Shadows of Destiny
Rating: T
Series: RWBY
Main Pairing: Atsura/Pyrrha (War & Peace)
Volume 3: Winter
Volume Theme: "Smile"
Chpt. Theme:
Summary: He was an orphaned Faunus. She was considered the strongest of her class. He barely survived the slums of Mistral while she was placed on a pedestal on her way to Beacon. Neither of them expected to be compatible and yet, fate had other plans for them. With secrets and agendas awaiting them, the world of Remnant will have a force to reckon with.
The alternate timeline takes place just before the start of RWBY volume 1.
OCs for Team AZRE are as follows:
Atsura Khan [formerly Otoume] (xXCrownofChaosXx)
Roxanne Rouge Octane (ArnoldStroong)
Zaffre Grey (DarkDarsi)
Earna K. Athena (zetsunaflames)
I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.
Chapter 21: Heaven's Palace; Earth's Lament
"Manta-51? Welcome home."
The peaceful beauty of the aurora lining the night sky was overshadowed by the blatant symbol of impending war. Everyone aboard the aircraft exchanged looks of concern; clearly, this was an unexpected development. They all knew that the kingdom would be on guard after Beacon's fall, but, to see this stark contrast only brought more anxiety as they slowly sailed toward the floating city and its army.
Maria said nothing, recalling how disastrous her previous attempt to communicate with the Argus branch went. After a couple of minutes though, they all would find themselves backed into a corner.
"Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega-12. A security team will meet you there, over."
"I don't understand," Ruby whispered. "What's happening here?"
"I don't know," her uncle replied.
"We are here, right? We've brought the lamp to Atlas... So, I guess we land and try to get some answers."
Weiss however, didn't think this was a good idea. Given that she was the only Atlesian on the ship, her skepticism held a bit more weight than the blond boy's logic. She ignored the eyes pointed at her, carefully inspecting the ominous display.
"I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen ship, there's no way the security team will let us anywhere near Ironwood. They might even take me back to my father..."
"So...?"
"Winter!" Weiss unknowingly answered, a small smile beginning to form. "Put some distance between us and the fleet."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Maria smiled, glad that they finally had something resembling a plan to work with.
The elder directed the ship toward the large settlement below the floating kingdom. If they were going to avoid the fleet, they needed to do it swiftly or risk being captured... or worse. They assumed that their act would be discovered soon enough by whoever was contacting them. Sure enough, their assumption was correct as they entered the city of Mantle, the original kingdom before Atlas, the radio clicked again.
"Manta-51, we've noticed a detail in your route. You are to make your way to docking bay Omega-12 immediately. Do you copy, over?"
With Weiss trying to contact her older sister and the depressing view of the rustic city, there was only one thing they could do.
"We need to ditch the ship unless we want to get caught..." Zaffre crossed his arms.
"Good idea, but, where are we going to go?" Atsura groaned softly. "Eventually, we'll be spotted if we're just wandering around recklessly."
"I think I can help with that..." Maria chimed in.
"Manta-51! Why aren't you-?"
The old woman shut the radio off, having enough of the constant pestering of the Atlesian soldier.
"Take a hint!" she huffed.
"I'm telling you, my sister can help us."
"Um... Weiss?" Blake pointed out of the left window. When the former heiress peered out, she was shocked to find Winter Schnee's face broadcasting on one of the large screens.
"A reminder; failure to cooperate with Atlas Military personnel offense."
"No offense Weiss, I don't think that's such a good idea anymore..."
With her only plan shot down, she relented. The group eventually abandoned the airship and moved throughout the city. Weaving through the many streets, it was clear that Mantle carried a dark aura that sat poorly with some in the group. Shown to have slums within the edges of its borders, the trio of Team AZRE looked visibly uncomfortable.
Zaffre, typically the upbeat member of the group, had an uncharacteristically solemn expression. He'd give a smile whenever someone questioned his status, but there was more to his demeanor. Roxanne would find her breathing hastening at times, seeing the unfortunate conditions surrounding them. Thankfully, Yang slipped her hand into the ram's, reminding her that she didn't have to suffer alone.
Finally, Atsura remained in the back of the group. His heterochromatic eyes took in the remnants of the slum-like town; a constant reminder of his past. He watched as men, women, and children did their best to make a living in a place that one would be forgiven for believing that this city was nothing more than a slow and methodical grave sentence.
"This way..." Maria instructed, making sure to scout out the area before leading them deeper into the depths of the city. Electronic billboards flashed various informative headlines while the citizens went about their everyday lives. However, the four Faunus were introduced to the truth of the world they'd only been told about.
Anti-Faunus graffiti adorned many of the walls on their way to their destination, but, it was a honking horn that pulled their attention exposed a slightly damaged pickup truck. On the back sat several men and women of Faunus descent, each wearing dejected expressions on their faces. The dirt and grime that coated them only solidified their unfortunate situation. Maria tried her best to give some clarity on the connection between Atlas and Mantle but, it did little good to lift the moods of the young adults.
It was one thing to hear about the cruel conditions but, to actually see them was another story for the foursome.
"This whole city, it just seems... so wrong." Blake wrapped her arms around herself.
"Oh yeah?" another voice startled them all. From the alleyway behind them, a man wearing glasses stumbled around the corner, his flask tightly gripped in his hand. "You don't like it here?! There's plenty of space out in the tundra!"
He was clearly drunk, made noticeable by his incessant slurring.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to-"
"Atlas is the greatest kingdom in the world, alright!?" he shouted/garbled.
"Hey!"
An already irritated Atsura slowly stalked toward the man only for Blake to grab his shoulder. Pyrrha gently grasped his other shoulder, adding to the calming energy flowing within him. Still, his tail stayed stiff and upright, clearly showing that this was only a temporary fix, given the situation.
"We can't cause a scene."
The man was joined by another sitting on the stoop of a shop. He tried to make light of the Dust embargo and how it affected Mantle but, the drunkard wouldn't allow the pleasantries to stop his rambling.
"We try and help the other kingdoms and this is what happens?!"
"I apologize... I didn't mean to insult you."
Despite her genuine apology to the man, he glared back at Blake with contempt before spitting off to the side.
"Stupid Faunus like you wouldn't under-"
Looking below, the drunk found himself suddenly launched into the air only to land unceremoniously in a nearby dumpster, courtesy of one Weiss Schnee. When the others looked back, she wore a smug grin, remorse nowhere to be found on her features. Atsura and Zaffre returned the gesture, having no love lost between them and the groaning idiot.
"It was worth it."
They didn't have time to savor this victory as the stomps of robotic soldiers caught the foxes' ears. They ran off, not bothering to acknowledge the young man on the stoop as he called out to them, recognizing the glyph semblance.
From there, Maria led them down a few more blocks stopping as a door opened. A young ram Faunus giggled happily as a stern yet caring tone trailed behind.
"...And no more heavy lifting, you hear?"
"Ah, it's good to see you, old friend."
Emerald sat in her room, eyes glued to the plain wall across from her. She exhaled raggedly as her mind tried to process everything that'd occurred over the past year thus far. From the fall of Beacon to her position now, there was no way Emerald could've predicted her life turning out like this. How did she go from a life of thievery, scraping by to feed herself, to this?
Her mind recalled a past fight she had with Mercury about Cinder's true intentions; a battle that resulted in the grey-haired boy forcing a potentially soul-shattering truth down her throat:
"Cinder Doesn't care about you..." she pulled her knees toward her chest, concealing her features as she pushed back tears. "He's wrong; He has to be..."
But, if Mercury was indeed wrong, why did she find so many forms of evidence to support his bold claim? From their time with Roman, Cinder barely acknowledged her but, it was for the mission, right? The mission came first. But, what about after? No matter what scenario she brought to the front of her mind, Emerald couldn't find a single trace of actually love and care from Cinder.
We were nothing more than tools for her to use!
She didn't care about us! She never did!
Tears slowly pierced through her shield, cascading down her cheeks. It was painful to accept, but Emerald couldn't deny something so blatantly in her face. Even now, she knew the fighter was probably off training with Hazel after revealing that he actually wanted to be a part of Salem's faction. Speaking of Hazel, he was the only silver lining throughout this whole hellish ordeal.
Where she craved attention and understanding from Cinder, Hazel Reinhart provided that willingly. He even took the brunt of Salem's wrath after they failed at Mistral, despite it not truly being his fault. Emerald actually felt like he truly cared for her by comparison. When they returned from Vale, Cinder threw everyone she could under the bus to avoid the witches' ire, Emerald included.
"Maybe, he was-"
A long series of heavy knocks scared the girl, dragging her from her private moment. She remained silent before finding the strength to speak.
"Go away, Mercury. I'm not in the mood."
The knocking persisted, further angering the green-haired girl. Emerald hopped off of the bed, red pools burning with frustration as she stomped toward the door. Reaching out, she prepared to give the boy a lesson in privacy.
"I said I didn't..."
It wasn't Mercury though. In fact, it wasn't anyone she'd expected to see greeting her. Of all the choices she could've had, anyone would've been better than the person looking back at her.
"Hello, Emerald."
"S-Salem...? I mean, Ma'am." she bowed out before stepping aside.
Salem entered, her strides silent until the woman took a seat on the side of the bed. Her pale face held a serenity that ironically unnerved the girl even more. Perhaps, it was the eerie glow in her ruby gaze or maybe, the veins that adorned her features? Whatever it was, Emerald silently wished for Tyrian's presence at this point.
"Have a seat, child. I wish to speak with you."
Her voice was surprisingly gentle, almost motherly as Salem patted the spot next to her. Emerald didn't disobey for fear of angering the Grimm's master. She mentally cursed her brain for bringing up another memory of the woman she swore devotion to.
The air was awkward at first with the girl staring down at her hands. Who could blame her; she was literally centimeters from possibly the most powerful person in all of Remnant. This was an immortal being who could very well wipe her from existence with a snap of a finger or worse... she could summon any variety of Grimm to slowly devour her for her amusement.
"What troubles you, Emerald?" The girl's blood ran cold, halting her fiddling. "Are you still thinking of dear Cinder? Or are you thinking about the one you left behind?"
Her eyes shot wide. This was always a subject that caused dread and yet, Salem once again brought it up as if it was the most casual thing in the world. If it'd been anyone else, with one exception, Emerald would've told them off. However, she knew that the option was not available now. All she could do was fidget slightly. Salem saw this and smiled slightly.
"I see..."
"It's nothing," Emerald lied, turning away from the woman.
Deep down the mere mention of this piece of her past opened a wound within her; a sizeable void that continued to torment her to this day. If the woman knew what she was thinking, she'd understand why she didn't want to discuss it.
"Child, not only do I know how you feel," Salem placed a pale hand over hers. "I want to help."
Strangely, instead of the expected icy grasp, Emerald felt a warmth that'd been absent from her life. Betraying her cautious nature, she turned to find that same sensation behind Salem's blood-red eyes. It was still weird to the darker girl but, she welcomed the gaze all the same.
"You do? But, how?"
Salem looked away, letting her own mind wander for a bit before returning to the present.
"Before I tell you such valuable information, I simply ask that you do the same. Does that sound like a fair exchange?"
As she hung her head, Emerald sighed and began spilling her guts. From her initial meeting with the boy, their misadventures and more. But, there was one moment that stood out to Salem; It didn't seem like much but, given the sudden heaviness in the mint-green haired girl's voice, this was the most important aspect of her story.
"...I remember we were running from the Mistralian Police Force..."
Flashback (3 Years Ago)
Dark skies blanketed the city of Argus. Heavy rain painted the streets, reflecting anything that passed over its bed of puddles. Several street lights were the traditional models, showcased in disfigured glory within the pools. However, they would be joined by many unwanted guests as footsteps disoriented the images even more than normal.
"Stop right there!"
"Cease and desist!"
"Get back here you punks!"
Two pairs of feet stomped rapidly against the soaked ground. Two children rushed through the crowds, their arms filled with various bags of food and lien. The girl in the front had scruffy green hair while the boy behind her had black hair that matched his canine ears and tail.
"Come on, Atsura!" the girl yelled/giggled while turning a corner into an alley. "Keep up, slowpoke!"
"Shut up, Em!" he whined, pushing himself off of a wall to avoid losing track of her.
Behind them both, several of their pursuers were hot on their trace.
This was the norm for the pair; stealing to survive wasn't a new concept by any means. Both were practically starving and eager to enjoy the treasures they'd pilfered. Unfortunately, this night held a few discrepancies that would prove to delay their plan. For starters, it seemed the Mistral forces were now joined with some soldiers from Atlas who blocked their normal route 'home'.
This made the duo panic, dropping some of their spoils in the process.
"Shit!" Atsura yelped, pulling the slightly smaller girl by the wrist. "Come on."
They cut another corner but there was another group of men and women waiting on them with wicked grins. Atsura, knowing these streets better than Emerald, slid under their grounded legs, using the slick ground to his advantage. He easily cleared the trio of pompous soldiers but, Emerald wasn't so lucky. She started her slide a second too early, getting scooped up effortlessly.
"Atsura!" she squealed.
He turned around, seeing his friend and ally about to be restrained. Anger rushed in him, triggering his aura. His green eyes flashed red and his scleras turned pitch-black as he rushed back without hesitation, tackling the one who held Emerald down. An untamed roar echoed into the night as he attacked each one that came into his line of sight.
A now freed Emerald rushed behind some trash cans, watching the maiming in progress. Though he was rather frightful when he got like this, Emerald knew that he only got like this when she was in danger. Her rubies continued to watch as her partner-in-crime fought valiantly to protect her, yet something felt off in Emerald's mind.
He's constantly getting hurt because of me...
She turned away when one of the women happened to hit the fox-boy with a stun baton. He cried out in pain, but it only served as a minor annoyance as his adrenaline blocked out his usual impulses. Soon, this became a regular thing; Atsura would get a couple of hits in before sustaining a massive blow in response. Emerald couldn't take it. She couldn't bear to see her friend getting hurt for her sake.
She had to do something...
Anything that could protect them both...
My semblance!
Emerald turned her attention back to find the Faunus being grabbed by multiple soldiers. In his rage, he looked over to find the girl staring... at him?! Her eyes were narrowed and pointed at him as if...
He suddenly felt something wash over his mind as if his brain was being submerged underwater, a sensation he'd come to recognize as Emerald using her powers on him. She'd done it a few times whenever he'd been hurt as a means to distract him from the pain of her treating his wounds. Sadly this wasn't the same feeling he'd been accustomed to.
What typically felt like a tranquil breeze now felt forced and twisted.
His own eyes shifted back to emerald pools, a flood gate now releasing from the dams as she stood before him. Her eyes, once bright and vibrant, now gazed back with a coldness that he'd seen all too many times from others around; but, not her. Not his best friend. Not Emerald...
"Em?" he whispered, his heart racing in anxiety.
"That's him, officer... That's the filthy Faunus who kidnapped me."
"What?"
Atsura couldn't believe what he was hearing. This had to be a nightmare, right?! He felt the disturbing impact of the girl's semblance so, it had to be a lie; some fabricated deception used to plot their escape. So, why was it so real? His mind had become a booby trap mess.
"Emerald? Why?!" he cried at the girl, her icy stare shattering his core. "You're my friend!..."
"Like I would be friends with a mutt," she shrugged nonchalantly.
Back in the real world, his captors felt him squirming lessen as the seconds ticked by until he was completely calm. Aside from the random sniffs heard underneath them, the boy no longer put up a fight. It was bizarre but, they wouldn't question the sudden shift in his attitude as they restrained the fox.
"E-Emerald..."
She froze in fear when he cut his eyes weakly in her direction. She held her breath until she realized that his stare was blank. As they hauled the semi-conscious boy away, Emerald remained behind her cover until she was sure there was no trace of the party. Emerald finally stood up, accompanied only by the cold rain as she made her way back to the hideout she once shared with the Faunus boy, grateful that her tears mixed will with the violent torrent.
"Goodbye, Atsura..."
Flashback End
"After that, I snuck out of Argus on the fastest train until I wound up in Mistral. From there, I used my semblance to steal from others until Cinder found me. It wasn't until we initiated the plan at Beacon that I saw him again."
Salem watched as Emerald wiped away a stray tear. Though it paled in comparison to the other's pain and suffering, she felt something inside of herself that she once thought to have vanished centuries ago.
Empathy.
She knew what it felt like to betray someone you love, though she'd been on the receiving end of such an act. Unlike that night, when Ozma rejected her and tried to sneak their daughters out of the castle, Salem felt no anger toward either Emerald or Atsura. Right now, all she felt was understanding for the emptiness that plagued the poor girl.
"Embrace or slight?"
"Excuse me?"
"It seems you've been tortured by this moment in your life, Emerald. So, I'm offering you a choice."
Salem then stood to her feet, removing her hand from the girls, taking with her the compassionate warmth that came with it. Her gaze, now stern, held not anger or danger, but determination and focus.
"Will you choose to embrace this pain and use it to fuel your desire or will you slight it and forge a new path?"
"I-I... don't know."
"Cinder isn't here to make decisions for you, child. Are you willing to conquer this pain or will you seek to remove it entirely? Whatever decision you make will determine where we go from here. Choose and hold firm to your judgment."
Emerald quickly shot up but still remained hesitant to pick an option. This was very similar to what Mercury mentioned about feeling like he belonged within Salem's ranks. Was she truly ready to make her own decisions again? To forge a new identity separate from Cinder, her mentor...
She closed her eyes, reminiscing over all that'd happened in her life thus far. She could never get rid of the memories shared with the boy but, this guilt was eating away at her, driving her mad in the process. The choices were blunt and direct: Either she could face her demons or bury them forever, never to be seen again. Upon opening her eyes, she looked back with a glare that told Salem all she needed to know.
"Very well," she nodded. "Then let us get started, we have much to do and such little time."
"Heads up!"
Blake shouted out, launching Gambol Shroud at a Sabyr Grimm that charged at Pyrrha and Atsura. The couple watched as it began to disintegrate, relieved that the Team RWBY member and newest addition their intimate circle remained vigilant.
They all nodded in appreciation as it seemed that the threat was over.
What threat, you ask?
While meeting with Maria's confidante, Pietro Polendina, the gang heard alarms blaring along the streets outside of the Pharmacy. When they went to see what the cause was, they were greeted by many Sabyr who instantly charged at them. Thankfully, they were trained for such an occasion, easily dispatching of the sinister beasts with little issue. Even Oscar managed to take out a couple of the Grimm, showing improvement from the hapless farm boy he once was.
Yet, one can't account for everything as evident when a Sabyr appeared out of nowhere ready to pounce on Blake. With no time to dodge or defend, it seemed that the girl was going to be mauled. Then, from the skies above, a green blast pierced the monster, instantly destroying it.
While the act was welcomed, it was the owner said act who surprised them.
Above them flew a rather elegant figure, long hair that reached the middle of her back as she descended slowly to the Mantle streets. This allowed the group to finally decipher the woman's identity, confirmed when Ruby Rose spoke her name.
"P-Penny?"
The girl turned slightly only to have the largest smile appear on her face. Her green eyes grew to the size of saucers as she gasped in excitement upon discerning whom she had rescued. Ruby and Pyrrha, the two most affected by the girl's fate back at Beacon couldn't help but smile themselves... that is until Penny tried to greet them.
"Sal-"
"Huh?" Ruby's lips fell slightly in confusion.
"-U-"
Ruby gasped in sudden (and unfortunate) realization as Penny crouched down.
"-tations!"
Penny rushed at high speeds, zooming past all of the others to reach her first real friend. Ruby flailed her arms defensively, but it did little good as she wound up tackled for her troubles.
"Oooohhh... Penny used Super Glomp..." Zaffre winced.
"Against Ruby, it was super effective," Jaune finished, high fiving the kangaroo while Ren shook his head in amusement.
Meanwhile, an enthusiastic Penny couldn't help but reacquaint herself with Ruby Rose, eager to share her story with the others. Though there were many questions, Pietro, her father/creator, gladly offered to answer as many as he could. Several of the huntsmen/huntresses-in-training watched in either amusement or elation but, there was one who decided to stay behind.
A certain green-eyed girl who felt nothing but guilt wash over her spirit.
"It is such a pleasure to see you all again!" Penny announced giddily.
"P-Penny... I- We thought you..."
"Died?" Pietro cut in, his tone still festive and hearty. "I guess in a matter of speaking, she did. But we were able to recover her core from Amity Coliseum once it had made its way back to Atlas. It took some time but-"
"I'm as good as new...! Better even; Now, I'm the official protector of the city!"
"That's my girl! We're not going to let a little ripping to shreds stop us, are we?"
"No sir!" she replied, knocking on her dome.
Though it was played for a joke, Pyrrha didn't find it humorous for obvious reasons. She couldn't shake off the lifeless stare of the former incarnation of Penny Polendina as she laid on the arena floor. She did that, whether she was under another's influence or not, she still committed the deed. It was one thing to see Ruby, but, how would Penny react to seeing her?
"Pyrrha?" She released the air trapped in her lungs, not realizing that she'd been holding it in all of this time. Hearing Penny's voice clearly had the effect of a solid punch to the gut at this point. "Is that really you?"
"Hello again..." she despondently waved.
She could hear the cybernetic steps growing louder until they stopped.
"Pyrrha? Why won't you look at me?" Penny tilted her head, puzzled. "Did I do something wrong?"
"What? N-No! I-"
"Then what is it, Pyrrha? You seem sad about something..."
Pyrrha wouldn't just come out and remind the girl of what she did. Even if she wanted to, she didn't have the strength to do so at this point. With the little she could muster, Pyrrha finally took in the full extent of Penny 2.0 and immediately began to shed tears, both of relief and regret."
"I-I'm sorry..." she cried, burying her head in her gloved hands. "I'm so sorry!"
Everyone around could feel the hurt behind the apology yet, Penny didn't quite understand. Though her processor knew of the incident, she didn't understand why Pyrrha was so distraught. Unfortunately, she didn't get the chance to say much before another alarm from the eastern district began to go off. Instead, she reached out and hugged the weeping girl before flashing a confident grin.
"We can talk later and patch things right up later!" she saluted. "For now, it seems we will have to wait."
She took flight once more, leaving the group with many more questions but, at least Pyrrha had something positive to build on for later on. In the meantime, they all resolved to head back to Pietro's Pharmacy in hopes of getting them answered.
"This is not how I pictured this night going..." Qrow shrugged.
As they made their way down the street, Atsura and Lie Ren felt that something was off. It was like an ominous presence was lurking yet they appeared to be the only ones in the immediate area. They both had the same idea, opting to turn around only to hear several items being launched in their direction. One by one, they dropped to the ground, Atlas restraints enveloping their bodies until only Qrow was left standing.
Soon, he too was taken down, leaving only Maria and Pietro to watch in shock at what was happening.
From all around, five figures appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, each one dressed in fancy uniforms.
"Good work, team."
"Hey! What's going on?!" Oscar grunted as he wriggled around.
Even Qrow wasn't having it with whoever captured them.
"Hey, Pal! I'm a licensed Huntsman! ...Just helped save everyone?!"
The brunette male looked down on his prey while twirling a horseshoe, entertainment dancing on his face. He then reached down to claim the weapon beside his prisoner while his compatriots mirrored his action. Soon, they were joined by some of the Atlas Knights who collected the confiscated weapons and began escorting the controlled group into the back of a paddywagon.
"What is the meaning of this?! What are the Ace-Ops even doing here in Mantle?!"
The brown-haired male turned to Pietro with a confident and radiant smile.
"It's good to see you, doc. We heard a report of an unauthorized ship making an unauthorized landing followed by unauthorized use of weapons by non-licensed huntsmen."
Maria and Pietro exchanged looks of concern but couldn't resist the fact that their hands were tied on the situation.
"If we could... just talk this out..."
"They'll be able to talk once they get to Atlas," the man noted before tossing what looked like a fishing line that allowed him to sail off with his teammates. In the meantime, Qrow and the others were all loaded up, none able to escape the bonds that held them.
"Now this?... This is much closer to what I was expecting."
Atsura looked over at his uncle as the doors shut behind them as the truck pulled off taking them on an unexpected detour.
One way or another, they were finally going to reach Atlas.
