Loss. People as a society acknowledge it and growing up, most experience it.
But what is loss?
Is it simply a lack of something? Is loss the concept of belongings whether it's physical or mental being forcefully stolen? What does it define?
There will never be a clear answer.
However, one consistent meaning that has been universally shared is that to experience loss is to experience suffering.
Right now, a young teenage girl named Yang Xiao-Long was suffering.
"Just leave me alone," Yang said, head tilted down in the window's direction.
A second of silence and a few footsteps later, she stopped by the door. "I love you." Ruby left the room, her heart aching and her innocence damaged.
Wiping the tears from her face that she was hiding, she refused to show the pain she was in.
The realization that her biological mother might not care about her didn't break her. The loss of her arm and her inability to help those she loves was removed but she stood her ground. Team RWBY was separated and she couldn't do anything about it but she didn't crack.
Under no circumstances no matter how painful or tough it was did she display weakness.
Yang Xiao-Long never did and never will. Not now.
So why?
Why were the tears falling now?
Why does it freaking hurt so much?
Drip by drip, her emotions overpowered her. They kept coming and she couldn't stop. It finally hit her that she lost nearly everything. Her dream, her team, her goals. The only thing she had was her family and life.
Her damaged limb ached in silent pain. Her other arm held on it to stop the phantom attacks her mind was giving her. Squeezing harder, she hoped to have the physical pain overpower the mental one. Unfortunately, it backfired and she was forced to deal with both.
Weak.
She hated it. She hated this feeling. It's been so long.
Broken.
She hated the idea her disability limited her. She hated the looks her family gave her.
Worthless.
She hated the feeling of not being good enough. She hated that the advice from past teachers or others mocked her every time she glanced at her arm.
Helpless.
She hated the feeling of being useless. She hated how she couldn't do anything.
Lonely.
She hated the feeling of needing others. She hated how she missed the presence of the sister she dismissed in her anger.
Resignation.
She hated the fact that the world kept moving and she had to accept that. She hated how her temper was what caused this and no amount of regrets can get it back.
Pain.
She hated this feeling the most. It was what caused her to shed tears.
Her door creaked, followed by a silent thud. She sniffled and went back to her self-loathing.
Someone was in the room and she didn't bother acknowledging the person until his voice registered in her ears.
"Hello."
Hearing the eerily familiar voice that destroyed her sleep, she tensed as she slowly looked up, wishing that it wasn't true.
At the door was someone who dealt both physical and psychological damage to her, Adam Taurus. Everything about him was the same as Yang remembered aside from the change in jackets and a blue and black color scheme instead of a red and black one. From his body language, he was neutral at best and how he kept his arms to the side instead of on his weapon was something he did to let her relax.
Unfortunately, one singular emotion came over her like a hood and her body burned. The temperature in the room heated up and her eyes became blood red. Adam noticed a decent amount of murderous desire in her wrathful gaze and didn't comment.
Suddenly, she cackled pitifully and slumped on her bed. "Oh, I get it. I'm hallucinating. I'm going through some kind of PTSD or something. Why would the bloodthirsty psycho ex-boyfriend of my missing partner visit me?" She sneered, perfectly content with her conclusion. "The mental damage must be running deep. Therapy doesn't sound that bad all of a sudden."
Adam raised an eyebrow. "I assure you. I am no hallucination."
She blinked. Then again. Squinting her eyes, she pinched her thigh under her covers to confirm what he said.
"You!" she snarled, her lone hand clenching the bedsheets and a small part of her clothing.
"Yes. Me. I wish to speak with you." he declared calmly, resulting in a spark of fury from the young adult.
Her Aura flared to life and her hair illuminated like a blazing fire. "Speak! SPEAK!" Yang shouted, her mind generating 'kind' words to say to him. "You took my arm and you want to speak!"
Adam heard her and reigned in his emotions. "We were both under circumstances that led to your arm being severed. Keep in mind, had I angled my aim, it would've been your head if I desired." Yang gritted her teeth. "However, I am not here to gloat nor remind you of your failure. I came...with an offer."
"Offer? Offer! What the hell can you offer me? Death?"
"No. If I wanted to kill you, our conversation at the present would've been non-existent." He approached her as she visibly recoiled.
"Then what do you want? What more do you want to take from me!"
"Nothing," he immediately replied to her suspicion. "I want nothing from you. This is...more of a one-sided deal."
"Don't want it. Go bother someone else."
"Your arm." He got her listening. "Your goals. Your ambitions. I can return them."
Yang didn't know how long she needed to process his words. She had to question if her brain truly acquired the right information from her ears. Only after repeating his lines a few times did she catch up and she felt like punching him.
"...you're lying," she accused. "You're only here to mock me."
"In exchange, I want your forgiveness."
Yang slammed her fist on the bed. "You can't forgive and forget someone who cut your arm off!"
"I understand. I only ask that you try."
Warily eying him, she came to a realization after making some connections. "Look. If-"
"This is not for Blake."
Now she was genuinely confused. Yang was certain that this was some twisted method of retrieving Blake.
"Then why?"
Adam inhaled deeply. "Redemption."
"Don't lie to me...!"
"When I slept last night, all I saw was Blake's pained expression. I reasoned that she deserved everything I did to her for her betrayal...but...it bothered me." His voice strained as raw emotions escaped him. "I love Blake. Causing her the grief that I did; it's unforgivable. I understand that now."
"You got that right," she said, her eyes a darker shade of purple but still keeping its fierce edge.
"I'm told that I'm very bull-headed so it's hard for me to comprehend emotions. Blame my genetics." Adam released a small grin before wiping it off.
Yang herself resisted the smile forming on her lips as he intentionally made a bull pun.
"Oh? It seems like you're quite mooved by my words? Did they finally reach you?"
'Nope. I was not doing it. I will not give him the satisfaction.
"It would be perfect moorning for a joke but the stakes have been rising recently.
'Damn it. Can't...resist...puns.'
"Wanna explain why you still have beef with me even if I am expressing my kind intentions?"
Another bout of silence was immediately accompanied by a snicker. Then it became a full-blown giggle before it transformed into her usual, pleasant bell-like laughter. It encouraged him to join her but he limited himself to small chuckles.
Once she quieted down, she looked at him directly with a barely noticeable smirk. "I still hate you, but...you're off the hook. Temporarily."
"And that's all I ask for." He nodded as he mentally self-fived himself. "You have a nice laugh by the way."
Yang hesitated. "...thank you?" Her acceptance of the compliment was shrouded with uncertainty but it was an improvement. For Adam, it was one step closer to the redemption he wanted.
"You're welcome."
"Actually. How about one more favor?"
"As long as it's below a felony by law, sure."
She rolled her eyes. "Cute, but it's not what I want. Stand right here," Her finger pointed at a spot close to her and he arrived with no complaints, "and grit your teeth."
"Wha-"
BAM!
Adam skidded back from the sudden hit as he rubbed his cheek and eyed her questioningly.
"Bull's eye." Yang was genuinely smiling. The happiness reminded him of his mother when she was elated.
Seeing an opportunity, Adam asked, "Does my pain amoose you?"
She gave him a thumbs up. "If you weren't in the White Fang and didn't cut my arm off, I think we could've gotten along."
"Perhaps." He set Wilt and Blush on a drawer. "Ready for your return?"
The smile was no longer on her face as a determination oozed out of her. "Yes. What do I gotta do?"
"A handshake."
"A handshake?" she repeated.
With a nod, he confirmed, "A handshake. It's that simple since I prepared everything."
"Okay?"
Extending his left hand towards her, she reciprocated it.
"Traversing through the storm, I struggled. Living through the pain, I suffered. Dying without love, I endured. It is the sacrifice that made me believe, perhaps an ending existed.
Yang's right arm began to glow in navy colors as did Adam's. A hiss of pain caught Yang's attention.
"Through people, healing came. Through experience, wisdom came. Through sacrifice, peace came. I know not what my purpose is but I forge it. I choose my fate and me only. Exchange."
Instantly, Adam fell to his knees, gripping his right arm. The waves of pain were almost unbearable and it was his pride that kept his mouth shut. As more and more of Adam's arm disintegrated, Yang's one restored itself. Adam breathed heavily as sweat rolled from his forehead to the bottom of his chin before succumbing to gravity.
She stayed silent, not because she had nothing to say, but rather due to the shock of the process. Her limb was coming back...in exchange for his own.
Once it was done, Yang swiftly unrolled the bandages and curled her fingers, testing them out. Maneuvering her other hand, she felt up her right arm to check if it was a dream or not, but it wasn't. It was very real. Maybe.
Her arm was just like the rest of her body. There was no disconnect, weirdness, or discomfort. The unblemished skin that the rest of her body possessed matched with it and she stared at it for another second longer and waited for the dream to be over.
"I can't take back what I have done." He broke her out of her stupor. "However, I can start fixing them." Feeling the fatigue and weakness overcome him, he grabbed Wilt and Blush to hold himself steady. "Again, I'm sorry about what I did to you."
As he limped to the door, her inner conflict warred within her.
'He took your arm. Attack him!'
'But he returned it. Why would I do that?'
'He attacked Beacon and ruined everything.'
'He looks like he's trying to correct his mistakes. If Blake got a second chance, why not him?'
'The White Fang can not be trusted.'
'Blake was White Fang member too.'
'And she ran away. Only the guilty run.'
'I don't know that. Maybe she's doing something.'
"A word of advice." Yang stopped her thoughts momentarily. "Train here with your father. Learn as much you can and then leave. There are people stronger than me out there and if I can defeat you, then so can they. Train and prepare while you still can. Temper your rage and will. Improve yourself. Who knows if you'll gain another opportunity like this." He opened the door.
"W-wait!"
"I've done everything I can here. Do what you believe you need to do."
Yang felt her dry tongue. "What are you going to do after this?"
"I'm going to search for Blake." She tensed. "Then send her to you or any other member of your team. I think she owes you and your team an apology."
Closing the door behind him, he turned to the right, only to come face to face with Yang's father. They stared at each other for a couple of moments before he sighed and shifted out of Adam's path, allowing him to go.
"I don't know if I should thank you or hit you."
"Don't worry about it," Adam replied without any emotion. "Everyone will have a chance to get a shot of me sooner or later." His departing words left Tai puzzled.
-
Back in the room, Yang was transfixed to the door. In her head, the puzzle that was Adam Taurus distracted her from every other thought.
From Blake, she heard many things about him. Hell, she witnessed it firsthand and experienced it.
This...wasn't a development that happens overnight. No individual changes their mind about something so fast; especially their personality.
So then it begs the question. What happened to him that caused such a transformation in one day.
She had to know or it was going to drive her crazy.
"Hey, sweetheart." Her father entered the room and closed it behind him. "Just coming to give some-" He gasped, his eyes honed to the healed limb of his oldest daughter.
"Wha-ho-Yang! How!"
"Uh..." If she told the truth, she might be put under some kind of watch so a lie it was. "I woke up like this. Trust me, dad. I still can't believe it. I'm almost expecting this dream to end to put an end to my misery."
Tai chuckled. "This is most certainly reality." He then wore his serious face. "Though it does beg the question as to how you healed. It's very suspicious."
"You can say that again. If I told you that I wasn't worried, then I would be lion."
Her father smirked. "Animal puns eh? Make sure to not butcher them. They need to have an awful lot of care."
"Don't worry. I'll milk em dry."
"You are kitten me, right? I thought I taught you better."
"Let me be a little shellfish. I did just come out of a mini depression."
"Whale whale whale." Stern Dad mode activated solely for the next line. "So you were upset when I asked you how you were doing. Also, you and depression? Get otter here. A bright young lady such as yourself can never be sad for too long."
"You're giraffing me crazy with the puns, dad."
"I'm not doing it on poirpose. It's a gift."
They stared at each other for a second before they burst out in laughter.
"You're doing a lot better than I thought," Tai stated, examing her appearance for any deception. "So what are you gonna do now?"
"Train. I..." She sighed. "I learned my lesson and I want to be stronger. Will you help me, dad?"
"Always." 'Adam Taurus. I seriously want to hug you and kick your ass simultaneously. Your actions are what this young woman before me to start growing up. I'll try not to sock you if I ever see you again.'
Random Idea. Was looking for Adam fics and couldn't find one that suited my desires. Thus, I am attempting one. Less crazy Adam. Perhaps not Adam at all?
