KS: Alright, I'm back with this. We're about to have our next dragon revealed. One of you made guesses as to who it would be, and to that reviewer, I say one of them was right. Now, enjoy.
Since the time of the Merge, many opportunities have proped up for others. Some use them to make a fresh start, while others use them to embrace whatever inner darkness they may have?
But what is to say about those who have blocked off any other paths through their own actions, regardless of their intentions? And happens when they are pariahs due to said actions?
And what has become of their emotional state after so long?
A group of female bandits were having trouble fighting off a woman who was, for a lack of a better term, mopping the floor with them. A slightly muscular, blonde woman beat all of the bandits that came at her with a flurry of kicks and punches.
"How the hell is she beating us?!" one of them shouted. "We outnumber her!"
"It's probably that damn thing she's got!" another growled, pointing at Yang's metallic arm. "I heard she stole it from the Forbidden Vault!"
"Then we just need to rip that thing off of her body once we kill her!" a third cut in. "Now shut up and rush her already!"
The bandits roared and charged at the blonde once more. In response, she let out a grin.
"What, you hungry for more?"
The blonde walked out of the den, keeping her usual grin. She would've gone further, had she not been stopped by a red headed woman with glasses glaring at her.
"Hey, Minerva," she greeted with a wave. "How goes-"
Minerva shoved a wanted poster in the woman's face. A poster with her face and name on it, along with a reward.
"When were you going to tell me about this?" she asked in a low tone.
The blonde snorted and moved the poster away from her face. "Big deal, I'm a wanted woman. Name someone who isn't."
Minerva sighed as she followed her. "It said you were wanted for stealing a power artifact. One that is said to bring great calamity if put in the wrong hands."
"Good thing my hands aren't wrong!" the blonde chirped, raising both arms in the air, one of flesh and one of iron and gold with a dragon decal on it.
Resisting the urge to sigh again, Minerva walked up to her. "For heaven's sake, Yang, can't you take anything seriously?"
"Don't plan to," Yang said, keeping her grin visible. "I don't wanna get wrinkles stressing out over minor details."
"I'd rather have wrinkles than constantly put a fake smile to hide all the pain I've accumulated all these years since the Merge," Minerva shot back.
Yang visibly twitched and her smile nearly faltered. "…Don't go there, Minerva."
"I'm already there," Minerva replied. "I've opened up real estate there, in fact. And unless you finally cease deluding yourself with these hollow, juvenile antics of yours, don't expect me to leave anytime soon."
With that, she turned around and walked off. When she was far enough, Yang let out a frustrated sigh, and her smile dropped. She proceeded to follow Minerva, but kept her distance so she wouldn't hear her.
"Not like I enjoy playing the fool," she muttered bitterly. "But all lashing out in anger ever got me was in trouble. Especially since everywhere I go, people look at me like I've committed some grave sin." She raises her new prosthetic up and looks at it with distain. "I didn't ask to get this thing either."
Little did Yang know, Minerva heard every bit of her short rant.
"Why you can't be honest with yourself, I'll never know."
This young woman wanted a life of adventure. However, her impulsive and short-tempered nature has always sabotaged her in more ways than one, which explains her prosthetic. Even worse, it got to the point where her former comrades no longer trust her following an incident where she disclosed sensitive information and made things worse. And to add insult to injury, she was forced into a position where she ended up stealing a powerful artifact, branding her as a criminal. She wanders the world, hiding her rage and sorrow behind a false grin. A grin that others, herself included, knows is a hollow fabrication.
This is Yang Xiao Long. Originally of Team RWBY, but now goes by a new, more deprecating title… the Mirthless Golden Dragon.
KS: Yeah, this is Yang, but without her usual spunk. At least in the genuine sense. And just so you know, that woman who is accompanying her is none other than Minerva Victor from Valkyria Chronicles 4. Love the game, can't really say the same for her character. Also, I should mention that Yang's current state is more or less based off of what happened to her in GodHand96's Ironside (go ahead and check it out for yourself), which is partly what inspired me to write this. Now, for our last dragon, she used to lead a revolutionary group, but due to the manipulations of a sinister force, she committed grave attrocities under the group's banner. Not following me? Here's a hint, she was an antagonist in a gacha game. That is all.
