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 19
[Island of Patch]
"Why did you come back?"
There was an awkward silence.
"Raven?"
The woman just stared at the floor, her eyes clenched shut. Little good it did; she could still feel the impatient glare of her former husband pointed at her. Her head filled with visions of past events. Her tribe was now in shambles after Salem's 'welcoming committee' arrived with their ultimatum. Vernal's death at the hands of Cinder. Losing both the relic of knowledge and the potential love of both her children.
That would be a lot to sort through for anyone.
None of this mattered to Tai Yang Xiao-Long at this point. All he recalled was tending to his sunflower garden when he heard something in the woods. When he turned around, a single feather fell from the treetops, causing the former STRQ member to groan at the irritant. For all he knew, his ex-wife could've used his portal just for a booty call (or as she'd call it, 'Mommas monthly dose of disappointment).
"Raven?!" she snapped out of her stupor, finally looking into the blue of her former teammate and lover. Though there was no hatred or animosity behind them, Raven Branwen could tell that he was in no mood for games. "I've tolerated the silent game long enough. You need to explain why you're here or leave."
Raven was shocked, if not impressed when she saw Tai point to the front door.
"When did you grow a backbone...?" she quipped humorlessly. When she received no reaction, Raven sighed heavily. "I came here to talk to you."
"About?" he crossed his arms. "Yang? Us? Qrow?"
"Everything..." she admitted, surprising the father of their child. "It's a long story though."
Though she maintained her poker face, the dulling hue in her eyes and the hitch in her voice let Tai Yang know that the facade was being held by a single thread. Against his better judgment, Tai softens his gaze. Zwei let out a low growl, showing he wasn't ready to forgive just yet. Red orbs disappeared behind heavy lids upon noticing this. Seeing this depressing display, he could tell that she'd been through a lot.
"I'll go make some tea."
Seeing the tiniest of grins on her face, Tai headed to the kitchen. It took only half an hour for him to prepare everything but soon, Raven was greeted with a small cup of the dark liquid, taking in the hint of raspberries. She took a sip savoring the white jade meshing well with the fruit before finally deciding to acknowledge Tai who'd taken a seat next to her on the couch. She explained everything from her time leading the tribe to the events in the vault.
As expected, the concerned Tai Yang brought up the recent event first.
"So, in a bid to gain leverage over Salem, you figured you'd take the relic only to have Yang and... your son... Stop you?"
"His name is Aganju!" she growled only to curse her sudden burst of emotion. "He and Yang confronted me about the relic and... I... let my cowardice get the better of me."
"Then you came here?"
Raven nodded.
"You really stink at raising children," he chuckled only to receive a dark glare from the woman. "Too soon, huh?"
She nodded once more, blinking away a few tears that tried to surface.
"Nice to know you haven't changed much after all of these years. Your jokes are still as terrible as I remember..."
"Sorry. But you have to admit, after stabbing one of your children and flat out abandoning the other, this is small potatoes in comparison. You literally tried to kill him for reasons only Oum knows why. You kidnapped his girlfriend, held her captive for a month, threatened your daughter, set her and your brother for an ambush, using them to get a relic for your own personal gain."
"I know..."
"And yet..." Tai stopped to take a sip of his brew. "...I doubt that they'd hate you."
Raven shot him a questionable glance.
"How can you be so sure? With everything you've mentioned, I'm finding it difficult to not hate me."
"I know my sunny dragon. She may not want to see you anytime soon, but, I know that she still has a place for you in her heart."
This news made Raven want to smile. Still, the idea of her biological son made her want to retch after unpacking the details of their encounters. Tears then spilled out as she sobbed quietly. Tai tried to comfort her but she pulled away from him. In her eyes, she was no better than the beasts they would fight against.
"Raven?"
"How could I do that?" she groaned. "What kind of monster would try to kill their child?! How could I abandon them; Me, their own mother! I don't deserve them, Tai! I deserve nothing less than their hatred and ire! I left them to face Salem on their own just to save my own ass. How can I ever face them after what I've done?!"
Such an abrupt upheaval of emotion made Tai Yang jump slightly, but he allowed the woman he loved to bear her soul for however long as she needed to. Placing her head in her hands, Raven Branwen just let all of the pain and bitterness pour out. As her pain fell to the floor, Tai couldn't bear the sight of her inner turmoil anymore. Ignoring the consequences that may come, he wrapped his arms around her.
To his surprise, Raven turned to hug him back, not caring about being viewed as weak. Why bother hiding something you were truly feeling? It wasn't the first time that Tai had seen her in a vulnerable position. She clutched at his shirt as if worried that he'd disappear if she hadn't.
"Raven, I know that you feel that you can't come back from what you've done... You've lived your life by this creed, but, now it's time to stop running and face your demons."
Her grip tightened but she didn't dare look up at him; his gentle tone was already too good to be true.
"But-"
"No buts... You've done some horrible things, yet here you are today. After years of being away, you came back and told me all that you felt you needed to say. You didn't bother with whether or not I'd forgive you. You just confessed to your actions and let the chips fall where they may. That's the sign of the strong woman I've loved all of these years."
Several sniffs made the man chuckle as the sorrowful storm died down.
"I'm so sorry, Tai. I'm sorry for everything..."
"It's alright, Raven."
"Do you forgive me?" she looked up, eyes still glistening.
"Yes..." he smiled back.
"No. I need to hear you say it, dammit."
The sheer amount of desperation in her demand was enough to make the man's grin grow larger.
"Yes, Raven. I forgive you..."
Raven let out a breath neither realized she'd been holding in all of that time. When she did, the air around them both seem to lift, if only a little. It was enough for her though as the warrior felt her body relax against his own. Tai could tell that she was more at ease than before, something he'd never imagined seeing again. He didn't make a fuss about it.
For now, Tai would settle for stroking her hair, eliciting a soft purr from her as she leaned into him. Since nobody else was around, Raven didn't have to worry about appearing weak or having to show pseudo-strength.
"Tai?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you... think they'll grow to forgive me too?"
Tai Yang didn't say anything at first, still running his hand through her black hair. It was a complicated situation if he was being honest with himself and both knew that truth. He exhaled softly, causing the woman to tense up slightly. Eventually, the suspense grew to be too much and Raven lifted her head to meet the male's conflicted gaze.
"I- I can't say that they'll be as forgiving so quickly, Rae..." he finally admitted. His words cut deeper than the sharpest blade ever could. That dread soon slithered around her heart as she noticed that he wanted to say more. "It really depends on what truly matters to you. Do you want their mercy for your own emotional freedom? Do you want a relationship with your kids or are you just hoping to clear your conscience?"
Raven took in his words, trying to process his words.
"What are you truly fighting for, Raven?"
[Argus]
The afternoon was quiet in spite of the busy going ons of the citizens.
Jaune and the others had volunteered to go check in at the Atlas military base in hopes of trying to convince their commander to escort them all to Atlas. The ornate machinations of the people mattered little to a certain faunus as he walked alongside the cheerful Pyrrha Nikos. For some reason, the normally chipper girl had a bit more pep in her step, humming while pulling him through the northern district.
Even with the awkward stares from the many who crossed their path, the red-head maintained her positive demeanor. She'd been this way ever since they woke up earlier that morning yet, she refused to disclose her reasoning. After a late breakfast with her mother, Pyrrha practically dragged him out of the house and they made their way to Oum only knew where.
"Pyrrha?"
"Yes?" her sweet tone made his heart skip.
"Where exactly are we going?"
She shook her head, never letting her smile drop.
"It's a surprise."
Aganju's suspicion only increased as she pressed forward. Of course, the hint of deviancy didn't go undetected either. Still, he thought it wise not to inquire further, choosing to turn his attention to the onlookers. He was amused by their confusion, reminding the Faunus of their first day together. He smiled inwardly as he recalled that evening; they'd just become friends and from that point, their bond only grew stronger.
His musings would abruptly end when the two suddenly stopped in front of a familiar building; one that he knew well.
"Sanctum?"
Pyrrha's smile was soft but never lost its vigor. She walked onto the campus with her friend following close behind. It didn't take long for them to enter the school and find their target, the front office. The halls were empty Within the room, an older woman with silver hair immediately recognized them both.
"Miss Nikos! Aganju! Welcome back!" she greeted excitedly. "I'll fetch the dean for you."
"There's no need for that, Ms. Falcon. Thank you." A black-haired man stepped from his office. His calm smirk turned into a look of pure shock when he noticed the pair. "Ah! I'm so elated to see you both again!"
As Pyrrha greeted and thanked the educator, Aganju wasn't as keen to do so. Even though he didn't have any issue with the man himself, the faunus still showed a bit of discomfort at being in the combat school. Still, he'd put on a smile to keep things civil.
"It's good to see you, Professor Cormier. It's been a while," Aganju greeted before winding up in a big hug the man.
This was surprising to both Pyrrha and the secretary as the educator released his hold on the faunus.
"I'm so relieved to know that you both are safe! After the fall of Beacon, I grew worried."
"Well, I'm alright," the fox chuckled rigidly. "It takes more than a few Grimm and White Fang to stop us."
"Of course. I shouldn't have had any doubt. After all, you were one of my strongest students."
The Dean let out a hearty laugh before acknowledging Pyrrha Nikos. He continued on with talking with the duo until the bell rang, forcing Cormier to step out, inviting the two to follow. They walked down the corridor, watching all of the students filing out to go toward their next classes. Pyrrha and Atsura pressed on until they found themselves in a rather familiar setting.
The room was massive in comparison to the ones they'd passed by. It appeared like more of a dojo, each of the walls being adorned with various forms of weaponry. This was the sparring room, a place where surprisingly, neither was granted to be in at the same time. Aganju spared a glance over to his friend, noting the look of comfort she had.
"Pyrrha? What's going on?"
"You and I never had a chance to properly spar, Agan. So, I requested that we could use one of the rooms for a quick match."
"Neither of you had the opportunity to do so despite the two top students in your class. Plus, with your training at Beacon, I'm sure you'd both enjoy a chance to test your skills with little restraints."
Finally hearing the reason for their journey Aganju simply sighed dramatically before grabbing Nguangus from the sheath on his back. Professor Cormier was surprised to see the shift in weaponry, but he remained silent as Pyrrha removed her winter jacket revealing her own arsenal. The fox mirrored her actions, tossing the jacket behind him before separating the blade into its dual form.
"I hope you're ready," Pyrrha pointed her new spear, Kratos at the boy. "I won't be holding back."
"That makes two of us," he flashed his canines, focused on the task at hand.
"Remember why you fight." Aganju pondered her choice of words but, refused to break his center.
Pyrrha took the initiative and charged forward, her shield, Deimos colliding with one of the blades. The sheer strength of her lunge was enough to push the vulpine back a few feet but he twisted his body to land on his feet. There was no time to study the act because Aganju would find himself bombarded with various strikes from the spartan.
Despite her typically kind demeanor, Pyrrha was shockingly relentless in her attacks. There was a gleam in her eyes as she kept Aganju on defense, an interesting development. It was a complete role reversal, with spartan as the aggressor and the vulpine on the defense.
Eventually, Aganju was able to roll out of the way when his opponent brought Kratos down, missing him completely. When she turned around, Pyrrha watched as her beau's grin fell. Seeing as he was at a disadvantage, the fox used what little space he had to combine the swords, turning Ngaungus into its bow form. Soon, he was running around shooting Dust arrows of multiple colors and elements at Pyrrha who appeared content to just block the projectiles with her shield. Eventually, the shots would increase in number, forcing Pyrrha to sidestep in order to evade the onslaught.
What are you planning? Running around is only affecting your accuracy. Unless...
It was too late. Looking around, Pyrrha finally figured out what his strategy was. He wasn't just aimlessly firing arrows; he was smarter than that. No, Aganju was laying out a trap.
The answer came when the young woman began to notice that many of the arrows hadn't yet detonated with their respective elements. It wasn't until she saw the smug grin on Aganju's face that the goal became clear. He wasn't looking to attack without purpose but rather, he was aiming to confine her.
The vulpine concluded this strategy by firing a black Dust bolt into another, that'd been planted near her feet.
This set off a chain reaction where the many projectiles suddenly exploded around Pyrrha forcing her to cover up. Still, Aganju wasn't satisfied. Learning from his final's match during the Vytal Festival tournament, he wouldn't rush in recklessly as he did then. Instead, he kept a steady grip on the aura string, patiently waiting for whatever would come next.
He's grown so much... The Professor noted the faunus' action with pride but, he wasn't foolish to count out Pyrrha Nikos. What is your next move?
From the vanishing smoke, she hurled Deimos at the boy, forcing him to use another black bolt to launch himself in the air. This was just what Pyrrha wanted as she summoned the guard back to her. From the smoke, she launched herself at him, swiping at him. Switching Nguangus back into its glaive form, Aganju matched her attacks blow for blow.
Unbeknownst to them, several students had begun to pour into the sparring room, each one more curious than the last. This caught Dean Cormier off guard as each one began filling the large room to watch the spectacle unfolding. The two were evenly matched in terms of their battling skill-sets. Even when one had an advantage over the power, the other would counter.
Even without displaying a semblance, Cormier was rather impressed by his canine alumni.
Pyrrha's polarity semblance was stopped by elemental projectiles.
Aganju's sheer strength was negated by Pyrrha's superior defense.
It would come down to a test of convictions.
Kratos and Nguangus clashed, weapons resonating with the wills of their wielders.
"Looks like we've attracted an audience..." Pyrrha flicked her gaze over to the younger cadets.
"Keep your eyes on me, princess. We're not done."
The suggestive tone, coupled with a competitive wink made Pyrrha blush slightly. She quickly regained her bearings before flashing a sensual glance of her own. When they were in agreement, both flared their auras, impressing the older man and the cheering children surrounding him.
"I'd like nothing more, but must you be so mischievous?" she giggled.
He charged, slamming his glaive into her shield.
"Only with you..."
Red vs Amber.
Power vs Precision.
Two of Sanctum's top Alumnus swiped and slashed over and over again, each time gaining more and more speed. The 'oohs' and 'ahs' filled the room as neither were willing to lose. Professor Cormier pulled out his scroll, monitoring the pair's aura levels cautiously as the flurry continued. Steadily, the bars had dropped into the orange.
As he yelled out his concern, both nodded before pushing off of one another.
"Guess, we'll have to cut this short..."
"I too have enjoyed our tango, dance partner."
Both flashed a big smile at one another, clearly enjoying their back and forth encounter. Everyone watched as they both took their respective stances. Pyrrha crouched slightly and lifted Deimos up, positioning her spear, Kratos in the visual crevice of the shield; the hoplite style. Aganju crotched down as well, shifting his body for the BattÅjutsu stance.
Professor Cormier watched intently, though his expression never shifted. Only a bead of sweat fell down the side of his face. As the two prepared for one final attack, he reflected on something that was told to him long before he'd earned the position he held now. Pyrrha Nikos, the 'Invincible Girl', was Sanctum and Argus' pride and joy. Aganju Umbrae (as he was known then), the 'Demon's Bane', was a warrior stripped of praise and love for his race.
The higher-ups on the city's council board had enforced a rule that would protect their 'golden goose' from the 'monster' and now, the man knew why. They were literally even against one another but, with Aganju being a faunus, there was no way that those on the board would allow for him to even come close to ruining their 'star attraction'.
Professor Cormier couldn't have been more proud of both of his former students.
All of that culminated with the Huntsman/Huntress grinning from ear to ear, each prepared to finish their match, despite their exhaustion. Feet planted, they both rushed at the other. As the gap between them closed, Pyrrha and Aganju reflected on the girl's earlier statement.
Remember why you fight...
Aganju's mind brought him to the night when he nearly lost Pyrrha back when Beacon Academy fell. The kiss of trickery that nearly got his beloved killed at the hands of Cinder haunted him at times, though he never spoke of it. He remembered scaling the wall thanks to Ruby and Weiss' joint effort. Then he recalled the demon he'd become after he lost control.
He never wanted Pyrrha to endure that again.
For Pyrrha, she remembered the moment she was outclassed by Vernal which resulted in Aganju surrendering and being impaled by Raven Branwen. In her heart, she felt guilty for this happening. The idea of losing her closest friend and lover nearly broke her after a month of captivity as well. Thankfully, they were reunited later but, seeing the light in Aganju's eyes dulling by the second haunted the girl for a while, even after being reunited.
She couldn't put Aganju in a position like that ever again.
With every ounce of their strength, Aganju and Pyrrha unleashed their concluding blows. When they connected, both forms stood opposite one another. The room fell silent, all eyes locked on the pair to see who would fall first. Labored breaths soon broke that quiet air, the extent of their war finally rearing its head. Aching and fatigued, their aura flickered before vanishing completely.
Finally, one of them felt their strength's depletion. Aganju slowly fell backward, smiling as his lungs burned with each intake of air. He wasn't upset at all though, content with the fact that he took the 'Invincible Girl' to her limit; he could think of worse outcomes than being in second place.
"This battle is declared a draw!"
The news caused the fox's ears to twitch.
Had he heard that correctly?
It couldn't be a draw, unless...
When he looked up, the sight of a kneeling Pyrrha made him sit up immediately. Even though his head throbbed from such a thoughtless deed, he didn't care, choosing to prioritize the girl's wellbeing before his own. Before she could collapse, he reached her in enough time to lay her head in his lap.
"Pyrrha! Are you alright?!" he worriedly asked.
"I'm fine," she smiled sadly. "I'm just sorry I couldn't go any further."
Aganju wrapped Pyrrha in his arms, grateful that she was okay.
"You..."
"What?"
"You told me to remember why I fight. I don't want to lose you or anyone else I care about again."
Pyrrha was stunned. If she hadn't been so tired, she would've pushed him away, gently scolding him for playing the role of 'prince charming'. Now, she could see just how serious he was. This wasn't just some romantic rhetoric. This was a young man putting his cards on the table. They both met after leaving Argus and from there, they'd both gained friends and family during their journey.
To see the vulnerability behind his eyes, Pyrrha felt her throat hitch while resting in his arms. She reached for him, placing her hand on her cheek. Slowly, she leaned in, eager to express her gratitude properly. She'd be stopped though when the sounds of cheers filled their ears, forcing both of their faces to turn crimson.
"Children, these two are the cream of the crop!" They looked out at the large gathering to find both humans and faunus alike. "They both trained here at Sanctum and now, they carry on the legacy of this combat school with pride!"
Both shuffled a few inches away as the kids approached them both, each one clamoring for a chance to engage with the two standouts. While Pyrrha was no stranger to this, Aganju was overwhelmed by the admiration of the youth, both human and faunus alike. This went on for a few minutes until the bell rang, signaling the start of the next course.
After collecting their things and a congratulatory 'thank you' from the elated dean, Aganju & Pyrrha left Sanctum Academy. By now, the sun had begun its descent and with arms interlocked, the pair decided to return to the Nikos' homestead.
"So..."
"So?" an amused Pyrrha hummed.
"Pyrrha?" Aganju playfully warned.
"Okay. I'm sorry for not telling you about my 'nefarious' plan."
Aganju rolled his eyes, only to find himself pulled into a kiss.
Ears waggled and his tail stood upright at the sudden approach but, he adjusted swift enough. He wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the caress of lips. Even more, the young man gained enough control to encircle his tail around her, a display that Pyrrha loved. As thanks, she cupped his face, showing a slightly more assertive side to her reserved for flashes like this.
Finally, they parted, still in each other's arms and staring dreamily at each other. It cared little for the onlooker and their murmurs, they were too preoccupied with one another. In fact, the only outside entity that mattered to the couple was the rapidly wagging tail of the fox who quickly grabbed the out-of-control limb, much to Pyrrha's amusement.
"Forgiven..." he whispered dumbly, drawing a melodious laugh from his girlfriend.
"That easily? I'd hoped you would put up more of a fight," she flirtatiously teased.
"What did you have in mind?"
Unfortunately, Pyrrha never got the chance to answer when a beeping ringtone interrupted them. Reluctantly, the two separated. An irritated Aganju ed at the device only to receive a peck on the cheek that calmed him down.
"Hello?" he grumbled.
"Get over to the city limits!"
"Wait, what's going on, Roxie?"
"Jaune managed to connect with Ruby! They're on their way now."
Hearing this, both teens raced off to their intended destination.
Along the way, Pyrrha's mind recollected the faunus' words, searching for her own interpretation of the statement she posed to him. With a small grin, she spared a glance at her vulpine partner with fondness. Though he was a little banged up from their battle, Pyrrha knew what she found worth fighting for.
Now, all they were set for a reunion with Team RWBY and, hopefully, a plan to get to Atlas.