Breaking Remnant: Bound by Shadows
Rating: T/M
Series: RWBY
Pairing:
Volume 3: Fall
Summary: Aganju came to Beacon wanting to be treated as equal. Pyrrha wanted to be viewed as a normal girl. Neither of them expected to be that fate would have them meet. Now, they navigate the academy grounds and beyond, with secrets and danger awaiting them at every corner. The alternate timeline takes place just before the start of RWBY volume 1 and AU in the Breaking Remnant series.
(Rewrite of RWBY: Shadows of Destiny)
Author's Note:
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.
Chapter 15
Before Hazel was unceremoniously forced out of the hall, there was plenty of action going on within the walls of Haven's Grand Hall.
Pyrrha Nikos rushed after Cinder Fall, slashing at the overconfident woman with fury in her eyes. If Qrow was going to rob her of her vengeance on Raven, then she could at least take it out on the next best thing. She hadn't forgotten that Cinder nearly killed her. Thankfully, she was only wounded but, the injury suffered what felt like forever to fully recover from.
Cinder had to admit that she was impressed with the level of ferocity exhibited by the girl. While their first battle was a tactical affair, this one was nothing short of kill or be killed, and she savored it. Each slash of her spear was expertly blocked by Cinders' blade. However, the impact of each attack could be felt even after the initial strike.
She's grown stronger... But, so have I!
Tired of the retreat, the woman slipped under Pyrrha's thrust only to land a solid blow with her cloaked hand. The hit landed firmly on the stomach, forcing the air out of Pyrrha's lungs. More strikes and patronizing slaps followed as the girl tried to regain herself. Whatever power Cinder possessed, it was perceived poorly until she felt a boot drive itself into her chest, knocking her to the ground.
"Not so tough when your lapdog isn't around to save you are you?"
Pyrrha wheezed softly, thanking the gods when she could finally start drawing air once more. Meanwhile, Cinder pointed her blade at the struggling girl with faux sympathy. Anger still fueling her, Pyrrha got back up and resumed her sloppy style of fighting, easily telegraphing her moves that Cinder would counter.
"Leave her alone!"
Both would look up to find Jaune thrusting his sword in between the two, narrowly missing Cinder by mere inches. Before she could compose herself, both members of JNPR rushed after her.
"Jaune?"
"I'm here to back you up but, you need to focus and fight your fight!" he scolded before slashing at Cinder, keeping her unbalanced as she tried to avoid being sliced or stabbed.
"But..."
"Do you think Aganju would want you being rash and undisciplined?"
That stopped Pyrrha dead in her tracks.
Jaune's words of wisdom truly hit her where it needed to. In a matter of moments, she allowed herself to feel but, it was only enough to keep her motivated to win, not to exact revenge. There wasn't much time to focus heavily though, as Jaune's war cry filled her ears. She rushed off to join him, hoping to even the odds.
Meanwhile, Weiss was struggling significantly against Vernal who'd halted every attempt for her to convoke her knight. The time it took for her to summon it, Vernal just had more time to close the gap between them, reclaiming her advantage. By now, the Schnee was on the defensive, barely able to fire her dust off with precision due to Raven's lieutenant moving at an accelerated pace.
"I'm not letting you take the easy way out!" Vernal laughed as Weiss kneeled again to try and bring her guardian back to the battlefield after firing some fire dust to hopefully stall the girl. Even without it being a direct hit, she figured that the medium wall of flames should be enough to slow the girl down. Sadly, Vernal once again closed the distance, trapping Weiss' rapier with her own chakram blades before shooting electricity in her.
The scream of suffering echoed throughout the hall, pulling Jaune and Pyrrha's attention from their opponent.
"What's the matter? Are you going to let her die too?"
Jaune growled. "Stop messing with us!"
Sadly, it was Pyrrha who understood the weight of Cinder's words. She was caught up with the defeat of Vernal back in the cave that she hadn't noticed the ambush when it came. Memories of Raven appearing behind her, her sword drawn to her neck proved just how green she still was. Now, Cinder was taunting her for what she believed to be her mistake.
"If that's what you want..."
The sword suddenly popped sending tiny shards everywhere, forcing the pair to shield their faces. When they could see again, both stared at the flaming spear in the woman's hand, neither prepared for what came next. Cinder then pushed the two back with her maiden powers before turning her attention to a crawling Weiss. The air then became difficult to breathe for her as a sharp pain coursed through her midsection.
Everybody who was fighting stopped to see what'd happened.
With swelling eyes, Weiss could only watch as the smoking weapon slowly began to fade away, helpless to stop the intense pain pulsing through the hole in her side. The last thing she remembered hearing was Jaune's voice, loud and terrified.
"WEISS!"
Jaune ran as fast as he could to catch her but, it wasn't enough to prevent her from collapsing hard against the floor. Still, he cradled the unconscious girl's body, praying that she'd open her eyes. He would soon find himself joined by Ren and Nora. In the meantime, Ruby Rose, who had her hands full with Emerald's semblance, suddenly noticed what was going on.
First, she found Jaune and the rest of Team JNPR, save for Pyrrha, trying futilely to revive the girl. Looking to her right, she then saw her sister and Roxanne struggling with Mercury even with the two-on-one advantage. With Qrow growing more and more exhausted and Oscar still new to the fighting game, there weren't many positives to work with.
Even worse, an enraged Pyrrha Nikos had started charging at Cinder blindly, sending Ruby back to the moment at Beacon. She remembered helping Atsura to the stop first and it was only within a few seconds that he was able to prevent Pyrrha's death at the hands of the woman. However, with the news of his death, there was nobody to stop it this time.
Unless...
Fear for the girl's life suddenly triggered something in Ruby as her eyes began to glow just as brightly as they had at Beacon Tower. It encompassed everything and everyone in its glow before a gunshot was heard, forcing Ruby into a slumber. Still, the damage had been done as Cinder dropped to her knees, clutching her left arm in pain.
This was the moment Pyrrha needed. Without hesitation, she rushed over to her beaten opposition. Unfortunately, a piercing pain shot through her previously injured foot, causing her to stumble just enough to miss cutting her head off, only succeeding in cutting the glass mask that covered her missing left eye.
While she checked her heel, ensuring that she wasn't injured all over again, Cinder had more than enough to recover. Now, she was pissed as she flared her maiden powers in anger. She kicked the defenseless girl onto her stomach; she wanted the spartan to see the face of the woman about to kill her. Dazed and confused, Pyrrha suddenly felt a heeled boot on her stomach.
"Did you actually think you had a chance against me? You?!" She watched as the girl struggled to wiggle out, clearly exhausted from her adrenaline rush. It was rather sad if Cinder was being honest. Not once, but twice now she tried to combat her. It was like a mere mortal challenging the gods themselves; unfair in all senses of the idea. "You're just a failed maiden with a death wish."
There was still a spark ablaze inside though.
"If I die today so that my friends can defeat you, then it'll be worth it."
"What? No talk about destiny? Do you miss the dead mutt that much?"
Pyrrha said nothing, only a voiceless glower was her response.
"Then, I guess I'd be doing you a favor by sending you to see him in the afterlife, wouldn't I?" She tsked several times before smiling that infernal grin. "No. I'm going to make you watch as I pick off your little friends. One by one."
"N-no..."
Cinder let that smirk grow more and more into a crazed smile of delight toward Pyrrha's begging. Oh, how she relished the feeling of domination over those beneath her. She took her exit while everyone continued to watch Jaune cry over the unconscious girl while trying to resuscitate her to no avail.
The only one not preoccupied at the moment was Oscar who was busy handing a fearful Lionheart a proper beating of his earlier teaching. Using his cane, the boy managed to send the headmaster down the flight of steps into Hazel who'd been observing things ever since his arrival. When the cowardly male crashed into him, he simply picked him up, annoyed among other things.
"You're letting that boy make a fool of you..."
That's what led to the moment when Hazel crashed through the doors of Haven Academy, halting the action outside. After finding out from Leo who Oscar was, Hazel went beserk. The gentle giant was no longer around as he continued to threaten the boy who housed Beacon's former headmaster inside of him. From beating down Qrow and Ren in the process, he mistakingly fueled Nora with enough electricity to toss him out.
All of this paled in comparison to the bigger threat:
Cinder, along with Vernal & Raven, was on her way to retrieve the relic.
In the meantime, Adam Taurus couldn't believe what he seeing.
Blake Belladonna.
Standing before him was the object of his twisted affection.
"Blake?"
"Who is that?" Hazel inquired, not liking the fact that there were more nuisances to potentially deal with.
"Stand down!"
The soldiers all pointed their weapons at the cat-girl only to be stopped by Adam himself. Rather than just refuse, he began laughing at such a ludicrous demand.
"To think I went through so much trouble to find you only to have you deliver yourself to me."
"This isn't what's right for the Faunus. Stop what you're doing and we can end this peacefully."
Both Aganju and Sienna watched as the girl whom they saw as timid and closed-off was now standing up for not only her kind but for herself as well. Being in school together, the fox would notice that outside of missions, Blake was typically a loner, like him but, this was a welcomed change.
"You're wrong, Blake..." Adam interjected. "And you can't stop us."
However, this did not deter Blake in the slightest.
"No! I can't; not by myself!"
"That's why she didn't come alone!" another voice rang from the distance.
Several of the Faunus watched as Sun Wukong led a mini-army of their own kind; Atsura couldn't help but smile at the sight of seeing so many of his people united for a major cause like this.
"Who's there?"
On the other side, another group emerged, this time led by a face that Sienna never imagined seeing again.
"Your brothers and sisters!"
"Ghira?"
"Sienna?"
The two former high leaders stared in shock at the mere sight of each other. For Ghira Belladonna, this was nothing short of a miracle that she was standing in front of him considering the reports of her death. Opposite him, Sienna gazed at her predecessor with newfound respect. That respect caused the feline Faunus to grin softly upon seeing the normally passive man taking action.
"It's good to see you again," she bowed respectfully.
"Likewise," he returned the gesture.
The visual of so many faunus was a comfort to the rogue pair, but it was a fear-inducing sight for the White Fang members who looked like they'd seen ghosts. From their neighbors to former co-workers, it was as if the whole island of Menagerie came to defend Haven. Shields and varying weapons in hand, the men and women made it clear that they were prepared to fight for their voice; no longer would Adam Taurus be allowed to have that role.
"Make no mistake brothers, these are our enemies and we will not let them ruin-"
The male's attempt at rallying his troops was interrupted when several spotlights suddenly appeared around the campus. Their covert plan had now been exposed.
"Adam Taurus!" His name reverberated throughout the night. "This is the Mistral Police Force. Lower your weapons and surrender peacefully."
"How?!" he roared as Blake dropped from her vantage point. "How did you do this?!"
Cool and calm, she stood to her feet, staring down at the monster who once gripped her with fear.
"Adam, it's over..."
There was no way out. No retreating. No defeat. They were trapped in a corner and just like a wounded animal he grew desperate There was no other option except...
"Then it's over for all of us."
Everyone froze in their tracks as he held the remote that would activate the bombs. This was when Blake knew that, in the face of the monster she once feared, she was making the right choice. He didn't care about her. Even now, he didn't care about the Faunus. The truth was as clear as the sky above; Adam only cared about what Adam wanted.
As he clicked the button, he was taken aback to see that nothing happened.
No beeps.
No explosion.
Nothing.
What?! He snarled, clicking the trigger repeatedly, to no avail.
"What is wrong with you? Are you trying to get us all killed?" one of the soldiers huffed only to be grabbed by the clearly insane man.
"I am making humanity pay for what they've done!" he spat, rage spilling from the dam of composure he spent so long trying to maintain.
Having enough of this nonsense, Blake spoke up once again.
"We sent someone to confirm your explosives and once we did, she disarmed them." Unknown to Adam, a chameleon Faunus by the name of Ilia appeared from the shadows, holding in her hand several colored wires to the charges set all over the main hall of Haven. "As I said, Adam! It's over..."
No. It couldn't be. Not like this. He was supposed to win; this victory would solidify his opulence as well as quench his thirst for vengeance, right?
"No..." he muttered. "NO!"
Reaching for his sword, Adam Taurus rushed to what he deemed as a thorn in his side. At this pace, he'd destroy her, and thus, he'd destroy this farce of a rebellion. He could still win if he just took out Blake Belladonna.
Nevertheless, he watched as both the fox and monkey faunus stood in front of her. Surely, he'd eliminate them as well. Before he could initiate that goal, he'd watch as his 'beloved' Blake pushed the boys out of the way, leaving her open for his strike. He only realized why she did such a thing a second too late as he slashed at her, only to hit one of her constructs.
As it vanished, he could only look up as she clobbered him rather than run away. He slid across the hard concrete, dropping his sword in the process. Both Sun and Aganju looked on, impressed at how far the girl had come.
"Wow..." the fox muttered.
"They don't call her Belladonna for nothing!" Sun draped an arm around his neck.
A glare from Blake quickly made both boys regret their heroics though as Aganju flinched, standing straight while Sun hid behind him, afraid of being on the receiving end of another Belladonna endorsed slap.
"I didn't ask for you two knuckleheads to save me..." she pointed at them threateningly only to hug them both in gratitude. "But, I do appreciate it."
Ghira, Kali, and Sienna watched in approval... well... The women did at least. Ghira, on the other hand, was preparing another 'I REALLY don't like you' speech for the young boys who seemed to be gaining affection from his daughter; a typical father.
However, the reunion was cut short when a bruised Adam made it back to his feet.
"Kill them!"
His order did not fall on deaf ears as those loyal to him opened fire while the others attacked at close range. Blake and the others began to fight alongside their brethren. But, when a pumped Aganju grabbed Ngaungus to assist, he was stopped by Sun.
"Sun? What are you-?"
"What are you doing?" the blond asked.
"Helping...?"
"Dude, you need to help out your friends inside! We got this!"
"Huh? But what about-?"
His protests were silenced by the hand of Sienna on his shoulder. Her warm eyes told him what he needed to do, much to his disdain. He wanted to help out the tigress and his people but, she shook her head.
"We can handle this. Right now, you should help them out, son."
Against his judgment, Aganju nodded and gave the shorter woman a big hug before rushing past the fighting around him. Even Hazel didn't bother stopping him, much to Adam's irritation.
Nearing the top of the stairs he spotted something that proved that he was indeed needed.
A still exhausted Pyrrha was trying to get back to her feet but, a series of illusions were haunting her. While the others fought, she couldn't shake the images of the boy she'd grown to care for being taken from her repeatedly. Over and over, she was forced to stare at the sight of him being impaled. His cold lifeless gaze would suddenly turn to her, as his broken form would crawl toward her.
Petrified by the vision, Pyrrha could only curl up in the fetal position.
"You let me die..." his body began decaying; skin peeling back with each inch he drew closer. "Why didn't you save me?"
His eyes never blinked as those words echoed in her mind.
If this was hell, she'd go insane. Each time she dared to peek, his appearance would deteriorate more and more until his face and finger were nothing more than pieces of flesh barely sticking to the bone. She wanted nothing more than to scream but, even her voice failed her as the demented imagery continued for what felt like an eternity.
Outside of the grotesque fantasy, Emerald pulled her weapon, stalking closer to the helpless girl fruitlessly searching for some form of escape. Hatred coated her heart, not only for Pyrrha's attempt to end Cinder's life but also for something else. She pointed the barrel of her gun at her prey's head, ready to end this. Surely, SHE would be pleased, right?
Emerald would never know the answer to that question as footsteps ripped her from her thoughts. Red eyes traveled upward to see cold violet orbs fixated on her. Noticing a sword in each of his hands, Emerald wasted no time in backflipping away, creating enough space to avoid his strike. His ears stood up straight, as did his tail while his eyes glared at the girl.
"What? But you were...!" she stammered, not believing what she was seeing. Was she in her own illusion? That had to be it. "You can't be here!"
The young man said nothing, alternately focusing on the trembling form of the girl behind him. With a cold glare, he dared the green-haired girl to test his patience. Placing Nguangis back to its glaive form, he sheathed it before trying to snap her out of the spell induced upon her. Her eyes were clenched shut, tightly knit to prevent whatever she saw from entering her display again.
"Pyrrha...?"
Though his voice was gentle yet she didn't budge from her spot.
He tried to plead with her again only to receive the same result.
Eventually, the Faunus decided to take a risk; he first let his tail brush against her, something he rarely did while ignoring the looks from friends and enemies alike. All that mattered was that Pyrrha would be alright. The soft fur made her flinch at first but, she didn't resist the touch completely.
"It's me, Aganju."
"H-He's dead..." she whimpered.
He reached over to her, slowly lifting the girl into a seated position while whispering something in her ear, something she only told one other person, besides Jaune.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."
It was the statement she used to unlock the blond's semblance but, there was a deeper meaning behind it.
In this case, it did the job as Pyrrha's shivers began to subside little by little while she rested against him. She heard a heartbeat, a sign that whoever was holding her, they were indeed alive. It certainly sounded like him and she didn't feel the haunting presence anymore.
"Agan?" she cringed as the thought of this being the illusion again gripped her heart. Still, she took a chance and allowed one eye to crack open. Long dark hair pulled back into a messy draping wolf's tail. Two fox ears that twitched and that loving grin, filled with comfort and relief.
"Hey there..." he whispered.
"It is you..."
He nodded, before finally noticing his surroundings.
Judging by the looks of things, everyone was still staring at him as if he'd grown a second head. After the month he's had, he chose to just awkwardly wave before helping the spartan girl to her feet. Though she was still on wobbly legs, she had enough wherewithal to take slow steps while the battles resumed.
Once they were in the clear, Jaune soon joined them allowing his aura to flow into the girl while she sat against the wall.
"Is she going to be alright?" the vulpine asked with concern.
"Yeah. I'm giving her some of my aurae in order to amplify her own. In the meantime, you should get down that tunnel. Cinder and Qrows sister Raven are down there trying to steal the relic."
Mo... Raven's here? ...With HER?!
His gaze darkened several shades at the thought of both women who hurt his friends and loved ones being in the same place. He resisted the urge to smile evilly as he stood up only feel a hand weakly grabbing his own; he didn't have to look back to see who it was.
"Don't go..."
"I'll be back, Pyrrha. I promise you."
She released what little grip she had, allowing him to run off. Mercury was too preoccupied with both Yang & Roxanne and Emerald? She was still in shock to see the boy alive. Why? It was because of something she had to do.
Jumping down the shaft, Aganju could tell they were close by. As the stench of bloodlust filling his nose, he picked up that there was a battle; one where he'd get a crack against the victor.
Day by day, it's nearer
Step by step, you grow
Closer to your ruin
Soon your time to go
Life is just a journey
Yours is near its end
Bloody evolution
This world, transcend
"Thank you, Vernal..." Raven whispered as she watched Cinder's frozen body fall into the abyss.
After a fierce battle that cost her the life of her most trusted lieutenant, the tribe leader wanted nothing more than to return to her home with the tribe with the relic and leverage over Salem's forces. It was her plan all along, though she never counted on Vernal being a casualty in the process. Still, the girl did what she could to protect the secret that only they knew within the tribe.
As a last form of kindness, Raven Branwen gently shut the eyes of her fallen comrade; the daughter she'd come to love. Then, came the next step, gaining the relic of knowledge. Remembering the instructions told to her, Raven placed her hands on the door watching as giant golden wings began to fold into one another. One by one the gilded feathers disappeared until all that was left was a sandy location with a glowing blue lamp resting only feet away
As she stepped forward to claim her prize, Raven could feel she wasn't alone. Her suspicions rang true when the sounds of someone landing filled the majestically hollow underground. Looking back, she found red/green eyes staring back at her with hatred and vengeance.
Blackout the sky
All things must die
"Hello, 'mom'..." he smirked darkly.
All tales conclude
All points dissolve
Infinite matter
Will always evolve
Raven never got the chance to open her mouth to speak as her prodigal son rushed forward with murderous intent. It had been a month since their last encounter; one thought to be their last. A shocked and confused Raven found herself on the defensive as what appeared to be wild and uncontrolled strikes were actually in perfect coordination.
Whenever she'd go left, his broad yet speedy slash would force her to go right and vice-versa. He was showing her that the previous match was only due to an unforeseen advantage.
His eyes were intense with rage as the woman who birthed him soon processed that this was no twisted fantasy. Aganju was actually alive. Aganju was fighting her. Most importantly, Atsura was trying to kill Raven Branwen
Just pray for mercy
At your time of death
Be glad you existed
Enjoy your last breath!
"How did you survive?!" she yelled leaping back into the broken gate.
He said nothing though. The time for questions had long been passed and the only answers he desired would come in the form of her blood for what she'd done. Not just trying to end his life, but for the past. Thanks to Sienna finding and aiding him, he'd learn several hidden truths as to why he was abandoned; all the more reason to finish her off.
Gleefully forcing this eulogy
Spawn of the turn, it's a treachery!
Raven was not about to let that happen, at least not without a fight. With just a tiny opening, she used her katana to open a gateway, her trump card during their previous two battles.
Where did she go? The faunus was fed up with her running.
Rest now, subside
With fate, collide
He wasn't a fool though.
Some part of him wanted to believe that Raven had actually run away but, his nose wouldn't let him believe such a foolish notion. He'd clutch his sword firmly in his left hand and close his eyes, inhaling and exhaling softly.
Blackout the sky
All things must die!
As expected, a portal opened. It wouldn't come from the front, not like in their second fight. It didn't come from behind as she did in their first encounter. It came from the right side. A savage swipe at his neck that only managed to pierce his cheek, drawing a little blood. He had the presence of mind to land a roundhouse kick to the stomach that sent her rolling along the glowing floor.
It's time to accept, to abide
Admit that the hour's arrived
Resign
Comply!
"You brat!" she roared, eyes literally blazing with a red fire around them.
This was a surprise, to say the least. But, Aganju remembering a lesson taught to him by the tigress simply smirked. He'd battled a maiden before and he could do it again. Using his semblance, he chose not to hold back.
A crimson aura surrounded him as his scleras turned black. His iris now completely blood-red like her own, Raven couldn't mistake it this time.
He really does have Salem's eyes.
They'd clash, again and again, neither one gaining the upper hand over the other. Even when Raven went full power, Aganju would simply match her blow for blow, though he'd receive a few cuts and bruises. It wouldn't matter so long as her corpse laid before his feet.
It's time to be one with the sky
Surrender your pride
Let death be your guide
All things must die
Minutes of the stalemate only resulted in heavy breaths echoing off of the stone walls.
Mother and son glared at one another, neither willing to admit defeat. With using her maiden powers twice now, Raven was nearly spent. On the other side, while Aganju had a good tank of aura left, this was the most he'd ever exerted such power.
Despite this, their mutual stubbornness refused to let them concede, not with this much on the line. To concede would be a fate worse than death at this point, and both weren't willing to pay that price. Aganju then watched as the pale woman crouched slightly while sheathing her sword. Looking closely, he knew what she was doing.
"Battojutsu?" he uttered in amusement, his first words since his arrival.
"Whatever it takes..." she replied coldly. "...take finish you off."
"Fine... I'll play your game."
Taking his sheath from around his back, the fox assumed the same stance steadying his breathing as he mirrored the look on the woman's face. Oh, how he couldn't wait to see that faux look of strength turn to one of fear and realization. With their resolves etched in stone, they rushed at one another as fast as they could, pushing themselves harder than they ever had before.
Clutching the hilt of their respective blades, they pulled the deciding factors to the ready. Whoever's sword connected first would win. More significantly, no matter who was the victor, some truths would remain.
Power vs Vengeance.
Mother vs child.
A bond was to be severed forever... if it hadn't already.
Just close your eyes
Don't fear demise
Just as their blades were about to find their marks, neither expected to see a large mass of yellow hair.
The cold steel stopped just short of slicing the girl into pieces as the abrupt cognizance forced them to know who this was standing in between them. She didn't flinch when faced with the possible death that could've come. She simply stood there, small droplets splattering the floor beneath them.
Blackout the sky
All things must die!
"Yang?" both called out, surprised.
Slowly lifting her head, Yang Xiao Long turned her head to a worried Aganju, fresh tears coating her smile.
"...Just in time..."