...

Adam: ...will you quit looking at me like that?!

That all depends...you repent for killing a potential waifu?

Adam: Oh, for the love of-! Are you seriously pinning that on me?! Blake the people at RoosterTeeth! Hell, blame Monty Oum for putting me through this shit!

I would...but a lot of people would be pissed if I did. So instead, I'll let them have vengeance. *points behind him to the mob with flaming machetes, machine guns and rocket launchers*

Adam: *pales and runs as the mob chases after him*

Ah, that is a sight I hope comes to pass. Well, at any rate, I'm very sorry about the long wait. With that in mind, let me welcome you back to this "never-gonna-happen-in-canon" what-if of RWBY! Bloom, Wilt and Scatter!

"If you endeavor to achieve, it will happen given enough resolve."

RWBY Fanfiction Story:

"Bloom, Wilt, and Scatter"

Volume 1, Chapter 2: Of Magicians and Ice Queens

When the Bulkhead had landed and the students began to depart, eagerly making their to Beacon Academy and explore its halls, Adam found himself in the company of the self-proclaimed magician. He wasn't too thrilled that Leonidas had decided to stick around him. He was still to jittery and anxious around humans. At the very least, he wasn't reaching for Wilt whenever someone got too close anymore. He was also glad to finally be out of that damned airship.

Now, if only he could find Blake...

"So, what's with the mask?"

...and away from this damned human.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Adam turned to Leonidas. "What about my mask?"

"Whoa, hey now." Leonidas held up his hands, a joking grin on his face. "Hold your fire. I come in peace, dude!"

"If you do, then leave me alone." he got out, turning on his heel and continuing his search for Blake. "I'm not here to mingle with humans. And my mask is none of your concern."

"Well, if you're not here to mingle, then why come to Beacon at all? I mean, both Faunus and Humans enroll here to become Huntsmen, so interacting with humans is kinda inevitable." He pointed out.

Adam knew he was right. It was pretty much expected. Especially from him -a former White Fang member. However, that didn't mean he'd have to like it. He was only here to look after Blake and become a Huntsman. Nothing more. He didn't have to get all buddy buddy with anyone else.

"My reasons for being here are none of your concern." he said to Leonidas, walking away and hoping to find Blake.

As he trudged forward, looking for his companion, Leonidas sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Real bundle of fun, that one."

Inside Beacon Academy, situated atop the tallest tower in the entire school, was the Headmaster's office. It was large and open, circular with gears whirring and clicking together like a clockwork rhythm. In this room was the Headmaster of Beacon Academy himself: Professor Ozpin. The man had messy white hair and brown eyes, wearing a formal black suit with a green undershirt.

Currently, the professor sat in his desk, patiently awaiting for the time when he would be forced to give his speech to the initiates. A tiresome time, especially when he was already ran ragged, dealing with the copius amounts of paperwork.

"I still believe that this is a bad idea." the woman in front of him, Glynda Goodwitch- a woman with pale blonde hair and green eyes, wearing a white button-up shirt with a black skirt and cape - spoke with disapproval. "Miss Belladonna, I could perhaps understand. Her actions in saving that cargo train a month ago spoke volumes...but Adam Taurus, sir?"

She had every right to be wary. Despite his young age, Adam Taurus had quickly risen among the ranks of the White Fang and became a commander of his own cell at age 17. It wasn't simply a matter of his skill she was worried about, but his mentality. The harsh temperment and anger towards humans was disconcerting. And that wasn't even taking into account the fact that he had a few deaths under his belt as well. There was blood on his hands.

While Glynda was usually not one to judge students based on their history, Adam Taurus was another case altogether.

"I believe everyone deserves a chance, Glynda." Ozpin answered smoothly, taking the moment to take a sip out of his mug. "Regardless of what they may have done in the past. Yes, young Taurus has done a great many wrongs in the past, and yet here he stands with many others at Beacon. A school that accepts Faunus and humans alike. I believe that speaks volumes."

The woman frowned heavily, doubting the man's judgement for the first time. "But, sir..."

"Have ye a bit of faith, Glynda." the professor said with a small smile. "In the meantime, we had best prepare for the introduction ceremony." A soft sigh escaped him as he stood up, taking the last sip of his mug before setting it down, grabbing his cane. "I truly do hate this part of the day. Paperwork, by itself, is the bane of my existence. Giving students a pep talk is another horrible thing."

"You should've known what you were in for when you signed up for this job, though." Glynda pointed out.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

It had not taken long before Adam found himself grasping for Wilt and Blush. For the first time since arriving on the Bulkhead, his fingers were wrapped around the handle. The only reason why it hadn't been drawn was because he remembered that he was to hold back his more...chaotic instincts. The reason behind all of this?

"You complete idiot!"

A Schnee.

A member of the family infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners. In other words, they use Faunus slave labor. The Schnee Dust Company was one of, if not biggest, oppressors of the Faunus.

If there was any humans the Bull Faunus held any true hatred for, it was most definitely that family. The girl in question was one he recognized easily: the heiress of the SDC - Weiss Schnee. Signifying her as a member of that damnable family was her snow-white hair and icy blue eyes. She was garbed in a white dress cut off mid thigh with a black lace on her chest. She wore a white long-sleeved top with a red interior and white boots that went up halfway up her shins. She wore a pair of line earrings and a silver pendant.

To his mild surprise, he found the silver-eyed girl on the floor, slightly covered in soot. Also, was his imagination, or had he seen electricity and snow flakes dancing around? Now that he thought about it, he heard an explosion earlier. Were they involved? Adam then noticed the empty vial lying at his feet.

'Dust.' he realized with a slight groan. 'Of course. One of them must have accidentally set it off.' He bent down and scooped up the vial.

"You...Unbelievable!" the Schnee growled the girl, referring to the explosion from earlier. "This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!"

"I'm really, really sorry!" the silver-eyed girl apologized meekly, pressing her fingers together.

"Ugh! You complete, dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" the Schnee leered, giving the poor girl a cold glare. "We're training to become warriors! This is no place for children!"

"W-well excuse me!" Adam smirked, noticing the fire in her eyes and how fed up she was with this woman's attitude. She had earned a few points in his book just for that. "And who are you supposed to be anyway?! A princess?!"

At this point, the former White Fang commander stepped in. "An heiress, believe it or not." he said, earning their attention. Immediately, the Schnee saw his horns and scowled. "Weiss Schnee, youngest daughter of the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company - the leading energy manufacturer in all of Remnant...particularly known for his shady business policies and under-the-table dealings."

"H-how dare you?!" She snapped in irritation.

"How dare I? Please. Given how your family truly operates, I believe I have every right to voice my opinion on the matter. Freedom of speech and whatnot, correct?" He smirked, finding slight joy in ruffling her feathers.

Behind her, the silver-eyed girl giggled. The irritation in the heiress' face grew before she eventually huffed, swiping the vial from his hand and stomping away. Seeing this, the girl bounced up to her feet. "I-I promise I'll make it up to you!" she called, though the ice queen made no indication that she heard her. Realizing that she had made a horrible impression, the girl sighed heavily and crumpled back to the ground. "Welcome to Beacon..."

"I don't think you should have to worry about her." Adam pointed out as he looked over her. "She obviously doesn't seem like a forgiving person." This only seemed to depress the girl further for some reason. Underneath his mask, Adam quirked an eyebrow. Why was she acting this way? Bah. Humans never made any sense. Still...the heiress had a point. She was a bit young. Two years younger than him and Blake. How strange. Even stranger still was the fact that she was still sitting in the middle of a decent-sized crater. "...are you going to get up?" Adam asked. The girl made no reply. He sighed, shaking his head before walking over. He wasn't sure why he was showing this sort of kindness to a human, but for some reason...there was a certain air about this girl. What, he didn't know. Didn't mean he trusted her. "Here. Gimme your hand."

The girl looked up, surprised before she smiled and gratefully accepted his hand. Adam noted how small hers were before he pulled her up to her feet. "S-so, um..." the silver-eyed girl fidgeted. "My name's R-Ruby Rose. You...?"

It took him a moment to realize what the implications of such words actually meant. He raised an eyebrow to his hairline, but eventually shrugged. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to humor her. "Taurus. Adam Taurus." he said as he turned and walked away. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a friend to find."

"W-wait! Hold on a seco-oof!" Just as she was about to chase after him, she went and tripped over her feet, causing her to faceplant to the ground once more.

The Bull Faunus turned, noticing the fall. As Ruby pushed herself up, bits of dirt on her face, a familiar memory played in his mind. Ruby's image overlapped with Blake's own back when she was young. She had just fallen to the ground, face smacking into the sand.

'...I mean, both Faunus and Humans enroll here to become Huntsmen, so interacting with humans is kinda inevitable.' Leonidas' words echoed back to him.

Adam groaned, fingers rapping against his temples. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath before walking back towards the silver-eyed girl, offering her a hand. "Come on. Get up."

Ruby saw his hand again, and a bright smile formed on her face.

Unknown to either of them, a pair of golden eyes watched them from afar, a wide smile accompanying it. "Baby steps, Adam." Blake said softly. "Baby steps."

She had watched the scene from the beginning, and she felt proud that her friend was actually helping a human. It may seem small, but it's a good first step. That being said, she was a bit apprehensive. She had seen the Schnee Heiress earlier.

'I hope Adam learns to keep his temper in check around her.' Blake prayed. His temper towards humans was bad enough, and she didn't want to see him blow up in the face of the humans who the White Fang regarded as their greatest oppressors. 'Otherwise, things could get bloody.'

"What's Menagerie like?"

Adam paused a bit, surprised by the question. "What?"

Ruby flinched somewhat, fiddling with her fingers. "W-well, you don't have to answer!" she said quickly, hoping she wasn't offending him. "I-it's just, before I left Signal, we were studying on Menagerie, and I was really curious what it was like."

"...in a word, it's crowded." He answered her. "After the Great War, the Faunus were given an island nation of their own to call home. But we were swindled by the deal as only one third of the island was inhabitable. The other two thirds are infested by violent wildlife."

"Wow, really?"

Adam nodded. "It isn't all bad, though. We've tried some expansion with little hamlets over the water. Of course, the only problem is keeping any Grimm that like to swim around in the water away."

Case in point, the little demons that were like piranhas. Sharp Tooths were quite annoying by themselves, but in great numbers they were terrifying. It had taken some thinking to find a way to keep the hamlets afloat with reinforced beams that could withstand being chewed on. Then, of course, there was the fishing aspect.

Ruby, however, still looked confused. "Why were you swindled? I mean, the Faunus haven't done anything bad, have they?"

Adam growled. "Of course we haven't!" he snapped angrily. The poor girl recoiled, making him realize how harsh he was. Cursing his own temper, he reigned himself in and bit his lip. "Humans have never liked Faunus. Not even during the Great War. All because of a few features, such as tails, scales or horns. Humans just couldn't let go over their prejudice over us even when we've officially made peace. It just infuriates me..." he scoffed.

"I...I don't think that's right. You guys deserve much of a chance as everyone else."

Her answer surprised him. Adam looked at her, looking for the slightest trace of foul play or deceit. Humans had always spout such nice words when hidden beneath was a dagger of malice.

There was none of that there.

No words of malice. No shred of deceit.

She...truly and honestly meant what she said.

'What is up with this human?' Adam wondered, confused. All humans lie. It was a fact. So why was there one as honest as she was? Then he realized what he was thinking of and shook his head. 'Feh. Whatever...'

Afterwards, the conversation turned silent and awkward. The two walked in silence, unsure of what to say. Ruby seemed as if she was struggling to find something to say, whereas Adam was content with the silence, albeit still distracted.

Eventually, the girl found a way to break the silence. "So, uh...I got this."

Adam looked at her, and instantly his hand went to Wilt's hilt as she whipped out her weapon - a red rifle. Then it unfurled, extending into a giant red scythe - barrel right at the head. The blade went deep into the ground, cracking apart the pavement. The sudden action sent him on edge, and immediately believed she was trying to harm him. After a second passed, he realized she had a large grin on her face.

"This is Crescent Rose! She's my sweetheart~"

She wasn't trying to harm him...she was only trying to show off her weapon.

...well, she could've been more subtle about it...

'I really am getting paranoid.' Adam thought as he lowered his arm. "Bit of warning next time." he said, causing Ruby to blush and rub the back of her head. "Impressive weapon. You built it yourself?"

"Yep. Forged it myself at Signal." She cooed as she hugged her weapon. "It's also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle!"

"Interesting choice of weaponry. From what I know, scythes are not easy weapons to handle in combat. And the sniper rifle is an unusual choice, but understandable given the length of it."

Ruby giggled. "Yeah, but I had a cool teacher. Plus, it was worth it!" She removed her scythe from the ground and folded it back into its rifle form, stowing it away. "So, what kind of weapon do you have, Adam?"

Adam was hesitant in showing her his weapon at first. He didn't trust just anyone with handling Wilt and Blush. But then again, she did show off her weapon first, and she did nothing to distrust her yet...so he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Slowly, he removed the sheathed sword from his belt and held it up to her.

"I didn't make it myself." he said, handing it to her. "But I did give an outline of what I was going for."

"Whoa..." she gasped in amazement as she took the weapon in hand.

Wilt and Blush, in her hands, was a sheathed red sword: a chokutō to be precise. It was average in length, but the curved sharpness to it was rather impressive. The sheathe, from what she observed, was akin to some sort of rifle or shotgun, given the obvious mechanisms that would turn it into a firearm of sorts. To someone who liked complicated weapons, it was rather simple and ordinary.

To Ruby Rose, however, it was yet another work of art.

It was so simplistic, yet extremely effective. The mechanisms of the sheath could propel the sword for a faster drawing strike similar to how she uses Crescent Rose's rounds to add momentum to her attacks.

"Cool. Does it have a name?"

"Wilt and Blush." Adam replied as Ruby handed it back to him. "So, is your curiosity done and over with?"

Ruby nodded. "Mmhm!" A pause. "Actually...do you know where the auditorium is?"

The Bull Faunus stared at her innocent face for several seconds before he scowled. For the upteenth time today, he wanted to strangle Blake. Already, he was missing his brothers and sisters in the White Fang.

At least they weren't so innocent that he felt comfortable enough being around.

It had not taken long to find the auditorium. Ruby was immensely surprised when she saw how packed it was. Adam, however, found it normal. Beacon Academy was, after all, one of the most prestigious Huntsmen Academies in the world. Such a large crowd was to be expected. "Ruby!" a familiar voice called. Looking over, Adam saw the blonde girl from before back on the Bulkhead. "Over here! I saved you a spot!"

"Oh, there's Yang!" Ruby said with relief before bowing her head to Adam. "S-sorry, I gotta go! Talk to you later, Adam!" Before he had a chance to say something, she was already running away.

The swordsman found himself wondering what was up with that girl yet again before shrugging his shoulders. He spotted Blake nearby. She was hanging around at the back of the accumulated crowd, her nose in a book. However, she heard his approach coming long before he realized his feet were moving automatically. Smiling a Cheshire-like smile, she closed her book and saw his irritated face. "A good ten minutes around a human who's been talking to you, and they're still alive." she said teasingly. "I do believe that is a new record."

"Shut it." he snapped. "Besides, she's like the rest of the idiots here."

"Hm, I wonder about that..." Blake said before her eyes softened. "Are you alright?"

Adam snorted. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were talking to the Schnee Heiress." she pointed out, causing him to flinch. "Adam...look, I know. It's a lot to ask, but for my sake, can you at least try to be civil?"

"Civil?! Blake, her family-"

"-has caused us a lot of grief, I know." she cut him off, putting a finger on his lips. "But you never know. She might not even be that bad. At the very least...try and keep hostilities down to a minimum?"

Adam wanted to bite back in retort, but he held his tongue. He knew how much they were risking just by being here. Especially him. There had always been the chance that someone was to recognize him.

"...fine." he finally got out, crossing his arms. "But don't expect much."

Blake rolled her eyes. "Just at least try. That's all I'm asking."

"Alright..." he nodded. "But if she says or does anything...I'm putting her in her place."

While the girl was a bit disappointed with his answer, she knew it was a bit much to be expecting anything more. She was lucky he even agreed to this. The auditorium soon began to grow quiet when Ozpin stepped into view, his cane in hand and Glynda Goodwitch standing a ways behind him. He cleared his throat - evident by his hand at his throat - before he stepped in front of the microphone.

"I'll... keep this brief." he said, voice even. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people."

Adam rolled his eyes as he leaned against the wall, folding his arms. That was just the human being optimistic. He was willing to bet that the majority of the crowd was only in it for money. Huntsmen were paid handsomely, after all. The money alone was a good prospect for someone to take up training, provided they stuck with it.

However, the man's next words brought forth a curious unease and confusion. "But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction." Ozpin spoke, causing everyone to whisper to each other. What was the man trying to get at? "You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

With that said, Ozpin stepped back and walked away.

Now THAT wasn't quite he was expecting from the man. A sense of harsh realism. A reality check. That it's up to them to forge their own paths.

A smirk formed on his face. It seemed the Headmaster wasn't an optimistic fool, after all.

"You will all gather in the ballroom this evening." Glynda continued where the Headmaster left off, giving them instructions. "Initiation begins tomorrow. Be ready."

After speaking her piece, she walked off the stage as well.

The students were still left in slight unease by Ozpin's words to them. They were hardly encouraging, yet Adam found himself oddly anticipating what Initiation had in store for him. Blake, on the other hand, looked disinterested as she stowed away her book. "I suppose we should head to the Main Hall." she said, looking at her brother figure. "You coming, Adam?"

"Nowhere else to go, other than hallways." he snarked, trailing behind her with his hands in his pockets. "And by the way...Ninjas of Love? Really?"

"Shut up." She frowned with a blush. "It's a good book."

Adam sighed, shaking his head. Why on Earth did he let her read novels like that again? All they were was pretty much steamy graphic pornography. Moreover, where in the hell did she even get into that kind of stuff? Good lord, if Ghira or Kali found out about this...

'Well...that's something I'd rather not look forward to.'

"Well well, look who it is! My favorite anti-social bull!"

'I'm going to kill them.' the darker aspects of Adam's mind swore as his eyebrow twitched violently. 'I'm going to kill all of them. Starting with Blake for leaving me behind!'

"I thought..." Adam snarled, glaring at the grinning face of Leonidas from his spot near Blake's own, where she had temporarily left to change into her night clothes. "I told you to leave me alone?"

"You did earlier. But now it's later, so I figured I can see you again. Besides, we were bound to run into one another since we're all crashing here for the night." He gestured to the ballroom around them.

Adam scowled. He wasn't wrong there...but he was still hoping to avoid any contact with humans. Especially a certain white-haired princess. "Anyway...you mind if me and two others crash here?" Leonidas asked. For the first time, his smile was gone and instead replaced with a small frown. "The place is packed and, well...one of the new friends I made today feels kinda...uncomfortable."

The former Fang commander raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

"How do I put this without risking my head getting lopped off...? Well, she has...horns. And they like to stick out. Worse than yours do. And it causes a lot of people to stare, and well, she feels uncomfortable!" He paused. "That, and her boyfriend is like you: he looks ready to kill everyone in the room just because of the way they look at her."

That grabbed Adam's attention. A Faunus girl and her boyfriend? The latter of whom acting similar to him? Now he was curious. Still, if he was saying the truth, then well...he couldn't very much ignore a fellow Faunus' plight. Sighing, he gave a wave of the hand. "Do what you want."

"Thank you~" Leonidas grinned before he turned around, yelling: "Hey guys! Found us a spot!"

"Great. Now we can get away from the gawking idiots." A male voice said in relief.

"E-Edan!" A female voice admonished him.

Two teenager approached the red haired duo. The first one was male, standing as tall as Adam with a slim build and tanned complexion. He was garbed in a dark blue, hooded coat with the sleeves rolled up, silver bracers encasing his forearms. He wore a pair of dark jeans and black combat boots. Around his waist was a belt with a silver buckle and a sheathed katana strapped to the side. The hood was pulled over his head, hiding his hair save for the few strands of dark blue peeking out. His eyes were sharp and had electric blue irises. The most prominent feature of him were the pair of horns protruding from his forehead, a dark blue in color.

The female next to him was a few inches shorter and had a slender, developed figure. She wore a black tank top with a violet jacket over it. She also wore a black skirt that fell to her knees with leggings underneath. She had a pair of shin guards around her legs and like her friend, also wore combat boots. Her raven black hair was long, easily reaching her lower back. Her eyes were a bright shade of violet. Like the male, she too had a pair of horns. However, hers were a tad more wicked looking and protruded from her forehead, black as ebony. Around her waist was a cane.

While the male's expression was a tad abrasive, the female seemed a tad timid.

Adam blinked in surprise. 'Two Faunus'?' From what Leonidas told him, only the girl was a Faunus - a Ram to be more exact if he was correct. The male, on the other hand, was like him - a Bull Faunus. What were the odds?

"This is Edan and Mary." Leonidas introduced them with a grin, hands behind his head. "And to the married couple, this is Adam."

"L-Leonidas!" the Ram Faunus: Mary, cried with a bright red face. "W-we're not married!"

Edan snorted, rolling his eyes at the magician before looking at Adam. Because of his mask, it was hard to tell if they were having a staring contest, yet not long after did the Blue Bull smirk somewhat, offering a hand. "Flaemis. Pleasure."

"Taurus." he greeted back, shaking his hand. "Likewise."

Adam and Edan silently gauged one another, and upon getting a feel for the other's character. And going by the current behavior, they seemed to have some respect for one another. Something that threw Leonidas for a loop. "Oh, come on. Seriously?" he sighed. "He doesn't like me, but one meeting with Blue over here and they're buds? That's jacked up."

"I don't have a very...high opinion of humans." Adam stated firmly as he let go of Edan's hand. Leonidas thought it was a rather huge understatement, especially since he long since noticed how jittery he was back on the Bulkhead, surrounded by humans everywhere.

Strangely, though, the magician didn't mind as he shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess." he said before he plopped his things down. "And again, thanks. Now then!" Soon, his grin returned as he clapped his hands, looking at three Faunus eagerly. "Would any of you be interested in a magic trick?"

"Again? Dude, you already showed us two since met you. Just how many do you have up your sleeves?" Edan asked.

"Sure..." Mary voiced her desire to see another one.

Adam, however, wasn't interested. He immediately tuned the human out, knowing that said trick was probably related to his semblance, and went back to what he was doing: meditating. As much as he hated to say it, he knew Blake had a point. He had been on edge ever since they boarded the airship, and being around humans for so long as making him anxious. He knew he would draw Wilt at some point out of sure paranoia, so meditating helped calm his nerves.

It also helped clear his mind of more troubling thoughts. Particularly ones of anxiety about the future. No doubt Sienna Kahn is aware of their defection by now...and it made things even more troublesome.

Ever since his rise to power as one of Sienna's most trusted, he earned quite a bit of influence and power. Many had joined primarily because of his charisma. Now that he had abandoned it, there was surely going to be trouble. Sienna would no doubt be concerned by this and try and have him ended. There was also the possibility that she would try and hide news of his defection. If so many joined because of his charisma and abilities, what would happen if one of the most powerful and influential members of the Fang suddenly turned tail coat?

Adam did not consider himself a traitor. He was simply looking out for Blake, as per his promise to Ghira. However, he doubted his brothers and sisters in the Fang would see it that way. They would see it as him giving up at best, as highly unlikely as it is, or a traitorous scumbag who wasted all their time and effort at worst.

He knew for certain, at the very least, that should he meet any of his bretheren from the Fang...it was going to be quite the interesting reunion.

In the meantime, though, he had more important matters to attend to. For starters, Initiation. The teachers had been careful about releasing information in regards, but from what he understood, everyone would be placed into a group composed of four members. While he still didn't know anything about the selection, he did know that, if dealt correctly, he wouldn't have to deal with a certain heiress.

He could already picture the headlines if he were paired with her: "Faunus kills Weiss Schnee, heiress to the SDC. Riots ensue."

'I really do hate this...' he thought, shaking his head. He looked over to where Blake was. She was near the other end of the hall, reading her book...or at least attempting to. Ruby and the blonde woman were attempting to speak with her about something. 'Remind me again, why did I promise Ghira I'd look after her?'

In the end, though, he already knew the answer. He shrugged his shoulders and decided it was time to go to sleep. Leonidas was showing off a typical card trick, albeit normal from his perspective as he was most likely using a normal trick instead of one performed with his Semblance. Mary looked positively enthralled while Edan didn't look too much impressed.

Before Adam went to sleep, though, he wondered why in the holy hell that blonde kid was wearing a onesie of all things?

The morning had come quickly...far too quickly.

"Waaaaake up, lazy butt!"

Adam growled in annoyance as he tried fruitlessly to go back to sleep, only for a gratingly obnoxious voice chatting away. Eventually, he realized it was pointless and pulled himself up, looking for the source of the nuisance. Maybe if he used his sword to cut her down...maybe then he'd get some sleep.

"It's morning~ It's morning~ Iiiiiit's morning~!"

The idea was just soooo tempting right about now.

The girl who disturbed his precious sleep had short orange hair and turquoise eyes. Her clothing was a mix and match of some sort, with different colors and themes. She wore a collared black vest that ended at her waist. Her apparent emblem, a hammer with a lightning bolt, was found on the back.

Under the vest were two layers of clothing, colored red and light-blue respectively. She sported a turquoise bow at the back of her skirt. She also wore a white sleeveless top that forms a tiny heart shape between her cleavage and collarbone, with a white detached sleeve on each arm. She wore matching fingerless gloves on each hand.

She sported a pink skirt that starts at the waist and ends mid-thigh. Her shoes were a mix of pink and white with pink laces, displaying her emblem on their soles. She also wore armor that began in the middle of the shoulder and neck and ends by the waist.

As it turned out, her morning screech was directed at a male like himself. He had long black hair tied into a ponytail that ended midway down his back. There was a magenta streak on the left side of his hair. His eyes were pale pink, and wore a dark green, diagonally-buttoned, long-sleeved tailcoat that was red on the inside, with black and gold trimming and pink cuffs. The trimming went down the right side of his torso and formed a black collar. He also wore a black, long-sleeved shirt beneath the suit, and light-tan pants with black shoes.

And like Adam, the poor man look dead tired.

Silently, the man pitied the poor soul. It must not have been easy for him to endure what seemed to be an abundant source of energy. Shaking his head, he slipped on his mask and stood up, stretching out the irritating creaks in his body. He rubbed the back of his neck, noting how uncomfortable the floor was, sleeping bag be damned. He gave a quick look around the room and found that mostly everyone was on their way to waking up.

Among which was Leonidas, though going by how he was already on his Scroll, he was probably awake for a while now.

"Seriously, old man, I'll be fine!" the magician said with a small grin on his face. "The fogeys don't even know I'm here. Besides, I think I made my point when my a-hole of a brother came around. Speaking of family stuff, how's everyone back home?"

The Bull Faunus quirked an eyebrow. Who was he talking to? Oh well, not like it was any of his business. He saw Edan and Mary not too far away, making their way to the mess hall.

*growl*

...he may as well follow their example. After all, one does not fight on an empty stomach.

"So...what's with the mask?"

Adam looked up, finding Leonidas taking a seat next to him much to his annoyance. Mary, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind whatsoever. Edan stared at him with a neutral expression after asking the question. "What's it to you?" Adam questioned back. "And you asked that same question the other day."

"Nothing really. Just plain curiosity." the magician shrugged his shoulders, tossing a grape into his mouth. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it looks pretty cool...but if you ain't careful, some people might think you're with the White Fang." Adam narrowed his eyes, but the magician wasn't fazed. Instead, he shrugged his head to the few people in the mess hall. Some were giving him weary glances, whereas others were openly glaring at him. "You know, the Headmaster posted something about how all Faunus and humans are treated equally, but so far all I see are a bunch of racist kids."

Mary frowned heavily. "I know...I wonder how hard it must be for the senior students, having to deal with them for four years."

"Well, on the plus side, they're a bit more badass than everyone here, so I doubt they'll even think about trying anything." Leonidas shrugged. "So, how do you think teams will be made?"

Edan shrugged. "Who cares?" he said, stealing a bite out of his sandwich. "So long as its someone I can tolerate."

"And hopefully with your wife?" Mary's face burned while Edan growled. "Oh, dude! C'mon! You practically swoon over her like a husband would over his dedicated wife! Not to mention the fact the two of you cuddled!"

Adam rolled his eyes. "You really do have a death wish, don't you?"

"What can I say? I'm a special kind of guy." the odd-eyed teen grinned. "But seriously, anyone know how teams are done?"

"No clue." The blue haired Faunus shook his head. "I asked some people, but it's either they don't know, or they're purposely hiding information. Seems like we're supposed to wait and see what happens."

Leonidas groaned. "Laaaame..."

"Meh. Not knowing only adds more to the fun, I guess." He shrugged.

Mary tilted her head curiously as she looked at Adam. "Say, Adam?" she asked kindly. "Why did you decide to come to Beacon?" A moment later, a guilty look crossed her features. "I-if you don't mind me asking!"

"...I don't really mind..." Adam shook his head. "...but let's just say, I'm only here to keep an eye on a friend. And maybe get a new perspective on things."

That gained a curious look from the girl. "Really? Like what?"

"That's for me to know, and you to find out."

He hadn't meant to say it so hostility. In truth, he had no qualms about speaking with a fellow Faunus. He just simply didn't want to reveal too much information. Being surrounded by so many humans, and so many prying ears, made him damn paranoid. Even here, he found his hand inching to the hilt of his blade. Mary seemed a bit disheartened by his answer, but she otherwise nodded in acceptance. Afterwards, the group ate in silence.

After cleaning up and eating, Adam had reached the locker rooms. Students were already preparing themselves for the battle that lay ahead of them. He took in the sight, seeing their weapons of various choices and styles while sizing them up. Any one of these people could possibly be his future teammate, and he wanted to know what he would have to work with.

"Oh, come on, where is it...?" the blonde from last night, the one wearing the blue onesie, muttered as he looked at his Scroll, looking at the lockers. "Where's my locker...I know I didn't put it in 636!"

Adam rolled his eyes. Nerves, probably. He found his locker easily before opening it, retrieving Wilt and Blush. As he did so, he heard a familiar voice call out from behind. "You ready for Initiation?" He looked over his shoulder, finding Blake with Gambol Shroud at her back. He gave a simple, curt nod. His friend smiled thinly before she looked around. "I see the three from earlier aren't here with you."

"The human with the card tricks is annoying." Adam easily made his distaste known to her. "I hope I'm not saddled with him on my team."

"I didn't think he was so bad. The card tricks he was showing off were rather interest." Blake hummed. She then furrowed her brow. "I feel sorry for that Mary girl, though. Ram Faunus easily have it the worst."

"Tell me about it..." Adam nodded in agreement. "At least she has Edan. I heard he keeps gawking idiots away from her."

It wasn't just simply with the horns. Ram Faunus were often persecuted by other Faunus as wells, or at the very least, religious ones. Adam had no real interest in faith and whatnot, but even he and other White Fang members found it rather distasteful and idiotic how their brothers and sisters would act like the humans they hated and judge their own kind. It was hypocritical at best.

Still, he was rather curious. Leonidas was rather correct about one thing: if what he saw between Mary and Edan was any indication, they were most certainly romantically involved. He wondered how exactly that came into be, but he wasn't about to press the matter. What other people did was none of his business.

In the meantime, he should be-

"Oh, Adam!"

Unconsciously, he flinched and turned, finding silver eyes staring at him in wonder. Grimacing, he waved back at the weapons fanatic in front of him. "Hello again, Rose..."

"I didn't know you were already here. How was your morning? Are you excited about the Initiation? I can't wait..." And then she continued to babble excitedly.

As she went on, Blake shot him an amused look. Adam scowled. "Not. One Word."

"Whoa, slow down there, sister..." The blonde woman came up from behind Ruby, grabbing her shoulder and ceasing her rapid fire talks. "Any faster and you'll tucker yourself out." At that moment Ruby took a moment to catch her breath, finally calming down. Adam was grateful for her intervention. The blonde then noticed the two and smiled, waving a hand at them. "Nice to meet ya. I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister."

She held out a hand towards Blake. The Cat Faunus smiled somewhat, accepting the hand. "Blake. This is Adam."

"I know. Ruby talked a bit about him. First friend she made yesterday."

Blake raised a curious eyebrow while Ruby herself had a small blush on her face. The former looked at Adam curiously, who scowled. "First friend, huh..." she remarked slyly. "How interesting. I'm glad you're following my advice."

"Piss off."

"Swear!" Ruby said fiercely, causing the two Faunus' to blink.

"Ignore her." Yang ruffled her sister's head. "She does this all the time when someone swears. An ingrained habit I guess."

"I...see..." Adam said slowly before he shrugged. "At any rate, nice to meet you."

"Yeah. So you guys ready for Initiation?"

"More or less."

"By the way, do you know how teams are going to be done?" Yang asked curiously. "I tried asking a teacher, but..."

"I guess we'll find out today." Adam responded as he slipped Wilt and Blush into the holster at his back. His lips curled into a small grin as he looked back at Ruby. "I imagine the short one over there will be happy to use her weapon."

Ruby's cheeks puffed. "How rude!" she said before her cheeks deflated as a wide grin on her face. "But can't say you're wrong! After all, no more talking to people!" She held her Crescent Rose in her hands, her cheek nuzzling against its metal. "Now I get to let my sweetheart do all the talking~"

Blake stared at her, face unreadable before she turned to Yang. "...she doesn't get out much, does she?"

"I like to think it's more like social awkwardness." Yang answered with a small shrug. She then looked over to Ruby. "Also, Ruby, don't forget. You're not the only one going through Initiation today. You need to learn how to talk and interact with others somehow."

"Ugh, you sound like Daaaad!" Ruby groaned, her earlier enthusiasm gone. "First off, how does meeting people have to do with fighting? Secondly, I don't to meet people to grow up!" She huffed her chest and crossed her arms, a proud smile on her face. "I. Drink. Milk!"

'...nope.' Adam swore in his mind as he quickly took his leave. 'Not touching that. I am not getting involved with human idiocy any further.' In his haste, he accidentally bumped into the blonde teen's shoulder, causing the latter to stumble. "H-hey! Watch it!" the boy cried, though much to his chagrin Adam was already walking away. Blake silently followed, bowing her head in apology to the blonde and leaving him frowning. "Talk about rude...eh. Maybe he's just nervous." He then went back to his Scroll and frowned. "Now where is that freaking locker?!"

The Faunus duo continued walking, brushing past the Schnee heiress and a red-haired girl clad in bronze colored armor. Adam wanted to minimize human interaction as much as possible. He decided to try and find Edan and Mary while hoping to avoid Leonidas. Now don't get him wrong, he held nothing against Leonidas, but he was just...too close and personal for him. It was wrong of him, maybe, but he didn't come here to try and get to know humans unless absolutely forced to. That much would be a given once classes were to begin and once he was placed on a team.

That did not mean he would have to like it, however.

It was not long before Initiation had been close to beginning. Adam never found Edan and Mary, so he decided to head to the cliffs that overlooked the lush green forest that spread out as far as they eye could see. In a single, straight line every applicant of Beacon Academy stood on plates. Adam was rather suspicious, but instead of questioning it, he focused his attention on the two teachers before him.

Glynda Goodwitch and the Headmaster himself, Ozpin.

"...for years you have trained to become warriors." the man began, his face solemn and serious with cane in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. "And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

"Now," Glynda took over the explanation, her Scroll held in her hand. "I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion." She pushed up her glasses, creating a glare. "Each of you will be given teammates... TODAY."

Ruby's face dropped. "W-what?" she mumbled, no suddenly scared. They were going to get teammates today?! B-but it was the first day! Why so suddenly?! Ooooh, she wasn't ready for this!

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon." Ozpin stated. "So it is within your best interest to be paired with someone whom you work well with."

Ruby whined further as she cast a glance at Yang, who looked eager to begin as she was found cracking her knuckles, a wry grin on her face, definitely anticipating action. Okay, she had given some thought to joining another team, provided they seemed nice... but after hearing that? It was official, she was DEFINITELY going to be on the same team as Yang. She was the only she knew here, well minus Adam, but he seemed so serious and uptight.

"That said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

With those words, Ruby felt her world shatter apart. "What?!"

Adam, on the other hand, felt himself even more paranoid than he was already. Teams decided by simply encountering someone and making eye contact? What kind of way to decide who your partner was was that?! That was foolish and reckless! For all they knew, someone's partner would be too conceited for foolish and could possibly drag them down!

It was even worse for him. He was already paranoid to be around a human. Partnering with one was even worse. Especially a human that, for all he knew, was just as bad as every other damn human on Remnant. He shifted over to Blake, who didn't seem the least bit concerned about what she just heard.

She had it easy. She got along better with others than he could, especially humans(in other words, she would just remain quiet and aloof). As it currently stood, he had three chances out of several to get a partner that he at the very least respected: Blake, Edan, and Mary.

If it was Leonidas...well, he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"After you've partnered up, make your way up to the northern end of the forest." he instructed them. "You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path, or you will die."

Now THAT suited Adam just fine. What's an Initiation without some sort of challenge?

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your Initiation." Ozpin said as he looked to Glynda. "But our instructors will not intervene." He then turned back to the Initiates. "You will then find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one relic, and then return to the Cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately." He took a drink of his coffee before continuing. "Are there any questions?"

The blonde teen, Jaune Arc, raised his hand. "Yeah, um, sir-"

"Good! Now, take your positions."

Ozpin outright ignored Jaune, and allowed the students to take their stances. Ruby slipped herself into a running stance, while Yang rubbed her wrists, ready to begin as she slipped on a pair of aviators. Adam fell into a stance, his feet spaced apart and his body left at an angle, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his blade. Jaune still held up his hand. "Uh, sir? I've got a question." He failed to notice the Schnee Heiress being launched into the air, her form turning into a white streak across the blue backdrop above them. Now, the former Fang Leader realized the importance of the platforms. "So, this landing strategy thing, uh, w-what is it? Are you...are you like, dropping us off?"

"No. You will be falling." Ozpin answered bluntly.

Unknown to the blonde knight, the black-haired male, Lie Ren, was thrown into the air, followed by a teen wearing heavy armor and a mace.

"Oh...I see...So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?" Jaune was getting more antsy by the second.

"Woohoo!" Nora was launched next.

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy."

"Uh...huh..." Jaune was still uncertain. Meanwhile, Yang looked at her sister and winked before slipping on a pair of aviators. Ruby gave a determined grin as she was launched next. Adam was soon launched into the air, letting his body sail through the air. Following him was Blake, equally as composed. Now it was only Jaune left with Ozpin and Glynda.

"So, uh...what exactly is a landing strataGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY...?!" The blonde could barely finish his question before he was launched and sent tumbling into the air, heels over head.

The Headmaster of Beacon calmly turned around to watch the soaring students and took a sip of coffee from his ever-present mug. "...this should be an interesting year."

Glynda rolled her eyes. "That is what you say every year, Oz."

"Doesn't stop me from saying it, nonetheless."

Adam soared through the air, remaining alert of his surroundings and calculating the appropriate time and location to land in the forest.

As he neared the tops of the trees, he unsheathed Wilt. Soon, his descent began to slow and was now flying through the treetops. He slashed away at any branches that came to close for comfort while using Blush to propel him in other directions. As the momentum of his fall slowed, he aimed his rifle/sheathe upward and pulled the trigger, sending him back to the ground.

With a grunt, the Bull Faunus landed on the ground in a crouch. Slowly, he stood back up and looked around. He found no Grimm in the area. 'The temple is just north of here.' he thought as he slowly began to make his approach, sliding Wilt back into Blush, but keeping it close at his side. He didn't know what kind of Grimm inhabited the Forest, so he had to remain vigilant. 'Preferably, I don't want a partner unless its Blake or the two from last night.' He paused in his thinking, realizing that there was a tolerable human he could partner with...but ideally, he was aiming to succeed by himself.

He did the same when he rose through the ranks o the White Fang, and he was determined to do so here as well. He wasn't here to make friends. He was here to keep an eye on Blake and get stronger.

He didn't need any nuisances.

Soon, Adam came upon a small clearing. As he did, he heard the sound of rustling and heavy breathing. Immediately, his body tensed and fell into a combat stance. His hand wrapped around Wilt's handle, eyes peering out wearily for the Grimm no doubt hiding in the darkness.

It was an instinct honed many times throughout training. The sound of rustling continued. A fallen branch snapped in two.

His eyes trained to the left side in his field of vision. Inside the bushes, he saw two glowing orbs staring him down.

A tense moment of silence passed. For a while, there was nothing. Adam remained where he was, waiting for the moment of battle to begin. The shadows hiding in the darkness remained where they were. After a few seconds, it may have seemed like they relented.

Then, a large shadow with four long limbs, bearing fangs and cold, murderous red eyes leaped out. Adam withdrew Wilt, the blade coming into view as it pulled out of its holdings. The Beowolf lunged, claws stretched out-

"Incoming!"

-only to be cut apart by white gleams. Its body, cut through several places and limbs falling apart like a doll with its make ripped out of the many sockets and joints, fell to the floor and began to break apart into black smoke. Bewildered, Adam turned around. Behind him was a familiar face with mismatched eyes, a star-shaped tattoo on his cheek, coupled with a smile as his hands caught what looked like blank playing cards, the edges stained in black.

"Well, looks like you're out of luck, Adam." Leonidas said with a teasing grin. "Looks like you're stuck with this human. Oh, by the way, you may wanna turn back around."

Whirling back around, Adam pulled Wilt out in a streak of red, slicing through an approaching Beowolf and sending its bisected halves to the ground. Pouring out from the foliage of the forest were more black wolves, though accompanying them were boars with black skin and ivory plating covering their bodies. Soon, the two teens found themselves encircled and trapped.

Adam swore. Not because of the Grimm around him, but because of the fact that he had looked the human behind him in the eye.

They were now partners.

Unknown to his newfound partner's obvious distaste, the magician grinned. "Alright~ It's showtime!"

The two then charged into the fray. The Grimm met them head-on. Soon, their battle mixed with the sounds of flesh being cut through by sharp blades and gunfire resounding into the air.

To Be Continued...

Preview for the Next Episode:

Shortly after arriving at Beacon, Adam Taurus encounters the silver-eyed girl, Ruby Rose and befriends two Faunus: Edan Flaemis, a Bull Faunus like himself and a girl named Mary Blutvene. When Initiation begins, Adam finds himself partnering with Leonidas, the magician he met on the Bulkhead. There is no respite for the four, as soon they face the shadows that lurk in the Emerald Forest. How will their fates tie into the red-cloaked huntress and the blonde knight? And what will come of this newfound union?

Next Episode: Mess with the Bull, You get the Horns

A/N: Well, that's it everybody. The end of chapter 2! For anyone who's read this I hoped you enjoyed it! Later losers! See ya next chapter!

P.S: Review this chapter with the utmost honesty, I shall sic a sugar-high rabid Nora on your ass.