The lights in the theater dimmed, as the familiar whir of the projector filled the empty silence. The audience was quiet, as they mused over what they were about to watch. Jaune had proven himself to be a hero not just once, but twice now. Adam, on the other hand, was a figure shrouded in shadow. Nobody knew his backstory, unless he explicitly told them about the events of his past. So they sat and waited, curious to see the story of a known terrorist, even if they weren't based on true events.

The episode began with a black screen, as white, computerized letters appeared out of the darkness, one after another.

5 YEARS AGO...

With a fearsome cry, Jaune Arc charged forwards, his shield out in front of him, Crocea Mors raised overhead. He lunged forward, thrusting his sword out ahead of him with all his might. A deafening clang filled the air as Adam Taurus deflected the attack with Blush, Wilt still resting within its sheath. The Huntsman stamped a foot down to prevent himself from stumbling, before quickly twisting his hips, spinning into a sideways slice aimed at the Faunus's neck. Adam's back arched as he ducked under the attack, his horns grazing the sword's blade. The Faunus stood up tall again just in time to see Jaune bring Crocea Mors up again to swing it downwards, aimed straight at his masked face. Stepping to the side, Adam allowed the sword to harmlessly slam into the dirt, before swinging Blush out in front of him, striking the Huntsman on the side of the head. He quickly followed up with a thrust kick that sent Jaune tumbling onto his back, several feet away from the Faunus.

"Is that the Jaune Arc of whom you speak?" Winter asked.

"Yeah," Ruby nodded, cringing as she watched the leader of Team JNPR get pummeled. "This must be before the whole Tower of Ozma thing, though, because he was fighting Adam on a lot more equal terms, then."

"He doesn't even have Ebony and Ivory!" Yang realized. "Or that red trench coat we've come to know and love."

Adam removed his left hand from behind his back, where it had been resting, snapping his fingers and then pointing at Jaune. Two White Fang Grunts, who had been hunched over, panting behind the bull Faunus, shakily got to their feet, and rushed the Huntsman. As his two minions attacked his opponent for him, Adam took a moment to see what was going on behind him.

"Whoa! Watch it with that thing, dude! You could hurt someone!" Sun Wukong cracked, backflipping away from the roaring blade of a chainsaw, swung at him by a burly Faunus in a full face mask.

"Hey! Looks like I'm in this story!" Sun laughed, a large, goofy grin on his face. "That's awesome!"

"Be careful, Sun!" Weiss shouted at the monkey Faunus. Currently, the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company was tied to a long pole on top of a large collection of sticks. Several White Fang Grunts were sprawled out on the ground surrounding the pile of wood.

"Oh my gods," Weiss gasped, a hand coming up to her mouth.

"What? What's wrong?" Nora asked, concerned at the disturbed expression on her friend's face. Weiss turned towards her fellow students, her eyes wide with horrified revelation.

"Remember in the first season, how Jaune mentioned that he and Adam had another fight before the Tower of Ozma incident?"

"Of course we do," Blake nodded. "But what does that have to do with-" Suddenly, her ears went flat under her bow, as she placed a hand soberly to her chest. "Oh my gods!"

"That's what we're watching right now, isn't it?" Pyrrha realized, her face pale.

"What's going on with them?" Ghira grunted, worried by the way his daughter she friends were behaving.

"You're probably about to find out," Qrow grimaced, reaching for his flask. "It won't be very pretty, though."

"That doesn't sound good," Ironwood sighed.

A sudden clang from behind him caused Adam to turn around, in time to see the second White Fang Grunt collapse in front of Jaune, the first already lying unconscious at the Huntsman's feet.

"Come on, Adam!" Jaune challenged the Faunus. "Unsheathe that sword! Fight me for real!" Adam tilted his head, considering this.

"Very well." Extending Blush out in front of him, the Faunus pulled the trigger on his sheath. A loud crack echoed from his scabbard as Wilt was suddenly propelled forwards, right at the astonished Huntsman's face. The pommel of Adam's sword slammed into Jaune's face, smashing his nose as it sent him falling to the ground a second time. Wilt spun backwards, recoiling from its immediate strike, allowing the Faunus to catch his falling blade, and return it to its sheath. "Tch. I know you're better than this, Jaune Arc. Why are you wasting my time with this pitiful display?" Adam demanded.

"I've got to keep you from lighting that fire!" Jaune groaned, getting back up to his feet. "If that means getting pummeled into paste by you, then so be it!"

"Well, that's Jaune for you," Velvet smiled. "Always putting others over himself."

"Jaune Arc must be very generous indeed," Penny commented.

"He is, Penny," Ruby nodded. "He really is."

"There's no joy to be had in a fight with no challenge," Adam shook his head. He looked back behind him, where Sun and the White Fang Lieutenant continued their battle.

"Why are you defending her?! She's a Schnee! The bitch deserves to die!" the masked Faunus bellowed, swinging his chainsaw at Sun's face. The monkey Faunus rolled away, before bringing Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang, which was in its staff form, up between the lieutenant's legs, causing him to howl in pain.

"I don't know, she's a friend, okay?" Sun shrugged, twirling his staff over his head. He turned to Weiss, and winked. "And a little more than that, too."

"Time and place, Sun!" the heiress groaned.

"Wait, are the Ice Queen and I an item in this?!" Sun demanded, before bursting into peals of hysterical laughter.

"I think you are," Coco grinned.

"WHAT?!" Weiss spluttered, recoiling back in her seat. "Me and that... that... scoundrel?!"

"What's wrong with dating a Faunus?" Blake glared.

"Nothing!" Weiss held up a hand. "It's just that..." she gestured towards Sun, who was holding his stomach from laughing so hard, pointing at the screen with his tail. "I just don't think he's cut out for my way of life."

"She has a point, Blakey," Yang pointed out.

Jaune shook his head, and raised his shield in front of him, ready to continue the fight. To his surprise however, Adam was clipping Blush back onto his belt.

"Uh, Adam?" the Huntsman asked.

"Go," the Faunus waved a hand. "Save the Schnee. Do what you wish. I don't care." Jaune was taken aback. He looked at Weiss, who was struggling to break free from her bonds, then to Sun, who was still battling against the White Fang Lieutenant. Finally deciding, the Huntsman rushed towards the large pyre, making sure to steer well away from Adam.

"Wait, that doesn't make any sense," Mercury grunted. "It probably took a great deal of time and effort to capture Weiss to begin with, so why is Adam letting them escape now?"

"Maybe his plans have already been foiled," Emerald suggested. "I mean, if you're going to publicly execute someone, you'd want an audience, right?" She gestured towards the screen. "Pretty hard to accomplish that when they're all unconscious."

Adam watched as Jaune used Crocea Mors to cut Weiss's binds, just as Sun struck the White Fang Lieutenant in the face with his weapon, a loud bang filling the air as the monkey Faunus's gun staff discharged. The Lieutenant's mask shattered, revealing a hideous scarred face with a pair of tusks jutting out of his mouth.

"Yeesh, no wonder you keep that ugly mug under a mask all the time," Sun groaned.

"SHUT UP!" the Lieutenant roared, swinging his chainsaw downwards heavily. Sun cartwheeled out of the way. The unmasked Faunus snarled, then pointed at Weiss threateningly. "I will kill you, Schnee! I swear it on my life!" The heiress shook her head, before raising a hand above her head.

"Not in this lifetime," she answered simply. She pointed at the Lieutenant, and a glyph appeared before her, as a large Sabyr rose out of the center of the magic circle. The unmasked Faunus's beast eyes widened in horror, before the Summoned Grimm was upon him. Adam turned away as a shrill scream filled the night sky.

"Damn, Weiss," Yang whispered, wide eyed. "I honestly never thought I'd see the day you kill someone."

"I find it refreshing, actually," Cinder admitted. Adam nodded in agreement as most of the audience turned to look at her, surprised. "If you spare your enemies, they'll only attempt to kill you again later."

As Adam attempted to drown out the Lieutenant's violent departure from Remnant, he noticed a familiar shape among the shadows of the trees. The bull Faunus's head tilted as he took a step forwards.

"No..." he growled, his hand going down for his sword. In an instant, Wilt had been unsheathed, his bright red blade extended at his side, as he stormed towards the figure, a low growl emanating from his throat. "Blake!" he hissed, "This was all your doing, wasn't it?!" A pair of golden eyes regarded Adam as the cat Faunus stepped out of the shadows. "Why?!" he demanded.

"Yikes," Blake cringed. She had seen Adam upset before, but he had never been like this. This was not the self hatred or violent grief he had expressed whenever they had lost a friend during her time in the White Fang. No, this was was so much worse. This, was spiteful hatred, and nothing more.

"I'm not about to stand idly by and let you hurt one of my friends, Adam," Blake shook her head, glaring sternly at the bull Faunus.

"Friend?!" Adam spat, disgusted. "You replaced everyone... ME... with dirty humans? With a damn SCHNEE?!" He took another step forwards. It was then he became aware of a revving engine coming out of the woods. The Faunus looked up in time to see a black and yellow motorcycle falling out of the sky above him.

"All right! Yang to the rescue!" Ruby cheered, bouncing in her seat.

Adam hissed, then swung Wilt in an upwards arc. The motorcycle fell in half, landing on either side of the Faunus.

"Eep." Ruby shrank down into her seat, terrified by the spectacle.

"Dude!" Yang groaned. "Bumblebee wasn't cheap, you know!"

"Why are you yelling at me?" Adam demanded. "I didn't even touch your bike."

"I believe the emotional attachment to her motorized vehicle causes her to react negatively when it is damaged in any way," Penny theorized. "Whether in actuality or fictitious is a minor detail."

"What are you, a robot?" Qrow joked, not noticing Ironwood scowling at him. 

"Back off, Adam," Yang warned the bull Faunus, as she, too, emerged from the forest. "You've already attempted to kill Weiss." She held her arms up, deploying Ember Cilica. "I'm not about to let you do the same to Blake." Adam shook his head in disbelief.

"Am I really hearing this? Do you really still want protect Blake, after she abandoned you?"

"She's not protecting me," Blake said, frowning. "And I'm not protecting her." She moved to stand next to the blonde brawler. "We protect each other."

"Bullshit!" Adam sneered. "I know you, Blake. The instant things go sour, you'll turn and head for the hills." The Faunus looked down, his arms trembling. "Just like you did to me."

"Jeez, somebody's got issues," Tai murmured, while also considering whether it would be racist to laugh at Adam for his 'bullshit' quote from earlier.

"Is that how you reacted when Blake deserted the White Fang?" Kali asked, feeling a tad sorry for Adam.

"More or less," the Faunus admitted. "I might have leveled a tree or two as well."

Blake and Yang stood firm, as Adam continued to writhe in anger. When he took yet another step forward, Blake unsheathed Gambol Shroud, taking a stance with her sword in its katana form.

"Last chance, Adam," Yang told the Faunus. "Walk away, and nobody has to get hurt."

"You say that as if you expect to actually beat me," Adam commented, looking between the two Huntresses. "I think I like my chances, honestly."

"You don't want this fight," Blake cautioned him.

"On the contrary," the Faunus whispered, sliding Wilt back into Blush. "I'm going to enjoy this."

"That's some confidence, for a person in a two-on-one fight," Winter shook her head distastefully.

"Perhaps, but there's a good reason Adam is so sure of himself," Ghira commented.

The two Huntresses braced themselves, preparing for Adam's charge forward, but the bull Faunus stood his ground, his sword arm resting on Wilt's handle. When his leg bent, Yang leapt forward, preparing to tank the attacks he was preparing to unleash. And then Adam was upon her, Wilt our in front of him, crackling with fire. The blonde brawler's Aura flashed as the flaming sword tore across her raised arms, and she was forced to leap back as he followed up with a flip into a downward slash, sending a long crack trailing along the ground after her. Blake lunged forwards, stabbing at the bull Faunus's neck with her katana, but to her surprise, Blush was already in his other hand, swatting Gambol Shroud aside. Adam shoved his rifle into the cat Faunus's face, sending her flying backwards an instant later as her Aura flashed heavily across her face. Then Yang joined into the fray, shotgun shells raining down from her arms as she unleashed a flurry of punches, all of which were blocked as Wilt intercepted them, spinning like a helicopter blade. Adam stepped back, then plunged his sword forward, causing Yang's Aura to ripple as his blade jabbed into her stomach. An instant later, a shadowy duplicate emerged from Adam's body, swinging a glowing red sword upwards and cutting Yang across the chest. The Huntress was forced to block as a second duplicate appeared out of the second, a horizontal swing causing sparks to leap from her gauntlets. She braced herself for a third, only for Adam to merge back together with his duplicates, a second horizontal flash sending her skidding backwards.

A gunshot echoed through the forest, as Wilt appeared in front of Adam's back to block a bullet streaking towards his spine. He turned to see Blake standing behind him, Gambol Shroud in gun form, aimed at his head. The cat Faunus let a second bullet fly, but a simple parry from his sword sent the bullet whizzing harmlessly into a nearby tree. He rushed forward, preparing to swing his sword into Blake's neck, only to growl in frustration as his sword phased through her. The real Blake was suddenly behind him, swiping at his neck with her sickle-like blade. The bull Faunus quickly shoved the attack aside with Wilt's guard, before driving his knee into her guts. Blake coughed, lurching forward, allowing Adam to drive his masked head into her face. The bull Faunus shoved her away with his foot, and turned in time to see Yang spin into a kick, driving her boot into his ribs. Grunting in pain, Adam brought up his sword, driving his pommel into the side of her head. Yang stumbled, but pushed herself forwards, driving an elbow into his neck. Adam coughed as his Aura flashed, his hand going down for Blush, firing off another round, into her stomach. Yang was forced backwards, allowing the Faunus to follow up with an upward slash that sent her falling backwards.

"Erk!" Adam bent backwards as Blake came up behind him, slicing him across the back with Gambol Shroud. The bull Faunus shifted his grip on Wilt, and thrusted the red blade behind him, but she had disappeared, leaving behind another shadow instead. She reappeared standing atop a tree, firing round after round at Adam, who deflected them with his sword. He was so preoccupied with Blake, however, that he failed to notice Yang charging towards him until her fist connected with his face. Spittle flew out of Adam's mouth, before his mask clattered to the ground.

"Uh-oh," Yang cringed.

"That's probably not good," Qrow grunted.

"That just screams second phase," Mercury mumbled.

Blake and Yang approached Adam, who was down on his hands and knees, looking for his mask. When he heard the two draw near, however, he became rigid. He calmly stood, and sheathed Wilt, before flexing his neck, an eerie pop echoing from him. The Faunus turned his head just enough for the Huntresses to see his face, revealing a bloodshot red eye.

"You will both die screaming," Adam whispered. Then he leapt upwards, flipping over the two Huntresses. When he landed, his entire body was shadowy, save for his hair, which was glowing red. With a savage roar, the bull Faunus drew his sword, and plunged it into the ground, an explosion of red energy blasting out from around him. The attack sent Blake and Yang hurtling away, as Adam looked between his two victims, deciding which to attack first. Deciding, Adam went after Blake, a low growl emanating from his throat. The cat Faunus kicked her feet, attempting to force him back, but a hand clasped around her ankle, and hurled her into a tree. Blake slumped to the ground, Aura flashing heavily. She looked up just in time to see the bull Faunus looming over her, Wilt raised overhead. She barely managed to roll out of the way before a red blur flashed, and the tree toppled over. Still, Adam did not relent, sheathing his sword and quickly drawing it, fire crackling around the blade. This attack sent Blake flying up into the air, her Aura flickering, then shattering.

"Already?!" Weiss gasped.

"Gods," Ms. Goodwitch whispered, eyes wide with alarm. "He's a machine. An emotionless, relentless, killing machine."

As Blake landed on the ground, Adam drove his foot into her chest, sending her rolling away, a cry of pain escaping her lips.

"Hey!" Yang roared, blasting forwards with Ember Cilica. "Focus on me, you bullheaded brute!" She leapt up into the air, driving both fists down upon Adam's head, who blocked the attack with Wilt. As the blond brawler landed, the Faunus sheathed his sword, then drew it several times in rapid succession, his blade more like a beam, tearing through the darkness as it hacked at the Huntress. Yang deflected the strikes with her gauntlets, then unleashed a couple of shotgun blasts, only for him to absorb the attack with his sword. As Yang rushed forward, unleashing an uppercut, Adam jumped away, then flipped into a downwards slash. Yang back-stepped away from the slice, but was caught off guard as a duplicate repeated the move, cutting her across her ribs. This gave the bull Faunus an opportunity to close in on her, delivering four swift and brutal blows straight to her chest.

"And now, you die!" Adam snarled, bringing Wilt up over his head, and swinging the red blade down swiftly. At the last possible moment, Yang brought up her arms, catching the sword in between her gauntlets.

"Gotcha," Yang smirked, her eyes turning red, and her hair igniting into flames. She broke her arms apart, shoving Adam's sword away, before leaping onto the offense, dealing out several heavy blows that the Faunus was barely able to block, his Aura briefly flashing after each strike. "You can land all the hits you want!" she taunted, swinging her fist into a heavy haymaker, which the Faunus ducked under. Her attack slammed into a nearby tree instead, uprooting it and sending spinning into the forest. "I'll just dish it back twice as hard." To prove her point, she knocked aside a stab from Adam, and drove her fist straight into his chest, sending him skidding back, Aura rippling heavily. The Faunus slammed into another tree, and slumped forward. Then, he began to laugh.

"Um, what?" Nora said, growing frightened.

"That is not the usual appropriate response to physical trauma via bludgeoning, is it?" Penny asked, confused.

"No, it's not," Ren shook his head, very worried now.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Adam cackled, jamming Wilt back into Blush. "Twice as hard, huh?" His body faded to black, as his hair began to glow again. "Have a taste of your own medicine!" With a sneer, the bull Faunus drew his sword, a large wave of energy following the arc of his swing. Yang brought up her arms, attempting to guard, only to cry out in pain as the attack connected with her. She flew backwards, landing on her back as a row of trees behind her collapsed, and then crumbled into rose petals.  As the Huntress struggled to stand, her Aura flickered, then shattered.

"Yang's too?!" Ruby's jaw dropped open. "There's no way!"

Yang got back up to her feet in time to see Adam advancing on her, his sword sheathed and arms spread at his sides. With a cry, she launched a punch at the Faunus, only for him to catch her fist in one hand, and with a quick jerk, her arm was snapped like a twig.

"My gods!" Ms. Goodwitch gasped, covering her face.

"No!" Tai howled. "Don't do that to my baby girl! Not like that!"

Yang screamed in pain, then bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She brought up her other arm, then thrusted it at Adam's face, only for him to easily block and break her other limb with a sickening snap.

"Okay, she was asking for it the second time," Adam said, ignoring the dirty looks shot his way.

"Well, he does have a point," Qrow admitted gruffly, trying to drown out the screams of his niece writhing in pain.

Finally, with a feral growl, Adam grabbed Yang by the hair, and with the strength of something inhuman, drove her headfirst into another tree, allowing her to slide to the ground with a broken nose, a bloody smear splattered across the wooden trunk.

"Hey!" Yang shouted angrily. "Break my arms and bust my nose, no big deal. But hands off the hair!"

"What?" Ironwood coughed, taken aback by her logic.

As Adam stood over Yang, a hiss filled the night sky, as Gambol Shroud spun through the air, directly towards Adam's head. Not even bothering to turn around, the bull Faunus lifted a hand and caught the blade, then yanked it forwards. With a cry, Blake was wrested from her perch in a tree, tumbling towards the ground.

"I've had enough of you!" Adam snarled, spinning around swiftly to hurl Gambol Shroud back at its owner. The black blade screamed as it tore through the air, then lodged itself into the cat Faunus's back, who's eyes widened and mouth fell open as she landed on her stomach, unmoving.

"MY BABY!" Kali screamed, covering her mouth with her hands.

"BLAKE!" Ghira shouted, horrified, gripping the edge of his seat.

"Dad, relax!" Blake called to him. "I'm still alive! In both universes, actually."

Blake attempted to stand, only for her face to grow pale with horrified realization.

"My legs," she gasped. "I can't feel my legs!" At that moment, a shadow fell over her. She looked up, and her eyes widened in terror.

Before her stood Adam Taurus, his face revealed at last. But while it was still his face, it resembled anything but him. His right eye was wild, bloodshot, and full of sadistic glee. His lips were curled up into a large, Cheshire smile, foam dripping out of his mouth. His hair was shaggy and unkempt, and writhing as though alive. But the worst part was his brand, which crackled with flame upon his face, smoke billowing out of an empty socket, where a sinister yellow light flashed.

"Ahh!" Weiss screamed, burying her face in Sun's shoulder. The monkey Faunus immediately put his hands on the heiress's back, as his tail curled around her chest, comfortingly.

"What is that... monster?" Winter whispered, unnerved by the sight. But what really bothered her was the flaming mark upon his face. Those letters, they couldn't really be there, could they? The Adam Taurus of their world had no such disfigurement, right?

"In all my years," Ozpin murmured, horrified by the image in front of him. "Never have I seen something that has haunted me like this!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the fiend howled with laughter, bringing Wilt up over his head, the blade crackling with black smoke and red lightning. With a shriek of triumph, the Faunus swung the sword downwards.

At that moment, Adam Taurus started, sitting up in bed as he flailed his arms in the dark. Panting, and sweat rolling down his face, the Faunus brought a hand up to his brand, feeling the rough skin to check for any heat. To his relief, there was none.

"Wait, was that... all a dream?" Ruby demanded, shocked by this turn of events.

"It looks like it," Pyrrha whispered, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. "But it was the most realistic nightmare I've ever seen."

"Yeah, well, welcome to my life," Adam muttered.

Adam lowered his head, rubbing his eyes as he grumbled to himself. Then he became aware of a whimpering sound next to him. The bull Faunus turned his head to his left, where a female figure lay with her back to him, shuddering and sobbing beneath the blankets.

"Oh my," Kali whispered, eyes wide with surprise. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Adam Taurus... married?" Blake stuttered, stunned by this revelation.

A small frown on his face, Adam put a hand on the woman's shoulder, gently shaking her. The whimpering stopped, as the woman lifted her head, before turning towards Adam, revealing the tear-stained face of Cinder Fall.

"ME?!" Cinder shrieked, caught completely off guard. The audience gasped. Mercury immediately burst into laughter.

"I don't believe it!" Emerald spluttered. "That can't be right!" Adam tilted his head, as he looked at the screen in surprise.

"Me and a human, huh?" he murmured. "Now I know this is an alternate reality."

"A-Adam," Cinder stammered, sniffling. "I d-didn't mean to-" she was cut off as Adam cupped his hand around the back of her head, gently pulling her into his chest.

"Was it about Mundus, again?" the Faunus asked her. Cinder nodded slowly.

"He was laughing at me, mocking my failures while keeping me trapped in a fiery cage." She stifled another sob as Adam's fingers began to gently caress her hair.

"It's okay, my love," he whispered. "He can't hurt you anymore."

"But he was able to possess me once already, back when he destroyed a Beacon!" Cinder choked, placing a heavily scarred hand on Adam's back. "As she lifted her head to look up at her husband, the hair covering her face was brushed away, revealing the left side of her head to be badly burnt, and her damaged eye remained closed.

"Gods, did Mundus do that to her?" Tai grimaced, disturbed by the sight.

"No, it's more likely Mundus abandoned her during the Fall of Beacon, then left her to die amidst the destruction," Ozpin shook his head in disgust. "That doesn't make it any better, however."

"I remember," Adam frowned. "A lot of my men were killed during that, and it was all because of him." His eyes narrowed as he recalled that day. "Of course, the way he went about it, I was convinced it had been all your fault. I will admit, I had wanted to kill you that day." Cinder swallowed, and looked away from him guiltily, but the Faunus's fingers curled under her chin, forcing her to look back at him. "But now look at me," he continued. "I'm out of the White Fang, married to a beautiful woman, and expecting a little one to join our family in just a few weeks." Adam pressed his head against Cinder's, his other hand going down to rest on her rotund stomach.

"Aww!" Velvet cooed.

"A-A-Adam's going to have a... child?!" Blake was beginning to hyperventilate.

"That is so sweet!" Ruby gushed. "I wonder what his Faunus trait would be."

At the mentioning of her infant, Cinder smiled, and allowed Adam to kiss her. Then with a grunt, the Faunus stood, sliding out of his bed, revealing a chiseled chest riddled with numerous scars.

"You know what would help ease our worries?" Adam deduced. "A dip in the hot springs." He helped his wife out of bed, then sent her out of the bedroom.

The scene changed to show the sun beginning to rise as Adam and Cinder stepped out of their small cabin, in the middle of a Mistralian forest. As Cinder went on ahead, using a carved staff to aid her in walking, Adam lingered behind, making sure the door was locked. As he went to close it however, he noticed the shadow he cast into his house. For a moment, it looked completely normal.

Heh, heh, heh, heh! Suddenly for a brief instant, his shadow changed, showing a wild haired fiend with raised hands, fingers curled in sadistic pleasure, a yellow light shining from the center of its head. With a panicked wheeze, Adam slammed the door shut.

"Argh! What?!" Mercury jumped, caught off guard by the hallucination.

"Was that monster actually REAL?!" Emerald gasped.

"Perhaps it was just an audible hallucination caused by fatigue and unresolved stress," Penny suggested, though she looked shaken herself.

The scene changed again to show Adam and Cinder relaxing in a pool of steaming water, in the middle of a circle of bamboo. However, although Adam's head was leaned back, and his eyes were closed, his face was still contorted in a pained grimace, a fact which did not go unnoticed by his wife.

"Honey..." the woman began carefully. "Is everything alright? Did you have a nightmare last night, too?" The Faunus's eyes opened, and he lifted his head to look at Cinder shamefully.

"I wish it was just a nightmare, Cinder," he sighed. "But he, the demon, is plaguing me even when I'm awake. And I can hear his voice, my beloved. A voice that sounds like mine, but corrupted with the twisted pleasure he gets from slaughtering the innocent." Cinder looked very concerned, now.

"Adam," she whispered. "I think you need to get some help."

"I can't," he groaned. "If I go back to society, the humans will come after me, and he'll win." He spread his arms, gesturing to the forest around them. "At least out here, there's no blood for him to relish spilling." His looked back down at his reflection in the water. "He won't be a part of me, not anymore." The Faunus watched as his wife drifted towards him.

"Oh, Adam," Cinder whispered, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck, before smiling seductively. "I know what will take your mind off of him." Adam grinned, his hands moving to grip her hips.

"That's what I like to hear," he smirked, before he and his wife locked lips. But even as the two lovers lost themselves in each other's embrace, the bull Faunus's reflection turned its head to watch them, a glowing yellow light shining from the middle of his fiery brand.

You can't lose yourself, Adam, it sneered, its mouth curling into a malicious smile. I will always be a part of you. And no matter what happens, you will always come crawling back to me! A series of red lines appeared across the screen, accompanied by the sound of a swinging blade, before the picture fell away in pieces, signifying the end of the episode.

"Huh," Yang commented, as the lights came back on. "Well, this is definitely different from Jaune's stories."

"You can say that again," Pyrrha nodded soberly.

"I kind of like it better," Blake admitted. Surprised, everyone turned to stare at her.

"Blake, we just watched you get brutalized onscreen!" Sun pointed out.

"True, and I don't like that part. And Jaune's definitely more heroic than Adam, don't get me wrong," the cat Faunus held up a hand. "But, I can't help but feel that Jaune is also a bit of a 'goodie two-shoes,' for lack of a better term. I prefer my protagonists to be more relatable." She smirked as she watched Adam lower his head, hiding a blush creeping up his face.

"Well, I may not like what he did to my daughter, but that ending made me curious to see what happened next," Ghira admitted. He looked back at the projector's booth. "When can we see the next episode?"

"Whenever you'd like," Abe called to them. "I'd recommend stalking up on snacks, though. This one has longer episodes."

"That is satisfactory to me," Penny announced, following Team RWBY as they filed towards the snack bar. "I have been hoping to pick up some comestibles before continuing this digital endeavor." She smiled sweetly at Ironwood, who was rubbing his head, still sore from his fight with Adam. "Would you like anything, General?"

"Just some Tylenol," Ironwood groaned, shaking his head. "...and some Pop Rocks."