Unlikely Partnership

Initiation day. Everyone had woken up with it on their minds, readying themselves physically and mentally for whatever the Academy would be throwing at them.

Dressed, fed and ready to deal with the tests ahead, Adam wandered through the school absentmindedly. Around him, students were talking about what they would expect. A monotonous drone hummed around him. He didn't pay attention to what they were saying, focusing all his energy on preparing himself, even if his mind wandered at times.

The Academy not taking the day to get a layout of the land was not a wise decision on his part, but whether Adam liked it or not, he landed himself in the situation. Soon enough, he found himself completely on his own, having wandered off from the group of students while deep in thought.

Great.

Thankfully, his aimless wandering didn't go unnoticed. A hand gently touching his shoulder, he turned around to find Ruri standing there with a faint smile. She seemed pleased to see him.

"You saw me running around like a headless chicken, didn't you?" A nod. "Any chance you know the way to the locker rooms?"

Another nod, this time with that smile turning slightly amused. Without a single word, Ruri gestured for Adam to follow her with a flick of her hand, walking in the complete opposite direction that he was previously walking in.

Jogging to her side, he walked awkwardly beside the teenage girl. Given that she didn't talk, any chance for conversation was pretty slim, and Adam wasn't one for small talk anyway. So, with the sun rising from behind Beacon's tallest tower, the two new students made their way through the courtyard towards the locker rooms.

By the time they got there, many of the students who arrived earlier were already prepared and ready to go to the designation point on Beacon's cliff. A few stragglers remained, rummaging through their designated lockers to arm themselves with their weapons.

The locker rooms themselves were huge. Able to house the sheer amount of students that attended Beacon, rows upon rows of lockers were set up right beside each other, creating a confusing maze of lockers and poor students unable to find their one. With high windows letting in plenty of natural light, and bright lights hanging from the ceiling above, the room was well lit enough even if it was pitch black outside.

Following Ruri, Adam ignored the students around him, making a beeline straight for his locker. It was difficult being separated from his weapon. Having it for so long while on the road affected a person, and he couldn't get comfortable enough that night to sleep well. Still, no weapons were allowed on a student's body outside of designated combat training.

Given how many teenagers were crammed in, all with different and dangerous Semblances, having them armed when a fight boiled over would not have been very wise.

As the locker door swung open, Adam found his sword propped up on the back, sheathed with the reddish-black metalwork shining in the locker room's fluorescent lights. The heavyweight of it in his hand was comforting. It brought security, and when Adam returned it to its rightful place on his belt loop, he turned to find Ruri readying herself too.

Wrapping the white belt around her waist, she tied the purple rope tightly, securing the heavy looking box to her lower back. When she turned to close her locker opposite Adam's, he noticed those same dual knives sheathed in the box.

As he closed his locker, he turned to Ruri and piped up. "You look like you know how to use them."

No response. When she turned back around, she seemed none the wiser to Adam's complement, rather smiling warmly and gesturing for him to follow her. Strange. He didn't push it further, but the nagging thought stuck with him.

Quickly enough, other distractions pulled his thoughts away. Among the few students that remained, he quickly spotted familiar faces at their lockers, unable to hide his annoyance when that voice piped up in excitement. "And that's not even the worst he got up to!"

Eirian wasn't hard to spot in a crowd. Back in her combat clothes, she seemed to be strapping a curved sword to her belt while chatting away to Zanthus. With the taller boy already geared up, he was simply leaning against his locker while laughing. "There's no way one team did all of that."

"I'm telling you!" Eirian defended, closing her locker door with a grin. "It was in their third year, and Dad was getting ready to drop this bucket of electric eels on this team from Beacon, but then Atlas' headmaster came in and-"

Her story fell short when she noticed Adam and Ruri walking towards them. Her smile faded slightly at the sight of the Bull Faunus, but when she noticed his female companion next to him, her cheeriness returned and she beamed brightly.

"Hey, you're that girl from the motel!" She gasped, rushing right in front of Ruri with a grin. "It's so nice to meet you without being thrown on the floor! Those were some sick moves back there, you know? Think you can teach me?"

The energy radiating from her had Ruri backing off, looking put off and confused while Eirian rambled on. "I'd been practising some hand to hand myself, but you were so fluid and awesome! Was that Mistrilian Judo? I saw so many professional fighters while I was there, I'd love to study someone up close-!"

"Slow down before you blow a fuse, Eirian." Zanthus chided, placing a hand on her shoulder to calm the vibrating girl.

Slowing to a complete stop, Eirian still had that excited expression on her face, but it was more subdued, controlled. With Zanthus' hand remaining on her shoulder, he turned his attention to Adam.

"So, you made a new friend?" His ears flicked for a moment.

"I'd like to think so." Adam shot back, crossing his arms as he glanced over at Eirian. "I see you've made some friends yourself."

The way he spat the word friends out so venomously had Zanthus on the defensive. Ears folding back, he pulled the nervous Eirian closer to himself, not letting the anger he was feeling bubble up when he threw Adam's words back. "Yeah, I'd like to think so."

That bubbling sensation returned with a vengeance. Twisting anger in his gut, Adam turned his sights to Eirian, finding her slinking back into Zanthus with clear apprehension. With him staring her down, she glanced away with a finger playing with one of her thick dreads.

The air was thick with negativity. Both Adam and Zanthus refused to back down, though while Adam was practically steaming and ready for a fight, Zanthus' anger was cold, precise. He made no move to close the gap between the two teenage boys, but the way those slit pupils stared straight into Adam's eyes, it felt like he was staring straight into Adam's soul.

He wasn't playing around, and Adam knew that deep down.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Zanthus or Eirian that tried to end the confrontation. From beside Adam, he felt a handhold onto his arm, pulling him away with no hesitation as Ruri herself moved in front of him.

Hands raised non-threateningly, she approached Zanthus and placed a hand on his shoulder, watching him silently while he looked down at the hand touching him. Even when no words of comfort were spoken, he visibly relaxed and nodded. "Alright."

Clenched fists loosened and shoulders no longer tense, he turned to Eirian and sighed. "Come on, we're gonna be late if we waste any more of our time here."

She didn't say anything. When Zanthus turned around and walked off to where all the students were called to, she paused, glancing back at Adam and Ruri with a sombre expression. For a moment, he was ready for whatever stupid thing she was going to say, but then she smiled sadly and muttered. "Good luck."

With that, she left as well.

Adam stood there dumbfounded, wondering internally what she meant by that. It was just like when they first met, that day they both applied for Beacon, and she tried to give him that good luck charm. Did she look down on him so much that she'd give him pity points? Did he look like he needed luck?

Even with other motives pushing the small exchange, Adam could only focus on the negatives. It was like a blindfold wrapped tightly around his eyes. It blinded him, making him unable to see anything that was good, but deep down, that blindfold slipped a little, and he found himself spurred on to take the Initiation and prove himself.

Ruri waited patiently beside him, saying nothing even when he finally made a move to leave the locker room and get to where the Initiation was taking place. It was much appreciated. He needed the silence to think.

The walk to the cliffside was surprisingly short. By the time Adam and Ruri had made it, all the other students were waiting in a single line. A few glanced at the latecomers for a moment, but said nothing and quickly turned their attention back to Professor Ozpin, the influential man standing in front of them with his back to the cliff's edge.

Facing away from the city, Adam glanced around the professor to see nothing but green forests that spanned for miles. Dense foliage that covered all sorts of creatures who lurked within. The dark aura it gave off made him somewhat nervous, and when he looked around at the other students with him, he could see that same apprehension no matter how well they hid it.

Finally, with Ruri and Adam joining the group, Ozpin began to speak. "As you might know, we here at Beacon hold an initiation for students to prove their skills in a range of different scenarios."

He paused, looking at the teenagers before him with a soft chuckle. "Unsurprisingly, I know that some of you had gone to the older years in hopes of finding out information. I'm impressed, but the exam changes every year with that precise matter in mind. Outside of this Academy, you will find no chances in preparing yourself for what might happen."

A few of the students muttered amongst themselves. Meanwhile, Adam scolded himself mentally for not taking the time to try and figure out what he was about to be thrown into. It was a rookie mistake.

"Still, it was smart, and those of you who've shown that will to learn will want to keep that for the years to come." Nursing a white mug in his hand, Ozpin took a sip and continued. "Today, you all will be sent into the Emerald Forest, and are tasked to work together to escape through the other side."

"You all will be examined on multiple factors." Glynda jumped in, watching the students with a stern gaze from Ozpin's side. "Teamwork, fighting abilities, leadership and adaptability."

"Precisely. The Emerald Forest is teeming with many types of Grimm. You must be willing to do whatever it takes for you and your team to survive, or you will die." Ozpin's voice turned serious at that moment.

A chill descended on everyone. The reality of what they were about to do finally set in, and even Adam himself felt some apprehension in going into the forest. His pride never allowed him to admit it, pushing down those feelings to the depths where he couldn't feel them, but so many others around him wore that fear on their faces for all to see.

All save Ruri. She showed none of that apprehension, rather watching the professor with a stone-cold gaze. There was no way Adam could tell what she was feeling, and he didn't ask as the headmaster continued.

"Still, if you work together, you will find the exam easier to complete. Those who escape together will be put in teams of four, and they will be your team for the rest of your time at Beacon."

A voice immediately piped up at that. "Uhh, Professor!"

Everyone looked over at the source of the voice. Unsurprisingly, it was Eirian who piped up, standing there with her hand raised and her other fiddling with one of her dreads.

"Yes, Miss Esna?"

"Um, I was just wondering… what can you do if someone on your team doesn't like you?" She asked nervously, her hand lowering while she added. "I mean, it'd put a damper on the whole teamwork thing, so will you be thinking about that?"

"We always put our teams together that meld well." Eirian visibly relaxed at that, at least, until Ozpin added in a serious tone. "But you all must understand, this is not a school. You are not here to be put on a team with your friends, and if you are put in a team with someone you don't get along with, you both must be adults about it and find a way to work through your differences."

"Wouldn't that just negatively impact the team structure?" Adam suddenly spoke.

All attention moving away from Eirian, Adam found himself with all eyes on him, standing there with a hand resting on his sheathed sword and another resting on his hip.

"It can, but if it gets to the point where we believe the team would be better in a transfer, then we will look into it," Ozpin confessed. "But that is a rare occurrence, and the reason for these teams is to prepare you all for working in this profession. Sadly, you will rarely get to choose who you work with on missions, and developing skills to work with every type of person is essential if you want to make it far as a Huntsman."

Adam gave him that. Staying quiet, the conversation there ended as Ozpin turned to address the entire group of students. "You will be dropped right into the forest. How you land will be up to you, but I trust you all had practised landing strategies at your Combat School of choice."

"Uhhh… kinda?" Zanthus laughed nervously. "Quick question, though… What about those who didn't go to one of those schools?"

"You should have some idea on how to land. Still, the fall will not be high enough that it would seriously injure any students."

That wasn't exactly comforting.

Suddenly, Adam heard whirling underneath him and glanced downwards, noticing that he was standing on a metal plate set deep into the dirt. Vibrations ran up his leg, and when he looked around, he realised that every other student were standing on the same platform. One by one, the metal plates shot upwards.

Every student standing on them was thrown up into the air, flying over Ozpin and Glynda's heads and into the Emerald Forest itself. It didn't seem very safe.

While Zanthus seemed spooked by the sudden appearance of the platforms, Eirian giddy yelled in excitement as she was thrown, disappearing into the sky with Zanthus quickly joining her. He seemed far less thrilled as he screamed out in fear and panic.

One by one, Adam watched students fly off into the air. Once it was Ruri's turn, she gave him a small smile and prepared herself, showing no fear even when she was thrown off into the distance herself. Apprehension twisted in his gut as Adam noticed that it was his turn. Landing strategy. Think.

Every thought turned up blank. Before he could say anything, his body was thrown up into the air.

The wind whistled in his ears. Loud, it was nowhere as bad as the heavy blood that was thumping in his ears also. He couldn't even look around to see if anyone was around him. All he could do was stare at the ground that was coming at him fast, and quickly think of how to land safely.

Wilt in hand, he had no power stored up in his weapon. A small flame that barely flickered inside him. He'd have to think fast if he wanted to avoid face-planting the ground.

His heartbeat wildly in his chest. Frantic thudding, he tried to calm his nerves as he saw trees coming straight for him. With a tight grip, he let out a flurry of sword slashes, cutting a path through the sprawling branches that were in his way. It wasn't a clean move, with a few of the branches smacking him straight in the face.

It stung. Even with his Aura protecting him from any lasting damage, he could feel every blow and smack as he tried to land.

Stabbing Wilt into the thick trunk of the closest tree, Adam spun around the tree wildly while descending. The world spun uncontrollably. Just as fast as it happened, he felt his feet hit the dirt and rolled with the momentum, coming to a complete stop on one knee.

"Well," he gasped. "That could've gone better."

Getting back to his feet, he looked up in the direction he landed. Up above him, he could see many cut and broken branches from where he came in. Even the trunk had seen better days. A deep gasp spiralled all the way down from near the top, able to fit more than one of Adam's long fingers as he poked it.

Well, he made it in one piece.

As he turned to leave the area, the distant sounds of gunfire and roars echoed through the forest. Trees swayed all around him. Even the animals that lived fled in the opposite direction, with birds squawking high above him as they flew away. Something felt off. The hair stood up on the back of his neck, and as Adam looked around with his hand on his sword, he could feel eyes peering from within the darkness.

He wasn't alone.

Even as he walked in the opposite direction of the gunfire, he could feel those same eyes watching him. Yet when he turned around, ready to confront the danger, there was nothing around him. His grip on his sword never loosened. He didn't dare, finding himself jumping at every sound. Every snapped twig or rustling bush.

Sunlight barely penetrated the thick cover of branches and leaves above him. Darkness swept through the forest floor, and while Adam could see fine with his night vision, he knew other students wouldn't have such luck. Knowing that he had a skill that humans struggled with made him smirk to himself.

That smirk didn't last long when he heard more rustling off to the side. Staring off in the direction, he approached the thick vegetation cautiously, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

Something sprang out of cover. Adam jumped back, drawing his sword with a deep frown. However, he stopped himself from attacking, finding nothing more than a flock of birds leaving the safety of the foliage, taking off to the skies with panicked caws and squawks.

"Okay. Just some birds. Nothing deadly or ready to eat my face off." He muttered to himself, trying to calm his fast-beating heart.

It'd been a while since he felt that afraid. He hated it, not just the feeling itself but the effect it had on him. Every noise, every shadow that moved in the corner of his eye, it all had him jumping in fright and pulling his weapon out to defend himself. His chest ached from the stress, and he found his frazzled mind becoming more and more unravelled.

An explosion ripped through the forest. The force of the bellowing winds had Adam bracing himself momentarily, his teeth gritting together as he snapped. "What the hell?!"

As soon as the winds died back down, he looked off in the direction he came from, wondering who could've done something that powerful. Should he go and investigate? It was tempting, and yet the voice in the back of his head spoke against it.

Apprehension took over. Sheathing his sword, Adam took a step away from the source of the explosion, eager to disappear into the forest and find his way out.

It was at that moment when he felt thudding in the ground. Small rocks rumbled beside him, and right then, a thunderous roar ripped through the forest. Adam spun around, and there, he saw not one Ursa, but three. Hulking beasts of shadows and bone, all three of them honed in on the one lone student.

There was no way he could run. He didn't want to.

Inhaling deeply, Adam lowered his stance and gripped his sword tightly. Watching. Waiting.

Suddenly, Wilt shot out of its sheath, hitting the Ursa in the middle square in the snout. The blade spun from the collision, stunning the beast as its owner ran forward. As he grabbed the sword again, he aimed his rifle and kneeled, avoiding a wild swing as he shot the Ursa point-blank in the throat.

Black blood splashed onto his shirt, staining the red fabric with its disgusting fluid. Grimacing at it, Adam had to dodge paws coming down from above, rolling away as the Ursa he just shot stamped on the spot he just occupied.

He could barely get back to his feet before another Ursa ran for him. Rumbling ground under his feet, Adam glanced over at it just in time to see claws coming straight for his face. He leaned backwards, watching those giant claws skim across the bridge of his nose. All the power behind that blow could be felt just from that one point of contact.

He had to be careful.

With the swipe leaving the Ursa unbalanced, Adam spun around with the momentum from his dodge, reaching its exposed side as he stabbed Wilt deep into it. Pained snarls rumbled from the beast, its massive strength and weight outmatching Adam's in every way as it lashed out. The massive paw hit him square in the chest, the sheer force sending Adam flying into a nearby tree.

All the air in his lungs vanished. Gasping, he could feel the twinge of pain in his back when he tried to move. Broken shards of bark dug into his clothes, unable to pierce his skin with his Aura staying strong. It hurt to stand. Using the trunk to support himself, he barely had any time to catch his breath when all three Ursa charged him again.

Charging them as well, Adam slid down onto his knees, slipping underneath one of the Ursa while shooting its exposed underbelly multiple times. More of its blood-splattered down on his, staining his face as he didn't let up, slipping out from underneath the injured Grimm. With its back to him, he ran forward with Wilt sheathed.

In one slash, he left a massive gash in Ursa's side. Blood sprayed out, covering the ground and bushes with its dark fluid, and with the wounds proving too great, the Ursa could only let out a weak growl before its battered body vanished to dust.

The fight wasn't over. Adam could only let out an exhausted gasp before the other Ursa descended on him.

Jumping back, he watched the Grimm's massive paw dig up the ground where he stood, sending pebbles and dirt flying in his direction. Instinctively, he raised his arms, closing his one eye to avoid getting debris in it. Right there, he felt crippling pain in his entire left side.

It was burning. One moment he was standing, the next he was tumbling to the ground, leaving a reasonably sized crater following him. Aching pain crippled him, leaving Adam lying there in the dirt with his hand digging into the ground.

Stunned, he could only glance up in the direction of the Grimm, finding them charging straight for him again. With gritted teeth, he pulled his rifle off his belt and aimed.

Even holding his arm up made his ribs ache.

A few rounds to the face had one of the Ursa back off, its skull marred with bullet holes and grooves from where some of the bullets skimmed it. It seemed agitated and pained if Grimm could even feel pain in the first place, pawing at its face while the other Grimm kept running for him. It paid no attention to anything else.

His arm shook. Every breath felt like fire. He couldn't even think of moving out of the way in time, and when he fired again at the last Ursa, his bullets did little to phase it. Its mind was trained on one thing. Him.

Jaws lined with over a dozen sharp teeth, the giant Grimm lunged to bite him. Out of pure instinct, Adam closed his eyes and flinched away, waiting for the blow. It never came.

Instead, loud grunting echoed through the forest. Hesitantly, Adam lowered his arm from in front of his face, staring up at the scene before him. The Ursa was stopped in its tracks. Claws digging into the ground, his saviour had the Grimm by the snout, clamping its jaws shut between his muscular arms.

Zanthus. Cape billowing in the wind, he was keeping Ursa's head down, managing to fight its strength with its own while turning his head to Adam. Over his shoulder, he asked frantically. "You hurt? Can you stand?"

Seeing him there, having that giant beast under control, stunned Adam to the point where he could only sit there dumbfounded. It was only for a few moments. After that, the danger they were very much in snapped him back to reality, with Adam getting back to his feet.

"Ah. Yeah, just need a minute."

"Take your time." Zanthus smiled, turning his attention back to Ursa. "I got this."

With that, he spun with Ursa's head in his hand and, with it pressed against his back, threw it over his shoulder. The sheer weight came crashing down, rumbling through the ground as the stunned Grimm laid there. As Zanthus made a move to finish it off, the last one came running towards him.

Jumping on top of the other, Zanthus lept right for the Ursa, wrapping his arms around its head as he swung his entire body around it, managing to straddle the back of its neck between his legs. Wildly, the Ursa swung around, backing up onto its back legs while it stumbled around. Zanthus seemed to be faring better, managing to hold onto the bucking Grimm even despite its best efforts to get him off.

With all his weight, he swung around Ursa's neck, using the momentum and his mass to pull the beast down with him. Before it could crush him, Zanthus rolled out of the way and hopped right onto its stomach. Hands gripping its throat, Adam watched as long, golden claws sprang out from his vambraces.

They pierced through the Grimm's throat. Before it could attempt to swat at him, he pulled his claws out through the sides of Ursa's throat, completely severing its head and killing the beast. With its corpse disintegrating underneath him, he glanced up at Adam with a small smile on his face.

For once, Adam returned it to him. Relief washed over him. But it didn't last.

Before he knew it, that smile on Zanthus' face vanished, with fear and horror replacing it instead. "Look out!"

Spinning around, Adam noticed the last Ursa right behind him. It recovered quickly from Zanthus' attack. As it reared on its back legs, dwarfing the student in front, it moved to swipe at his head.

Adam tried to move. Searing pain made him slow, and his slowness led to him making easy mistakes. He couldn't get out of the way in time.

His body moved on its own. Shocked, he found his feet off the ground, with a pair of hands gripping into his clothes. Glancing up, he saw Zanthus's face, noticing all the worry and fear washing away as he carried the injured student in his arms. He hugged Adam close to his body, fearful of dropping him, and jumped out of the way of the rampaging Ursa.

"Almost thought I wouldn't have made it, then." He confessed, landing safely on the ground with Adam securely in his arms.

Looking away with a reddened face, the horned teen muttered back. "We're not out of the woods, yet."

"Good point." Zanthus conceded, putting Adam down as soon as he could. "Think you can lend a hand?"

Turning his attention back to Ursa, Adam nodded with a smirk. "Sure."

Together, they made their move. Both separated from each other, running around the Ursa as it turned around in confusion, unable to focus on either with them both rushing around. Sword in hand, Adam stabbed through one of its back legs, feeling its muscles tear from the blow as he pulled it out roughly.

The wound was agonising. The Ursa roared out, turning around while swinging wildly. One of those paws came straight for Adam. Without thinking, he pulled Wilt up, holding onto the sword with both hands as its claws scratched along the metalwork. Sparks flew right into Adam's face, causing him to wince as he backed off.

None managed to hit him in the face, thank the gods. Rubbing his lower face, he looked up in time to see the Ursa swinging for Zanthus, able to focus on one target while the other was distracted.

Before Adam could shout out to him, Zanthus had grabbed Ursa's arm tightly. Spinning around, he managed to pull it so that he was facing Adam's direction.

Seeing his teammate, the lion Faunus shouted. "Now, Adam!"

Without wasting a single moment, he threw the Ursa with all his strength straight for him. Adam didn't think. His feet moved on instinct, all his years fighting on the road playing into his movements as he sheathed Wilt.

What little power he stored in his sword flared to life. It wasn't much, but it gave Adam that much needed boost as he unleashed it in one slash. The Ursa was unable to dodge or block it.

Powerless, its body split into halves as they travelled past where Adam was. The body pieces didn't even hit the ground before they faded away to dust. As the last Grimm drifted away from the spring breeze, the two students were left there alone.

Panting heavily, Adam turned to where Zanthus stood. He was certainly faring better than the redhead, wiping sweat off his forehead with the palm of his hand. Sunlight that managed to get through the heavy cover of the branches and leaves reflected off his tanned skin, giving him a glow compared to the paler Adam lurking in the shadows.

With a deep exhale, Zanthus turned to Adam and smiled. "How're you feeling?"

"Been better." That was an understatement. Every breath he took felt like his lungs were burning and his ribs were one tap away from shattering. Even with his Aura preventing any actual damage, it still hurts.

"Good. Worried for a moment there, not many people try to take on three Ursas on their own…" He paused with a nervous grin. "Though, I guess you like to go against the norm, huh?"

"How'd you even find me?" Adam asked suddenly, choosing to ignore the last comment.

That grin softened at the question. Hand lifting to rub the back of his neck, he rested his other one on his hip while explaining. "Honestly, I was looking for what caused that big explosion. Now that I've seen you fight, I know it wasn't you."

"No, it wasn't." Sheathing Wilt again, Adam was quiet for a moment, before deciding to come out and voice what he was thinking. "Why'd you save me?"

"Well… You looked like you needed it."

"Thanks for the faith." Adam's tone turned harsh.

Surprised, Zanthus was quick to correct himself. "That's not what I meant. Even if you and I don't agree on things, even if I think how you treat my friend is horrible, I'm not gonna walk by when someone needs my help."

As he passed by Adam, he turned to look at the other teen with a faint smile. "Besides, we're supposed to be working together to pass this. You might take a beating, but you fight pretty well."

Adam's face burned with the compliment. He always built himself up, with some even saying he had an ego, but with someone else now confessing that they see his potential too, it made him nervous and unsure what to say back.

"Uh… thanks."

"You don't get complimented a lot, do you?"

"Who says I don't?" Adam's fist clenched together as he looked away in embarrassment. "You just caught me off guard, saying stuff like that!"

Zanthus chuckled at that. Ears twitching around with every small sound, he seemed to focus on one, in particular, raising his hand to Adam while listening closely. Adam couldn't hear anything. No matter how hard he tried, he could only hear as well as any other human, and some other Faunus too.

Lowering his hand, Zanthus piped up in a serious tone. "Sounds like some heavy combat to the north. If we wanna avoid it, best to go east where there's less commotion."

"Good work." Adam complimented, gesturing to the foliage surrounding them. "Let's go, then. Keep an ear out and let us know if you hear anything suspicious."

"Sure thing, sir." The joking way he called Adam sir did not go unnoticed.

Even with the jokes and calmer air between them, the fights and Adam's behaviour before would not be so easily forgotten. Zanthus made it clear before. But even with his clear dislike of the other student, the fact that he saved him when he could've easily walked away left Adam stumped. What did he do to deserve such an act of kindness?

That same voice came back.

He thinks you can't defend yourself. He pities you, just like every other Faunus when they see your face. Poor little Adam, needing to be saved again and again and again.

Its cruel words dug deep into him. It was right, he always needed saving. It was disgusting. Pathetic. He was strong enough to do things himself, he was brave enough to do what needed to be done. No one else was trusted with the things he was. But he threw all that trust away. Blake's, Ghira's, Hajimu's… Kaanchana's.

Maybe he was pathetic.

Maybe he didn't deserve to be saved.

It was too confusing. Pushing away those feelings, he focused on the now.

Leading Zanthus through the forest, the two Faunus managed to use their skills to avoid Grimm and unnecessary fights. Still, there were no other students around them. Was the forest that big that they hadn't run into another single person out there?

After a while, Adam pushed a stray branch away from his face and looked ahead. To his surprise, rather than more forests spreading far ahead of them, a giant gorge ran right through the forest. As far as the eye could see, he glanced along the vast valley and saw the ocean in the distance, in awe of the view while Zanthus walked beside him.

"Looks like this leads to the Indigo Seas." He pointed out, moving closer to the edge while adding. "With the Emerald Forests reaching up to Vale's western coast, we can't be too far to the exit."

"Any idea what this exit even looks like? Since it all looks like trees, trees and more trees to me." Adam shrugged.

"From what I managed to get from Eirian's ramblings," Of course he got the information from Eirian. "Professor Ozpin wants us to make our way to this really old tower on the edge of the forest."

"A tower? Why'd he want us to go there?"

"No clue. Eirian kinda went off topic when I brought it up."

Rolling his eyes, Adam started moving along the edge of the cliff. Zanthus followed him, quietly for a while, but with the heavy silence starting to suffocate them as they kept walking, he piped up once more.

"I'd been meaning to ask you something."

"What?"

"What's the whole bandage deal? Like, it's hard enough doing this kinda job with two eyes."

Adam stopped in his step. Every fibre of his being tensed up, the answers running through his hard almost impossible to distinguish from one another. The words Zanthus just said didn't even seem real.

After a few moments of silence, he replied in a quiet voice. "It's personal."

"Ah… Shit." Zanthus swore, quickly adding with his hands raised. "I'm sorry for saying something so insensitive. I didn't even think before I asked."

"It's fine." It wasn't fine. Adam just didn't want to get into it, knowing that talking would bring questions, and questions would bring out the truth.

Then the truth would bring out the shame.

With the sensitive topic dropped, both students wandered further down the massive gorge. There was no bridge in sight. Nothing. With only jagged cliff sides below their feet, and a tiny river right at the bottom of the gorge, they kept moving, unable to stop in fear of being ambushed by Grimm.

Every so often, Adam glanced over at the dense forest running along the valley. He was almost certain he could see those red and yellow eyes peering from deep within. Every time he blinked, nothing was there, but that feeling remained.

Any attempt for small talk stopped after Zanthus brought the bandage up. It was something Adam was grateful for, finding his attention spread too thin to even attempt to converse with someone at that moment. Still, it stuck to the back of his mind. Almost self consciously, his hand reached up to fiddle with the thick white bandage, before he caught himself and stopped his hand before he could even reach it.

"There." Zanthus suddenly piped up, moving to Adam's side as he pointed in the far distance.

Following his finger, the bull Faunus spotted what he was pointed at. A bridge. By the look of its mossy stonework and cracked walls, it had seen better days, but that didn't matter. It was a way over the gorge.

"Come on," Adam ordered, jogging in the direction of the bridge with a relieved laugh. "Once we cross this, we'll be home free-"

"Look out down there!" A new voice screamed.

Surprised, the teenage boys stopped in their tracks. As soon as Adam looked up to where the voice came from, he was greeted with a heavy body hitting him full force.

He tumbled to the ground. Breathless, he gasped out in pain, ready to throttle whoever it was that landed right on him. As he got a good enough look at the newcomer's pained face, he let all his anger and hate out in his voice. "You."

"Oh… Hey, Adam." Eirian laughed nervously, pushing her upper body up while still sitting in his lap. "Didn't think I'd run into you."

"Eirian?! You okay?" Zanthus asked frantically, kneeling beside the girl while checking her other.

With him cupping her face, she mumbled out her response. "Yeah, I'm fine. Turns out a person is a good landing mat."

Adam scowled at that. However, Zanthus could only laugh at the scene, shaking his head as he quipped. "How'd you even get in this situation?"

Before she could answer, a scream echoed through the air. All three got to their feet, looking up in the direction of the noise. Much to their shock, and Zanthus and Adam's horror, a giant black bird flew overhead. Its massive wings dwarfed them alone, with its skull visible from where they stood.

"A Nevermore?!" Adam snapped. "How'd you even get away from it?!"

Eirian could only laugh nervously. "Well-"

"Wait a minute." Zanthus interrupted, squinting his eyes as he looked like he was trying to spot something.

With Eirian and Adam turning their attention to him, he pointed out in shock. "Isn't that the girl you were with, Adam?"

Adam left any animosity with Eirian alone as he followed Zanthus' finger. It was difficult to see from down on the ground, but when the Nevermore turned through the air to fly back towards them, he could see none other than Ruri standing on its neck. She seemed to be grabbing something, but he couldn't see what.

Exacerbated, he turned back to Eirian and snapped. "How?"

"Well…" She held onto her sword nervously. "It's a long story."