Shadows of Destiny

Rating: T

Series: RWBY

Main Pairing: Atsura/Pyrrha/Blake (Dusk to Dawn)

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 24: Twisted Games We Play


What happened?

Everyone all around Atlas and Mantle had been in a state of shock. The streets of the latter city were filled with hushed whispers of such an event occuring, their future truly in questionable status. It had been several days since the results of the Atlas Council elections and no one was as shocked as General Ironwood. He didn't want it to be true, especially after the stunt he pulled that incited a riot prior to voting.

Shutting down 'non-essential' SDC stores all throughout Mantle was one thing, but it wasn't the only point. After closing the shops, he soon announced an immediate layoff of workers, mostly from the city below that should've destroyed any chance of victory. And yet, in a cruel twist of fate, on top of the many lives slain at a victory rally, the Dust company mogul took the election in the last seconds.

He knew something fishy was going on, but James didn't have time to worry about this right now. Any way you spin it, there was no denying the unfortunate truth: Jacques Schnee was now sitting on the Atlas council. After the outcome was released, he'd been hard at work trying to keep things from escalating even further.

To make matters worse, several Atlas trucks were mysteriously going missing with her Happy Huntresses redistributing resources from the Amity project to the people of Mantle. Several of Beacon's finest stood in his office, trying to figure out what to do next. Of them, Ren, Atsura, Nora, Pyrrha, Zaffre, and Ruby were all in attendance.

"We're so close! There must be something that we can do..."

"There is..." Winter turned to Ruby Rose, her tone filled with a grave edge. "...declare Marshall Law."

Ruby and Nora looked at the woman in utter disbelief. Ren and Pyrrha simply exchanged a questionable glance, otherwise maintaining their composure. Ultimately, it was the fox and kangaroo who had the grimmest reaction, both scowling deeply at such a casual mention of such a significant act. The former of the two Faunus looked up, seeing the general turn his back without a word.

"You're not really considering Marshall Law, are you?" everyone turned to a distraught Nora Valkyrie.

Ironwood seemed undeterred by the girl's fruitless plea.

"I understand your concern, but you must ask yourself what is more important. Reestablishing global communication through Amity Coliseum... or a few city blocks?"

"You can't trivialize the needs of so many people!" Nora cut him off. "You keep talking about we need a little more time, but you're not the ones having to struggle!"

"We've all had to make sacrifices for the greater good. The city of Mantle has had to bear a lot of the burden, but-"

"They're bearing ALL of it! The longer this waiting game goes on, the harder each day gets for them down below. Now you want to send in more soldiers?! You can't force people to fall in line! If you do that, you'll just be trading all of these problems for the Grimm!"

By now, Ironwood was losing what little patience he had left. His eyes, simmering embers locked onto fiery passion burning behind Nora's. Thankfully, those flickers of fury died down, slowly regaining the heartfelt woe that plagued the man previously. Ruby stepped in, playing the role of mediator in hopes of quelling the warring individuals.

In the midst of that, Clover and Winter took over the conversation. They pushed the conversation away from the state of the two cities and unto a more pressing matter.

"Tyrian Callows; He was accused of murders all over Anima. He's a homicidal maniac who escaped justice when his prison transport was attacked by Grimm. After that, he was never seen again."

"He works for Salem now..." Ruby announced. "...and he's here. We should tell the people and-"

"What? We tell them that a long lost serial killer is on the loose in Mantle? That would only make things worse before it would make it better."

Nora had finally had enough.

"I... am so sick of secrets! If we'd just told everyone about Amity, about Salem-"

"WE CAN'T!"

All eyes were now on the frustrated general, completely missing the sudden slamming noise behind them. It appeared that everyone was accounted for... all except a certain vulpine.


Atsura's body shivered in anger, his ear unable to listen to any more of the briefing. He knew that it wasn't professional to just leave, but he risked losing his temper as Nora did. As he stomped away, he kept his eyes forward, white-hot rage threatening to spill over at any moment. His trek brought him to the front courtyard as he looked for a departing airship.

"Fang!" he cursed inwardly as the voice of his friend, Zaffre caught his ears. "Dude, what was that all about? Why'd you just leave the meeting like that?"

"I just need to get some air, Z."

"Give me a break," The grey-haired Faunus crossed his arms. "You could've just excused yourself."

"Whatever." Atsura pulled out his scroll, searching the listings for any jobs available. "I'm heading down to Mantle."

"He's right, you know?"

Atsura ceased his actions, turning around slowly to face the marsupial, not believing what he was hearing.

"What are you saying, Zaf? How can you support any of this?!" the vulpine fired. "Arresting Robin. Tyrian. Marshall law? There's no justification for him wanting to do something so radical and you know it."

Zaffre didn't back down from his teammate and leader. Instead, he stood strong, eyes answering the challenging gaze of his friend. He sighed while listening to the foxes' discontent with everything that was happening around them, his face otherwise unmoving.

"Grow up..."

"Excuse me?"

"Look at the state of Remnant, Atsura. We're not kids anymore and this isn't Beacon Academy; We both know how cruel the world is long before reaching this point. We've encountered monsters that can rip up limb from limb without effort... We've both dealt with discrimination just for being Faunus!" Zaffre's counter was emphasized by his oddly even tone. "The world isn't some fairytale, man! There's no way that we'll achieve a happy ending without making some necessary sacrifices."

By this point, the others had caught up to the two, though neither noticed their presence.

"So you, Zaffre Grey, think Ironwood is justified in declaring such a harsh act?"

The kangaroo knew where this was going and, in an attempt to cut him off at the past, he allowed a solemn grin to cross his face.

"I may not like all of the rules, but I hate when others break the rules established. Robin Hill has been doing just that and must be taken into custody. It's not rocket science. Plus, the general is willing to offer her a deal if she's willing to cooperate, so what's the problem?"

The two Faunus eyed one another, neither backing down from their resolve as the others watched closely. The air of tension was building fast; a powder keg just waiting for someone to officially light the fuse. Just like in Ironwood's office, two opposing forces shot vicious glares, daring their opponent to jump at the bait. Ruby wanted to step in and stop things from escalating, but the outstretched arm of Nora stopped that from happening.

Finally, Atsura decided to break the silence.

"That's what this is really about?" He inquired to the now perplexed Zaffre. "You haven't forgiven her, have you? After all of this time, you still hold a grudge with her for leaving..." The normally bright reddish-grey eyes of his friend turned threateningly sinister. This confirmed Atsura's suspicions as the tides shifted in his favor. "When you saw her the other day, you couldn't believe that she just joined another group, could you?"

"Watch it, Atsura..."

"Oh, grow up! You just berated me about fairytales and fantasies of the old days when you're still clinging to the same thing. The only difference between us is that you're willing to have our friend locked up as revenge."

"I'm warning you!"

"Go ahead! Just tell me I'm wrong and I'll stop!" Atsura took a few steps forward, silently daring his peer to do something. "Guess what? We all chose a path after Beacon fell. I left in search of my mother. Roxie stayed and helped with Yang's recovery. Even you left to be with team SSSN while he went after Blake! Are you planning on making us pay for forging our own paths?!"

"What would a street rat with no parents know?!"

"More than a self-righteous hypocrite!"

"Atsura!" Both finally shifted their attention to the small gathering behind them. Eyes full of concern and worry for the storm that was brewing between them. The labored rising and fall of their chests only served to further paint the image of the effect the discussion was having on the pair. Even more, it was clear that even their similar pasts wouldn't be enough to bring understanding. "That's enough..."

"Whatever," the canine sneered before making his way toward the nearest airship bound for Mantle.

Pyrrha wanted to follow him but found herself rooted in place. Instead, it was Nora of all people who chased after him, hopping on the aircraft just as it was about to depart. Helplessness filled the spartan warrior as she watched the pristine plane take off, leaving their group in the same state as the kingdom.

Chaotic.


Hours passed, bringing with it the familiar burgundy blanket of the night over the grounded city.

Among the people, Atsura and Nora chose to spend their time at Pietro's Pharmacy, assisting Maria with supplies and minor treatments for the patients. It wasn't glamorous, but neither complained as they both felt like they were making a difference. It was certainly a mood lifter, to say the least as both hunters seemed at ease. It was nice to be able to help those in need without any strings attached. On top of that, it was refreshing to get the earlier events off of their minds, even if it was temporary.

Unfortunately, the good times couldn't last long.

After the last few patients were taken care of by the elders, Atsura & Nora finished cleaning up. Pietro offered to give the children a ride, but both respectfully declined the invitation. They gave a simple farewell, opting to wander around Mantle, mostly in search of food.

"Man, I'm starving..." the fox groaned.

"I know! I could eat an entire horse!" Nora clutched her growling stomach. "Where's the nearest restaurant?"

"You know we could've gone to a place back in Atlas."

"No. Way. I'm not looking forward to Ren scolding me..."

Atsura chuckled at that, averting his amused gaze when Nora flashed an annoyed look his way. She followed this with a playful punch. He rubbed his sore limb but never dropped his delighted attitude as they turned a corner. Now, they both found themselves looking at a deserted street. There was nobody in sight but, thanks to Atsura's heightened sense of hearing, they were able to pick up various noises nearby.

Footsteps.

He stopped, alerting the hammer-wielding girl. "What's wrong?" He cut his gaze in every direction, slowly reaching for Nguangus. She mirrored his action, grabbing Magnhild and shifting it into its grenade launcher form. Soon, even she could pick up the subtle footsteps. Whoever was making them, they were close. The fox steadied his breathing, subtly locating the source to be from a nearby alley.

Suddenly, several rounds ripped through the dark corridor, forcing the two to duck out of the way. When the onslaught ceased, Atsura could see a shadow-like figure rushing past, leaving behind a twisted cackled that could freeze fire itself.

As Nora struggled to recover, Atsura grabbed his sword and sped after the one who attacked them. His pants of frustrations echoed down the silent pathways. His target lept over many obstacles, maintaining the distance. The dimly lit backways blurred as Atsura did his best to keep up. He wouldn't lose sight of his target. The maniacal chuckles bounced off of the brick buildings, haunting the scene around them.

Lungs burned.

Muscles ached.

None of it mattered as Atsura turned a sharp corner, entering a wide-open space. However, there was no sign of his quarry.

"Where'd they go?"

Nothing but the brisk wind answered his question, making goosebumps rise on his neck. He scoured the area, leaving no shrouded area unchecked. He kept his head on a swivel, but it wasn't his skill leading him to do so. No. It was something far worse. Something that finally forced the mystery assailant to reveal themselves.

"Heheheh... Is that fear I smell?" the boy turned to his left, golden eyes staring back him hungrily. "I wonder, what that tastes like?"

A male figure slinked out of the shadows, a grin that mirrored the Cheshire cat stretching his face. Atsura noticed the man's hair was braided to resemble a scorpion's tail, affording Atsura the chance to recognize him.

"You're... Tyrian..."

He gasped, dramatically placing a hand over his scarred chest. "You've heard of me? I must admit, I'm truly humbled to be known by the younger generation." He took a bow, further making the fox uncomfortable. "But, I'm sad to say that I don't know your name."

"A-Atsura..."

Tyrian tapped his chin a few times, his shoulders slumping in disappointment.

"Nope. Doesn't ring a bell... Wait! You're the one 'she' spoke of? The one with eyes like my goddess?" Atsura scowled in disgust as the male gushed, his fear melting away as a result. In his mind, this guy wasn't just crazy, he was absolutely out of his mind. He couldn't get a read on him, forcing the vulpine to keep on his guard. When he finally halted his love-stricken rant, Tyrian turned back to the younger Faunus. "In that case, perhaps you'd be sporting in accompanying me to meet the savior of this forsaken world?"

"Savior?" Atsura narrowed his eyes.

"Surely, you've heard of her. The magnificent and glorious Salem."

Green/Red eyes immediately shifted to complete sanguine after hearing that name. He'd missed the briefing about Tyrian's affiliation with the sorceress as he was too busy tuning out the general's poor 'reasons' for treating Mantle as disposable. Now, he was face to face with the one who slaughtered many of the city's citizens at the victory party.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," he growled, pointing Nguangus.

Expecting anger, Atsura was taken aback when Tyrian's grin stretched even wider. His body shuddered in delight at the outburst of defiance. Little did he know, the scorpion was hoping for such an answer.

"Then, it looks like I'll have to drag you to her."


Roxanne stomped down the various halls of Atlas Academy. Her eyes were locked, focused on the task that awaited her. Various members of the Atlas ranks stepped out of the way of the ram, allowing a clear path for her. She reached her destination, letting out a sigh of frustration before forcing the door open with a mighty swing and a dark glare.

"Zaffre!" she roared.

The marsupial paled, wishing he was anywhere else but there. He was trapped in their dorm room, prime pickings for the girl's wrath. "I didn't do it!" he cried out, futilely searching for a way out. His face then screwed from outright fear to a look of confusion. "Wait... What didn't I do?"

"Don't pretend you don't know, idiot!"

"I swear, I don't know what you're talking about, Roxie!"

Closer she stalked, her shadow looming over the panicking Faunus. The orange hue gleamed as she finally stood over the defenseless boy. After her initial outburst, Roxanne finally picked up that his cluelessness was, in fact, not an act. This made her anger subside slightly, just enough for her scary face to shift to one of irritation.

"I heard that you and Fang got into it," she impatiently tapped her fingers across her toned bicep.

"Oh..."

It was all Zaffre could say as he bowed his head in disappointment, his slouch hat concealing his face. Such a defeated position revealed the level of guilt and shame weighing down on the guy. Roxanne sighed to herself.

"What happened exactly?"

Though he was hesitant, the kangaroo Faunus revealed all to his teammate; The tense meeting with Ironwood. Nora's opposition to the idea of Marshall Law. Tyrian. Atsura's sudden exit. He left no detail out, flinching whenever he recalled the words spoken between the two. By the time he finished, there was no doubt of Zaffre's remorse.

"So, there you have it..."

Roxanne lowered her head to acknowledge she understood. Then, in a flash, she threw a swift punch that landed down on the top of his head. A comical bump formed from the point of impact, swelling up the raw skin. As he rubbed his bruised head, Roxanne huffed, unloading the tension that'd been trapped inside all of this time.

"Ow! What was that for?!" he hissed/whined.

"For being an idiot. You of all people should've known better than to bring up his past, especially when he was just expressing his frustrations. That was a low blow and you owe him an apology."

"But..."

"No 'buts', Zaffre. Trust me, we all say things that can hurt, but if it's true, don't you at least deserve to analyze your actual feelings rather than letting them dictate your every move?"

Unable to truly find a legitimate counter to Roxanne's inquiry, Zaffre exhaled sharply though, he had the faintest signs of a grin on his face. He couldn't deny her points, and after spending time in cooling his head, he could tell that she wasn't taking sides either. During his time of reflection, he also knew that Atsura was telling the truth about his feelings toward Earna. She was his partner, his first friend at Beacon.

He truly felt hurt when she chose to leave for Atlas only to find she'd joined another group entirely.

"He's right," he confessed. "After Beacon fell, I grew bitter and let that bitterness grow toward you and Atsura as a result. I-I need to apologize to him."

Just as he finished, Roxanne felt a vibration in her pants pocket. Pulling out her scroll, she saw the image of their friend and team leader appear on the hologram screen. Looks like you'll get that chance sooner rather than later... she smirked.

"Hey, Fang. Z wants to-"

"Hello?!" It wasn't Atsura voice on the other side. "Hello?! Roxanne are you there?"

"Nora, what's going on? Why do you have Atsura's phone?"

"I don't know! We were attacked by Tyrian and he chased after him. When finally caught up, both of them were gone!"

Roxanne began pacing back and forth, her fiery eyes flickering with panic and worry. As Nora did her best to explain further, the ram Faunus felt herself begin to shake. Eventually, she put the call on speaker so that she could throw her jacket on.

"We'll tell the general and meet you in Mantle. We'll get the others as well so keep searching and keep in touch."

They ended the call and took off for General Ironwood's office, however, they were stopped rather quickly when they ran into the last person either of them wanted to see at the moment. No. It wasn't Blake. It wasn't even Pyrrha, shockingly.

"Hey, guys! What's the rush?"

Lilac purple orbs watched in surprise at the pair's urgency. If they had a choice, the spartan and feline would've been better first options to break the news to. But, if there was something neither were willing to do, it was lying to Yang Xiao Long. In fact, one could consider it a death sentence to even attempt to lie to her at this point.

"Yang... It's about Atsura."


Darkness.

Coldness.

This was what greeted Atsura as he tried to open his eyes. He took a deep breath that hurt his ribcage. He exhaled sharply, inhaling only due to necessity as the pain coursed through his sternum. His head swam; he tried desperately to return to reality. His stomach tightened, making him want to vomit. His skull ached. His vision blurred. He attempted to reach for his abdomen but found this impossible as the sound of chainlinks added to his pain.

Where am I?

Atsura had no idea of where he was or how he even got here. At best, the most he could recall was his battle with Tyrian.

Tyrian Callows.

Despite the stinging in his head, the Faunus felt his memories begin to clear up.

Flashback

"Then, it looks like I'll have to drag you to her."

Atsura clutched the handle of his blade after separating it into its dual form. His eyes locked onto the dark and twisted glee behind the golden gates of the madman across from him.

"The only one getting dragged is you when I take you to jail."

"Ooh! Heheheh... A challenge from the cocky pup? I accept."

Atsura didn't have a chance to rebut as Tyrian rushed at him. Defense was the name of the game as steel clashed. Tyrian clearly had the speed advantage as he scurried around the environment, using everything to his advantage. Atsura also had to keep an eye out for the mechanical stinger of Tyrian that would occasionally make its appearance.

Eventually, the vulpine would abandon the guarded approach, ducking another stinger thrust. He swept the legs of the typically nimble scorpion to take advantage of the small window of opportunity.

The agile Tyrian used his reptilian tail to flip back to his feet. Expecting another series of thrusts and slashes, Tyrian was instead greeted by a fist that connected with his nose. As he staggered backward, the fox hit him a left hand in the V under his ribs where the sternum ends. It paralyzed his diaphragm and he gasped and doubled over and then pitched forward onto the cold.

"Bastard..." Tyrian seethed, though something wasn't right. Despite the pain inflicted on him, his smile still remained. That sick and twisted grin twitched, but that was the only sign of his demeanor faltering. Tyrian jerked his head back in hysterical triumph. "You're definitely intriguing... but, you're still not worthy of such an honor."

"What are you rambling about?!" Atsura finally broke his composure. "What does she want with me?"

Tyrian didn't answer, instead, charging at the boy once more. Atsura lifted his blades to block whatever attack was coming, but it never came. A rush of wind zoomed by, revealing Tyrian's true ploy; he was running. Atsura gave chase, not wanting to lose track of the sadistic murderer. However, as he tried to keep up, the fox could sense that something was seriously off.

With each step he took, Atsura could feel his movements growing heavier. His vision started becoming fuzzy. Still, he pressed on in hopes of catching Tyrian. He managed to make out the silhouette of the crazed killer as he dove into a manhole. Atsura was about to jump down but stopped short when he felt his left arm shake slightly.

As he began to see double, Atsura pulled out his scroll. Unfortunately, he never got to use it as a sharp pain smashed into his back, forcing his body to convulse before finally passing out. The last thing he remembered was the sound of something hard tapping against the cold ground.

The sound of heels clicking.

The sound of glass.

Flashback End

Atsura soon felt the fog lifting as he tested his bonds. He noticed how the chains holding him down resembled the sound of the footsteps he heard earlier. He barely made out the shining glow of the full moon peeking through what seemed like blinds. A dull pain pulsed from his side as he tried to make heads and tails of his surroundings.

"Wha-?"

His canine ears caught the faintest traces of movement, showing that he wasn't alone. He soon made out a feminine figure shuffling daintily toward him through the blackness. From what he could pick up, she was short or at least shorter than he would be standing up. He couldn't make out any details but a part of the Faunus felt as if he knew this person. He could feel her face inches away from his own, further adding to his suspicion.

"Neo..." the woman turned to the voice as the lights suddenly flooded the room. "Get away from him. He may give you rabies."

Ceasing her inspection of the wounded boy, pink/brown eyes rolled at the poorly executed joke. With a sympathetic gaze, Neo left Atsura passing by a woman with short raven hair. One of her eyes was covered by the tufts. She wore an eyepatch over her left eye, though a massive scar remained. A black tank top and shorts were covered by a matching cloak.

She watched as Neo left the room, presumably on a mission, before turning her attention back to the shackled Atsura. Her eyes flashed with a dangerous glint as she approached her hostage.

"Do you remember me? I remember you..." He said nothing, flashing a look of confusion. "Here's a hint:"

The woman reached for the locks that hid the damaged portions of her face. Raw pink flesh caught his gaze, but, still nothing. She held out her right hand, lighting it ablaze to a silent response once more.

"How do you not remember? Beacon?! Grimm invasion? I nearly killed that Nikos girl?!"

His orbs widened immensely after hearing that, sparking a sinister glee in his captor. The anger she once felt soon melted away as she knelt down in front of Atsura. If his expression was anything to go by, he was beginning to identify exactly who she was. multicolored pools shifted into sanguine though he couldn't tap into that darkness within as a full realization hit him.

"Cinder..."


Hey everyone!

I won't bore you with details so, let's get right into it. I'll admit I kind of cheated with using both Tyrian and Cinder but, I had to remember that he does have his purpose in the main canon and here. So, I called an audible and had Cinder be the main one here. I'll still be bringing up her back-story as well so don't worry about that.

The original plan was to have Tyrian win the fight and actually bring Atsura to Salem, but... That wouldn't have worked for obvious reasons. First, how would he have been presented to her (if you know how Vol. 7 ends then you understand). Secondly, I would've had to do a massive time-skip which wouldn't work given the direction (at least not just yet).

I'll be focusing on Atsura with some minor scenes throughout with the others before we reach the end of volume 3 of this story. For now, our protagonist is currently a captive of Cinder Fall and things are about to get murky very quickly. I'll leave a proper disclaimer at the beginning of the next chapter, but, be warned that there may be some dark content that some may find triggering. I will also leave a direct disclaimer right before the exact scenes so that you can skip past it if necessary.

Lastly, I'm considering another RWBY story idea but, I'm actually holding off on it as I continue on this one. Just know that it'll be connected to this story as part of a multiverse series. No details yet, but, I may start working on it just before we go into the fourth volume. Still, that's a ways off, so let's not worry about that right now.

Keep moving forward, and much love everyone!