Shadows of Destiny
Rating: T/M
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)
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs. Also, some material may include violence, gore, and mentions of rape. If any of these things disturb you, there will be a marker that will give you a chance to skip past those sections. This is just an early 'precaution' and will be followed up with direct warnings when necessary.
Chapter 26: Black Heart, Iron Soul
The kingdom of Atlas remained firm amid the evacuation attempts. Endless attempts at gathering the Mantle citizens served to be much easier now that Atlas was assisting the efforts. However, amidst the success thus far, Ruby and the others were called back to Atlas by the general. With no explanation or reason for the sudden recall, the three groups separated.
Team JNPR left to retrieve Oscar while Team RWBY waited with four of the Ace-Ops in Ironwood's office. It was a briefing; Truly it was a berating from the acclaimed war veteran. The meeting of the minds was quickly shot down on all fronts as the general had more than his share of advice. From the day he was having, there was no longer any room for what he deemed as weakness, despite the outcry of the girls. From dealing with Watts, the glass chess piece left behind on his desk, and the official introduction of Salem, he was far past done with trusting others.
"There is only one thing we can do at this point..." he replied harshly.
"I'm sure there's another way," Blake Belladonna offered.
"If we waste any more time, Salem will be at our doorstep! I won't let Atlas become another Beacon."
"But sir... What about the people? You can't just abandon them..."
"She's right," Ruby added. "What would the council say?!"
Ironwood contemplated that inquest for a moment, his eyes a reflection of his resolve.
"Nothing... They won't have anything to say after I declare Marshall Law."
Horror crossed the face of the four. They all knew what this would entail if he went through with the order. He'd be leaving the city and those still in Mantle to perish at the hands of the monstrous Grimm that'd already infested the former kingdom. He'd be abandoning the people who were also under his protection. He knew this, but, he was unrelenting in his plans.
"We are saving as many as we can... and you're standing in our way."
Any likeness of the caring man they once knew was now gone. Only a cold and calculative soldier stared back at them, no compromise to be found in his posture. Chilly blue eyes glared back, the final warning before drastic measures were to be taken against them.
"Guys! We've got a huge problem!" Jaune's voice broke the thick tension that permeated Ironwood's office.
The silver-eyed warrior flashed glances from the device to the general who's chilling stare only darkened. He silently challenged the girl, a true establishment of his position and the line he drew in the sand. Her next move would tell him whether she'd cross that line.
Atlas was in a state of panic. Many of her citizens were being escorted to designated shelters if they were unable to make it to their homes. This precaution did nothing for two individuals who snuck along with the shadows of the city in the sky. Their intentions, seemingly different, revolved around the same place. A human and a Faunus rested their backs against a wall as Atlesian soldiers rushed down the streets in droves.
For Atsura, he was forced to grit his teeth as the freezing wind slapped his wounds. It wasn't the most intelligent decision, but he figured anything was better than remaining in Cinder's temporary domain. He was still stinging from the wound left by Tyrian which made his attempts to keep up with his benefactor that much more difficult. Speaking of that, he spared a glance at the man who happened to stumble upon his predicament, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"We should be in the clear soon," the male announced, peeking around the corner for signs of any more soldiers. This was what he wanted as he monitors the last few officers disappearing. Once the coast was clear, the two willed themselves onward. "Are you sure that Neo's going to be here?"
The vulpine nodded, still not trusting his voice.
The older man sighed in understanding at the young foxes' plight. He heard rumors of how vicious Cinder Fall could be, but this was the first time, he'd seen the damage that she was capable of doling out. There was no doubt that the younger male deserved to rest and yet, the teen was adamant about reaching their destination.
Atlas Academy.
The massive building only grew in size as the got closer to the school. They narrowly avoided several security drones along the way, but otherwise, they were free to travel without issues.
"So, what'd you do to get on Cinder's bad side?"
"..."
"Not much of a talker, are you?" his suave, gentleman-like tone earned him a grunt. "You remind me of my Neo. Being a mute, she couldn't communicate like us. That made her life difficult; Imagine trying to tell people you're in danger or that something's wrong, but your inability to speak prevents you."
Despite the pulsing pain coursing through him, Atsura did find the man's abrupt sharing to be interesting.
"I can imagine..." his throat was scratchy but still comprehensive enough.
"I'm sure you could," The man chuckled softly. "When I set out to forge my path in life, I made sure to take her with me as I managed to understand her. After the attack on Vale and Beacon, I thought she was lost to me forever. I searched all over remnant for her but, to no avail. That's why I'm hoping you're right."
"I know I am..." Atsura cleared his throat. "Cinder told her to look for a friend of mine and I'm sure he's at the school."
While neither admitted it, they both were keeping crucial details hidden from the other. The Faunus made no mistake by avoiding mention of the relics. The human, however, left out his criminal past; He was one of the kingpins of Vale and even instrumental in the fall of the academy almost a year prior. They reached the back entrance of the school before twisting his body, swiftly pointing his cane at the chest of the boy.
"By the way, kid, I never got your name."
"What?"
"You have one, right? What's your name?"
Despite the sudden shift in tone, the fox didn't show any sign of trepidation. After what he'd endured at the hands of the sadistic Fall Maiden, death didn't scare him.
"Give me your name and I'll give you mine."
The man eyed him intensely, noticing his bloodied lip curling upward. Even the cold didn't cause him to shiver despite the intense hurt that gnawed at him. It was admirable to see such bravery in the eyes of the Faunus. So, impressed at the courage displayed, the elder male lowered his weapon, scoffing with a grin.
"The name's Roman, kid..."
"Atsura."
"Well, now that we've concluded the preliminaries, it appears that we have a little dilemma."
"What would that be?"
"Getting inside this gaudy fortress..."
Just as the older man mention that, a soft beep caught their attention. Reaching into his jacket pocket, Roman removed his scroll seeing a series of faces popping up on the screen, a few he recognized, forcing his gaze to harden for a moment, but what came as a surprise was the image of the fox alongside him. Atsura sensed that something was amiss, watched Roman's expression shift to a grim line.
"Something wrong?"
"I think we may have two dilemmas." Roman breathed, exposing the cause for his distress. Atsura couldn't help but stare in disbelief as he saw the photos of himself and his friends all lined up with the word 'Wanted' listed above them. His mind was a jumbled mess as he tried to make sense of the situation. "What do you want to do, kid?"
Atsura ignored the undesired name as he contemplated what to do with this newest development. One minute he was trying to bring in a crazy criminal and now he and his allies were branded as such. He was in no shape to fight just yet, but thankfully, he could feel his aura returning to normal. He could no longer use the front door but, he wasn't deterred from his goal. He needed answers and he would get them.
A trembling smirk formed on his bloodied lip, despite the odds being stacked against him, he felt something that he hadn't felt in the last few days. A surge of resolution began to burn from his soul, scorching away the weakness that once weighed him down. He soon broke out into a sprint, ignoring his body's screams of torturous agony, Roman trying his best to keep up; he didn't care though. All that mattered to him was that he find his friends and try to help.
Clutching his weapon, his eye watched as the building grew bigger with every step.
I'm coming, guys...
Cinder's lips twitched up as her heels echoed through the lone corridor. It was nearly black through the hall, the only source of light being poorly lit red lamps, signaling that an intruder had broken into the facility; a foretelling of her arrival. Any unfortunate soul caught in her path was quickly dealt with. Swift was her action whenever she cut down one of the Atlesian staff members.
Their cries for mercy fell on deaf ears before one by one, they were slaughtered by the amber-eyed maiden.
"Now, where could that winter maiden be?" she asked rhetorically.
She figured that following the trail of the special operative would lead her to the prize she so eagerly sought. Delight danced behind those burning orbs when she was proven right. All she had to do was claim the powers. A few more operatives attempted to stop her, but their shrieks of panic and pain only fueled her forward. One by one, they fell to the Grimm's hand, their inner prayers to Oum going unanswered as they collapsed on the formerly stainless floor.
"Pathetic..." she spat.
This would deter her mood as she looked up to see a sight so familiar appear in front of her. Snow white hair tied in a bun and slate blue eyes revealed her identity as a top Specialist and Ironwood's right hand. Cinder remembered her for another reason, however. She recalled her first and only time being in the Schnee Manor with her mother. The illegitimate daughter of a once proud and corrupt businessman flared her nostrils at the worried firstborn before lighting her hand with a steadily growing flame.
Inch by inch, she grinned sadistically and launched the burning ball at the woman. Despite the size of the burning sphere, Winter was able to avoid it by rushing back into the room she previously left. It didn't matter to Cinder much though; She considered the attack as more of an announcement of her presence than an actual attack to harm. Still, it had enough power to blow the entire door down along with most of the wall.
She turned the corner, seeing that her 'sibling' was not alone.
"We meet again, Winter..." She chuckled softly. "It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it?"
Winter looked on as the raven-haired woman flexed her grotesque arm. She chose to respond directly, instead, choosing to size her enemy for fear prevented her from forming any coherent retort. She tried everything to push aside the emotion but, after experiencing the sheer force of what she could only conclude to be a 'warning shot', Winter could only hope that her harsh gaze would be enough to hide her anxiety.
Masking one's expression was one thing, but it was pointless in the end. Cinder found her left arm tremble hungrily as the very essence of fear was picked up by the monstrous appendage. By extension, she could practically taste the trepidation oozing from the Atlesian soldier. She licked her lips hungrily before finally noticing the elderly woman, languishing in a pod.
This is the winter maiden? She pondered at the state of the helpless victim before turning back to the two. "So, will you give her up willingly?"
"I think you know the answer to that..." the android announced, defiance flashing at the woman.
Cinder recognized the 'girl', finally acknowledging her presence directly. She remembered Penny Polendina quite well given her part in her demise. To see that she had been repaired left a sour taste in her mouth.
"I expected you of all people to know better than to take me on, girl. Given what happened last time, I wouldn't expect you to be so eager to get destroyed again."
"I'm not running away..."
Cinder sighed in disappointment. "Then, all that's left is to figure out which one of Ironwood's puppets gets to die first? The girl who got everything or a robot with no heart? Either way, there won't be much left of either of you."
Atlas academy held little sign of comfort as Atsura and Roman stepped within the main hall. Uneasiness bathed them both in her tumultuous embrace. The eerie silence didn't sit well with the pair but neither would have to feel her power for much longer as they approached a fork in the road. Being a Faunus, he could pick up the faintest trace of noise to his right.
From what he could gather, there was a clash going on. Without a word, he rushed down the hall, leaving the man who saved him to watch silently. This didn't rattle Roman though. In truth, he was only there to reunite with his beloved Neo, anything else was of no consequence to Roman Torchwick. He let out a light-hearted scoff before taking the opposite path.
The path was longer than expected, forcing Atsura to exert so much energy just from the travel.
Guess my aura is still messed up. He inwardly growled, stopping to lean against the wall.
The pain from his torture finally caught up to him. His body started shivering, slight convulsions begged him to cease his venture to rest. He grits his teeth as he tried to swallow down the anguish coursing through his form. It did little good as his body grew heavy, exhaustion laying claim to his senses once more.
"Not now..." he growled softly. "I need to..." Before Atsura could finish his thought, his ears rang with the sound of a familiar scream. Pushing past the pain, he pulled Nguangus from its sheath and started running once more. Every step he took was a task in and of itself but he was determined to ignore it, even his head began to swim as a result. "Blake. Sis..."
Atsura arrived to find the leader of the team, Ruby, taking on Harriet Bree. From the looks of things, the Ace-Ops member was restrained yet still holding her own against the scythe wielder. Their test of speed was a formidable challenge to behold with the Ruby having a slight advantage despite possessing less experience than her Atlesian opponent.
"What the hell's going on?"
His groan caught the attention of both huntresses. Silver eyes widened in both shock and horror at the display in front of her. On the other hand, Harriet took the opportunity to capitalize on the distraction, using her speed to catch the girl off guard.
Before Ruby could react, she found herself tasting the bottom of the speedster's boots, sailing into a wall with a devastating crunch.
"Ruby!" his eyes shot wide at such a dirty move. His gaze then turned to a squirming Harriet, anger overshadowing any other emotion he may have felt previously. "You...!"
Before she could respond, Harriet found herself getting the same treatment only it was a sharp elbow that landed square on her jaw. Normally, her speed would've bailed her out but, after chasing Ruby Rose around the area, she'd expended more energy than even she anticipated.
With the blow connecting, her aura shattered as she slid across the floor, unconsciousness finally taking over.
That was good enough for Atsura as he heard grunts and roars that pulled his attention.
Fearing the worst, the vulpine was shocked to find Blake & Yang simultaneously defeating Elm Ederne. As her body crashed into the floor, any air of wrath would be replaced with relief as the two cheered the other for a perfectly synced attack. It was a cute scene, the scene of his sister and girlfriend not yet noticing his presence. Soon, his eyes would fall upon the image of Weiss Schnee dragging the restrained Marrow.
"I've got mine! How about... you guys?"
Yang and Blake smiled brightly at their friend. What was surprising, however, was that her own smirk had fallen. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates and her jaw threatened to hit the floor, prompting the pair to put their guards up once again. Of course, no amount of physical defense could prepare them for the sight they'd find.
A crooked grin; Pain straining his lips.
Eyes dimmed from only Oum knew what.
A body dirtied with grotesque wounds and hemoglobin.
Drooping ears and gently swinging tail.
A semi-conscious Ruby leaning against him.
"A-Atsura?"
"Hey, girls..." he answered slackly.
He watched the surprise morph into concern then into all-out tears. Soon, they gradually approached the boy after shaking off the initial shock just as Ruby began to stir.
"What happened?" she groaned, clutching her head. As her vision began to clear, she noticed the misty eyes of her sister and friends. "Why is everyone crying?"
"Look at who's carrying you, dolt," Weiss giggled playfully.
Confused, Ruby turned her gaze to find herself propped up on the frame of her brother. A tiny gasp escaped her lips as she too was greeted with a strained smile. Of course, she wouldn't be Ruby if her emotions didn't get the better of her. She jumped on the boy, knocking the Faunus into the wall, leaving him with stars dancing around his head.
"Oops..."
"Way to go, Ruby..." Weiss flicked the girl's shoulder while Blake and Yang rushed over to his side.
Upon further inspection, the cat-girl began to notice an even larger issue as her lover began to come to once again.
"Why haven't you activated your aura?" she murmured.
Atsura didn't reply, rather, he didn't have the energy for a full explanation. Instead, he merely shook his head, taking deep inhales as he felt his body beginning to give in to the injuries he sustained previously. Blake did her best to try and interpret the vulpine but it was a task nonetheless. From what she could gather, whatever was happening with his body, the red-purple chunk flesh appeared to be the culprit.
"Did Tyrian do this to you?"
Atsura slowly nodded but parted his lips to speak.
"...C...Cinder."
"Cinder's here?!" Ruby clenched her fists, her body starting to shake.
"If that's the case, then there's no doubt that she's here for-" Weiss stopped mid-sentence when a terrible realization hit her. "Winter!"
"You three go! I'll try and help Atsura get out of here."
Yang, Weiss, and Ruby didn't like the idea proposed but a determined glare ended any retort. Their leader assessed the situation, yielding to the demand, she and the others prepared to leave only for a massive explosion to erupt on the far end of the academy.
"Get Atsura out of here, see if you can find a ship for us to escape in."
Blake lowered her head, smiling softly in an attempt to give off some confidence before they split up. When the others left, her true feelings began to surface as did Atsura's as the truth of their predicament forced them to sigh dejectedly.
"How bad is it?"
"Real bad..."
"Can you walk?" she asked, carefully tracing each cut and burn with her amber eyes.
"I'm just exhausted. She did do a number on me though."
Blake knew that he was hiding the details, but she wouldn't pry for now. She used as much of her strength to help him to his feet and headed for the opposite direction from their allies. Each lane they entered proved to be fear-inducing as they both knew the neither would be able to properly defend themselves. They'd slink down several corridors, carefully scouting until they reached the main hangar.
They'd make it in time as the sounds of multiple footsteps could be heard from the hallway. Blake made sure to keep them close to the shadows just as one of the soldiers peeked into the room only to quickly follow up with his group; they were officially safe for the time being.
With a place to hide, both Faunus took shelter behind some airships that required repair. Once they got settled, the signs of Atsura's true state began to come out. His breathing was quick and haggard. His body would convulse slightly sporadically. His lips were dry. There was no doubt that, along with the injuries, he was suffering from some sort of poison or seal as well as dehydration.
"Stay still..." she cooed in his ear, lying him down gently. "Don't overexert yourself."
"B-But..."
"No buts. You're in no condition to argue. We just need to remain hidden until we can get to the others."
Despite the pain wracking through him, Atsura couldn't help but smile at the order.
"Okay. You win, Dr. Belladonna."
Even with the impending danger looming at any turn, Blake couldn't resist the tiny giggle that tickled her throat. How on earth could someone dealing with so much still manage to try and make sure she was alright? She couldn't fathom possessing such strength and resolve had she endured whatever he'd gone through. Her mind began to wander into dark depths while keeping watch over Atsura.
"Blake?" his voice was now devoid of power and confidence, replaced with frailty.
"I'm sorry..."
"W-What?"
"I should've gone with you when you left for Mantle." Tears began brimming her eyes. "I wish I could've gone to that meeting with you. Maybe then, I might've left with you and Nora."
"Blake."
"I could've protected you. Pyrrha was so worried."
"Blake..."
"You wouldn't have gotten hurt and- Mmpphff!"
With every ounce of energy inside of himself, Atsura shot up to silence the feline Faunus. Blake initially froze in place but soon found herself melting into the gesture. For a few moments, nothing else mattered. Their wanted status. Salem's imminent arrival. Atsura's torture. Everything faded away at that moment. Even though Blake could taste the faint traces of copper on his lip, she didn't care.
Inevitably, they parted. They rested their foreheads against one another's while letting the butterflies settle down in their cores. Blake's face was crimson as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. Atsura posture was nothing more than slumped shoulders but he had a content grin on his face as well.
"Was that j-just to shut me up?"
"Not entirely. I think I just wanted to..." he chuckled slightly.
Blake simply felt her cheeks burning hotter at the boy's honesty. Even with only a short amount of time together, she could tell that Atsura truly cared about her in a strong emotional sense. If that kiss was any evidence, she would feel nothing short of sincere affection from the fox.
When we get out of this, I am so going to thank him... and Pyrrha too." she mused privately.
The tender moment would soon give way to the abrupt opening of the large double doors to the hangar. They both froze where they were, neither wanting to alert the individual to their location. Where passion just reigned supreme, fear had now usurped its position. By the sound of things, the lone pair of footsteps gave them enough reprieve to figure out that there was only one person inside the room with them.
Now the issue was who the owner of those steps was...
Was it Ruby? Yang? Weiss? Someone from team JNPR or AZRE? That seemed unlikely. Given that they were all considered criminals by Ironwood, there was little chance that any member of the group would isolate themselves just to find them.
Speaking of the general, could their 'visitor' be the head honcho himself? If so, Atsura would have Blake escape while he held the man at bay. In his mind, sacrificing himself for her would be a better option than the man capturing them both. On top of that, he had hundreds, if not thousands, of operatives at his command. There was no need for him to get his hands dirty.
Then there was the idea of Cinder finding them, but, the boy's ears could tell that the shoes weren't made of glass, a trait that suited the twisted woman.
Winter? She was protecting the maiden.
Penny? She was with Winter.
Neither had a clue as to who was in the hangar with them and at that point, that didn't matter. Atsura felt his lover's hand slip into his own, showing that Blake wasn't going to abandon him. In response, he gave it a gentle squeeze, revealing that he understood. With a narrow gaze, they watched as a shadow grew larger only for it to shrink away in a flash.
A few seconds passed and the two finally let out the breath they'd been holding.
"Do you think they're gone?"
The answer to his question appeared behind them, pulling them away before either could scream. Less than a minute had passed before the hangar was swarmed with Atlesian Knights, their guns at the ready. Under direct orders from the general, they checked every nook and cranny of the place.
...but there was no sign of the couple...
The single quality that is common across every living creature on this planet, is fear; it's funny then that as common as fear is, we so easily underestimate its power.
With everything that going on throughout the kingdom, Ruby and the others managed to escape from the city in the sky. Sadly, their exodus came at a hefty cost. For starters, they'd lost the relic of knowledge, Qrow, and Oscar during their break. Of all the members of Team JNPR, Ren was the most torn up over everything that'd occurred on their end of things.
Nora and Jaune did their best to comfort the boy, but it did little to help.
Unbeknownst to them, Qrow had found himself arrested after witnessing the death of his friend, Clover. Whether one would attribute bad timing or just a beating of the minds gone wrong, the self-proclaimed "bad luck charm" felt his heartbreak as he just stared at the charm in his hand. He hid things well, but there was no denying that despite their battle and difference of perspective, it all started with Ironwood's order to have them all arrested.
Lastly, with communications locked down, there was no way for anyone to communicate technologically. This proved to be a major issue when trying to find Blake and Atsura. After splitting up, the two seemingly disappeared off of the map. Ruby and the others would share that Atsura was, in fact, alive but, that his condition was severe. While everyone was none too pleased, Pyrrha was hit the hardest by this news.
In truth, she still carried a wave of guilt for not going with her beloved Atsu after his argument with Zaffre. In the foxes' place, Earna had rejoined the team, albeit temporarily after a run-in with many of the kingdom's guards. Along with Penny and Pietro, she was happy to be with her friends again.
Fear of growing close to someone, the subsequent fear of loss, fear of failure; and as more people depend on you, those fears can take on greater power.
Cinder let out a furious roar before returning to her hideout within the kingdom of Atlas. However, she found nothing aside from a broken door and the lingering stench of burning flesh and blood. No hostage. No Neo. That also meant no relic.
Her Grimm's arm twitched as flames emerged with every exhale. Once again, Cinder had nothing. She'd lost the chance to claim another maiden power, this time to that damned android girl. She failed to kill Winter Schnee as vengeance for a past that wrought her current self. Cinder knew she'd lost favor from her mistress, Salem after her failure at Haven. What more could she do?
"I have to run..." she whispered, her tone trembling down to her core. It was the only way for her to avoid the wrath of the immortal witch. Without hesitation, Cinder rushed out, eager to find any means of escape as she felt an ungodly presence approaching.
Fear itself isn't worthy of concern, it is who we become while in its clutches. Will you be proud of that person? Will you forgive them? Will you understand why they felt the need to do the things they did? Will you even recognize them? Or will the person staring back at you be the very thing you should have feared from the start?
Neo herself walked precariously through the halls of Atlas, disguised as a commanding officer. On her hip rested the last of knowledge as she carefully made her way to the main hall. However, as she exited the building, the skilled assassin realized that there was no airship for her to depart on.
"It looks like you could use a ride..."
Her eyes immediately shot open in surprise upon hearing the voice, one that was all too familiar; One that was thought to be long gone.
It can't be...
"You may be able to food Ironwood and his lackeys, but you can't fool me."
The girl turned around, her illusion still holding up. Only her eyes, brimming with hot drops of hope and pain, gave her away as she saw the image of the last person she'd ever expect to meet. Slanted dark-green eyes behind orange hair peered back at the 'officer' with a softness that only she'd seen before.
Roman? she blinked back the tears as best she could.
"Heya, kiddo..." he smiled warmly.
Dum-Dum!
Neo lept into his arms, silently sobbing out of joy from seeing her closest friend and partner. No. It was the reality that she could touch him; He was here. Not a mirage or an illusion, but the real deal was in her grasp. Roman Torchwick returned the embrace, holding the girl for dear life as if she too would disappear if he hadn't.
"I've missed you too, Neo," his tone was gentle as she pulled away to get a good look at him. By now, she'd broken the visual facade revealing the memento that rested on her head. Roman was shocked to see that she'd kept the bowler hat that had been synonymous with him after all this time. However, when she sought to return it to him, he declined. "You keep it. I'm more interested in that item you have there."
She rolled her eyes playfully and 'explained everything that'd happened since his 'death'. While he was none too pleased to hear that Cinder had been using Neo like one of her flunkies, he also saw possibilities after she told him how important the relic was to Cinder and her master.
"Looks like I showed up just in time."
I suppose we all find out sooner or later.
Time had passed and the island of Patch was full of life.
If one had never heard about things beyond its shores, they'd never know that a war was brewing across the world of Remnant. The sun peaked through the trees, creating a glowing rain upon the parts of the earth that it touched. Of course, the island's most notable residential venue found itself bathed in the full glow of the solar rays from above.
Inside, a male's chest rose and fell in a patient rhythm, peace washing over his features. The melodious sounds of the birds' song set the mood for a tranquil day. A soft yawn passed his lips before he began to stir under the soft blankets that kissed his body. He wanted nothing more than to remain in this relaxing slumber. He didn't know where he was, but he didn't care either. His head pounded dully against his skull. His body, no longer encompassed by sheer agony, had a degree of soreness.
Still, his curiosity got the better of him as he dared to open one eye. He scanned the place, finding random trinkets, books, and figurines before clenching it shut once more. Wherever he was, it mattered little to him.
"I was wondering when you were going to wake up." The bedroom door opened a short time after that, allowing the strong scent of ginger tea and ramen to caress his nose. He made no direct acknowledgment aside from a shocked expression as the woman entered with the items on a tray. Her skin was pale white but her eyes were more than recognizable. "I was hoping that you'd be awake."
Raven?!
Indeed, the young man was gazing at the image of Raven Branwen, his birth mother. Unlike before, however, she seemed different. Gone was the warriors' armor and garments. In their place, the woman now sported a simple crimson t-shirt and black leggings. Her hair, while slightly shorter (down to just past her shoulders), now rested in a simple ponytail.
Even her signature scowl was gone, serving to scare the Faunus even more. Nonetheless, he wasn't about to lose his senses just because he wasn't prepared for this specific scenario.
"I-I'm not hungry..." he lied. His growling stomach betrayed him shortly after the petty display of pride.
"It seems your body says otherwise. Now, don't be a stubborn brat and eat." She placed the tray over his lap and folded her arms under her bosom. In defiance, he stared at the meal, eyeing the woman suspiciously. Raven didn't bother to hide her eye roll from the boy at this point. "I didn't cook the food. My husband did... So, you're safe."
"Are you sure?" he deadpanned.
He expected the woman to yell or curse him out. So, you'd be forgiving of him for nearly jumping out of his skin when the woman averted her eyes from him. The arrogant woman he knew before appeared to be nothing more than a ghost of the woman he was seeing now. Even when she finally looked back at him, she looked remorseful.
"I'm sorry."
"I don't-"
"Atsura?" Both estranged mother and son turned to the door. The feminine voice was not only familiar but adored as well. A girl with cat ears entered the room with a warm smile and a pure gaze in her eyes. She was accompanied by a blond-haired man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Yang. "You're finally awake!"
"Blake? What's going on here?" he asked, clutching his head when the throbbing returned.
The trio exchanged glances at each other before focusing on the vulpine.
"Raven/I saved us/you," they answered in unison.
Okay, I've been at this for over a week and I don't want to drone on and on here. First, blame writer's block on the delay. I do apologize for not updating sooner but, at least you know why. Secondly, while I struggled with this chapter, I did manage to get some storyboarding on the next story that is loosely connected to this one. I'm still working on a title for it but, I think I have a solid foundation to start with.
With this chapter finished, this concludes, Volume 3: Winter. Of course, one would expect spring to be next considering the seasonal path, but I don't think it'll play out that way. With the new story coming, I may just put the next portion of this story into an entirely new fiction altogether. If not, then I'll keep this story open until I finish it entirely.
The alternate story will start with the moment after Atsura and Blake were grabbed but, it'll be an alternative story that'll have its own direction separate from this one. For now, I'm going to rest now, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I'll be back as soon as I can.
