Chapter 1: Our New Life

A sharp, metallic CLANK echoed through a blood-red valley, Adam Taurus standing frozen in disbelief as someone he had trusted, considered a friend, a comrade, a partner, severed the connecting clasps of the train they had just fought through not more than a minute ago, rapidly separating them at an ever growing pace.

"...Blake?"

Reality reasserted itself as the bull Faunus prepared himself to leap across the gap. It was still small enough that he could make the jump easily, confront his closest confidant and ask just what the Hell had come over her-

-and instead he collapsed onto one knee with a wet cough, hands flying to his skull as an agonizing pain dominated every sense he had, the sensation so overwhelming that all the Faunus could do was shiver and try not pass out.

"Did...did I miss an Atlesian? What hit me?!"

Gritting his teeth and fighting back the pain Adam shakily rose to his feet, hand grasping Wiltand preparing to draw against whatever enemy had ambushed him-

-and found nothing, only the scattered petals that remained of the walker he and Blake had destroyed moments ago...Blake!

Whirling around the Faunus refocused, bracing himself for a far more strenuous leap to reach the swiftly departing train-

[Don't.]

-and stumbled forward as a calm, domineering voice echoed through what felt like his very mind.

"Wh-what? Show yourself!"

His weapons once more prepared to draw the young man spun on the spot, hand tightened around his favored blade's hilt...and still saw nothing.

[Relax, I'm not physically present. No need to get all stressed out.]

"You hide yourself from me and then ask that I not worry? That sounds exactly like what an enemy would say! Who are you?!"

A dry chuckle sounded throughout Adam's mind before the voice replied, [Always so quick to anger, aren't you? That'll get you into trouble one day, you know.]

A furious snarl left the Faunus' throat, giving up on his search to instead, in a bid to focus through the pain wracking his skull, try to shut out the intruder in his own mind.

[Like I said, Adam...relax. You'll be in full control of our body in due time. For now just play along, it'll make things easier for us.]

"What do you mean, 'our body'? How are you even doing this?!"

[I meant exactly what I said. Consider yourself lucky, young man. You've been marked for divine intervention, of a sorts.]

Adam tensed, his jaw locking before he tersely replied, "Divine intervention? What, are you some kind of prophet?"

[Well, funny you should mention that…]

Adam almost stumbled as a wave of vertigo hit him-

"It's nice to finally have time to ourselves, don't you think?"

"Leave me ALONE!"

…

"Let go of the past, Adam. Do it for yourself."

"Just forget it all? Is that what you did to me? Just threw our memories away?!"

…

"People hurt me long before we met. All sorts of people, all sorts of ways. But no one hurt me quite like you. You didn't leave scars...you just left me alone."

…

"Did she make that promise to you? Or to the person you were pretending to be?"

…

"Moment of truth, Yang! Do you think you're faster than you were at Beacon?!"

…

A single Faunus, impaled on either side by one he had once trusted and the one she had left him for-

-and a wave of nausea almost left the Faunus puking up whatever it was he had last eaten.

"T-that...that was ME? I DIED?! And how could I do that to Blake?! To another Faunus?! And who was that Human she was with, that Yang woman?!"

[That's your future, since you're asking.]

Denial coursed through the Faunus' veins.

"I would never stoop that low! To pursue and torture a Faunus, to do that to Blake? If you want to distract and mislead me you'll have to do better than that!"

A dry chuckle echoed in his mind.

[Funnily enough, quite a few people would agree with you. At least about the part that those aren't the kind of things you would do. But for the moment, we need to tackle other subjects. Relocate your men and their camp as soon as you return, then head to Menagerie.]

Adam had to bite back on a frustrated curse, instead coldly asking, "And just why, exactly, would I do any of those things?"

[Because otherwise a great many of your soldiers will die for no reason. And the second is just because we'll need a few days to properly talk things out. Peace of mind will be a hard thing to come by in this climate.]

Locking an aggravated growl behind clenched teeth the red-haired man lowered his guard slightly, stating, "Whoever you are, I expect you to answer all of my questions once this is over with. Is that understood?"

Another bit of laughter came from the mysterious person that had suddenly started conversing with him, alongside an agreement of, [Seeing as how that's what I was planning on, certainly. You'd best be getting a move on, the remaining security on this train won't sit around forever, you know.]

Grudgingly agreeing to that particular statement Adam quickly made to leap away from the target of their mission...but not before casting a longing glance towards where, if he squinted, he could just barely make out the retreating sight of the car Blake had left on.

...He forced himself to put the matter out of sight and mind, at least for the moment. Not only had that vision disturbed him, he had other Faunus under his command that he had to look after, he couldn't put one life over the many.

Menagerie was as Adam remembered it, even though he had only spent a small portion of his life residing within its borders.

But that portion had left a lasting impact. A kingdom where Faunus could walk freely, where they were in control of their destiny...not Humans.

He allowed himself a few seconds to calmly enjoy the warm, bustling atmosphere of the busy port before once more putting on his leader persona and stepping off the old, rattling Bullhead that had carried him to Menagerie.

Air traffic to the Faunus land was far less prevalent than it was to any of the other four kingdoms, but the White Fang had quickly bribed or threatened the few pilots that did fly those routes into keeping their mouths shut about any 'unlawful' movements.

It had been a stroke of luck that Adam had found one of those flights departing just as he wished to, the relocation of his men and women happening in record time. They had been planning to leave anyway so it was a simple matter to quickly break camp and move on...as well as to temporarily pass on leadership to Lieutenant Bonesaw.

[So you are capable of something as peaceable as contemplation. I suppose there's hope for you yet.]

Stoicism instantly turned into annoyance, the Faunus muttering under his breath, "And I hope that I will soon be rid of you."

[I wouldn't hold my breath. You and I are going to be stuck together for a long time to come. Mostly forever, or however long you end up living.]

...Adam privately reflected that as soon as he found out the identity of the person doing this to him, he was going to kill them. Slowly.

[Seeing as how that would be a form of suicide, I'd advise against it.]

This time the bull Faunus didn't bother to hide his curse, good mood spoiled as the damnable voice continued to laugh.

The White Fang headquarters were as impressive as ever, if not more so since he'd last seen them. Even the reception hall had gone through some serious renovations, now a towering room with support columns thicker than he was, a seemingly infinite carpet of bright crimson that lead to a throne dominated by the White Fang's sigil, their leader seated directly below it.

Adam approved of the changes. He had never been a fan of Ghira's more subdued and humble practices, of appearing small and nonthreatening. This imperial majesty was far more befitting of the White Fang's presence and goals, of their importance to the eventual dominance of the Faunus species.

Dropping to one knee and bowing his head, as was customary, Adam awaited Sienna's words.

"Yet another resounding success on your part, Adam. Destroying a significant amount of Schnee material before escaping cleanly-as well as leaving survivors to spread the tale-was a masterstroke. Far more tactical and lucrative than your usual modus operandi of killing anyone and everything even remotely nearby."

The male Faunus clenched his jaw, biting down on his instinctive reply which was...less than polite.

He had a great deal of respect for Sienna Khan, but her surgical and limited approval of lethal action was outright maddening sometimes. Better than Ghira, but he couldn't help but sometimes wonder-

"If you think I'll just step aside and follow beneath you, you're wrong"

A quick skip forward, an unsheathed sword-

-and the tiger Faunus was run through in a cowardly surprise attack, the mask wearing Faunus grinning as he said, "I know. Thank you, Sienna. You were there when our people needed you...but they need me now. I'm sorry you couldn't see this through to the end."

-a retch left Adam at the sudden scene, his mind once more instinctively rejecting the sight of him assassinating Sienna in front of the very throne she sat upon.

"What...what do you keep showing me?! What is all this?!"

He had been able to distance and distract himself from the idea of attacking and attempting to kill Blake, if only because it seemed so outlandish a concept as to be laughable.

But this? He...he had just been about to ponder whether Sienna was the right leader for the White Fang.

…

What he had considered a disturbing fantasy and nothing more suddenly seemed far more frightening and real.

"...dam? Adam!"

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder, the bull Faunus almost drawing his weapon in a startled panic-

-before he realized it was just Sienna, staring at him with clear concern.

"Adam, are you all right? You suddenly sounded sick and were mumbling something..."

Inwardly cursing himself the young man quickly replied, "My apologies, I'm fine. It must have been something I ate. It has been awhile since I've last visited Menagerie."

His leader didn't buy his story for a single second, if the skeptical expression was any hint.

"Something you ate? Adam, I've barely even seen you so much as physically tired, never mind ill. What's really bothering you?"

"The fact that I just saw a short vision in which I slaughtered you on the spot. That I saw myself hunt and attack someone I care deeply about. That even my own head doesn't seem to be safe now."

What he instead said was, "I'd...prefer not to talk about it. It's not important either way, nor is it a hindrance."

For a moment he dared to hope his excuse would work-

"Guards, leave us."

-and instead he resisted the urge to grind his teeth in frustration as the masked and armored protectors filed out of the room without further comment.

Within a minute it was just him and Sienna.

"...Sit with me, Adam."

Abandoning a great deal of her imperiousness and aloofness in favor of bonelessly collapsing onto the lowest step of the dais, the tiger Faunus raised an eyebrow at Adam, awaiting his reciprocation of the gesture.

...He couldn't help but briefly smile, the nostalgia in that familiar gesture a reminder of more...simple times, when it was just a few Faunus trying to make a difference, not the sprawling small army they were now.

Sienna would often act very much like a normal cat, lazily throwing herself onto whatever surface was both available and soft whenever a moment of rest was to be found.

Rising to his feet the bull Faunus did so, albeit far more gracefully.

"Spill. What's really got your horns in a twist, hmm?"

Huffing out a sigh, Adam decided the truth-at least a part of it-would explain things in a way that didn't leave his leader thinking him mad.

"This last mission...Blake left us."

The beautiful woman's eyes widened, her voice sharp as she asked, "Left you?! What do you mean?"

Doing his best to keep the hurt out of his voice Adam replied, "She just went AWOL in the middle of the operation. No explanation, no warning...just up and disappeared. More to the point, these past few weeks I've been feeling...tired, I suppose."

The tiger Faunus took a moment to process his words before pinching the bridge of her nose, grumbling, "Well I suppose things could be worse...dammit, I'm not looking forward to telling Ghira his daughter has gone missing..."

Adam held his tongue, deciding not to voice his opinion on Blake's father at the moment.

"And as for you...take three days to rest, Adam."

"What?! Three days?! My men are awaiting new orders after I had them move camp-"

A raised hand cut off his words, the leader of the White Fang calmly explaining, "You can afford these three days, Adam...I'm planning on sending you to our Vale Branch immediately afterward to assume command. With the Vytal Festival on the horizon, a few key demonstrations of our might and purpose will carry a strong message. Given your recently shown ability to be surgical and precise rather than indiscriminate, I have full confidence you will both be able to think of a plan and carry it out."

Adam...was actually surprised at the offer. He had certainly proven himself to be an able commander, but command of an entire branch, during what could be the most momentous moment of their organizations history?

He offered a nod of his head, prior frustrations set aside for the moment before replying, "I won't fail you, Sienna."

A small, coy smile lit up the woman's face and, for just a moment, Adam felt himself grow shy and was quite grateful for the mask covering a fair portion of his face. Sienna Khan was an incredibly beautiful woman who he'd been close to over the years, with dark skin, a wild attractiveness and easygoing demeanor that could seamlessly shift into authoritative leadership.

"I know you won't. We'll meet tomorrow morning and discuss the finer points of your assignment then. Take one of the spare rooms and get some rest."

The male Faunus nodded, taking his leave without further comment...and had to bite back on a scowl as a now familiar voice stated, [Perfect timing. We can have our little conversation now.]

"And you had best explain in detail, or else..."

[Or else what? Unless you plan on slamming your metaphysical head repeatedly against a wall, causing me any level of harm is going to be an exercise in futility.]

Taurus merely scowled, choosing to ignore the maddening voice...for now.

"Very well, we're alone. Start talking."

Adam had gone to great lengths to secure his room. The bolt was locked, chain attached, chair wedged against it, curtains drawn and lights dimmed, his body lightly perched on the edge of his bed, Wilt and Blush securely held in his grasp as he readied himself for anything.

The only luxuries he'd allowed himself were to remove his mask and boots.

[You might want to lay down before we begin. This will likely take all night and I don't think that position you're in will be terribly comfortable come the morning.]

"And that's none of your concern."

[If you don't relax, I'm not explaining jack.]

Resisting the urge to start breaking things Adam grudgingly did so, feeling the soft mattress envelop his body...a surprising wave of exhaustion hitting him as he did so, the material feeling as light and pleasant as a cloud after months of fairly rough camping.

[Was that so hard? And now we can talk pleasantly.]

"That remains to be seen."

[In that case...let's begin.]

Adam felt a worrying sense of vertigo and jolted, his body suddenly panicking as if it had tripped-

-and awoke in a...strange setting, to say the least. He was still on the bed he'd been laying on a second prior...but there was a strange glow to the room now, a haze that made everything seem to flow, as if viewed through a tub of water or under the influence of narcotics.

"What is this?"

[A bit of a communal movie room, for lack of a better word. Here, watch.]

A stream of images and battles, betrayals and alliances flashed before him, each as real and visceral as if he was there.

Him, tearing Menagerie apart through the assassination of the family of someone he considered dear to him.

Him, screaming in rage as he slaughtered White Fang revolutionaries and defiled the throne of his organization.

...Him, Adam Taurus, stabbing Blake amidst a burning campus, playing and joking with her feelings before the killing blow.

"ENOUGH! Any more of these lies and I will refuse to entertain these absurd fantasies any longer! That is NOT me! I've given my life to protect and ensure my species' future, why would I do my best to ensure its downfall?!"

[Again, it's funny you should mention that, seeing as how many others would agree...but I'm here to stop that. Tell me, are you familiar with the gods of Light and Dark?]

Adam tried-and failed-to not roll his eyes.

"That old children's tale? Yes, I'm familiar. What of it?"

[...Well, you'd best start believing, because I'm an emissary of the two.]

…

"...What."

[Perhaps a quick bit of history then. The Gods of Light and Dark are all powerful, but not infallible. Long ago, a Human convinced the species to rise up against the gods and they, surprise surprise, put their foot down before abandoning Remnant in its entirety...but they never forgot about this little world of ours. More specifically, they never forgot about the people who had been duped into something that they didn't really have any clear understanding of. So they sent me.]

Adam felt his eye twitch.

"...They sent you. To me. A man who would happily enslave all of Humanity if it meant Faunus could reign ascendant. You'll pardon me for calling-"

[Bullshit?]

Adam tried his best to count to ten.

[Clever jokes aside-]

"THAT WAS THE OPPOSITE OF CLEVER!"

[There's a good reason for this arrangement. The God of Light was originally going to send a chosen champion who could inspire and lead Humanity but the God of Dark predictably weighed in. Being something of a fan of chaos and unpredictability, the God allowed this to occur...on the condition that said chosen champion was a Faunus, one who despised Humans. An interesting twist, right?]

"...More like a sickening and utterly futile one."

[I think it's fascinating. It actually put quite the dent in the God of Light's list of individuals…]

Adam scowled, grudgingly asking, "For the sake of the argument, why did this supposed God even need to send a 'champion'? Was it truly afraid that Humanity would be subjugated by the Faunus?"

A dry chuckle escaped the mystery voice.

[It was afraid the Humans and Faunus would be subjugated-as in, eaten-by the Grimm. And so, here I am. Freshly dead and sent to save the world. How's that for an epitaph?]

Adam tapped Wilt's handle in agitation, coldly asking, "And now we're back at where we started. Who, exactly, are you? That you would be chosen by these beings?"

A moment of playful silence passed, as if an invisible bow was being offered.

[The name is Carl Bertram, Adam Taurus. In my past life I was a Human veterinarian, now gifted the opportunity to save a world from destruction...or at least an extraordinarily painful victory.]

A low growl left the bull Faunus.

"A Human. Of course."

A light chuckle left the newly named Carl, Adam gritting his teeth before asking, "So what do you have to gain by doing this? Power? Wealth? I find the idea of a Human doing anything for free...unlikely."

[Oh? Does someone need a reason to avert incredible tragedy and loss, if the power and opportunity to do so was gifted to them? Maybe I'm just a nice guy…]

Before Adam could reply to that statement in a colorful and disbelieving manner new images appeared before him.

An unremarkable, plain looking Human with pale skin and dark hair, dressed in some manner of medical equipment bent over what looked to be a dog, stress and worry clear in his eyes even as his hands confidently worked a needle and thread-

-the same man, dark bags under his eyes but a radiant smile handing over a small feline to an ecstatic teenager-

-a more somber expression, mouth forming inaudible words to a teary elderly couple as a small blotch of blood adorned his clothing-

Adam shook is head, setting aside the images and focusing on what mattered to him.

"So that was you. You really are a Human."

[Did I ever imply otherwise?]

The young man set his face in a resolute expression.

"Then I'll tell you now...I would rather die than help a Human in its quest to save its species."

To his annoyance Carl merely made a contemplative hum, remarking, [Careful with that indiscriminate racism, Adam...that's what gets you into trouble in those futures the gods provided me with.]

Adam's hand once more tightened on Wilt's hilt, his grip powerful enough to make the material creak.

"You proclaim to have been shown the future. Does that mean you also know the past?"

[Yours, I do. Snippets of a few other peoples. Why?]

The Faunus' words came out as an enraged roar.

"Then you should KNOW what Humans did to me! What they did to my friends! What they did to my people! What they did to my parents-"

His words abruptly halted, old grief causing a lump in his throat to form and tears to gather in his one working eye, a furious wipe of his hand drying them once more.

[...Yes, I do know. And I'll be honest with you. If those responsible for your loss and suffering were to be magically transported to us at this very moment...well, I have quite the extensive medical knowledge. I could give you a list of what arteries and organs cause a slow death, then bust out the popcorn and soda.]

The spiteful tone and harsh words caused Adam the briefest of pauses, honestly not expecting that reply at all.

[Watch.]

Once more memories began to play...and even Adam, no stranger to the violence and queasiness of battle and death, felt a bit of unease.

A canine, legs brutally cut off with a blunt instrument of some kind, cold and shivering with mange and fleas on an operating table-

-an old dog, teats hanging wildly and heavy as she laid on the side of a road, ribs sticking through skin as unhealthy puppies fruitlessly suckled at dry wells, the owner not responding to the calls gained from her collar-

-a grey cat, left eye a mess of puss, scar tissue and leaking fluids from where it was branded, desperately trying to hide from anything that even resembled a Human form-

[You know...I came to hate the people who did these kinds of things. Who took poor, clueless creatures and tortured or crippled them, for no apparent reason than they could. Who turned these poor souls into traumatized, frightened personalities that would forever remember that it was a Human that did this to them. But…]

More images flowed, of a family gathered over the body of an old, healthy mutt, crying and hugging it as the tail slowly wagged in contentment-

-a baby girl, squealing in delight as a large dog came running out of an operating room, showing the chortling baby with frantic licks-

-a young man, sitting in some kind of waiting room as he worriedly fussed and hugged a sickly cat-

-a group of uniformed people standing before a casket, a picture of yet another dog laid beside it as they all saluted, faces teary and expressions filled with loss-

[So then...what should I do with all this hate? Reserve it for all the people who would walk through my clinic's doors, regardless of whether they treated their pets well or not? I mean, the people who did those horrific things also owned them, did they not? Or should I focus that hate, save it for the ones truly responsible?]

Carl's tone was solemn.

[You can see where I'm going with this, can't you?]

Adam quickly regained his wits, firing back, "You would equate the lives of animals with my people? That's a false comparison and not the same thing at all!"

A dark, humorless chuckle left the Human as one last memory played.

A young Faunus boy, strapped to a table with his limbs restrained by crude shackles and a trio of Humans surrounding him, sneering glares on their faces.

"So this is the little shit that's been stealing extra rations and spreading them around, huh?"

The other two nodded, smirking as the boy defiantly spit at the one leaning on a rod of metal submerged in a strange box of some kind.

"Spirited, too. Well we've been having having all sorts of disciplinary issues these past few weeks and I think it's time we quell the herd, wouldn't you agree?"

The boy remained silent as the man withdrew the metal instrument-

-and paled as its glowing end was revealed, showing the initials 'SDC' in blazing heat.

"A little message should go a long way in showing that we mean business, hold him still, boys."

The two other men grabbed the smaller male's neck and head, holding it still as he began to thrash and buck, yelling, "Y-you won't get away with this! We're people too, others will come to help us and when they do-"

"We're people too?"

A chilly silence filled the room as the three chuckled.

"News flash, kid. You're not people. You're just animals that look like Humans and sometimes you all need to be reminded of that."

The brand hovered right over the hyperventilating boy's left eye.

"Oh, and no one will care if some of the livestock earns the odd scar here or there~."

The implement descended, the hiss of burning flesh and agonized screams echoing in the room-

-and Adam Taurus forced himself to breathe, to control himself and stop shaking as, for just a moment, it had been him back in that room, held immobile and helpless…

[Just animals, huh? Not people? Not thinking, feeling creatures?]

Even to his own ears, Adam's reply was weak and fading.

"It's...it isn't the same..."

[Fair enough, it's not a perfect comparison, I'll give you that...but you believe it, now don't you?]

Carl's headshake was an almost tangible thing.

[Are you starting to see it now? What this 'us vs them' mentality is going to lead to? I've shown you the future...and in it? You're the one holding the brand, Adam. Decrying an entire species as beasts and hurting anyone and everyone that gets in your way. Just because you can.]

…

Whatever denial the bull Funhaus had about this matter had long since been crushed, only a hollow feeling left in its wake. The memories, the arguments, the truth of Carl's words...he was at a loss of what to say or do.

The Human let him take his time, the red-haired male eventually asking a question on a topic that didn't seem to run the risk of shattering his worldview.

"You said we would be together forever...what did you mean by that? Are you going to be constantly narrating my life now?"

[...In a manner of speaking.]

"What does that imply?"

[My memories and experiences will stay with you, but my personality, my ego? That will, for the most part, be well and gone. This isn't carl Bertram's mind and body, it's yours. The deal with the Gods was that I would have a few days to speak to you, inform you of events to come...and then I'll be gone. Mostly.]

Adam shifted, remarking, "So that's why you accepted their offer. You weren't going to survive it anyway."

[Pretty much, yeah. I was already dead, might as well sneak in one last good deed, right?]

Adam refrained from commenting out of politeness, instead deciding to question, "When you say your memories and experiences..."

[You might find yourself acting a bit different from before, granted. Probably a fair bit calmer if our recent conversations are anything to judge...but you will still largely be you. But you'll have the very same memories and foresight the Gods gifted to me...along with a few extras.]

Adam's lips curled in suspicion and distaste.

"A few extras?"

[Well as a bit of a deal sweetener the Gods gifted my soul an Aura and Semblance. Those will be combined with yours so you'll have an extra leg up over how you used to be.]

"Two Semblances? How does that work?"

An inaudible shrug.

[Two souls in one body, I suppose. The mechanics of it escape me.]

The Faunus felt his frown deepen.

"And what is this about my personality changing? A Human's mind and thoughts infecting my own? Not exactly pleasant."

Carl merely chuckled.

[Well it's happening regardless of the way either of us feel about it, so no point in complaining. What'll come will come.]

"Easy for you to say..."

The Human snickered at Adam's sour tone, a moment of silence passing between the two before the disembodied voice sighed.

[That's pretty much it then. I said my bit and will be...I dunno, absorbed come tomorrow morning, I guess. Believe it or not, I've never done anything like this before.]

Adam felt...conflicted. On one hand he despised this stranger-this Human-for talking down to him, aggravating him and apparently meddling with both his personality, thoughts and powers.

...The other, more rational side of him quietly suggested that this was a lucky break, that if there was even the slightest chance that any of this was real and not a horrific hallucination...then quite the high caliber Dust round had just been avoided.

A grudging sigh left the bull Faunus.

"I would say it's been a pleasure, but...no particular reason to lie to a dead man."

Carl openly laughed, replying, [See? You're sense of humor is already improving!]

Adam merely growled.

[Best of luck, young man. I can't exactly profess to having any sort of lifelong investment in this world, you or anything else...but then, I don't need any of that to wish you luck in averting the coming crisis, now do I? Good hunting, Adam Taurus. And don't be racist, you have enough memories now to show you why that's a bad idea.]

The Faunus' mouth twisted in distaste.

"You say that as if it was easy."

A sudden wave of exhaustion hit the male as his eyes drooped, only a fading echo of Carl's words ringing in his head.

[Who knows? Maybe you'll meet a few people that'll change your mind...you lucky stud, you.]

When Adam awoke the next morning the first thing he did was check his head in the mirror for signs of trauma or swelling.

...Unfortunately he was as healthy as ever, so last night likely wasn't a concussion induced nightmare.

Perhaps most unfortunate of all was that he could no longer deny that it was real.

His Aura felt...powerful, as if it had doubled in size in the span of a few hours, memories that weren't his racing through his mind in a jumbled, confusing mess.

...Even he had a limit to his stubbornness and this was most certainly a limit breaker.

"Human? Carl?"

…

No reply. Not even the hint of a whisper.

Adam...wasn't sure how to feel about the strange Human's absence so instead he focused on the events that were to come, trying to make sense of their jumbled timeline and placement.

...The more he observed and organized them the more apprehensive, calculating and eventually gleeful he became.

The fall of Beacon, the Maidens, Salem, Torchwick, Ozpin...and Blake. Her team. RWBY.

Adam heaved a sigh and rubbed his head upon examining that last bit of info.

Blake...really had believed him a monster, hadn't she?

Shoving that thought aside as he glanced at the clock Adam made for the headquarter's breakfast hall, resigning himself to continuing his plotting and examination at a later date. For now?

For now he had to eat, his stomach incessantly rumbling at him.

Apparently, a soul merger left one with a voracious appetite.

So as stated in the description this is a challenge by Zweig, a challenge in which Adam gets a bit of a helping hand by some deific powers and goes on a, shall we say, slightly different path.

PM Zweig or me for details on challenge, story will remain clear to keep surprise for those who want it.