. “Please… please, don’t do this…”

She lifted her eyes — and Raven was right there, standing over her. Her hand lowered gently, almost tenderly, to Ruby’s stomach.

And in that instant, Raven disappeared.

Chapter Text

The room was silent, all eyes snaking toward Ruby who backed herself into a corner. How could she forget? Why did she not remember after all this time?

“So...that baby is the next Spring maiden?” Sleet asked, pointing toward Ruby. Yang stumbled forward, held up by Blake.

Clover gave Qrow a heavy look, his eyes snaking to his clenched fist.

“How is this possible?” Weiss demanded, turning to Oscar. “The Maiden powers were supposed to go to a young woman! Her baby isn’t even born yet!”

Oscar raised his hands defensively. “I-I don’t know!”

The Aceops were speechless. Harriet looked urgently toward Ironwood, who himself was frozen. “Sir, what do we do?”

He jolted, as if snapping out of a trance. “The maiden is here…”

Ruby looked at him apprehensively.

“No, she isn’t,” Nora said, moving to Ruby’s side. “This is crazy. She’s not even a baby. She’s a foetus! What the hell is she even going to do?”

“The power can be transferred, can it not?” Camilla asked cautiously.

“Not without the previous owner dying,” Ironwood replied. His tone was flat, matter-of-fact. That answer snapped Yang out of her trance — her face contorted with fury. Ironwood noticed. His voice softened slightly. “Which is not something we will entertain.”

“Good,” Yang snarled. “This war’s already got us kids fighting for it. I refuse to let a baby join the ranks.”

“Then what do we do? Your idea of containment goes completely out the window,” Sleet spat. “Ironwood. Tell me you have a plan!”

Ironwood turned toward him, but was interrupted by Robyn. “What plan do you think he has? The plan was to use Spring. But now that’s not an option. There are three other Maidens, right? Just use another one.”

“The Summer Maiden is still an option, isn’t she?” Weiss suggested, eyes narrowing. “Maybe now is the time we try and divert our attention to her. Who is she, anyway?”

“I…don’t know. I wasn’t informed in case of an information breach,” Ironwood said, looking at Qrow. “Weren’t you told?”

“I was put in charge of Fall. And we all know how that turned out,” Qrow muttered, his voice heavy. “Spring was the Headmaster of Shade’s responsibility. And Summer… was Lionheart’s.”

“Wait, so Lionheart was the only one who knew her identity?” Blake asked.

“That’s so stupid! Why weren’t you told about all their identities?” Nora interjected.

“In case of defection,” Qrow explained, jaw tightening. “As was the case with Lionheart. Another one of Oz’s brilliant ideas.”

Again, all attention swung to Oscar. He gave them the same helpless, guilty look.

“No offence, Oscar,” Yang said, her voice fraying. “I like that you’re not fully merged yet, but it would be nice if your memories were the same at least.”

“Yang!” Blake scolded, but Yang only rolled her eyes.

“What? Every time we hit a roadblock, it all leads back to Ozpin.” She turned her whole body toward Oscar, voice rising. “I am officially no longer mad at him, I actually understand him a bit. So please, Ozpin…” Her fists clenched. “Crawl out of whatever mental rock you’re hiding under and advise us!”

Oscar flinched, like he’d been struck. “I-I’m sorry… he’s just not here…”

A silent groan circled the room.

"Just ask the lamp again," Sleet pressed.

"That was the last question, unfortunately. We can't ask another one for another hundred years," Clover explained, causing Sleet to slump back into his seat, dejected.

Winter, having had time to process, finally stepped in. “This information is extremely sensitive. As such, Spring is no longer an option for dealing with Salem.”

“So what will you do?” Robyn asked, her voice weary.

“That…is for military ears only.”

Robyn narrowed her eyes. “You’re seriously going to stonewall us now? When we already know this much?”

“That’s right,” Camilla snapped. “What a preposterous thing to say! We’re still part of the Council.”

“This situation goes far beyond the Council,” Qrow said, straightening. “You haven’t been given clearance by Ozpin.”

“Professor Ozpin has no authority in Atlas!” Sleet seethed.

“This is his fight,” Blake countered, her voice steady. “His mission.”

“It would be better if you didn’t know anyway,” Weiss added coolly. “If Salem comes here and decides to pay you a visit for information…” Her words trailed off, and the colour drained from their faces — all but Robyn’s.

“How well do you hold up under torture?” Qrow asked flatly. The silence that followed was answer enough.

“For now, we return to Atlas Academy,” Ironwood ordered.

“But sir, what about Mantle?” Jaune finally spoke up, breaking his silence.

“Mantle needs you — its huntsmen and huntresses,” Ironwood said without hesitation. His gaze shifted toward Ruby, who had remained quiet the entire time. “As for Miss Rose…”

Ruby stiffened under the sudden weight of every eye in the room.

“…I think she should return to the Academy with us,” Ironwood finished.

“What?” Yang barked, stepping forward.

“She is carrying the next Spring Maiden,” Ironwood said carefully. “None of us can harness the power, but the baby is still a target.”

“Don’t talk about harnessing power as if she’s a weapon!” Jaune snapped.

“That is not what I meant,” Ironwood said firmly. “I am simply acknowledging reality. Our previous plan has gone up in flames. For now, we need to focus on three things: building Amity, securing Mantle, and ensuring the safety of Miss Rose and her unborn child.”

The words echoed, heavy and absolute. Ruby hugged her arms tighter around her stomach, the silence pressing in on her.

“I must say…” Everyone turned to Councilwoman Camilla, who had her handkerchief pressed delicately to her temple. “It is quite concerning that you have a pregnant minor in your inner circle of militants, General Ironwood…”

Ruby wilted under her scrutiny, as if their glares were throwing dirt at her. 

Robyn, however, straightened. “Well, kids get up to crazy things. Life’s not always peachy. Let’s focus on the major stuff for now.”

“I think this is a major aspect,” Sleet cut in sharply. “How are we supposed to trust you, General, when you employ pregnant teenagers as your personal fighters?”

“Ruby Rose is a licensed Huntress,” Winter interjected, voice clipped and precise. “She has proven relentlessly that she fights for the cause.”

“That doesn’t negate the fact that she is pregnant while she is—what? Sixteen?”

“She’s going to be seventeen in a month,” Nora piped up. The defense didn’t land.

“She’s a real overachiever, we clocked that,” Robyn said with a roll of her eyes. “Why are we suddenly judging the kid? Did you not just hear the whole ‘we’re all going to die’ spiel?”

"Are you promoting such actions?" Sleet turned on Robyn. "It's completely shameful!"

"Watch yourself Sleet," Qrow growled, "that's my niece you're talking about."

Sleet paid him no mind, waiting for Robyn's answer. She scowled as she faced him. "I don't encourage teenagers to get pregnant. But once they are, I don't judge them. They need support not scrutiny. Maybe if you stopped and actually read some of the sex-ed legislation I'd been pushing years ago about teens in poverty, then you may be less stuck in the mud with your views."

“And what about the father?” Camilla pressed.

“What?” Robyn shot back.

“The father.” His tone sharpened. “I only saw a bit from that… illusion earlier. But I could have sworn he’s someone I remember.”

“He was familiar to me too,” Camilla murmured. Her sharp gaze turned back to Ruby. “Who is the father of your child?”

Ruby’s breath caught. She didn’t answer. She didn’t even know what to say.

Weiss moved instantly, stepping in front of her, her figure blocking Camilla’s stare. “I highly doubt that is relevant to the matter at hand.”

“Not relevant?” Sleet scoffed. “If this is who I think it is—”

“Enough,” Ironwood snapped, steel cutting through the chamber. His eyes glinted, dangerous. “This line of questioning ends here. The child’s paternity has no bearing on Salem’s war against us, nor on Atlas’ security.”

Camilla’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I disagree.”

“And yet,” Ironwood said coldly, “I am not asking your permission.”

The council chamber fell silent again, the weight of unspoken names thick in the air.

"This is now a military matter. Ruby Rose is under my jurisdiction and doesn't need to be interrogated by anyone other than chosen military officials. Her safety is the number one priority, not reviewing her past."

Ruby’s heart hammered in her chest. Adam’s face flickered in her mind. If they knew—if anyone of them knew—what then? What'll happen to him? 

“Oscar, Ruby, you will accompany me back to Atlas. I trust the rest of you to go and help the people in Mantle while we try and get the heating grid running up," Ironwood said, turning his back. 

“What about the riots?” Blake asked, stepping forward.

“About that,” Clover said, stepping forward, “I have an update from our friend down in Mantle.” Everyone looked at him with a confused look as he stepped forward with his Scroll.

“Get moving!” Adam barked from the top of a lamppost, crimson cloak snapping in the cold. Somehow — against all odds — he was ordering Mantle’s citizens around like they were his soldiers. His eyes tracked every movement, sharp and unrelenting.

Honestly, watching these humans rip each other apart might’ve been entertaining if his neck weren’t also on the line. Adam knew Ironwood would pin this chaos on him the first chance he got — assuming Weiss hadn’t already squealed.

So, as if possessed by his old role as High Leader, he tore through the brawls and started turning desperation into direction. People scavenged for fuel, dragged broken furniture into piles, passed out blankets under his command.

“Hey! Fatso!” he snapped at a rotund man clutching a blanket like it was gold. “You won’t freeze to death for a while. Give it to the kid!”

The man bristled, looking ready to argue but Adam’s glare pinned him in place. Slowly yet sullenly, he handed the blanket over to a boy huddled behind a bench, clutching his hands together as he shook violently.

The child’s face lit up. He darted off to join a cluster of others, pulling the blanket wide so they could all squeeze beneath it.

Adam’s scowl didn’t soften, but something in his chest twisted at the sight. He pushed it down and raised his voice again.

“Next—fuel! I don’t care if it’s from your stove or your neighbour’s. Get it to the coal warehouse now! Anyone slacking off, anyone hoarding…” his hand rested on the hilt of Wilt, the metal catching the light, “answers to me.”

“Excuse me,” an old woman’s voice quavered. She stood bundled in furs that still didn’t stop her shivering. “But who put you in charge? Are you one of Ironwood’s soldiers?”

“Does that matter? Get moving, Granny,” Adam shot back without missing a beat.

Her mouth fell open. “What did you just say?!”

“Your face is old, but your body looks strong enough to carry blankets. If you’re not going to make yourself useful, then stay out of the way at the warehouse.”

“How dare you! I’m not going into that dusty place. I’m waiting for Ironwood to take us to Atlas!”

“Are you serious, Marjorie? We’re not going to Atlas. Ironwood’s left us to die!” A man snapped, anger smoking from him.

“Yes he will! You young people are just too impatient. Atlas is the greatest city in the world—”

“Well, you’re not in Atlas,” Adam cut in, his voice sharp as steel. He shifted to his feet atop the lamppost, cloak trailing as eyes turned to him. “You’re in Mantle. Grubby, oily Mantle. Soon-to-be Grimm-chow Mantle if you don’t start moving.”

The old woman swayed as if about to faint. Her daughter caught her by the arm, voice urgent: “Come on, Mom. We need to go.”  Behind her, a young boy was pulling a toy wheelbarrow with a starry blanket and some of his toys.

The boy waited patiently for his mother, who was trying to coax her mother into moving. Pulling away from the scene, Adam scoured the surrounding area intently. The coal warehouse was big, yes. But Mantle’s population was bigger.

If they all worked together, it would still be a tight squeeze at best. At least the close proximity would stave off the cold a bit. But the Grimm…

Adam watched as people ran from one of the streets, an echo of a roar chasing them. He sprang from the pole, thumbing the clasp for Wilt to shoot forward, hitting the Megoliath in its temple. Though it did little to stop its course, Adam bolted forward, catching Wilt by the handle before shooting its eyes with Blush.

It screamed in pain, running zig-zag and hitting the buildings. Behind him, people screamed as they ran.

“Get to the warehouse!” He roared before resuming his assault.

No one argued. They moved. Slowly at first, then faster, energy shifting from chaos to grim cooperation.

Adam ducked low, cloak snapping as he slid under the first tusk. Wilt screeched against the pavement, carving sparks as he steadied himself. The beast’s trunk lashed where he had been, smashing a storefront to rubble.

He didn’t look back. His thumb flicked Wilt’s clasp, the blade firing forward into its leg. The Grimm bellowed, stumbling as Adam reeled the weapon back into his hand. Blush flared, recoil propelling him upward. In a single breath, he vaulted onto the Megoliath’s back.

The thing thrashed, ramming into buildings on either side, but Adam was faster. He sprinted across its spine, dragging Wilt in a burning arc that split through thick hide. Black ichor sprayed in sheets, misting the air.

The Megoliath reared back, trying to shake him loose. Adam backflipped from its neck, landing and driving Wilt into the ridge above its skull with his right hand on the other side, shooting ahead to use the recoil to twist his blade deep into its temple.

After six shots, the beast finally slowed down, slumping forward as it started disappearing. Looking behind, he saw the last few stragglers running toward the warehouse.

He let out an icy breath, the cold air pricking his lungs as his aura weakened. He couldn’t imagine what it was like for the citizens who didn’t have their aura to protect themselves. To be at the complete mercy of their environment.

Wilt slid back into its sheath with a clean click. Adam turned his head. “Come to join the fun?”

A figure stepped out of the alley. Trifa. Her blades caught the moonlight as she sauntered forward. “You had it covered, like I thought.”

“Why are you here? I doubt the chill’s any different underground with or without the heating on.”

“It’s warmer, actually,” she remarked, hands settling on her hips. “Funny, isn’t it?”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “I asked why you’re here, Trifa.”

“We’ve heard about Ironwood switching the heating off, I came to check it out. It’s a perfect scenario for recruitment.”

“You’re recruiting humans?”

“Mantle’s the runt of the family. They hate Atlas as much as we do. If they join our cause of…’equality’…then we can finally gain the upper hand.”

“I think they have bigger issues to deal with right now,” he says, slicking his hair back. “You might not have enough people to recruit come tomorrow.”

“I doubt they’d freeze to death. Annoying cockroaches, Atlas citizens are. They’re all adapted to the cold in some form or the other,” she grimaced.

“I wasn’t talking about the cold.”

She stepped forward, circling where the Megoliath’s body used to be. “Well, you’re doing your best to protect them. Why is that, by the way?”

His lips thinned, though his posture remained the same. “Why do you care?”

Trifa tilted her head, a faint, humourless smile tugging at her mouth. “It’s unusual, that’s all. The Adam Taurus I knew would’ve pressed a gun to his own head before lifting a finger for humans.”

His eyes narrowed. “There are Faunus living here too.”

For a heartbeat, silence. Then her hand flicked. Metal glinted in the moonlight—she’d drawn a dagger so quickly he almost didn’t catch it.

Her expression tightened, nose wrinkling with disdain. “And what an unusual thing for you to say. Faunus who lived side by side with humans, you called them traitors once. So tell me, Adam…” She stepped closer, blade angled low, the tension in her stance daring him to respond. “What’s changed?”

Adam’s growl rumbled low in his throat. Before she could blink, he moved—an afterimage tearing through the cold air as he closed the distance. His hand clamped around her wrist, twisting sharply until the dagger slipped from her grip and clattered onto the stone. He shoved her arm up behind her back, forcing a wince as her knees bent under the pressure.

“Seems I’m not the only one that’s changed,” he hiss, low in her ear. “Since when did you grow balls big enough to challenge me?”

“Let her go.” Adam’s head perked up at the man who walked forward from the same alleyway she appeared. He had a Grimm mask on, though it was one of a lesser rank.

Adam clicked his tongue before pushing her away, watching her stumble toward him. “If you pests aren’t going to be of help then crawl back to your hole in the ground. I have better things to do.”

“Is this really the revered ex-High Leader Adam Taurus?” The man sneered, crossing his arms.

Adam sighed, he made no change to his posture save for whipping out Blush to shoot him square in the leg. The man spluttered in pain, clutching his knee.

Trifa froze, eyes wide for once.

“What the fuck!” the man spat, groaning on the ground.

“Relax. Your aura would’ve saved you a gunshot wound. But take that as a warning of my ever waning patience. I have shit to do. You are now preventing me from doing it. Now, and I will say this in my most polite voice ever. Fuck off.”

His tone was anything but polite. Yet the warning served its purpose. Trifa helped the man up, hooking his arm over her shoulder as he limped away. As they slipped into the shadows, Adam sighed. Looking around, the streets were near empty.

Hopefully that was a sign that they all made it to the warehouse. Unfortunately, that now accounted for the growing shaking of the ground. Looking back, he saw more Grimm tumble forward, their shrieks grating against his head.

Another con of having everyone shoved in a warehouse: all their negative emotions were in one place. And he was the only one standing between them and the impending stampede. With another sigh, he drew Wilt. A Beowolf leapt first, jaws wide. Adam leveled Blush to fire—

—when the beast disintegrated midair.

He blinked. Behind the falling ash, neon green and gold cut through the street, punctuated by sharp grunts of combat.

“Woohoo!” Nora Valkyrie’s voice rang out. “Amazing landing!”

Adam turned, just in time to see Jaune Arc—still clumsy, still too green—slam down on top of a Beowolf, his shield crushing its skull.

Jaune scrambled to his feet, scowling. “That wasn’t a landing! That was you hitting me with your hammer!”

Yang’s gauntlets thundered as she ricocheted off the pavement, slamming her mechanical fist through a Griffon mid-swoop, watching its body burst into smoke around her arm. “Another one down! Why are there so many in this quadrant?!”

Harriet zipped around, with Weiss gliding elegantly using her glyphs, before slamming her rapier through the eye of another Grimm. Looking around, she finally spotted Adam. “It’s A-… I mean Red-two!”

Jaune looked back, as if surprised to see him.

His surprise dissipated as Adam shot behind him, killing another Grimm that was sneaking up. “Party at the Schnees over?”

Jaune turned, his mouth opening for what Adam expected to be another venom-laced retort. But instead, his face softened—eyes full of something unsettling. Almost pity.

“What?” Adam snapped, jaw tightening. “Something happen?”

“I—uh…” Jaune shifted, fumbling. His shield came up with a clumsy jerk as another Beowolf lunged. “No. No, it all went—” His voice cut off as he drove his shield upward, slamming into the creature’s throat with a crunch. “We should focus on the Grimm.”

Adam’s lips thinned. He wanted to press harder, rip the answer out—but the streets were already buckling under the swarm.

Penny streaked overhead, thrusters blazing as green lances of light carved through the sky. Her beams sliced a pair of Griffons in half mid-flight, their corpses dissolving before they hit the ground. But even her firepower struggled; these Grimm were older, their hides thicker, the cuts slower.

“These Grimm are really old! Why are they all attacking here?!” Nora bellowed. She spun Magnhild like a windmill before slamming it down, shockwaves rattling the cobblestones as a wave of Beowolves collapsed around her.

“More importantly, where are all the people?!” Blake shouted. Gambol Shroud flared as she swung from one lamppost to the next, her shadow clones scattering into wisps as she landed in a crouch atop a light pole. From above, she fired down into a cluster of Beringels, each shot exploding across their broad chests.

“They’re all in the coal warehouse!” Adam roared back. He slashed in vicious, horizontal arcs, each swing of Wilt trailing red afterimages that shredded through Grimm flesh. Black ichor sprayed as he pivoted, dragging the blade across another Beowolf’s spine.

Behind him, Ren’s pistols cracked, bursts of green lighting the air as bullets chewed through a Beringel’s skull. “Megoliath!” he warned, his voice tight, firing over Adam’s head as the beast’s shadow loomed closer down the street.

“What? All of them? Willingly?!” Harriet’s voice was incredulous as she zipped around the battlefield, a blur of orange lightning. She kicked off a wall, scything through a Sabyr mid-leap before landing in a crouch. “How’d you manage that?!”

“It helps if the only other option is frostbite and death,” Adam grunted. He ducked under a tusk swipe, spinning, then rammed Wilt straight into a Beowolf’s heart. The Grimm screamed before dissolving in ash around his arm.

“Okay!” Harriet shouted, tapping her scroll as she dodged another swipe. “Sending coordinates to the coal warehouse. That’ll make for a much easier pick-up!”

“Pickup? To where?” Adam barked, yanking Wilt free in a spray of black ichor.

“We’re evacuating them all to Atlas!” Yang hollered back. Ember Celica detonated, launching her forward in a burst of fire. She slammed her gauntlet through a Beringel’s jaw, shattering bone before it burst into smoke around her. She whirled, eyes blazing gold. “Now keep that Megoliath busy before it levels half the block!”

He cursed, looking around before settling his eyes on Blake. “I need a boost!”

She reacted, almost like a reflex. It was like time stopping. No, it was like time was rewinding. She could almost imagine a similar situation to this, long ago.

“Blake!” Yang shouted, snapping her out of her trance. “Shoot the guy!”

She jolted, fumbling for her weapon before aiming for him and emptying her cartridge. Adam caught every bullet with Wilt, his hair and red embellishments on his coat glowing a beautiful blood red.

“More!” He shouted. Ren backflipped onto the side of a building, held by a black glyph as he also aimed for Adam. He finally nodded in satisfaction before turning on his heel, his stance leaning forward and ready.

Blake looked around before hooking Gambol Shroud onto the wrought-iron shop sign bracket in front of her, the chain snapping taut as she swung herself up and over the street. She pushed herself off, grabbing Nora before swinging away. “Get out of his way!”

Looking around, Harriet clicked her tongue before falling back, with Weiss summoning a Queen Lancer to help Yang get out quicker.

“What’s he doing?!” Harriet shouted, looking at Blake.

“It’s his Semblance. He can emit power stronger than when he absorbs it!”

“He can do that without having to suffer the blow?! Lucky bastard…” Yang muttered. In front of him, the Grimm multiplied thrice of what it was before, with packs of Megoliaths, Beringels, Centinels, and Griffins all running toward him.

The gang watched with sick curiosity as he sliced through the air, turning the world red for just a second before finally sheathing it, turning his back on the empty street behind him.

“That’s…” Nora breathed, wide-eyed.

Even Harriet, ever-cocky, looked rattled. She snapped herself back at the sound of her earpiece buzzing.

“Hare! We’re inbound with the ships!” Elm’s voice crackled.

“Perfect,” Harriet said, shaking it off. “And the other business?”

“In custody. Robyn, Qrow, and Clover have him.”

“Good. Let’s wrap the evacuations and head back to the Academy.”

Mechanical whirring roared overhead as cargo ships cut through the sky. The sight tugged small smiles from the group—even Adam, who exhaled, chest tight but faintly eased.

“Alright team, work’s not over,” Harriet barked, rallying them. “We’ve got to get everyone evacuated and settled. Marrow and Vine are sweeping for stragglers. Focus on evac first—”

Her voice dulled to static in Adam’s ears. His gaze had already shifted, locking on Weiss.

“Where’s Ruby?” His words dropped like stone.

Weiss flinched, her breath catching. The flicker in her eyes betrayed more than she said.

“What happened?” Adam pressed, his tone sharper, panic threading through the iron.

Yang stepped in, jaw tight. “She’s fine. She’s in Atlas—with Ironwood.”

“Why?” His voice deepened, dangerous.

“His orders,” Weiss cut in quickly, staring at the ground. “We’ll…we’ll tell you more when we’re finished here.”

“Fuck that,” Adam snapped, venom dripping from every word. Weiss jolted, shocked by the rawness in his voice—but he didn’t care. “What happened to Ruby?”

He turned his gaze on her, relentless, until she crumbled, eyes darting away. Yang wouldn’t meet his stare. And finally, Blake—her ears wilted, folding flat against her hair, unable to lie.

Chapter Text

Ruby sat with her knees pressed to her chest and her hood over her head. The ride back to Atlas was long, with Ironwood speaking at her and Oscar trying to comfort her, though she heard the words of neither.

When she finally made it to Atlas Academy, she was given a medical check-up. One that was performed by Ironwood’s top selected obstetricians instead of her casual ones by Doctor Polendina.

She hated it. Hated everything.

She hated the pitiful gazes from Clover and Winter.

Hated the cold stares from the doctors who worked on her.

Hated the judging look she felt from everyone. As if they were all staring at her. Whispering about her.

Oscar looked at her with sorrowful eyes as she curled herself into a ball in their common room. His gaze trailed to the lamp at his side, thinking about how in one moment, it changed everything.

“Ruby…” Oscar started, extending a hand toward her. She made no show of action to prove she was listening. “I…Do you want some tea?”

That was a stupid question. She had tea right in front of her, stone cold after she hadn’t touched it. Oscar didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t exactly in any position to relate. But still…he could just imagine the disarray she must be in.

Ruby was his role model.

She was young, like he was. She was endlessly optimistic, even when they were faced with imminent doom. She was his sparring partner, albeit she was far better than him, more so than ever before.

He wanted to call himself her friend. But what kind of thing could he say to her as a friend? It’ll be alright? Everything is okay? Of course it isn’t. He only heard stories about how crazily obsessed Cinder was of Ruby.

How even though she worked for Salem, Cinder always went out of her way to smite Ruby. And now, when her child is a known target? He hated himself for being so powerless. The truth was, that he was no one important without Ozpin.

No one needed, no one useful. Dead weight. That’s what he was. And he couldn’t even argue. He hadn’t unlocked his Semblance yet. He hadn’t even gotten that good at combat yet. His weapon was a cane that was Ozpin’s. His future will be Ozpin’s. When his friends look at him for advice, they’re actually looking for Ozpin’s.

“Oscar…” Oscar’s head snapped up as he looked toward Ruby.

“Yeah?” He asked, hesitantly, as if unable to believe it.

“I’m…really hungry…” She mumbled from under her hood. Oscar jumped to his feet, almost running to the door.

“I saw some really good looking sandwiches earlier, I’ll be five minutes!” Alright, if he couldn’t be of any help, at least he could make sure she ate. This was something he could do. Not Ozpin. Him.

Ruby watched him leave before stretching out her legs. She wasn’t actually hungry, she was nauseous. It was nauseating to have everyone look at her. Be near her. She wanted some quiet. But even the quiet made her stomach churn.

Gods, was this all a mistake. Something that could have easily been prevented had she not been so selfish.

The door opened, and Ruby bristled, wondering how Oscar could’ve run to the canteen and back so quick. But when she was about to open her mouth, her words caught in her throat. Adam was there, chest panting as he burst through the door.

Her breath hitched as she saw him, and it felt like those stuck words were curdling into a clump.

“Are you okay?” he asked, voice ragged as he took her in. She tried to stifle a sob but failed; tears spilled down and she buried her face in her hands. Adam’s expression darkened as he slid in beside her, gently prying her fingers away.

“Ruby. You need to say something. Or just nod. Are you physically hurt?”

Her head bobbed as she tried to stop crying, just enough to say she’s okay but the words never formed. Instead, she shook her head.

He wiped her tears, his fingers rubbing gently over her reddened skin. She almost melted into the touch. Maybe because his eyes were covered, but she didn’t feel judged by him. Her breaths lengthened as she calmed down.

“What happened?” He whispered. She looked up at him, silver eyes glistening in the light.

“R-Raven, s-s-spr-spring maid-den, C-c-c-cinder,” her tears formed again as she blubbered out the words, unable to form a complete sentence. He pulled her close, and that familiar scent of gunpowder instantly relaxed her as she leaned in.

“I know.”

What? Her eyes widened as she pulled away. “Y-you what?”

“Weiss told me…everything…”

She couldn’t believe it. Wait, no. Of course. They had all gone to Mantle where he was. Wait, what about the evacuation? What’s going on? What was she missing?

“Hey, hey,” he snapped his fingers in front of her, focusing her attention to him. “Breathe, Ruby. You need to breathe.”

She didn’t even notice her breaths were quickening again. He mimicked her breathing, leading her through breathing exercises she’d long forgotten. After wiping away her tears, she gulped down the tea – still stone cold – as a way to regain her composure.

“Do you feel better now?” He whispered, his hands still entwined with hers. She was so hot compared to his cool touch.

“What have I done…”she groaned. “this is all my fault…”

“No it isn’t,” he said. “It’s that crazy bitch Cinder’s fault she can’t accept a loss.”

“She’ll come for her,” Ruby said, looking at his face. “She already has it out for me and I’m not even part of Salem’s master plan. If she finds out that… she won’t stop until she’s dead.”

“She won’t make it past the door,” Adam grits, fury rising, “I’ll cut her down if she steps an inch toward you.”

“But Salem—”

“I’m going to kill her.”

Ruby blinked at his statement, unsure of what he just said. “What?”

“I don’t care she’s an evil immortal witch, she has a head that can easily be severed. I don’t care if I have to do it for the rest of my life. I’ll keep cutting her down every second, I won’t give her time to recover.”

“Adam, that’s impossible—”

“Magic and Gods are impossible, yet that changed for me within a few months. I don’t care what is impossible, I don’t care if I have to lick Ironwood’s boot clean, I’m going to keep you safe,” he said, his gaze trailing to her stomach. “Both of you.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew…” she whispered, the words barely audible.

“Know what?”

Ruby’s face folded in on itself. Guilt reddened her cheeks; she turned her gaze away.

“Ruby.” Adam tilted her chin until her silver eyes met his. “What don’t I know?”

Her lip quivered as she bit her lower lip. “There…”

“What?”

She mumbled something under her breath, and Adam’s ears perked up. “What did you just say?”

She mumbled something again, slightly louder but still incoherent to his ears, and his hearing was better than most. He was getting slightly vexed, but controlled it. It was Ruby, he couldn’t get mad.

“Ruby. Speak. Up.”

She sucked in a breath, closing her eyes before finally opening her mouth. “There is no ban on abortion…”

His blood ran cold. “What?”

She didn’t meet his gaze, but continued speaking. “When I said that I missed the deadline…I hadn’t…They gave me the option and I…refused.”

Adam didn’t know if he was hearing properly. Or if he was awake. Ruby winced, “Adam…you’re hurting me.”

He flinched away from her, now standing. “What did you say?”

She had fear dripping from her as she spoke. “I...I couldn’t. I just couldn—Adam where are you going?”

He was already one foot out of the door. She tried to follow him, her hand was about to touch his arm before he swatted her away. “Leave me alone.”

She tried to follow after him, cape whipping behind her. “I wanted to tell you—”

“When?!” He turned on his heel, facing her. His face was red with anger, slightly jolting her as she stepped back.

“I…when it was safe—”

“Safe for who, Ruby? We came to a decision together. You had no right to keep that sort of information from me.”

“You were going to die!”

“Do you think this scenario is any better?!” His voice bellowed, echoing down the corridor. “I have been knee deep in actual shit trying to protect you. Because I thought it wasn’t your fault this happened. Because I thought you were also a victim—”

“The baby’s also a victim—”

“BECAUSE OF YOU!” His roar split the air. Ruby flinched, shrinking under the weight of his fury, but he pressed on, relentless. “Had you terminated, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Salem wouldn’t be an issue. Cinder. Wouldn’t be an issue. This child is in danger because of you.”

“I didn’t know she was the maiden!” She screamed back, tears streaking. “I-I thought that once we were done fighting, that I could eventually settle with her. That I could—”

“You thought this was a fight that would end before you gave birth?!”

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She knew it was hopeful at best. That she and her friends could magically fix a problem that spanned generations.

“You are so unbelievably naïve. Did you think everything would just magically fall into its perfect place because you hope and wish it to be?”

Her brows furrowed as she glared back at him. “I made a choice for my body. I want this child so I’m choosing to have it.”

“That is not just your decision!”

“Yes it is!” She screamed back. “If you don’t want to be involved, then don’t. But I did what I thought was best for the situation—”

“No,” he cut her off. “You did what was best for you. You had no consideration for me. You didn’t even fucking ask me.”

“Because I know what you would’ve said—”

“Do you?!” She looked at him with a pained expression. His expression was nothing but anger. Gods, he wanted to break something. Anything. There were few times in his life where people had angered him to this point.

In all of those cases, he didn’t hesitate to make them eat their words. But for Ruby…He clenched his fists and turned.

“Where are you going?” She called out, voice cracking.

“None of your fucking business.” She watched him leave, shock riddled on her face as he stormed off around the corner. After a second, Blake came around the corner, her face full of a painful expression.

Yang was behind her, her hair fluttering like flames. Ruby could tell she was on the brink of an explosion. But she remained calm. She walked over to Ruby, letting her little sister collapse into her arms, sobbing.

“I got you, Rubes…” She whispered into her hair as Ruby let out violent sobs. Blake watched in silence. Her two best friends were on the floor, and her leader was bawling her eyes out. She didn’t know what got into her. But she was no longer planted near the corner.

She was quick on her feet. After all, she was part cat. It didn’t take long for her to catch up to Adam, who was marching off, fire in every step.

“Adam!” She called out. He didn’t reply. She ran in front of him, extending her arms out in an effort to block him.

"Get out of my way, Blake,” he spat.

“You need to go back. You can’t just leave her there!”

“I said get out of my way.” Each word was sharp like ice. Blake would’ve once cowered at such a tone but now she stood fierce.

“She’s pregnant, for God’s sake—”

“That is NOT my fault!” He shouted, loud enough that her ears started ringing.

“No one ever said it was your fault,” she bit back.

“Oh really?” He laughed, low and maniacal. “Ever since I’ve joined your frustrating band of annoying brats, I’ve been blamed for what happened to pure little Rose.”

“That’s not true. Ruby’s been defending you since Day one against everyone! She believed in you!”

“She lied to me,” he seethed.

“She thought she was protecting you.” A second goes by. Then another.

“You knew?!”

Blake’s breath hitched as she realised she’d been caught. Still, she continued. “We all knew. This is Atlas. It prides itself on being the first in everything, including women’s rights.”

“So everyone knew. And no one fucking told me.”

We were all still getting used to each other—” Before she could finish, Adam slammed her against the wall. The impact rattled the metal panelling, her back arching from the sudden jolt. His grip twisted into her top, fabric bunching in his fist as he held her in place.

“Was this funny, Blake?” His voice dropped into a venomous whisper, hot breath grazing her ear. His other hand pinned her shoulder, pressing her tighter against the wall.

 “Did you all have fun laughing about me as I bent over backwards. Was it a nice little joke?”

“No! Let go of me!” Blake snarled, her arms straining as she tried to push him off. Her boots scraped against the floor, desperate for leverage, but he was stronger. His weight bore down like iron, refusing to budge.

“You knew how we all felt about it! But we all came around because we wanted to support her!”

“Into tricking me?!” His snarl reverberated through her bones. “Was Ironwood in on it too? Were you laughing when he collared me like an animal, chasing after a bone on a stick? Did it make you feel good to see me reduced to this?”

“Ironwood wanted to execute you!” she shot back, gripping his wrist to ease the pressure on her chest. Her eyes blazed, sharp even under the shadow of his mask. “He said it wasn’t worth having someone so violent and unpredictable working under him. It was Ruby who begged him for mercy.”

“By baby-trapping me?”

“It was the only thing you seemed to care about. And Ruby cared about you.”

“Bullshit!” Adam roared, his fist smashing into the wall beside her head. The wall dented under the blow, a jagged crack spreading through the plaster. Dust and paint chips showered down, brushing against Blake’s cheek. She jolted, but her glare never faltered.

“She loves you, Adam!” Blake hissed through clenched teeth.

The words hit like a strike to the gut. Adam staggered, faltering just enough. Blake seized the opening, twisting her body with feline agility. In one fluid motion, she shoved him back, Gambol Shroud snapping into her hands. The ribbon and blade flashed as she swung the weapon up, the point pressing against the exposed skin of his neck.

The two stood locked in the corridor, breaths ragged, tension coiled tight enough to snap.

“She loves you,” Blake repeated, softer now, stripped of irony. No humour. No flinch.

“Don’t be so childish,” he spat, the words fanged and brittle. “She grew fond of me because we were thrust in a life-or-death situation.” He hooked a boot behind her calf with a brutal, practised motion and yanked. The move dragged her forward, upset her centre of gravity, and with a guttural grunt he wrenched the blade from his throat. He slammed her face into the wall, the impact folding her forward; his hand closed over the scruff at her neck, fingers crushing the fabric of her top as though it were a leash.

“That’s not it and you know it.” Her voice came out hollow, breath rattling.

“I know what love feels like. I remember it. I also remember the sting of betrayal when the one I thought I loved left me,” he said, each syllable a knife.

“What we had wasn’t love,” she spat back, voice low and dangerous. “It was codependency. You never loved me, Adam.”

His grip tightened until she gagged. The veins at the back of his hand stood out like ropes. “Don’t rewrite history to suit your needs!” he barked.

“Isn’t that what you’re doing?!” she shot back, fighting for air. “You never treated me with love. Never laughed. Never once cracked a smile that wasn’t from some violent amusement. But you do with Ruby.”

“No I don’t.”

“Stop lying to yourself.” Blake’s eyes glittered, fed by the heat of the corridor and something colder beneath. “You ask her if she’s eaten. You shepherd her books like they’re relics. You listen to her midnight rambles like they matter. For God’s sake, you literally raided the canteen for chocolate pudding because she said she had a craving!”

“That was for the child!” he barked, fury splintering into something raw.

“Whom you also love!” Her voice echoed off the metal. It rang, impossible to ignore. "Don't try and deny it. I see the way you look at her. We all do."

He went still, like a man hearing a verdict. For a second his whole face softened into something that could have been shame or the memory of it, then hardened again. “I was tricked…” he muttered, but the phrase came out brittle and small.

She started laughing, earning more of his anger. “What the fuck’s so funny?”

Her laughing stopped, with her voice mirroring his own tone. “Be so fucking for real, Adam. You and I both know that if you truly didn’t want the child, Atlas law wouldn’t stop you from trying to get rid of it.”

“That's not true.”

“Yes it is.” Blake's voice was hard as flint. “The old you would’ve dragged her to a back-alley clinic, screaming about a child being a burden. Yes, you’ve changed, but why did you never search it up on the web? Never questioned Doctor Polendina about it? It was public fucking knowledge, you can’t have been so stupid to not realise it this whole time. I mean, Atlas? Being the only kingdom with abortion rights far behind the rest? With their technological advancements?”

He gripped her arms harder, causing her to wince but she never relented. “You didn’t pursue it because you didn’t care. Because you wanted the child. Because you were finally seeking happiness from something other than the Fang.”

“Don’t talk about the Fang like you haven’t spat on its name, scum…”

“Fine.” Blake let the word hang like a challenge. She stepped closer until their faces were inches apart, eyes locked. “Let’s talk about Ruby. You can deny love all you like, but you can’t deny the affection you hold for her. And right now the world is crashing in on her.”

“That is entirely of her own actions,” he seethed. “Had she terminated—”

“Then Salem would still come,” Blake cut in, voice climbing. “She has silver eyes, for God’s sake—”

“Everyone keeps mentioning that. What the fuck does that actually have to do with anything?!” Adam barked.

“Ruby is a Silver-eyed Warrior.” Blake’s tone was steady, each word deliberate. His fingers loosened without him realising; she didn’t move to free herself — she needed him to listen. “Her silver eyes are not just pretty. The reason why Beacon’s not fully overrun with Grimm? Because of her. And Salem hates it.

Cinder’s got a vendetta with her because of it. She’s marked, Adam. From the moment she was born. She didn’t ask for any of this, people pushed it onto her because of her genes. Genes that others have been hunted for.”

She knew her words struck a nerve. To have decisions made for you because of what you looked like. Your future basically decided.

“Ruby is one of a kind. She never wilts when faced with struggle and turmoil. She always tries her best for her friends. She never thinks twice before sacrificing to save another. She loves that baby now, but before, she was sacrificing her future to have something tangible to help you live. To save your life.”

“I didn’t ask for that.”

“Then do everyone a favour and go ahead and end it,” she spat. “It’s not too late. Ruby’s basically damned now so your issue of the child will be taken care of. There we go, the legacy of Adam Taurus.”

She didn’t need to watch for the change. The way his jaw clenched, the pale flash at his knuckles, said enough. The corridor seemed to inhale and hold itself, waiting to see which man he’d become.

She finally released herself from his grip, shaking him off as she stepped away. “I have so much shame and regret for how I handled myself during the Fang. But Ruby helped me better myself and heal. So I’ll be damned if I let someone like you hurt her. She deserves better because she is the better of us. Make your choice: will you stand with her or not?”

She didn’t wait for the answer, walking away from Adam as his gaze remained fixed on the floor, hearing her steps grow fainter and fainter.

He slammed his fist into the wall, screaming in rage.

In front of him, holding a plate with a sandwich, was Oscar. He turned to look at the boy, who had no idea what he stumbled into.

“Farmboy…”he growled, causing Oscar to tense. “Come here…”

Chapter Text

Adam looked up at his mother, who sat cradled against the wall in her bunk. It was cold, despite being told that they were travelling to Mistral. He climbed into his mother's lap, finally catching her attention as she began ruffling his hair. Adam leaned into the touch, thankful that she was acknowledging him at least. It'd been rare to not see her in a trance-like state ever since the men who his father worked for came banging on his door, demanding his mother to repay the damages his father had caused. 

He remembered her screaming up and down that he was innocent, but the company had papers. And somehow, those papers were worth more than his mother's words. He hadn't even noticed what happened after that. Only that they packed up his family and flew them to Mistral to 'work off the debt.' And so there he was, five-years-old, working deep in the cold mines instead of going to school.

"Mom?" He whispered, trying too earn her attention. Her long red hair covered most of her face, hiding her dim expression from the world. 

"Is that you, Rowan?" She whispered, calling his father's name. Adam bit his lip, wanting to correct her. But all he said was yes. She pulled him in closer until his head was resting against her chest. He could hear her heartbeat, steady but weak. Just like she had become after half a year in the mines. 

"I love you," she murmured, planting kisses into his hair. 

"I love you too."

"Rowan..."

"Yes?"

"Adam's been at school for a while, isn't it time we go and pick him up?"

Adam tensed, not knowing what to say. He couldn't remember the last time he was in school. Or the last time his father had come to pick him up.

"He's getting so big," she continued. "I might have to go to the store to buy him some new clothes..."

Adam listened to her prattle, focusing on the vibration of her voice and not the words. Finally, his aunt came. She had also been dragged along since she was underage and was technically also on the hook for the debt of her brother. 

"Adam," she called out, extending her hands out. Adam pulled away from his mother, though she didn't make any effort to keep him near her. She kept rambling to herself, as if he was still there. Adam ran to his aunt, who limped toward him. Her belly was swollen, impeding her steps as she walked over. "Leave Evelyn to rest."

Adam looked back to his mother who was still muttering to himself, her straight hair limp against her body. Adam turned toward his aunt, whose eyes shone like melted silver. "Okay..."

"Come on, we have a new supervisor. We can only hope he's nicer than the last."

Oscar yelped in pain as Adam slammed him into the wall. His feet hung in the air as he was held by the scruff of his jacket, scared eyes looking into Adam’s. He had dragged him from the hallways into a secluded place in the Academy.

“Come out. Now.” Adam’s voice was low and hungry.

Oscar tried to claw at his fists, but it did nothing. “What the hell, man?!” He shouted. “Let me go!”

“Shut up, farmboy. I want to talk to Ozpin.”

“Ozpin isn’t here!”

“Bullshit. He’s holed himself deep inside your brain, not disappeared entirely. Now, I want you to bring him out.”

“That-that’s not how it works! Please, let’s just talk about this—”

“That’s exactly what I want. But not with you. Now, for the last time, get Oz out here.”

“I already told you,” he snapped. “Oz comes and goes when he pleases, I can’t force him out!”

Adam clicks his tongue before dropping Oscar on the floor with a thump. Oscar bit his lip as he looked at him. The man was steaming with rage and just about anything would set him off. Why did this happen to him?

He was just trying to get his friend a sandwich.

Adam glared down at him, and Oscar knew his eyes were full of rage despite the covering. “If you can’t bring Ozpin out, then I’ll drag his ass out by force.

Oscar paled at the threat. “How are you—Wait!”

Adam slammed his boot into Oscar’s chest, knocking the breath out of him. He grabbed the boy’s shirt and threw him up, before punching him twice in his gut and thrice on his face. Oscar couldn’t even scream.

Each blow came more painful than the last, and his vision was swimming. “Stop…” He croaked, but it fell on deaf ears.

Adam continued his assault, leaning into the violence he’d desperately craved. It’d been a long time since he’d beaten anyone up. “Come out, Oz. Or you’re going to be waking up in an entirely new host.”

Oscar’s eyes widened as he tried to crawl away, but Oscar stomped his foot on his ankle, causing Oscar to shriek in pain as the pressure increased. “Come out!”

Oscar twisted his body to see his assailant, who was bordering on insanity.

“Please…” he begged, using his elbows to try and shuffle himself away. Adam rested his hand on Wilt, looking down at Oscar as he pondered his next move.

“Maybe he’ll finally show himself when I draw blood…”

The colour was all but wiped off Oscar’s face as he turned to try and crawl away. Adam drew Wilt, ambling toward him. It would only be a minor wound; his aura could heal it. Raising his blade, Oscar turned as he saw Adam one moment from skewering him.

“Wait,” his voice said, laced with a deeper, wistful tone. Adam paused for a second, sensing as if something was different.

The pause broke like glass when a hammer slammed into Adam’s side. Pain rocked him so hard he nearly vomited; he was thrown across the hallway, coughs of blood and spit flecking the floor. Nora barreled through in a ball of fury, Magnhild arcing in her hands.

“Oscar!” Jaune shouted, rushing forward and dropping to his knees beside the boy. “Don’t move – I’ll amplify your aura.”

“What the hell?!” Nora demanded, winded, hammer braced. “Are you insane? Why are you attacking Oscar?!”

Ren was behind her, Stormflower in his hands as he held them offensively toward him. Adam grit his teeth as he pulled himself up. “Get out of my way, I was making progress.”

“You hurt him really bad!” Jaune shouted angrily, “What hell were you thinking?!”

“It was necessary. I needed Oz to come out…” Their expressions shifted for just a second as they looked back at Oscar.

“Oz is back?” Ren asked, looking at the boy, who was sitting up with the help of Jaune. He coughed a bit, pain evident in his voice.

“No… I don’t…think so…”

Nora looked back at Adam, who was now leaning against the wall. Despite him being an experienced fighter, taking such a strong blow from a warrior like Nora was like being hit with lightning.

“I was drawing him out. It was working, had you lot not interrupted.”

Jaune scowled as he drew his sword and pointed it at Adam. “This isn’t how we do things. Ozpin will come out when he’s ready—”

“And when will that be?!” He barked, causing everyone to flinch their heads back in bewilderment. “When we’re all finally killed? When Salem comes knocking? We have no idea what we’re doing, what goal we’re heading towards or what’s going to happen! I don’t care if his ass isn’t ready, the situation calls for him NOW!”

“We have a goal!” Nora growled. “Evacuate Mantle, get rid of Salem’s lackeys—”

“Those aren’t goals,” he spat. “They’re side quests. I’m talking about how to get rid of Salem once and for all. He’s managed to keep her at bay all this time. He’s got the most experience. Am I the only one with a working fucking brain to realise that he is imperative for this?!”

“We’ve been functioning without him,” Jaune shot back, jaw tight. “The General will come up with a plan.”

“One you might not be part of,” Ren added, earning all their attention.

“What?”

“You attacked someone,” he explained, looking at him.  “You broke the rules of your probation. When Ironwood hears about this—”

He didn’t even finish his sentence when Adam aimed Blush to his head. The rest of them froze. Eyes flickering from Ren to Adam.

“I’m not going back in a cage,” Adam said, the words small and volcanic.

Ren’s face went hard. “That is not my decision to make.”

“Get away from him or I’ll smash your skull in,” Nora snarled, stepping forward. Jaune’s arm shot out to steady her, not to hold her back but to keep things from spiralling fatally fast.

“You’re worried,” Jaune stated, voice low.

“We’ve been running in circles for months while she is out there, plotting. We are always seven steps behind and I’m sick of it!”

“Assaulting Oscar won’t help!” He retorted, blue eyes narrowing. “You’ve been a bigger help than we’d thought over the months. We won’t tell the General about this so long as you promise to reel it in.”

Nora’s eyes widened, “Wait, what?!”

“He’s not a threat,” Jaune said, looking back at her.

“He attacked Oscar!”

“He did it out of fear. That’s something that everyone’s feeling in abundance these days. We just need to keep calm and not panic—”

“I’m NOT panicking!” Adam shouted.

“You beat up Oscar,” Ren said flatly.

“You’re threatening Ren!” Nora snapped, hammer shifting in her grip.

“You’re under stress,” Jaune said finally, his tone firm but calm. “I take it you found out about Spring—”

“Don’t speak to me as if you have an inkling of what I am feeling,” he seethed before looking back to Oscar. “I’ll be back for you.”

Nora growled as she moved to step forward but was again blocked by Jaune, who allowed Adam to walk away. When he finally stormed off, Nora turned on Jaune.

“Why are you defending him?”

“He’s just scared,” Jaune tried to defend.

“He’s dangerous,” her eyes narrowed.

Ren’s eyes flicked to Oscar, still groaning on the floor. “His behaviour is escalating. I don’t think we should keep this from Ironwood.”

“Guys, his unborn baby is literally being threatened by forces that we know are deadly,” Jaune said, his tone carrying more weight than before. “Cinder will come for it once she knows…and she won’t stop until she gets what she wants…”

At that, Nora’s anger faltered. The memory of Pyrrha’s sacrifice hung in the air, silencing her for a long moment. “…Still, him being worried doesn’t give him the right to lash out at us.”

“He’s not just lashing out,” Oscar croaked weakly, finally pushing himself upright.

“Oscar! Are you okay?” Nora rushed to him, checking him over.

Oscar forced a small, polite smile. “I’ll be fine. Healing’s kicking in faster, thanks to Jaune.” He gave Jaune a grateful nod, which the blond returned.

Oscar’s expression then darkened as he looked toward the hall Adam had vanished down. “He’s terrified.”

“Of Salem?” Nora asked, brow raised.

“Who wouldn’t be?” Ren murmured.

“Not just Salem,” Oscar said. “Of what comes after. Of the future. His child is in mortal danger, and he feels powerless to stop it. That’s the worst fear a parent can have.”

The weight of his words silenced them all. Even Nora, arms folded tight, couldn’t argue with that. Finally, she sighed. “…Fine. I won’t tell Ironwood.”

Jaune exhaled, shoulders easing. “Thank you.”

"But I’m watching him,” Nora warned, stowing her hammer.

“Come on,” Ren said gently, resting a hand on Oscar’s shoulder. “We should check on Ruby. I doubt she’s doing much better.”

Ruby wept into her sister’s arms for what felt like forever. Yang, though itching to hunt Adam down and pound him into the floor, stayed put, holding her tight.

“What am I going to do?” She whispered, leaning close into her sister’s chest.

“Same thing you always do, Rubes,” she murmered into her hair. “Kick ass.”

“I’m serious, Yang,” she says, her silver eyes wet and puffy, locking with her sister’s amethyst ones. “I don’t know what to do. How am I supposed to protect her? How am I meant to keep her safe from everyone who wants to harm her?”

“You just need to do what you’ve been doing all this time,” Yang replied. “You’ve protected everyone you care about, we’re all here, mostly unscathed and fighting. We’re not going to just up and leave you because there’s now a minor bump in the road.”

“This isn’t a minor bump. This is a mountain! And I don’t want my child to grow up ‘mostly unscathed.’ I want her to have a good life. One full of experiences where she doesn’t have to worry about someone aiming for her life!”

“Ruby,” Yang says, her voice deep and grounding. “Nothing is going to happen. Nothing has changed. No one else knows about Spring. No one even knows about the baby. There’s no way that Cinder or even Salem will get that information.”

“Raven knew…” she whispered, causing Yang to still. “She knew I was pregnant. I don’t even know how. But if she could tell, then does that mean that all maidens can tell?”

Yang couldn’t come up with an answer. She still hadn’t processed what Jinn had shown her. Her mother’s last moments…

She always had a certain image when it came to Raven. Bandit queen. Selfish woman. Absent mother.

But she saw none of that when watching Jinn’s illusion. She saw Raven, eyes full of warmth, of love—motherly love. She saw the person she had pined after and longed for and resented and fought against…Sacrifice her life to save her sister.

It unnerved her in an indescribable way. She didn’t know what she was feeling. Shock? To see her selfish mother sacrifice herself so selflessly? Anger? That her mother showed up for her sister whilst being absent to her, her whole life? Regret? That her last memories of her mother were of them arguing.

Yang’s mind was a stew of negative feelings. She had wanted to go back to her dorm to just hide under the covers, trying to forget everything. But as luck would have it, she happened to run into Ruby and Adam fighting.

It was shameful…that despite seeing her beloved sister in tears…Yang was extremely happy.

Raven was a topic of unknowns. She didn’t know how to feel or how to act or what to say. But Ruby was her expertise. She knew everything about her sister, from how she could immediately tell if Ruby’s going to be sick that day or if she was hiding something. Ruby was Yang’s open book. A test she would always score 100% on.

And Yang loved it. She loved the control she had over those situations. Loved how she knew exactly what to do. A stark contrast to her mother’s matter. And, call her evil, but in this world of unknowns now threatening her entire existence as well as humanity’s, she was immensely joyful at knowing the right way to console her sister.

Just as she’s always consoled her.

Ruby wiped her tears on her cloak, pressing her lips into a stubborn pout as she sank back into the couch. “I should have gotten the termination…”

“Ruby.” Yang’s breath hitched; the word was raw on her tongue.

“You were right, Yang. Carrying a child just to save him… I was basically sacrificing her, wasn’t I?”

“No,” Yang said quickly, reaching for her hand. “You weren’t sacrificing her. You were choosing a future. You wanted her—”

“I wanted a future,” Ruby cut in, voice small and brittle. “One with a child and a nice house, like the one in Patch and a garden of roses. But I didn’t think about the child. What she would want. Would she even want to be born in a world always on the brink of war? A world where racism still runs rampant?”

“That’s why we’re doing this now,” Yang said, locking eyes with her. “We’re risking our lives so that her will be better. Salem will be dealt with. And unlike her, Cinder CAN be killed. Everything else? Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Ruby blinked, then repeated the single word: “We?”

Yang’s grin was equal parts mischief and seriousness. “I’ve become used to the idea of a niece. You didn’t think you’d raise her alone, did you?”

Ruby couldn’t help but smile. “Really?”

Yang slid her hand behind Ruby’s head and pulled her closer until they were touching foreheads. “We’re sisters. I will never let you do anything alone.”

Ruby closed her eyes, basking in the moment. There had been few times she felt such serenity since her long journey. “Sisters forever?”

“And ever and ever.”

Their moment lasted long until it was interrupted by the buzzing of Ruby’s Scroll.  Leaning back, Ruby flicked her Scroll open to see Penny’s icon.

“Hello?”

“Salutations!” The voice chirped joyfully. “I have orders from General Ironwood to escort you to your final check-up of the day! Would you like to meet me in the medical bay or shall I collect you from your dorm!”

The sisters exchanged glances before looking back at the Scroll. “I thought I was done with check-ups today, Penny.”

“Correction,” Penny replied. “You have completed your ultrasound and MRI. However, due to the precarity of your situation and your elevated stress levels, we have scheduled additional consultations with a nutritionist, a psychiatrist, as well as an IV drip session!”

Ruby cringed as Yang shot her a what the hell expression. “Is all of that really necessary?”

“Do not worry! Only the best pregnancy specialists in Atlas have been hired to work with you, Ruby!”

Ruby muttered under her breath, “Great. Ironwood finds out about my pregnancy less than ten hours ago, and now my baby’s a science experiment…”

“Tomorrow we have also scheduled a four-hour relaxation massage!” Penny added brightly. Both sisters blinked, then raised their brows in approval.

“Can I join? I’ve been working on a food baby,” Yang asked hopefully.

“Unfortunately, a food baby does not count,” Penny replied without missing a beat. Yang clicked her tongue as Ruby burst out laughing.

“I’ll be there in five, Penny,” Ruby said, pushing herself up from the couch.

“You sure you don’t want me to walk you over?” Yang asked, standing with her.

“I’ll be fine. Can’t imagine how much fun it’d be to watch me hooked up to an IV.”

“Oh, it won’t be,” Yang said dryly. “But I’m here for the fun and the boring.”

“Thanks, Yang,” Ruby chuckled. “But I’ll be okay. Penny’s got me. I’ll see you tonight?”

“You betcha. When you get back, we’re raiding the canteen for cake. I’m craving it.”

Ruby pointed a finger-gun at her with a grin. “That’s a promise.”

Ruby hadn’t seen Adam for days, nor could she seek him out. She heard from the others that he was always with Clover, going off on solo missions of their own. Ruby, on the other hand, had been benched.

Much to her disapproval, she now had a guard shadowing her at all times—an Ace-Op, or Penny when schedules clashed. Her life had been quietly, systematically overhauled. She no longer slept in the dorms. Instead, she’d been given a private suite buried deep in the faculty wing.

That was weird. Having lived with Yang her whole life and always being able to hear someone else’s breathing in the night to complete silence unsettled her. Then there was her diet. No more late-night cookies or cafeteria pudding raids. Only pre-approved “nutritional meals,” loaded with supplements and washed down with chalky electrolyte drinks. She hated every sip.

Piece by piece, her life was stripped away. Her friends fought to make time for her, and between constant check-ups and heated arguments with the medical staff, she fought for the same.

“For the last time, I’m not changing into that!” Ruby snapped, hands up in defiance.

Her nurse held up a long, shapeless maternity robe on a hanger like a flag of surrender. “Miss Rose, a corset may impact the baby’s health—”

“The corset’s been fine this whole time! I feel fine. And if I’m fine, the baby’s fine! I’m not even showing!” Ruby’s voice pitched high with frustration.

The nurse opened her mouth to press further, only to stiffen as Winter swept into the room, Vine and Marrow flanking her.

“What’s going on?” Winter’s voice cut clean through the tension. The nurse shrank under her sharp gaze, but Ruby stood tall.

“This is ridiculous, Winter,” Ruby said, defiance trembling just beneath her exhaustion. “I’m pregnant, not disabled. Why is every part of my life being changed against my will?”

Winter’s eyes flicked from Ruby to the gown still dangling in the nurse’s hand. “Who approved this?”

“Head obstetrician Sephanie, ma’am,” the nurse replied, voice small.

Marrow frowned at the gown. “That looks like something you stick a patient in.”

“Exactly,” Ruby said. “And I’m not a patient. I’m a Huntress.”

“Currently on maternity leave,” Vine noted blandly.

Ruby’s silver eyes burned. “Maternity leave is for mothers about to give birth. I’m still two months away and I’m already being treated like I’m going to give birth any day. This is crazy! I’m not allowed to train, not allowed to go on missions, and I can’t even eat what I want. The least you could let me do is let me dress how I want!”

Winter’s lips thinned as she contemplated her words before finally looking at the nurse. “The gown can be pushed back until she’s due for labour.”

“But Ma’am, the baby’s physical health is—”

“Tied to the mother’s mental health,” Winter interrupted. “Causing her undue stress won’t do the baby any good.”

The nurse finally conceded, walking away with the dreadful robe in tow. Ruby rubbed her temple in frustration.

“You seem stressed, Miss Rose. Would you like some herbal tea,” Vine offered, awkwardly gently. “No.” Ruby’s answer snapped like ice. Winter’s eyes widened a fraction – an almost-apologetic flick – then smoothed back into her usual practiced mask. Ruby sighed and blew it out slowly.

“Sorry. I’m just so sick of people hovering and offering things like I can’t do this myself. I can dress myself. I can feed myself. I can make my own damn drink if I’m thirsty!” Her frustration bled through the room; Vine’s shoulders dropped in apology.

“I know…this must be difficult,” Winter began, but Ruby cut her off.
“Yeah. You don’t say.” She rolled her eyes. Winter’s face betrayed a flicker of conflict.

“This is for your safety,” Winter said, steady.
“A bit theatrical for safety. I can’t breathe without someone testing the air quality to see if it’s ‘good for the baby’,” Ruby snapped, narrowing her eyes.

Winter didn’t flinch. “I won’t pretend the staff haven’t been overzealous. General Ironwood has personally hired them, citing your pregnancy as a matter of national importance—”
“So they know my baby is Spring?” Ruby interrupted.
“That portion is classified,” Winter replied.

“And for good reason,” Marrow chimed in. “The General’s been interrogating Tyrian and Watts, but they’re not easy to crack. One thing’s certain: the identities of the Winter and Spring Maidens remain secure.”

“That’s good,” Ruby said, but the relief was thin. “So why am I being treated like a prize in a glass case?”

“The General insisted on stringent measures,” Winter answered.
“Maybe some leniency would help,” Vine suggested.

“Yes, please,” Ruby’s voice went soft. “I want to see my sister. I want to go outside the Academy, stretch my legs a bit.”

Winter looked at her, pressing her lips thin before sighing. “I shall relay your requests to the General.”

Ruby’s face was riddled with discontentment, but she didn’t press further. She watched Winter walk away, Vine and Marrow in tow. Grunting in frustration, she stomped back to her room, desperate to take a nice hot bath to ease her nerves.

“This is bullshit!”

“Yang!” Qrow scolded, “He’s a General. Be sure to address him as such.”

“Sorry, Qrow,” she said, returning to face with the General. “This is bullshit, Sir.”

“Watch your tongue, Xiao Long,” Harriet threatened.

“Or what?” She arched a brow, not giving her time to reply before she returned to Ironwood’s gaze. “It’s been a week. I get the whole baby needing protection thing, but isolating Ruby from the rest of us? How does that benefit her at all?”

Ironwood remained in his seat behind his desk, facing Yang, Qrow, Clover, Harriet, Winter, Elm, team RWBY and JNR, and Oscar.

“As I mentioned before, we are at a disadvantage with the fact that the council was also present during Jinn’s revelation. We still haven’t captured the rest of Salem’s lackeys lurking in Atlas so there’s always a risk that one of the councilmen will be compromised.”

“So go and arrest them! Put them in isolation for their own safety,” Yang argued.

“We can’t arrest members of the Council without proof of a crime, no matter the intention,” Clover explained.

“There’s got to be another option, surely,” Weiss spoke up. “If you properly explained the threat that pose to the council, I’m sure they’ll go into voluntary hiding.”

“Having the Council go into hiding will raise questions. We cannot afford that,” Ironwood countered.

“But we can keep my sister in captivity like she’s a criminal,” Yang drawled.

“Qrow! Are you going to say anything?” Harriet prodded, looking at him to intervene.

“Don’t look at me, I’m also pissed at the situation. I’m just letting the nicer of us do the talking,” he said.

“The nicer of you?” Elm repeated, incredulous.

“If you want me to talk then I’ll talk,” he said, stepping off of the wall where he was leaning. “You’re out of your fucking mind thinking that keeping my niece in an overglammed cage—”

“It’s not a cage, Qrow,” Winter started, but was immediately cut off.

“If she can’t leave of her own volition then it’s a fucking cage,” he seethed, turning his ire toward Ironwood. “You’re stressed; relatable, but not a fucking excuse to continue like this. I’m about one more day away from burning this Academy in it to let her breathe air that isn’t recycled and purified.”

“Maybe we should all take a deep breath—” Oscar tried, voice gentle.

“Fuck that, I want to see my sister,” Yang snapped, purple eyes blazing in fury.

“When we are sure of no information breach, I will alleviate some of the protection placed on her,” Ironwood states, his voice laced with fatigue. “But until then, she must be placed where no one can touch her.”

“Or see her,” Yang rolled her eyes.

“General, we are on your side,” Blake said, finally speaking up. “We have all proven that we’re not any part of Salem’s posse, so allowing us some time to see her shouldn’t breach any of the protection placed. If anything, it might strengthen resolves around here. I’m sure isolation isn’t good for Ruby either—”

“No!” Blake flinched as Ironwood slammed his fist onto his desk. He leaned over, chest panting as his sunken eyes looked over the room. “We can’t afford any slip up. Atlas is on the verge of being breached and we can’t allow Salem to get any closer to her goal until we finally have a plan!”

“What is the plan?” Jaune brought up. “Has Vacuo’s headmaster answered yet?”

“No. Due to us allowing Watts to uncover Amity Colleseum while hijacking the system in order to capture him, Amity has come across some setbacks. It’s due to be finished within the week. Any other communication to reach him has failed,” Winter explained.

“So you’re saying Ruby has to be in isolation for another week before we can try to get in touch with Vacuo to try and find out who the Summer maiden is to then hopefully start to figure out a plan?” Nora arched a brow. “The timeline is getting really long here.”

“It’s not like we’re going up against a normal foe,” Elm said. “This is serious, kids. There’s a war brewing—”

“Oh, spare me the whole war speech, I’ve heard it thrice over from each of you Ace-ops. Only twist is who’s trying to preach it to me,” Yang rolled her eyes. “I don’t care. What’s going to happen when she gives birth? Are you going to keep the kid in captivity too?”

“Of course not—” Winter starts, but was silenced by Ironwood’s hand raising.

“We will do whatever it takes to ensure Ruby Rose and baby Rose’s survival. As far as I’m concerned, none of you actually have basis to demand visitation. The child’s father has made no such requests—”

“Adam’s been sulking like a bitch with Clover,” Yang spat.

“Yang, that’s enough—” Winter started.

“More like a little bitch,” Qrow added.

“Can we stop cursing, please?” Oscar pleaded, voice small, trying to pull the room back from the edge.

“Ruby cannot be allowed to leave the Academy!” The voices rose until they were all talking over each other, each voice drowned out as another was raised.

Winter, having tried to calm down the arguing, broke her attention free to her Scroll which was buzzing.

“Sir…Sir!” Her voice finally ripped Ironwood from the argument, earning the attention of the others as well.

“What is it, Schnee?”

“It appears that Ruby has gone missing.”

“What?” His voice was edged with venom. The crew looked around, their initial anger replaced with confusion.

Chapter Text

Ruby coughed against the brittle Atlas air as she gulped down her drink, grease and carbonation burning her throat in the best way possible. Wiping her mouth, she returned her focus to her burger, six patties dripping with cheese and the sour tang of pickles. She greedily took another bite, not caring about her appearance.

Each bite was heaven; she hadn’t had a burger in months. Looking around, the park she was in was empty, with only a few people lightly strolling around or trying to pry their children from the iron gates.

She felt each buzz of her Scroll but only stopped devouring her burger for a moment to turn it off. She could tell it was probably from one of the Ace-ops, or maybe Sephanie. Probably even Winter.

But she couldn’t care less.

The final straw after a week of seclusion was being told that she couldn’t take her much-wanted hot bath for fear that it would cause a dangerous temperature strike to the baby. As if.

She had literally fought bandits and Grimm half-starved while surviving on rations for months when she was still pregnant. Even before Jinn’s revelation, she was actively partaking in missions and training.

Now, all of a sudden everyone is so interested in her pregnancy? 99% of her daily activities were now dangerous and could cause ‘unforseen effects’ for the baby? Please. She had been receiving check-ups from Dr Polendina before, who said the baby was just fine, thriving even.

All this talk may have been relevant to a normal pregnancy, but hers was cryptic, and she was a huntress.

She had been fine this whole time doing her own thing but now all of a sudden she’s ignorant and doesn’t know a thing? Just thinking about how Sephanie grilled her about her choices when she first met her sends her shaking with anger.

That snobby, long-nosed, thin-lipped bitch.

Ruby scarfed down another bite of the burger as if to spite her. Her and her stupid ‘tofu is best’ ways.

Mid-chew, she threw some salty fries in her mouth and churned them, swallowing with the resilience of someone who stared down a Queen Lancer.

She wasn’t far from the Academy, hell, she could still see it. But simply being outside, being able to walk where she wanted whenever she wanted. Such a simple thing now feels like winning the Vytal festival.

When she was done, she thumped her chest and let a hearty burp rip free. She licked her lips, savouring the salt and grease still clinging there, then balled up the wrapper and launched it at the nearest trash bin. The paper skimmed the rim before tumbling in, and she threw a triumphant fist in the air.

“Nothing but net,” she muttered, giggling to herself as she leaned back against the bench and tilted her head skyward.

Atlas, despite being a city in the clouds, had no stars to offer. Penny said it was all the light pollution, too much steel and neon choking out the night. It was the opposite of Patch, where she could see entire constellations framed perfectly by her bedroom window.

Stargazing was her favourite thing before she became obsessed with forging. She remembered carrying around a large book in her toy wheelbarrow all about constellations, begging Yang to read it every time she could.

The blonde eventually got tired and stole their father’s Scroll to record her reading it, opting to deplete her father’s Scroll battery rather than her energy. She chuckled to herself, remembering how her dad had to essentially give up his Scroll for an hour and a half every night for her to listen to it at night.

The stark contrast to now immediately soured her mood. Everything was the complete opposite. From the dry summer dirt that always caked her knees in Patch to the homely cooked meals she used to have to the awe-striking stars she used to gaze out of her window.

Everything was replaced with artificial splendour that she was really getting sick of. How long before the Ace-ops track her down and force her back to the Academy? Probably not long. Good ol’ Atlas efficiency.

She rolled her eyes before finally hopping off of the metallic bench, stretching her arms as she turned side to side, as if she was warming up for a run. Well, if her freedom had a time limit then why not enjoy it until it ends?

With that, she walked out of the park and into the nightlife of Atlas.

Despite it being home to many influential families, the night scene remained the same in any kingdom. Young adults or soon-to-be adults wanting to hang out, dance and drink until they dropped.

Despite her sister begging her to tag along when she would also partake in the festivities as a soon-to-be-but-not-actually-an-adult, she declined. That was never Ruby’s forte. And Yang knew that.

So that would be the best place to hide for a while.

She hopped along the dim-lit streets of Atlas, remarking on the differences of these shops compared to the high streets. Weiss had broken it down for her one day in the dorms:

The inner circle housed the workers – bakers, seamstresses, servants. Those who kept Atlas’s rich polished and fed.

The second circle was where most of their shops stood, along with housing for the military’s lower ranks. The common folk of the upper crust.

The third circle was the playground for Atlas’s middle class and up, dripping in luxuries the inner districts could only dream about. No one from the first two circles would be caught there unless they were working and even then, well…you didn’t exactly want to see the face of the person shining your shoes.

And finally, the outer circle: home of the elite. Councilmen, oligarchs, high-ranking officers—and Atlas Academy itself.

After all, all rich families needed the outskirts to house their private ships and jets. And the inner circle certainly couldn’t house all of their ginormous mansions and separate but equally large garages.

Ruby walked deeper through Atlas, making it into the second circle with ease. Hey, at least transportation was free here. She hopped off of the Subway, looking around at the shops that had less grandeur, but more liveliness than the outer circles could never replicate.

She trudged along the streets, looking around. Thinking back on it, she hadn’t ever actually been through the inskirts of Atlas. Ever since she made it here, she’d been run ragged between missions and training and tasks on getting Amity run up.

She explored Mantle more than Atlas, funnily enough. Looking around, she spotted young people laughing as they all strolled together, decked out in their coolest clothes. Ruby, not having anything else to do, followed them from behind.

They all looked around twenty, maybe younger. But their laughter reminded her of the youth-filled fun team RWBY had back at Beacon. Turning the corner, Ruby finally saw them enter a club, guarded by a large man who skimmed them over with a stern eye.

A club…A club?

Hmm…

Looking around for absolutely no reason at all, Ruby walked up to the bouncer, who placed a large hand in front of her.

“Ain’t it bedtime for you, Squeaks?” He said, his deep voice rasping against her ear.

“I’m not a kid,” she replied.

“You don’t look like an adult.”

She fished out her Scroll, thumbing open her Huntress ID, finger conveniently hiding her age. “I’m a licensed Huntress. You know any kids that are?”

He huffed out a cloudy breath before finally pulling back his hand. Ruby made no effort to acknowledge his answer, merely slipping through. She paused for a moment in the entrance. Gods, she could already smell the sweat and booze from here.

Did she really wanna spend her last few hours of freedom in a sweat-filled trap like this?

“Hey man! I’m an adult!”

Her thoughts were run over as she turned her head to see the bouncer push back a Faunus with his meaty hands.

“Do you Faunus not know how to read? No vermin here,” he said gruffly. Ruby furrowed her brows, walking to the entrance. Trying to get in were five Faunus: two boys, three girls.

“Are you serious, bro? The fuck kinda racism is that? We’re in Atlas!” The girl, dark hair littered with rainbow highlights shouted.

“No Faunus allowed.”

“I told you Rae. Doesn’t matter if we’re in Atlas or not, these humans got a stick up their ass anywhere,” the other girl sniped.

This angered the bouncer who pushed the first guy away, causing him to trip over his own foot and tumble straight onto the unforgiving concrete. The bouncer looked ready to punch the second boy who was there, but not before Ruby reformed from petals in front of him, blocking his way to the rest of the group.

“Back up!” She demanded, arm extended.

The group seemed shocked, but the bouncer was unfazed. “These lot ain’t allowed on private property.”

“For what reason?” She chided.

“They’re Faunus. Read the sign,” he pointed to a large banner above the entrance, which she completely missed the first time. On it, painted in black and red, was the statement, NO FAUNUS ALLOWED, all in capitals. Ruby narrowed her eyes, looking back to the man. 

“Are you serious?” She asked, incredulous.

“Rules are rules,” he doubled down.

“Your ‘rules’ are hate crimes. And punishable by Atlas law.”

This made the bouncer raise his eyebrows slightly. “What?”

“Atlas law? Article 36 of the Total Equality Act? You can’t discriminate someone based on their race. For individuals, it’s punishable by fines and jail time. For establishments, fines to permanent closure.” Ruby felt proud saying this, but was met with laughter from the bouncer.

Ruby’s glare sharpened. “What’s so funny?”

“Let it go, Red. Boingo here doesn’t give a rat’s ass,” the green-haired girl muttered, her hair swaying as the wind caught it.

“What’d you say about my ass?” one of the boys snickered, only to yelp when she punched him in the arm.

Ruby’s grip twitched toward Crescent Rose. “Seriously. What’s so funny?”

Before she could act, the first boy—Rae—rested a hand on her shoulder, lowering his voice. “No one cares when Faunus get turned away. Cops just slap the place with a ten lien fine and walk away.”

She blinked at him. “You can’t be serious?”

“This your first time in Atlas, Red?” the rat Faunus said dryly. “Nobody listens. And nobody important cares.”

Ruby’s jaw tightened. She flipped open her Scroll and shoved her ID toward the bouncer. “Well, someone important is here now. I work under General Ironwood. And I’ll make sure this place gets shut down.”

The bouncer laughed again as the group looked at her incredulously, but they soon stop when Rae points at the ID.

“Hey, she ain’t lying! Atlas Class I – That’s Ironwood’s elite class, ain’t it?”

The bouncer stops laughing, looking closer into the Scroll before biting his lip. “Okay cool it, they can be let in.”

“No, I don’t think so. How many other Faunus have been barred because of their race? This place is trash, you’re scum and I’m going to make sure this whole place is shut down,” she spat, marching away but not before turning back to face the group that still stood there, mouths agape.

“Hey?” She called out, looking at Rae who flinched when she looked at him. “Know any good places to hang out?”

For a heartbeat, they all stared. Then the girls broke into grins, rushing to hook their arms through hers as laughter bubbled between them.

“That was some crazy shit, Red! Who are you?!” the rainbow-streaked girl asked.

“Just a girl enjoying what might be her last night of freedom,” Ruby shrugged.

“For real? Well, you found the right crew!” the rainbow-haired one beamed. “I’m Cami. Greenie here’s Diamond, and Miss Legs is Viola.”

“Why am I Miss Legs?!” Viola snapped, glaring over Ruby’s shoulder.

“’Cause you got legs for days, girl! Work it!” Cami cackled, skipping ahead. “The two idiots behind us are Rae and Verm.”

“Verm?” Ruby repeated.

“Short for Vermillion,” the boy groaned. “Some singer my parents liked. Probably died of embarrassment from the name.”

“Still waiting for you to do the same,” Cami sniped, earning a shove.

“So,” she grinned at Ruby, “what’s your name, Red?”

“Ruby.”

“Ruuuubyyyyy,” Cami sang, grinning wider. “Short, sweet, cute. Like you.”

“I’ve never seen an adult look that young,” Diamond said, tilting her head as her eyes shifted colour. “What’s your secret?”

“Secret is…I’m not an adult,” Ruby admitted with a shrug.

The group halted mid-stride. “You’re joking,” Rae said. “But you work for Ironwood?”

“I do.”

“Awesome!” Cami whooped. “You’re like a child prodigy! I swear I’ve seen a movie with that exact plot.”

“So, where are we going?” Ruby asked, looking ahead. Cami gave her a smug grin as they continued to walk.

“Only the coolest place in Atlas!”

Ruby didn’t know what to expect when Cami said ‘coolest place in Atlas’ but it certainly wasn’t this. She was somehow dragged to the inner circle of Atlas, evident in the decline of architecture and increase of dark alleyways and questionable looks from people.

Rae had said not to mind the looks; people weren’t used to someone dressed like her walking through.

Viola had agreed, but not before making a jab about Ruby’s outfit. So here she was, dressed out of her usual huntress outfit and in something she wouldn’t ever dream of wearing.

Her dress looked like a repurposed thigh sock—black satin clinging to her skin and riding dangerously high mid-thigh. Fishnets covered her legs, ripped in places but tucked neatly into boots heavy with studs and dangling chains. Neon-purple mesh gloves wrapped around her arms, fingerless and loud against the black.

As if that weren’t enough, her hair had been attacked with strands of shimmering tinsel and streaks of temporary dye, glitter catching the light whenever she turned her head. The only thing that was hers was her choker, still resting on her neck.

Not a hint of red in sight…Though, she couldn’t complain seeing as everything she wore was borrowed. Cami whistled as she saw her. “Dang, don’t you look killer?”

“I look like I got lost in a thrift store and got caught in a fisherman’s net,” she said, lips thinned.

“You look gorgeous, babe! Maybe just a bit of lippy and you’re all set!”

Ruby didn’t even know where they had these spare clothes stored nor why Cami was applying make-up to her in a bathroom stall. She, herself, was glammed up.

Her rainbow-streaked hair hung in waves over her holographic cropped shirt which shone multiple colours when hitting the light, paired with a neon vinyl skirt. She assumed the fishnets were donated from her, considering she wore three of them including neon ones on her torso.

Ruby tugged at the hem of the dress, heat rushing to her cheeks. The black satin clung to her like it had been sewn onto her skin, stopping just shy of mid-thigh. “I can’t wear this.”

“You can and you will,” Cami declared, tossing a bomber jacket over her shoulders. It was oversized, with two bright embroidered dragons fighting on the back, and practically swallowed her arms whole. “See? Balance. Tight dress, big jacket. Classic.”

“Whose even is this?!” The jacket reached well past her knees, and immediately slipped off her shoulders. 

“It’s Verm’s. Borrowed for the occasion. Don’t you look stunning! Come on, the rest of them are waiting for us,” she said. Before Ruby could resist, Cami hauled her back into the noise.

The club was chaos—music thrummed from every corner, bodies pressed into the dance floor, Faunus pouring in and out in bursts of cheering. Ruby still couldn’t believe it used to be a restaurant.

People danced in the middle of the floor, some on tables, some hanging off walls. Ruby watched as more Faunus walked in, cheering as they joined the dance floor.

“Where even are we?” she asked, raising her voice over the beat.

“Um…Rocco’s, I think,” Cami answered, looking at the singular menu that was shoved in between the cushions.

The group was crammed into a booth. Verm looked her up and down, grinning over his drink. “Damn, Red. You don’t even look like the same person.”

Ruby slid into the seat beside Diamond with an awkward shrug. “Thanks, I guess. Didn’t think Atlas had places like this.”

“There weren’t. Not till last week,” Viola said, sipping her long island with casual grace. “We all got dumped here after the Mantle evacuations. Figured we’d make ourselves at home.”

“Wait, you’re all from Mantle?” She raised a brow.

“Why so shocked? I thought Ironwood’s elite were on the ground helping with evacuations?” Rae asked, eyebrows arched.

“I was on a different mission,” she lied. “But I’m glad to see at least that the evacuation went well.”

That earned a laugh from Verm, sharp and humourless. Ruby frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“Evac went well. Everything else? Shit,” he said flatly.

Ruby leaned in. “What do you mean?”

Cami spread her arms wide, jangling bracelets catching the club lights. “Look around, babes. We’re all people with nowhere to go and nothing to our name. These clothes? Literally all we grabbed before Grimm wrecked our homes. And now we can’t go back until the borders are cleared and the Grimm are gone.”

“Which is taking its sweet time,” Viola drawled. She swirled her drink lazily before adding, “So here we are—no homes, no jobs, stuck in limbo.”

Ruby’s shoulders curled inward, guilt crawling like a weight under her ribs. She hadn’t even thought about what came after evacuation. “So… you’re all just… waiting in the inner circle?”

“More like dumped,” Diamond clicked her tongue, eyes flickering from green to blue as she scanned the room. “And since half of Mantle was Faunus, we’re not exactly welcome here. Only thing worse than a Faunus is a poor Faunus.”

That got a dry laugh from Verm, who tipped back the last of his glass. “But hey, at least we finally get to check out the ‘scene.’ Could never dream of stepping foot in Atlas before.”

“Yeah, how’s it treating you?” Diamond deadpanned, sweeping her arms in a grand arc.

Verm smirked. “Looks just like Mantle to me. But hey, better booze.”

“Oh, for sure,” Cami nodded, sipping her neon cocktail. She peered over the rim of her glass. “You’re not drinking, Ruby?”

Ruby waved both hands quickly. “Oh, me? No, I can’t.”

“Nobody cares if you’re underage, babe. Look at Vi.” Cami jabbed her straw toward Viola.

“I’m seventeen,” Viola said smoothly, arching one perfect brow.

Ruby blinked. “Really? I thought you were older.”

“Yeah, that’s just because of her bombtastic legs.” Cami flopped dramatically across the table. “Chop some off and donate ‘em already!”

“Go ahead and take them.” Viola lifted one long leg onto the booth, earning a sharp wolf whistle from Cami.

“So yeah, no judgement,” Diamond cut in, eyes flashing colours as they swept the table. “What’s your poison, Red?”

Ruby ducked her head, cheeks warm. “I’m good. It’s not about the age thing. I’m… on medication.”

The group’s expressions shifted instantly, a ripple of sympathy crossing their faces.

“Dang, that sucks,” Rae said quietly, fiddling with the rim of his glass.

“I’ll drink in your honour,” Verm declared, raising his empty cup with a mock salute before signalling for another.

“What kind of meds?” Viola asked, leaning in.

Ruby shrugged, staring down at the sticky wood of the table. “I don’t even know. Atlas military stuff. They just hand me a few pills in the morning and make me swear not to drink.”

“Ooh, rough,” Cami winced. “Bet it’s ‘cause you get into a lot of danger, huh? Like painkillers, organ junk…”

“Wouldn’t her aura cover that?” Rae asked.

Ruby shook her head. “Aura’s good for scratches, maybe stopping a bullet wound from killing you outright. But when a Grimm sinks its teeth in? That takes real medicine.”

Rae slumped back. “Should’ve gone to a combat academy. At least I’d have my aura unlocked.”

“Trust me, it’s overrated,” Diamond muttered, taking another sip.

“Yeah, but you’ve got a Semblance,” Viola argued.

“You totally have one too, Vi,” Verm cut in, smirking.

“Being tall is not a Semblance!” she snapped.

“It should be if you’re scraping seven feet.”

Ruby blinked, jaw slack. “You’re seven feet tall?!”

Viola huffed, tossing her hair. “I’m a giraffe Faunus. Doesn’t mean it’s a superpower.”

“They say that, but I’ve seen her change light bulbs without a ladder,” Verm muttered, earning snickers from the rest.

“So…” Ruby asked, looking kind of awkward. “What kind of Faunus are all of you? Is that okay for me to ask?”

“No question is a bad question!” Cami declared, puffing up proudly. “I am a majestic parrot! Bask in my glorious feathers!”

Ruby blinked as Cami dipped her head forward, hair spilling down to reveal the back of her nape. A line of soft feathers — green bleeding into blue, their tips brushed with violet — trailed from her neck down her spine.

“Oh my gosh, that’s so pretty,” Ruby breathed.

Cami flipped her head back with a grin, blowing her a kiss. “Merci, darling. I’ve got more on my arms and legs, though I’m in my molting era right now.”

Ruby tilted her head. “So… feathers just fall off of you?”

“Yup! And I craft them into quills and bookmarks for kids. Totally sustainable, totally me.”

“I’m next!” Verm said, tipping his head like he wore an invisible hat. “Name’s Verm. Mouse Faunus. Nice to meet ya, got any cheese?”

Ruby blinked, caught between laughter and confusion, until Cami leaned in and stage-whispered: “He’s kidding.”

“I’m a Chameleon Faunus,” Diamond said, raising her hand, letting her eyes change from its original green to Ruby’s silver. “And Rae’s a hedgehog.”

“Hey, I wanted to introduce myself!” Rae protested, running a hand through his messy black hair.

Ruby perked up, eyes wide in intrigue. “Wait, so… do you actually have the prickly things?” She once saw a hedgehog in her garden back in Patch. She wanted to touch it but was warned by Yang of the prickles.

“All over my back, and…” He extends his hand, balling it into a fist. Shooting out of his skin, were three long quills that stabbed into the table. Ruby gasped in shock before laughing.

“That’s so cool!”

“Glad you think so,” Rae said, smiling as she reached out, hesitant but curious, to brush her fingers along one of the quills.

“So cool…” She breathed. The table erupted into laughter, the tension breaking as the conversation flowed from one topic to another. Ruby found herself not only partaking but leading, cracking jokes and trading stories with ease.

It was…fun. Pure, uncomplicated fun. The kind she hadn’t had in what felt like forever.

One moment she was trying to catch a fry Rae flicked toward her, the next she was trash-talking Verm during a game of beer pong—though she didn’t touch the alcohol. Despite staying sober, her spirits soared higher than they had in weeks.

And then Cami dragged her onto the dance floor.

Ruby’s first thought was panic, but the pounding bass and flashing lights soon carried her away. The last dance she’d been to was Beacon’s school formal, and she remembered spending most of that night trying not to be noticed. But this? This was different.

Spinning her into the centre of the crowd, Cami took the lead with a grin, her rainbow-streaked hair glowing under neon lights. She twirled Ruby once, twice, then pushed her into a rhythm that seemed to live in the music itself.

“Ayayay, mami, shake those hips!” Cami whooped, rolling her own with dramatic flair.

“I don’t think I’m doing it right!” Ruby shouted back over the thrum of bass and voices.

“You’re doing amazing! Whoop!” Cami hollered, catching Ruby’s hand and spinning her again. Ruby stumbled but broke into a laugh that felt like it came from the deepest part of her chest.

For the first time in months – maybe longer – she wasn’t a Huntress, or a leader, or a mother-to-be. She was just Ruby, a girl dancing with friends under Atlas’s artificial lights.

She danced close to Cami for a while, her eyes drifting back toward the booth. Rae was sprawled across the chairs, half-unconscious with fries sticking out of his mouth. Viola was off by the pool table, towering over both Faunus and humans alike as she lined up a shot, with Diamond cheering her on.

Her eyes wandered about a bit before settling on an open bar. “I want some water!” She shouted into Cami’s ears.

“Go and hydrate yourself then!” She giggled, twirling her once more before pushing her toward the bar. Ruby stumbled to the bar, drunk on the music, before sitting on a stool. The man, a Faunus, eyed her up and down before placing an open bottle of water, as if reading her mind.

She thanked him, fishing out some lien that she had stuck in her boot before. The man was silent, taking the lien before nodding and tending to other customers. Ruby turned around, bottle in hand, taking a long swig from it.

The lukewarm liquid slid through her body, earning a slight shiver from her. It was enough to finally wake her from her delirium as she looked around. Cami was now dancing with both a girl and a boy, somehow leading them both.

She smiled at her, knowing that she and Yang would probably be as thick as thieves if they met. Yang…

Her smile decreased as she realised how long it’d been since she’d escaped from Atlas. Well…escaped was a bit dramatic. She just petal bursted from her window. Nothing special.

But the Academy was probably in lockdown now…No…she wasn’t that special.

She was just Ruby.

Just Ruby.

Ruby who’s pregnant with a maiden. And has more than three homicidal maniacs gunning for her death…

The guilt she’d long pushed off suddenly washed over her, and she wasn’t just hot from the room. Looking down at the bottle she cradled in her hands, she stared at her reflection. Her eyeliner was slightly smudged and her lips were a deep red, matching with her cheeks.

She suddenly looked ridiculous. And definitely felt like it.

Looking around, she slipped from the stool and walked near the stairs to the exit, wanting some fresh air to clear her mind. When she opened the door, the frigid wind kissed her exposed skin, stimulating her aura to strengthen in protest.

She let out a frosty breath, feeling her burning forehead not just from her activities, but from her feelings. What was she doing?

Yes, she felt suffocated, yes, she felt frustrated. But imagine how everyone else felt. She wasn’t the most important person; that was true.

Her baby was…

All of this was to protect her baby. Granted, it was the most overzealous thing ever, but it was all done in good intentions, she guessed. And they were probably worried about her now. Jaune was probably worried…Yang would definitely be worried…

Sucking in a deep breath, she decided that this was long enough for a break. It was time to go back. As she made her resolve, she turned to open the door, only for it to stay locked.

“Seriously?” She muttered, trying to pry it open. Of course. Exit only. She cursed under her breath before looking around to try and find a way around to the entrance. After all, she still needed to return the clothes as well as get her own ones back.

She walked around the corner, trying to avoid the trash bags and broken glass that littered the tiny alleyway she was in. She cursed her initial decision to leave the bomber jacket with Rae on the opinion that it was too hot.

Trailing her fingers against the wall, she rounded a corner. That’s when she froze.

“…Are you for real?” That was Verm’s voice, low but incredulous.

“It’s the real deal,” another voice answered, rough and unfamiliar. “We’re back, and we’re actively recruiting.”

Ruby’s blood ran cold.

“I thought the Fang was still centralised in Mistral…” Verm said carefully.

Her brows shot up. The White Fang? Here?

“The Fang is wherever it needs to be,” the other voice replied. Female — slightly pitchy, yet deep, like Blake’s clarity tempered with Nora’s bite. “Faunuskind have never had borders when it comes to persecution. So neither do we.”

Verm gave a half-laugh. “So what then? You just lurk in alleyways, recruiting random people?”
The woman didn’t sound amused.

“We seek those with both talent and heart to fight for our cause. You, Vermillion Bloint… and your friend, Diamond Wringe. We’ve noticed your potential.”

Ruby stiffened. Diamond too?

“You’ve been stalking Diamond?” Verm’s tone sharpened.

“We’ve taken an interest. Aren’t you tired?” the woman pressed. “Tired of being spat at for the way you look? Always left with scraps while humans gorge themselves? Tired of being barred from clubs?”

“How the hell did you—Were you watching us?!”

“The Fang is always watching,” the recruiter cut in, voice like steel. “We all watch as our brethren are treated as scum for the crime of being better than humans. You don’t have to decide tonight. But think about it. The White Fang will lead Faunus to liberation; our leader guarantees it.”

Ruby’s blood went cold. Leader? Did they have a new one? Or…was Adam…No. No, it couldn’t be him. He was chipped and watched at all time. So it had to be a new person. Maybe someone else had taken the reins.

Ruby tried to listen in more, but it seemed like the conversation was finished. Biting her lower lip, she puffed out her cheeks and slumped over, pushing more weight onto the wall as she slid around the corner.

She leaned further against the wall, but the voices faded. Conversation over. Biting her lip, she slid around the corner, making herself stumble just a little.

Verm stood alone, his face still drawn with conflict until he noticed her. He startled, then slipped back into his trademark grin.

“Hey, Red. What’re you doing out here in the cold?”

Ruby pitched her voice light, almost airy. “I came for some fresh air, but then the exit door locked on me.” She stretched her arms for effect. “How ‘bout you?”

“Same reason.” His grin widened, too smooth to be honest. His gaze lingered, slow.

Ruby flushed under the scrutiny. “What?” she asked, half-laughing.

“Nothing. Just thinking you pull off that dress way better than Di ever did.”

Her cheeks warmed hotter. “Oh. Uh… thanks. I’ll have to thank her for letting me borrow it.”

“Missing my jacket, though.”

“Oh! I left it with Rae. It was too hot inside.”

Verm chuckled low. “He’s such a lightweight. Probably passed out with fries up his nose by now.”

Ruby laughed, rubbing her arm. “Yeah, I saw him. Dead to the world. Passed out inside the booth.”

“I’m glad you ditched the jacket,” he added. His eyes roamed again, and Ruby’s smile faltered, taking note of the way his eyes trailed over her, and she suddenly felt very aware of what she was wearing…or more so what she wasn’t.

She mustered up a smile, rubbing the back of her nape. “I uh, heard another voice out here. Was someone else with you?”

Verm blinked, then laughed it off with a lazy wave of his hand. “Nah. You’re hearing things, Red. Must be the music still buzzing in your ears.”

He stepped closer, leaning one shoulder against the wall, deliberately angling himself between her and the alley’s exit. His grin didn’t falter, but his eyes had that sharp glint — the kind Ruby had seen in plenty of liars before.

Ruby forced herself to smile, but her fingers twitched at her sides, itching to grab the now absent Crescent Rose.

“Anyway,” Verm drawled, dragging his gaze from her face down to her legs and back again, “I’d say the cold was worth it just to see you like this. You don’t usually dress to impress, huh?”

Ruby’s cheeks flamed. She tugged at the hem of the borrowed dress. “I don’t usually dress like this at all.”

“Shame,” he said smoothly. “It suits you. Better than the huntress getup. Makes you look…” His eyes lingered, and his grin sharpened. “Alive. Not just another metal soldier I see on the screens.”

Ruby shifted under the weight of his words, hugging her arms around herself. “I… don’t know if that’s a good thing.”

“It’s a great thing.” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret. “Don’t waste the night worrying. No one’s watching you here.”

That last line made her pulse skip — because if what she overheard was true, someone was.

Ruby swallowed, trying to keep her smile steady. “Right. Just us.”

Verm chuckled, satisfied enough with her answer, and flicked a strand of her tinsel-streaked hair. “Exactly. Now, how about we head back in before you freeze in that thing? Or…” He let the word linger, smirk tilting as he leaned forward, hot breath tickling her ear. “Maybe you like the cold.”

Ruby felt nauseous. She’d seen how people flirt before, a few times with Yang and mostly on Tv, but never with herself as the main subject. Secretly, she wanted just one person to take an interest in her, just to prove that she wasn’t some unattractive little kid. That she, too, was pretty like Yang.

But now that it’s actually happening? She was feeling pretty repulsed. Still, she poured in all her energy in keeping up her smile. “I think I’ll stay out here a bit longer, I find the chill refreshing.”

His gaze lingered, flicking over her expression as if trying to read past the mask, before he finally closed his eyes and grinned. “Don’t stay out too long. I give it five minutes before Cami keels over and Rae starts puking his guts out.”

“Will you grab my clothes for me?” Ruby asked, keeping her tone light. Her fingers pinched hard at the back of her thigh where he couldn’t see, a tiny act of defiance just to keep steady. “I think it’s time for me to head back too.”

“Sure. I’m really good at fetching clothes when girls need it,” he drawled, tossing her one last sidelong glance before turning the corner. “See you inside, Ruby.”

She stayed frozen in place, smile evaporating the second he was gone. Only when she heard the muffled thrum of the club doors swallowing him back inside did she jolt, as though waking from a trance, her whole body shuddering in recoil.

She pulled the hem of her dress down gruffly, as if her initial annoyance came pouring back. Ruby tried not to think about what just happened, but it was easier said than done. She felt horrible. Her head hurt and her feet were aching and she was cold.

“All this for a bath…” she muttered bitterly, crouching to rub at her aching Achilles. The skirt rode up again, but she didn’t care—until something brushed against her backside.

Her whole body snapped rigid. Her fist curled, instincts primed to plant her knuckles into whatever sicko thought they could—

Ruby stood, astonished, as Adam caged her into the wall, pulling his coat over her shoulders.

“Wh…Ho…”She stuttered, but the words never came. Adam looked dishevelled, his chest panting as though he was out of breath. When he finally looked at her, his mask was slightly askew, showing etches of his blue eye.

His face curled into fury, silencing her. She expected him to scream at her, to call her a selfish, spoiled little brat, but no such words came. Maybe he was catching his breath? He had stopped panting a long time ago. Perhaps she’d angered him to the point of silent fury?

Her storm-silver eyes wavered against his ocean blue, the weight of his anger pressing down harder than any blade. He wasn’t panting anymore, yet he still stared at her like he might ignite on the spot.

Somehow, this was more unbearable.

“Just say it,” she whispered, lowering her gaze, shame crawling hot across her skin. Still, nothing. This made her feel worse.

“I know I was wrong,” she blurted, the confession spilling out before she could stop it. “I was selfish, I know. I shouldn’t have left. I just felt so suffocated, like I was drowning. Like I couldn’t even walk a minute in my own body without someone policing it.”

Silence.

Her voice cracked, every word souring into ash on her tongue. “I just wanted one night. One night where I didn’t have to worry about my survival or the baby’s survival or the world’s survival. One night where I didn’t have to be a huntress!”

The words caught in her mouth as tears welled. She loved tonight—Because she didn’t have to act as a huntress. Something that she loved, that she spent years training for and aspiring to be—Now was something that she longed to escape from.

Adam said nothing but she was already in tears. Such a realisation shocked her to the core, as if she could finally see the knife twisting in her gut. “I just…I wanted to see what it was like if I didn’t have to be who I am…” Because she didn’t like who she was.

That part was left unsaid, but it was louder than any sentence she formed. Adam still said nothing, just watched the tears slide down her cheek as she sobbed silently, trying hard not to choke on her tears.

Then, quietly:
“When Raven tried to take off my mask… why did you stop her?”

Ruby blinked, startled by the question. “Huh?”

“Why did you cover my eyes? Did you know what was underneath?”

“I… no,” she stammered, fumbling through the memory. “I just… you seemed like you didn’t want it seen—”

“So why did you help hide it?” His voice was flat, but intent.

She gaped at him, baffled by the sudden turn. “I-I don’t know. If you didn’t want anyone to see it, then no one should? It’s…your autonomy? I—Wait…Why are you asking me this?”

He said nothing, his uncovered eye cracking into something soft. They stood like that for a while, eyes locked on each other.

“Yang is worried about you,” he finally said. She tensed at the name, looking down in shame.

“I know…”

“Your uncle threatened to commit treason three times, and actually attempted to once.”

Her head snapped up. “Qrow? He’s alright, isn’t he?” Concern laced her voice, guilt giving way to worry.

“Ironwood’s tearing through his metal prosthetics trying to find you.”

Ruby’s mouth twisted. “I don’t really care about Ironwood that much,” she muttered. Harsh, maybe, but true. She had little but disdain for the general, especially since it was his orders that had her under constant surveillance in the first place.

“That makes two of us.”

She pursed her lips, struggling for a response. Adam exhaled a long, weary sigh and straightened, tension lingering in his shoulders. “Did you get it all out of your system?”

“Hm? Oh… yeah…”

“You didn’t drink, did you?”

Her eyes widened. “No! I wouldn’t—”

“You smell like alcohol.”

“I was in a club!” she shot back, rolling her eyes, a sharp edge of defensiveness cutting into her tone. “The cockroaches in there probably smell like alcohol. But I didn’t drink. I just… partied. And played games…”

Adam’s gaze lingered on her a moment too long, unreadable beneath the half-mask. Then, in a quieter rumble: “So are you ready to come back?”

She hesitated, silver eyes sliding away, her thumb worrying at the hem of his coat draped over her shoulders. “Come back to what?” she muttered. “More isolation?”

“Come back with me,” he finished firmly.

Her head jerked up, startled by the bluntness. “I thought you were mad—”

“I’m fucking fuming,” he drawled, the words rough and bitten off, “but not at you.”

Her eyes flickered uncertainly, searching his face for some crack in the anger. The wind swept through the alley, tugging at her hair and chilling her bare arms, and she shivered despite the heavy fabric wrapped around her.

Adam bent slightly, fingers deft and almost gentle as he buttoned the jacket higher across her chest, pulling the collar close. On her, the leather nearly brushed the ground, swallowing her frame.

“Where are your clothes?” he asked, voice dropping again into something between annoyance and concern.

“They’re… still inside. I can go and get them—” She gestured vaguely back toward the club, guilt written across her expression.

“You can stay here,” he said, shifting his weight as if preparing to leave.

But before he could turn away, Ruby’s hand darted out, trembling fingers tugging lightly at the edge of his sleeve. Her voice softened. “I want to go. It’ll give me some time to say goodbye.”

He stared back at her, his expression unreadable. She glanced at him with pleading eyes, glossy from her tears. “You have two minutes.”

Her lips broke into a smile before she twirled on her heels, “I’ll be even quicker. Don’t worry!”

He simply crossed his arms, watching her turn the corner before disappearing back into the club.

Chapter Text

The Sphinx shrieked as its snake-tail hissed before trying to wrap around Adam’s leg, attempting to ensnare him for the final kill. Adam slashed its head, watching the main body writhe in pain before he backflipped onto the wall, using his Semblance to momentarily pin himself horizontally before finally kicking forward and delivering a final slash right in the Sphinx’s eye.

He dropped through its body, landing hard, chest heaving. Sweat streaked his forehead as he dragged a sleeve across it. “Again.”

The training room hummed in liveliness, with the holographic blocks reforming to show a version of Penny, back when she had shorter hair. “Warning. You have been training for three hours and fifty-four minutes. Remember, that while pushing your limits leads to improvement, constant physical effort will deplete your aura, and your aura—”

“I understand. You said this shit six times before, again,” he repeated.

Penny dissolved, replaced by a larger Sphinx, wings spreading wide as it roared.

“Level nine. Increased difficulty. Max regeneration. Time limit: three minutes,” her voice droned as the Grimm lunged.

Adam slashed across its head, but the creature clamped down on Wilt with bone-crunching force. He swore, bracing both boots against its skull, prying against its jaws while firing Blush point-blank into its eye at the same time, but not before jumping away as the snake snapped forward, almost latching onto his arm.

This was bad. He was down his sword, which the Sphinx throttled around as if it were a chew toy.

He cursed again, ducking the strike of another snake-tail, rolling across the hard light floor. His bullets pinged uselessly off its hide.

The one Grimm he hated the most was the Sphinx. All Grimm basically acted like they had one brain cell. Beringel see, Beringel do.

Same with most other Grimm, which worked in packs. Sure, the older it was, the smarter it was. But not as smart as a human fighting for survival.

But the Sphinx was different. It was the amalgamation of all the infuriating features of each Girmm. Tough hide of the Borbatusk. Strength of a Megoliath. Ferocity of a Beringel. Duality of a King Taijitsu.

All features that can easily be dealt with individually, but not only does the Sphinx contain all of these damning features, it, too, works in a pack. As if to prove the point, another Sphinx shimmered into existence, leaping from the holographic haze. Adam twisted away, its fangs grazing his sleeve

“You have two minutes left,” Penny’s voice automated. He clicked his tongue before jumping on top of the blocks, leaping from tower to tower, baiting the snake heads to pounce toward him, only for him to jump toward them.

He pistol-whipped one, pushing it into the jaws of the second one as he slid down its scaly back, shoving his heel into the eye of its main head, making it squeal and drop Wilt.

The Grimm screeched, loosening Wilt. Adam slid down its scaly flank, driving his heel into its main eye.

It bucked violently, throwing him clear. He hit the floor with a grunt, shoulder aching, and rolled just as a claw came crashing down. Wilt glimmered on the floor, just out of reach. He stretched for it—only for another snake to slam down, fangs barring his hand from the hilt.

Adam cursed as the snakes slithered around him, circling him like prey. He aimed Blush, shooting until he heard his cartridge empty. Finally, the snakes stopped their pursuit, looming over him as they aimed to pounce.

Adam blocked reflexively, but not before the shrieks silenced, followed by Penny’s voice. “Simulation ended. Shutting off in…thirty seconds…”

Adam looked around, before finally laying eyes on an equally annoying opponent, who smiled as he waved toward him.

The Ace-Op stood casually, hands tucked behind his back, smiling like a man who had just won a coin toss. He raised a hand in greeting. “Jeez. That was close, wasn’t it?”

“I had it,” Adam spat, dragging himself upright into a sit. His legs stretched out in front of him, too heavy to stand yet.

“That’s not what it looked like to me.” Clover stopped in front of him, hands settling on his hips.

“Thank the Gods I didn’t ask for your opinion, then.”

The man shrugged off the barb with irritating ease, grin still plastered across his face. “Had a hunch I’d find you here.”

“Don’t bullshit me. You used the tracker.”

Clover’s grin dipped, though it didn’t vanish. “Actually, I took a lucky guess.”

Adam rolled his eyes. Always with the jokes.

Clover’s amusement finally faded as his gaze sharpened, scanning Adam with a soldier’s scrutiny. Adam glared back, shoulders squaring. “What?”

“You’re not wearing your earpiece.”

Adam reached back, scratching the bare skin behind his ear, as if to emphasise the point. “Yeah. So what?”

Clover didn’t blink. “You also missed the meeting in Ironwood’s office.”

“I didn’t know I was invited,” Adam sneered, folding his arms.

“You’re as much of a team player as anyone else here. You get the same privileges as anyone else.”

“Not everyone else is chipped.” Adam’s lip curled.

“I take it you’re still not a fan of that.”

“Would you be?” His tone dripped acid.

Clover let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “Thinking on it? Maybe not. But look on the bright side—if you ever feel alone, remember, we always know where you are.”

“And if I want to be alone?” Adam’s voice sharpened, fists flexing at his sides.

“No one ever wants to be alone.”

“I do.” Adam’s reply was flat, final. He pushed himself upright, the tension in his movements sharp as a blade being drawn. “I don’t like to be bothered. Especially when I’m training.”

He brushed past Clover, their shoulders grazing with a spark of hostility, and stalked toward the control panel. The click of his boots against the hard-light floor echoed in the cavernous room. Clover followed, lips pursed, footsteps softer but persistent.

“I noticed you haven’t been to see Ruby this past week, have you?”

Adam stilled, hand hovering over the console. His jaw clenched before he answered, clipped. “Why do you care?”

It was true. He hadn’t gone near Ruby or her group since the Oscar incident. What was the point? She had shoved him into the role of Soldier, so he acted like one. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Clover tilted his head, his voice careful. “I just think it’s a shame. I liked seeing you two get along.”

Adam spun on him, eyes blazing. “I’m not your fucking entertainment. Go find someone else to act out your soap opera.”

“I don’t view your life as comedy, trust me.” Clover’s tone softened, though his posture stayed firm. “I just feel that as your friend—”

“You’re not my fucking friend.” The words cut sharp, Adam’s voice a snarl.

Clover exhaled slowly, steadying himself. “Well, then as Qrow’s friend, I care deeply for his niece and her wellbeing.”

Adam’s mouth twisted into something between a smirk and a snarl. “She looked fine the last time I saw her.”

“That’s not true though, is it?” Clover arched a brow, calling his bluff. “She was in tears the last you saw her.”

Adam turned back to the computer, shoulders tight. Of course everyone would know about their fight by now. No fucking privacy. “She had her sister with her. She’ll be fine. She should’ve gotten over it by now.” His fingers tapped impatiently across the panel.

Clover crossed his arms, weight shifting to one leg. “Huh.”

Adam’s glare sliced across his shoulder, sarcasm dripping through. “Anything else you need help with?”

“How about you?” Clover pressed.

Adam froze, eyes narrowing. “What about me?” Irritation bled through every syllable.

“Have you processed everything yet? Are you ‘over it’?”

Adam’s mouth curved into something dark. “Over the truth that I’ve been played for a fool? I’m just peachy. I knew I should have expected it from humans.”

“That sounds racist.”

“It’s the truth,” Adam snapped, his voice like a whip crack. “All you do is lie and trick people. Case one.” He gestured at himself, the motion sharp and accusatory.

Clover’s frown deepened, his stare settling heavier now, stripped of all earlier ease. “That’s an unjust summation of the situation, don’t you think?”

“You tell me.” Adam’s glare burned like a blade-edge, pinning him. “I’m sure you were there, right by Ironwood as you all chose to trick me.”

“I was indeed present,” Clover admitted evenly. “But it wasn’t some evil get-together to plot your downfall. I saw Ruby nearly get on her hands and knees begging for clemency on your behalf.”

Adam barked out a laugh, bitter and disbelieving, but Clover didn’t flinch. His expression remained firm.

“I’m serious, Adam. Qrow told me she woke up from her coma and her first questions were about you.”

“Qrow was probably drunk.” Adam’s voice curled with disdain. “I notice he has that alcoholic stupor about him.”

“He’s actually been sober for a year now,” Clover countered. His voice carried a strange note—gentle, but firm. “His first near-brush with relapse was when you both fell through that portal. His most recent one was when he saw his sister’s death.”

Adam’s shoulders twitched. “Maybe it’s because my eyes are covered that you can’t see them rolling,” he muttered. “But let me iterate for you: I don’t care. Raven was selfish and died a bandit. Qrow’s co-dependency defined, latching onto whoever or whatever he can. Yang’s just a hothead with a bark worse than her bite. And Ruby is…”

He faltered, breath snagging. His jaw tightened as he looked back to the screen, fingers resuming their mechanical taps.

“Ruby is…?” Clover pressed softly.

“Just leave me alone.”

Clover leaned onto the control panel beside him, deliberately crowding Adam’s space. The move drew a flare of irritation from Adam, but Clover’s gaze had drifted elsewhere, as if recalling some memory. “You know,” he said after a pause, “I’d be mad too if the person I loved lied to me.”

Adam’s fingers froze over the keys. His head snapped toward Clover. “I am not in love.”

“But she’s special to you.” Clover’s voice stayed calm, but insistent. “Maybe it’s because she’s the mother of your future child. Maybe it’s because she was your travelling partner. Whatever the reason—you have a profound relationship that can’t be put into words.”

Adam’s fists curled, nails biting into his palms. “What’s your game here? Why are you suddenly so interested in Ruby and I?”

“I’m gauging the situation,” Clover said, his green eyes narrowing slightly. “Wondering whether or not I should tell you.”

Adam stilled, suspicion sharpening. “Tell me what?”

“You would know if you had your earpiece in.” Clover straightened, crossing his arms with soldier’s precision. “Which, I’ll remind you, is a required regulation of Atlas military.”

Adam scoffed, looking away. “What’s the point, when you’ll just repeat it for me whenever you fetch me for more grunt work?”

Clover’s brows drew down. “Again with the self-hating words. Why say fetch? Collared? Barked? Why must you always chain yourself to the ugliest stereotypes? You give them power by speaking them.”

Adam’s lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl. “I like how it makes you all uncomfortable. Everyone here in Atlas either had a hand in Faunus' slavery or built their precious status on the backs of it. Including, but not limited to, the woman you follow orders from.”

“So degrading yourself is supposed to make Winter and the others uncomfortable?” Clover arched a brow, unimpressed.

“What they did was degrading,” Adam shot back. His tone was bitter steel. “Talking about the truth of it is the least degrading thing about it. But of course, the words aren’t pleasant to hear—especially when you know you share some of the blame.”

“Gotcha.” Clover tilted his head, his voice even. “What an interesting viewpoint.”

“Glad I amused you,” Adam grimaced, eyes narrowing.

“But just for the record,” Clover pressed, voice softening just enough to slide beneath Adam’s armour, “I don’t like that kind of talk because even though you say it proves a point to hurt others, words in the end have no direction. They cut everyone who hears them—including the one who speaks them.”

Adam glared, heat flashing in his expression. “Are you a soldier or a philosopher? Go find Qrow to dump your wisdom on.”

“I can’t. Qrow’s gone.”

“Then one of your Ace-Ops,” Adam scoffed, rolling his eyes back to the console.

“They’re all gone. Everyone’s gone, actually.”

The words made Adam pause, his fingers stilling over the keys. He turned slowly, confusion breaking through his mask of disdain. “What are you talking about?”

“My question first.” Clover’s voice carried a new weight, deliberate. “For all your—no doubt justified—hatred of humans, how do you feel about Ruby?”

Adam’s glare sharpened, his shoulders squaring. “I told you, none of your business. Now what the hell’s going on?”

“So you don’t care at all about Ruby Rose.”

“For the last time—no.” His voice rose, raw with irritation. “Stop beating around the bush. Where is everyone?”

“And so you don’t care,” Clover continued evenly, “that she’s been locked in isolation for the past week?”

Adam’s body went rigid. His breath hitched, caught in his chest. “What?”

“I’m sure you don’t care,” Clover said, though his eyes studied Adam carefully. “But Ruby’s been placed on temporary supervision. She hasn’t been in contact with her friends or family for the entire week. No one but authorised military personnel is allowed to interact with her.”

The console’s screen dimmed before Adam, the only sound the faint hum of the training room’s cooling systems. His fists clenched, knuckles bone-white beneath his gloves.

Clover remained stoic, leaning further into the control panel as he looked into the distance. “Oh yeah. It’s caused quite the commotion. The General insisted on a complete lockdown, seeing as Salem’s cronies seem to be everywhere. Why, just this recent meeting was more so of an intervention commandeered by Yang to see her sister.”

“Yang’s not with her?” He repeated.

“Nope. Nor is Qrow, for all his ‘co-dependency’. None of her friends either, obviously. Even Dr Polendina was given the cold shoulder.”

Adam was quick to appear in front of him, anger seeping from him as he grabbed Clover’s shirt. “Where is she?”

“She was moved into the teachers’ hallway. Though, Ironwood cleared all of them out so the whole wing is empty, save for her.”

“And you didn’t do anything to help her?!”

“I don’t disobey orders.”

“So all that talk about caring for your friend’s niece’s whatever-the-fuck was bullshit?”

“I could say the same to you,” Clover drawled, looking Adam up and down. I thought you didn’t care about Ruby or what happens to her.”

Adam’s fist collided with Clover’s cheek as soon as the words left his mouth. Clover massaged his jaw, clearly ticked off but remained stoic.

“Where the fuck is the teacher’s lounge?” He seethed. Clover assessed him.

“Fourth wing on the top floor.”

Adam turned quick on his heel to the exit, but not before Clover called out again. “But unfortunately she’s not there anymore.”

He stopped dead in his tracks, turning around slowly. “What?”

“Yeah, another important point that came up in that meeting was of Ruby’s disappearance.”

Adam felt his blood run cold, that sticky feeling of dread curdling in the pit of his stomach.

“Everyone’s out there right now, looking for her.”

“You can’t track her?!”

“She wasn’t the one on death row. We didn’t exactly plan for one of our closest allies disappearing like this—”

“That was your first mistake,” he spat. “Always know where your subordinates are.”

With that, he spun on his heel.

“Where are you going?” Clover asked, looking at him walk away.

“Where d’you think?!” He shouted back, not turning to look at him as he walked away.

Adam combed through the outer districts of Atlas, his boots crunching against the steel walkways as the city sprawled beneath him in a wash of neon and artificial glow. His comms stayed open, catching the scattered reports from the others as they split across the grid.

“Mayfair Avenue’s clear. No sign of her,” Blake’s voice crackled.

“She’s not in Beauford Park either,” Nora’s came next.

Adam made no effort to check in. He just kept crossing off blocks on his Scroll, silently tracking their progress. Let them think he wasn’t part of this. He didn’t need the recognition. He just needed results.

In order to make sure she hadn’t left the city, they were making their way inwards. That was easier said than done. Atlas was a metropolis, and it wasn’t like Ironwood could put out a warrant for Ruby’s search.

She was still supposed to be hidden; no one was to know of her whereabouts beyond the close circle. So only the eleven of them, not including him. Clover was still at the Academy, rerouting people to places unsearched while Qrow and the others were frantically searching. 

Adam clicked his tongue, looking down at the glistening artificial lights below him. Ruby was missing. Disappeared. No one knew where she went, no one knew why. From what he surmised, she had used her Semblance to sneak out.

It was the only viable option, seeing as the only clue to her disappearance was an open window. As much as he hated to say it, Atlas was impenetrable. He’d scouted the area during the first few weeks of having the smiling plant glued to him.

Heat sensors, fingerprints, retina scans. 24-hour surveillance.

Even he’d have a hard time breaking in without some sort of miracle. But for someone who could burst into sweet-smelling petals and whisk through tiny crevices?

He wanted to know why. Some part of him wanted to storm into Ironwood’s office and demand to know what happened to her when he left that last week. Another part of him was fixated on finding her.

He hadn’t seen her in a week. Purposefully put himself on missions in order to have some excuse of not being there. Because he needed an excuse.

Funny.

The old him wouldn’t have needed excuses. The old him wouldn’t have cared.

But now, when he thought of her, it was like standing in front of a mirror he hadn’t asked for—his reflection stripped bare in her star-silver eyes. He couldn’t lie to her. Didn’t want to.

He didn’t love her. That wasn’t it. He’d just… grown used to her. That was all.

 It was only because she was with him during their journey through Haven. Because she was there, facing the weather and whatever else fate threw at them for fun.

It wasn’t because her breath calmed him down.

It wasn’t because her smile eased his nerves.

It wasn’t any of that. He just…

He had to find her.

That was all.

He passed by another bakery, the scent of sugar and butter catching him off guard. He peeled his eyes from the window display of confectionaries, where triple chocolate cookies gleamed behind the glass. Ruby would have pressed her nose against it, tongue practically lolling, before dragging him inside.

He tore his gaze away, forcing his jaw to tighten, but not before making a mental note to revisit the shop on the way back. Ridiculous. A waste of time. And yet the thought lingered, like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

The veins of the city pulled him deeper, the heart of Atlas shifting from marble façades and clean-cut stone to tired apartments stacked in drab blocks. Neon buzzed faintly from broken signs. Cold air snaked through narrow alleys where even Atlas’ pristine order couldn’t bleach away the grime.

Voices still rang in his earpiece. Weiss checking in. Jaune clearing another block. Clover, ever the optimist, declaring the outer ring secure and urging them to push inward.

Adam rolled his eyes. At this rate, they’d find Ruby sometime next week—if they found her at all. The others searched like soldiers. Step-by-step. Clean. Efficient.
But Ruby didn’t think like that. He knew it in his bones.

He vaulted onto the roof of a corner building, boots skidding on frost, and crouched low as he pulled out his Scroll again. The map glowed faintly, scattered with pins where the others had already swept. Too many. Not enough.

Everywhere she could be. Nowhere she was.

The frustration chewed at him, gnawed until dread crawled up the back of his neck like an old friend he never wanted to see again.

He dragged the cloth from his eyes down to his neck, ripping the restraint free as he let out a hoarse, guttural roar into the empty night. It tore out of him before he could stop it, frustration uncoiling until he was left raw, his chest heaving. His fingers clawed through his hair, tugging until his scalp burned.

“Where are you, Rose…” The whisper came like a prayer, bitter on his tongue.

Instinct snapped him silent. His body flattened to the rooftop before thought could catch up. Shadows cloaked him, breath held tight as his ears tuned to something beyond the wind.

Movement.

He tilted his head up, eyes narrowing. Dark shapes bounded across rooftops in eerie synchrony, their silhouettes fluid but disciplined. One, two, five—splitting off to different streets below. Adam’s pulse surged. He didn’t need light to know. He didn’t need a second look.

White.

Masks catching the moonlight in sharp fragments, achingly familiar, as if carved from his memory.

The White Fang.

And suddenly, his rage had somewhere to go.

There was no way Ruby’s disappearance was tied to them. Why were they even here? He didn’t care. He knew there wasn’t any crossover between the two issues.

But the White Fang certainly weren’t here to sightsee. And if there was the tiniest possibility they could run into her…

Adam dropped from the ledge, cloak snapping in the wind as he plummeted. Wilt slashed through the air beneath him, storing the momentum. The blade kicked him forward, launching his boots onto the opposite roof. He landed in a crouch, barely a sound, eyes locked on the phantoms darting ahead.

The Fang moved like shadows given flesh, bounding from rooftop to rooftop, always in pairs, always splitting, reforming, signalling with hand flicks. He knew the rhythm; it was one he’d drilled into others long ago.

They cut through the city’s veins, past sleeping apartments and shuttered shops, toward the glowing pulse of Atlas’ nightlife. Adam trailed high above, every leap calculated, every breath measured. He ducked behind a neon sign as one of them paused to scan the street. Their mask turned, white and sharp against the dark, before moving on.

Closer. He waited a beat, then pushed off the ledge—only for a sudden shove at his back to throw him off balance. He caught himself, boot slamming down with sharp force, body reeling as he twisted around.

On the pavement below, a girl sat dazed, clutching her head, surrounded by a crowd of giggling friends.

“Lemony, get up!” one of them cackled, hauling her upright. The both of them swayed, still laughing.

“Sorry! My bad, dude,”Lemony slurred, blinking up at him. Then her bleary grin widened. “Hey, you’re kinda cute. What’s with the mask?”

“None of your business,” Adam snapped, voice low and cutting—then, catching himself, he clipped the venom short. “…Ma’am.”

“Ooh, a gentleman!” another one cooed, leaning heavily on Lemony. “Hope to see you on the dance floor. C’mon!”

The girls staggered past him, dissolving into more laughter as one blew him a sloppy kiss before they vanished inside the building.

Adam scowled after them, disgust simmering. He turned away, intent on resuming his pursuit—when the ground shook with the stomp of dozens of feet.

“Pub crawl!” a mob of drunkards hollered as they barrelled down the street.

Before Adam could sidestep, the tide swallowed him whole. The stink of liquor hit first—then came the elbows, laughter, and slurred shouting as the mass of bodies shoved him toward the blaring neon doors. He clenched his jaw, fighting not to draw Wilt, but resistance was pointless. The crowd carried him like a wave, depositing him inside the club in a blur of noise and light.

He broke free of them with a hiss of frustration, stepping aside as the mob surged past, screaming about happy hour and free shots. The air was thick with heat, music, and sweat; strobing lights painted everything in pulsing colour. He crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently as the last of the crowd stumbled in. The plan had been simple—wait for them to clear, slip out unnoticed, return to the hunt.

Then he saw her.

Across the room, framed by flickering lights and the laughter of strangers, Ruby Rose was very much not missing. She was grinning—really grinning—as she tried to balance a row of shot glasses on her head while a circle of cheering girls counted down. The glass wobbled, teetered, and somehow stayed upright as she threw her arms up in triumph, laughing so hard she nearly toppled over.

For a moment, the music dulled.

Adam just stared. He almost didn’t recognise her.

Ruby Rose, in his mind, had always been the picture of sweetness and resolve—a girl and her red hood against the world. But this Ruby was something else entirely.

She wore no hood, no combat gear. Her beloved corset and skirt had been traded for a sleek black dress that clung to her thighs and caught the light every time she moved.

Fishnet sleeves wrapped her arms, glinting in flashes of coloured light, while her hood—her defining mark—had been replaced by an oversized jacket that hung from her elbows, leaving her shoulders bare and gleaming beneath the neon.

Her spiky hair was combed and styled, catching streaks of red and silver beneath the strobe. She tipped her head back as she laughed with the others—all Faunus, he noticed—tinsel glimmering in their hair like hers.

Adam blinked once, then again, as if the image might change. She spun on the tabletop, arms stretched wide, balancing effortlessly as the crowd around her cheered. She was fearless. She was confident. She was happy.

She was… beautiful.

The word slipped into his thoughts before he could stop it. He buried it instantly, but it clung there anyway, stubborn as a scar.

He lingered in the shadows, eyes fixed on her. The lights caught every flicker of joy on her face, every laugh that tumbled from her lips. Then someone moved closer—a man, roughly his own age, with short grey hair streaked with auburn. His grin was easy, his movements smoother than they had any right to be.

Ruby reached for his hand as he held it up toward her. Instead of simply helping her down, the man swept her clean off the table, one arm beneath her knees, the other around her back. The crowd whooped as he spun her once—quick, playful, practiced—before setting her gently on her feet again.

Her laughter melted into the music, bright and unguarded.

Adam’s jaw tightened. His fingers curled into fists, leather creaking under the strain. Heat climbed his throat, unfamiliar and ugly.

That wasn’t a laugh she ever used with him.

He wanted to storm over there, to pry her away from that rat bastard whose gaze followed her every move as she drifted toward the pool table. But he didn’t.

Because he couldn’t stop watching her laugh.

A laugh so free, so unrestrained, it was like seeing a stranger wearing her face. Ruby hopped onto the pool table, cue in hand, grinning as she lined up a shot. The crowd around her buzzed with excitement, feeding off her energy. He didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, only that he didn’t want to look away.

Even when a few girls approached him, trying to strike up conversation, he barely heard them. None of them carried that same spark, that same effortless light. The confidence that poured off her. The delighted squeal when someone brought her another stack of fries. The mock outrage when one of her new friends stole one.

She was nothing like the girl he’d met in Haven. Or the one he’d marched beside in Atlas.

She wasn’t even acting pregnant.

And that thought—that truth—stung more than it should have. Because as radiant as she looked, as alive as she seemed, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was the version of Ruby she was always meant to be. The one she might’ve grown into if her life hadn’t been forced into something else entirely.

Had she not chosen to save him.

Adam’s temperature rose as his fingers gripped into his triceps. People around him murmured as they shifted away from his murderous aura, though he paid them no attention. He gave it all to Ruby.

“You were going to die!”

“She did it to save you!”

“She loves you, Adam!”

The memories ricocheted in his head, burning into his vertebrae with merciless pain. Ruby was now on the dance floor, moving languidly along with that same rainbow-streaked girl who danced around her.

“Her career is basically over!”

“She did it to save you!”

“Ruby cares about you!”

He pressed his fists against his temples, the roar of music and memory blurring together, teeth clenched until his jaw ached. His own heartbeat thudded in his ears like war drums.

Then—snap—his knuckles hit his temple once, hard, as if pain could drown out the voices.

Ruby’s group split across the club, some making their way to the pool table and others passing out in the booths. He looked back at her, who was now being led by Rainbow-hair into swaying her hips in a Samba style.

He couldn’t catch a glimpse of the slimy rodent who had his hands all over her. Just thinking about it made him angry, the image of the rat pest keeping his touch on her until she was finally whisked away.

He finally spotted him, lounging by the wall with a beer in one hand and a grin that begged to be broken. He was talking to some girl, but his eyes kept sliding back to Ruby, as though she were his personal spectacle.

Adam’s hands twitched at his sides. If he wasn’t already on probation…

Then something shifted. Another girl approached Vermillion, sliding into the space between him and his companion. Her face was half-hidden behind a mask, sleek and out of place among the chaos. She batted the first girl away with casual force.

Vermillion looked startled for a moment, then intrigued, his grin returning as the masked girl caught his hand and tugged him toward the exit.

Adam’s eyes narrowed.

That wasn’t a drunk girl’s swagger. That was precision. Purpose.

And in the land of drunks and delirium, that was suspicious.

Prying his eyes away from Ruby with more force than he realised, he tailed the rat and the girl, lagging behind just enough that it seemed like he wasn’t following them. Though, neither seemed to notice anything. The girl led him outside to the alleyway, stopping just after the third corner. Adam, surveying the cramped alley, scaled up the walls until he hooked his body over the low roof.

Pressing his chest to the rugged tiles, Adam peered over the edge, craning his neck to see where the rat had gone. But his eavesdropping was soon interrupted by an annoying spider whom he was now itching to squash.

Turning onto his back, he leaped to his feet, eyeing down Trifa, who stood stalk on the other side of the building.

“Why are you here?” She asked, her words pointed.

“I could ask you the same thing. Does Grey know you’re crawling around here?” He retorted, hand resting on his hip.

“We’re actively recruiting for the cause. There are a lot of displaced Faunus here that’re just raring to sign up.”

“And I take it you’re hoping for the rat guy to volunteer?”

Trifa raised a brow, crossing her arms. “You know about Vermillion?”

“I know you lot shouldn’t be here. I don’t know a thing about Vermin down there.”

“We’ve been hoping to recruit him for a while. He’s skilled in picking locks and breaking in—”

“All things that come naturally to a rat, I suppose,” he sneered.

“Why are you so pressed about him?”

“Guess I just don’t like rats,” he shrugged, both hands now hanging lazily in his trouser pockets.

“Why are you here, Adam?” She pressed, eyeing him up and down. “I figured for all your ‘important work’, you wouldn’t have time to lurk around dingy rooftops.”

“And what would you know about what I’m doing?” He snarled. Were they tailing him? Stalking his whereabouts to tell Grey?

“I know I haven’t been able to pick up your trail until you come waltzing in when I’m on the job. I know you disappear for weeks on end, with no one knowing where you are or who you’re with. I know that for someone who’s still deemed a Class S fugitive, you’re having a lot of ease with travelling around Atlas.”

Well, he couldn’t refute that. It was indeed suspicious, and it doesn’t take a genius to realise that he’s got more than he lets on. But just the sheer audacity of someone as low as her to enquire about his actions…

“Mind your business, Trifa. You can go ahead and try to recruit these small fry, see how much they’d love to give up lounging in Atlas to join the sewage pit down in Mantle. But I’ve got bigger things to deal with. Matters of life and death.”

“Sure,” she says, rolling her eyes. “So long as your ‘life and death’ matters don’t get in the way of our plans.”

“And what are those?”

“Sorry,” she said, voice smug, “Top secret.”

Adam’s jaw flexed, his fists clenching just once. He seriously considered punching her off the roof for her insolence—

But movement from the corner of his eye stopped him cold.

The masked girl from before vaulted cleanly onto the roof, landing in a crouch before straightening with feline ease. Her mask caught the moonlight, silver edges glinting.

“Who’s this?” she asked, tilting her head toward Adam.

“Irrelevant,” Trifa said before he could speak, earning a slow, venomous look from him.

“Are you done?” Trifa asked the newcomer, her tone clipped.

The girl shrugged lightly, brushing dust off her jacket. “I gave him the whole pitch. Whether he joins or not is his choice. But I think he will.”

Trifa nodded, then turned back to Adam, meeting his stare without flinching. “You should come visit the Fang when you’re done with your… business. Grey’ll be happy to have your help.”

“Grey isn’t High Leader,” he gritted, his voice dropping low enough to make the air between them feel heavier.

Trifa smirked. “No,” she said. “But I guess you aren’t either anymore.”

For a second, Adam’s hand twitched toward Wilt.

Then—
A faint, familiar scent caught him off guard. Roses.

His chest tightened. His head snapped toward the alley below. Looking down, he saw Ruby in close proximity to Verm, his frame almost enveloping her to the wall. Rage bubbled instantly, like a pressure cooker releasing steam.

He didn’t notice Trifa and her partner leave; his eyes were transfixed on Ruby.

He could hear his awful one-liners, the words like pins in his ears. Ruby leaned closer into the wall, as if she wanted to get away, but her face was still poised with that sweet innocence that could make any man go wild.

He pinned his weapon to his belt, hoping that the mere sheath would somehow prevent him from shooting the man dead in the alleyway. Gods knew he wanted to. How dare he snake his lustful eyes over her body.

How dare he think about her? Speak to her? Breathe in her presence?

Ruby had forsaken her large jacket, which he now knew was the rat’s, showing off her pale skin and slender body, which Vermillion much appreciated.

Adam wanted to tear the scene apart.

He wanted to pull her from the wall, shove Verm’s face into the bricks until the smugness cracked off his skull. But instead, he stood still, every muscle trembling with the effort not to move.

His gaze dragged over her despite himself. He couldn’t help it. He wiped his eyes with his hand, slightly skewing his mask, yet he didn’t care.

The light caught her hair—spiky, silver-edged red, wild from the humidity. Her skin gleamed faintly with sweat, the sheen along her collarbone glowing where her dress dipped low across her chest. It wasn’t indecent, not by any means, but it made his throat dry all the same.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity in hell, the rat asshole scurried back inside, leaving Ruby reeling from the conversation. Her knees buckled as she rested her hands on them to keep her upright.

Her sweet smile curdled as she roughly yanked her dress down, although it did little to nothing. Such a scene felt like water rinsing over him after days in the desert; she hated that too.

Ruby crouched down, rubbing at her sore feet with little regard for decency. Adam’s jaw clenched as the hem of her dress rode dangerously high, fabric pooling at her upper thighs. His cheeks burned. He might’ve been a lot of things—murderer, traitor, monster—but he wasn’t the kind of man to look at a girl like that.

But others would.

So, before that dress got any higher, he leapt off the roof, the ends of his coat brushing against her behind as he landed.

Ruby’s reaction was instantaneous, gasping and twisting her body as her fist curled toward him. He caught it with practised ease, taking the opportunity to slip her arm into his sleeve before wrapping his coat around her.

Her expression screamed with shock as she took him in. Adam, however, made quick work of slipping the rest of the coat on her.

Many things invoked anger in him. That sultry dress was one of them.

He tried hard not to look at her soft, exposed legs, nor her collarbone that shone with sweat.

“Wh…Ho…”She stuttered, but the words never came. Adam’s pulse hammered in his chest. He willed his body to calm, to breathe, to stop betraying him. How must he look to her right now—wild-eyed, trembling, weak? The thought alone filled him with fresh fury.

But Ruby didn’t move. Didn’t speak. She just stared up at him—long lashes damp, her storm-silver eyes wide and uncertain, reflecting the faint glow of the alley lights. When her gaze finally met his, the world seemed to stutter.

“Just say it,” she whispered, lowering her eyes. Shame crawled warm across her cheeks. Say what? What could he say? She looked beautiful. She looked happy.

“I know I was wrong,” she blurted, the confession spilling out before she could stop it. “I was selfish, I know. I shouldn’t have left. I just felt so suffocated, like I was drowning. Like I couldn’t even walk a minute in my own body without someone policing it.”

He bit his inner cheek, rage bubbling low in his stomach as he remembered Clover’s words. How were they treating her? How far had they pushed the budding rose until she wilted and snapped?

Her voice cracked, every word souring into ash on her tongue. “I just wanted one night. One night where I didn’t have to worry about my survival or the baby’s survival or the world’s survival. One night where I didn’t have to be a huntress!”

The words caught in her mouth as tears welled. Adam willed himself to not wipe them away.

“I just…I wanted to see what it was like if I didn’t have to be who I am…”

He didn’t know what to say. He would pay a fortune to see his own face right now. What look did he have to extract that confession from her when he, himself, felt guilty?

Then, finally, he spoke. “When Raven tried to take off my mask… why did you stop her?”

Ruby blinked, startled by the question. “Huh?”

“Why did you cover my eyes? Did you know what was underneath?” He pressed.

“I… no,” she stammered, fumbling through the memory. “I just… you seemed like you didn’t want it seen—”

“So why did you help hide it?” His voice was flat, but intent.

She gaped at him, baffled by the sudden turn. “I-I don’t know. If you didn’t want anyone to see it, then no one should? It’s…your autonomy? I—Wait…Why are you asking me this?”

It’s his autonomy. Something she wanted to protect in others, was stolen from her.

“Yang is worried about you,” he finally said, trying to break the silence. She tensed at the name, looking down in shame.

“I know…”

“Your uncle threatened to commit treason three times, and actually attempted to once,” he added, remembering the threats that Qrow shouted down the comms about torching Atlas Academy with Ironwood inside if she weren’t found.

Her head snapped up, concern lacing her voice. “Qrow? He’s alright, isn’t he?”

“Ironwood’s tearing through his metal prosthetics trying to find you.” That wasn’t something he really cared about, but he was saying anything at this point.

Ruby’s mouth twisted. “I don’t really care about Ironwood that much.”

He bit back a laugh, watching as her face contorted in disdain at the mention of his name.

“That makes two of us.”

She pursed her lips, struggling for a response. Adam exhaled a long, weary sigh and straightened, tension lingering in his shoulders. “Did you get it all out of your system?”

“Hm? Oh… yeah…”

“You didn’t drink, did you?” He asked, eyebrow arched. Though she seemed to be drunk, her eyes and overall demeanour suggested otherwise.

Her eyes widened. “No! I wouldn’t—”

“You smell like alcohol,” he stated.

“I was in a club!” she shot back, rolling her eyes, a sharp edge of defensiveness cutting into her tone. “The cockroaches in there probably smell like alcohol t00. But I didn’t drink. I just… partied. And played games…”

Adam’s gaze lingered on her a moment too long, as if trying to sense a lie. But none came out of her sweet mouth. Despite all that’d happened to her, despite being shown a world where she could be free, she still chose to take care of the child.

To take care of their child.

He didn’t know how to feel. All the convoluted feelings that he’d harboured against her vanished as soon as he stared into those eyes. “So… are you ready to come back?”

She hesitated, silver eyes sliding away, her thumb worrying at the hem of his coat draped over her shoulders. “Come back to what?” she muttered. “More isolation?”

“Come back with me,” he finished firmly. He’d be damned if he’d let her get locked up again. Fuck Ironwood. If he wanted, Adam would personally extract that stick up his ass that clouded his mind into secluding Ruby in the first place.

Her head jerked up, startled by the bluntness. “I thought you were mad—”

“I’m fucking fuming,” he drawled, the words rough and bitten off, “but not at you.”

Never at you. Especially not dressed like that. But Adam bit that remark back.

Her eyes flickered uncertainly, searching his face for some crack in the anger. The wind swept through the alley, tugging at her hair and chilling her bare arms, and she shivered despite the heavy fabric wrapped around her.

Adam bent slightly, fingers deft and almost gentle as he buttoned the jacket higher across her chest, pulling the collar close. On her, the leather nearly brushed the ground, swallowing her frame. He willed his eyes to look anywhere but at her. Though, he couldn’t help his thoughts in thinking that she looked amazing in his coat.

“Where are your clothes?” he asked, voice dropping again into something between annoyance and concern, a mask to hide his feelings.

“They’re… still inside. I can go and get them—” She gestured vaguely back toward the club, guilt written across her expression.

“You can stay here,” he said, shifting his weight as if preparing to leave. He’d be damned if he’d let Verm get another shot at flirting with her.

But before he could turn away, Ruby’s hand darted out, trembling fingers tugging lightly at the edge of his sleeve. Her voice softened. “I want to go. It’ll give me some time to say goodbye.”

He stared back at her, noting her quiet resolve. She glanced at him with pleading eyes, glossy from her tears. “You have two minutes.”

Her lips broke into a smile before she twirled on her heels, “I’ll be even quicker. Don’t worry!”

He crossed his arms, waiting for her to come back. To him. To Atlas Academy. He didn’t know how they would react. How Ironwood would react. But he knew one thing: He wasn’t leaving her side again.