Breaking Remnant: Bound by Shadows
Rating: T/M
Series: RWBY
Pairing(s):
Volume 4: Winter
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:
Phew! We're nearly 3/4 of the way to catching up to the events of the original story. I'm hoping to get these edits out before or a little after Christmas so that I can resume writing further chapters. With the events of Volume 8 going on now, it's been difficult to match the first story with events of the canon without terribly retconning everything.
Still, I want to make it known that the Volume 7 portion of things will have some major changes to details from its original incarnation. For starters, I want to incorporate some of the Ace-Ops into the story with the OCs and of course, there's the little note of the mysterious onlooker. I'm not going to reveal them just yet, but, I'm sure some of you have figured it out by now haha.
If you have, please don't spoil it for the others as I'm working on their role for upcoming new chapters.
Last but not least, I recently had to delete an unnecessary review. I've said this before and I will say this once more: If this, or any of my stories are not to your liking, JUST LEAVE! I don't come to other people's fiction and tell them how to write. If you don't like a certain style or format, then kindly back out and read something else. I'm not opposed to criticism, but if you can't back that up with a solution, then you're just whining like a child about trivial things.
With that settled, I am open to CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM only. Don't tell me that you're going to drop my story, just leave. Others enjoy this and I enjoy writing for them. Goodbye, and I hope you find what you're looking for.
Anyways, enough chatter! I hope you all enjoy this next Volume as things progress. Keep safe and wear a mask when you have to go out. We can overcome this...!
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.
Chapter 21
[Argus Forest]
Adam did his best to block and parry the multitude of blows raining down on him from the two girls. While it was relentless, they were smart enough to use their ammunition sparingly given their opponent's semblance. Even when they did use the rounds, he was crafty and skilled enough to absorb a small amount of energy to charge his blade.
Yang, realizing she had the largest disadvantage, did her best to utilize a support role during the battle while Roxanne took the lead. Still, that didn't mean that the ram didn't have her flaws. Though she was holding her own, she still had openings that Adam could exploit; That fact was evident to the male who sought to employ this benefit.
Roaring in anger, Roxanne left wide open as she threw a wild, fiery right hook. At that moment, he slashed at her exposed midsection. However, what he thought was a reckless act turned out to be a farce as her punch turned downward, connecting with the point of the sword. This set Adam up, allowing Roxanne to land a well-timed uppercut to his sternum, driving out much of the air in his lungs.
Before he could recover, blue/grey eyes watched as the blond spun over Roxanne's back landing a solid hit on his jaw. He slid on the ground, giving the girls a chance to catch their breath. It didn't take long for an angry Adam to regain his footing once more, carefully assessing the situation in front of him. This did little to calm his agitation though as he yelled out, his frustrations echoing into the endless sky.
"This isn't possible...!" he snarled.
"Give it up, Adam. You've lost..."
He looked over at Yang Xiao-Long, insanity dancing an unrestrained masquerade behind his optics. He noticed her calm visage, no trace of fear, and trepidation anywhere on her features. Even Roxanne, though she was still breathing heavily from her barrage, lacked any real indication of being rattled. They were an impenetrable fortress, united and unwavering in their resolve.
But, even a fortress had one or two blind spots, if one only looked carefully.
It came in the form of a shaky left hand.
"Big talk coming from two scared little girls."
"This is your last chance," Roxanne locked eyes with the bull.
Adam simply chuckled, his mask of confidence once more assumed.
"Do you really believe that, or are you just trying to scare me away so you don't have to die protecting her?"
Yang nearly took the bait but ceased her attempt to rush in once she felt her quivering limb taken into her partner's. Looking over, Lilac locked onto fiery orange followed by a defined grin. It was here that Yang finally understood the full extent of the girl's time with her back on Patch. She understood how far Roxanne was willing to go to ensure her safety while still allowing her autonomy.
"I'm not protecting her and she's not protecting me." Adam raised an eyebrow that quickly lowered in disgust once he noticed the two interlocking fingers. "We're protecting each other! Neither of us are damsels in distress. Most importantly, neither of us is afraid of you anymore, Adam."
"You couldn't win three on one at Beacon! What makes this time any different, aside from the fact that there's one less bitch to kill here?"
Both girls, the fiery dragon, and the blazing ram remained calm despite the taunts.
"We have no choice. It's either we stop you, or we die trying," Yang spat. "...and we have no intention of dying today. We have people that care about us waiting for us, and we promised to return to them. That goes for Blake too."
Blake.
Adam nearly forgot his main purpose for being here.
"You know, Blake made a promise to me once; that she'd always be by my side. Look how well she's kept it."
Says the guy who lied to his kind just to feel more of a man, Roxanne scoffed to herself.
"Did she make that promise to you or to the person you were pretending to be?" Yang countered.
So I just wasn't good enough for you, Blake?
Adam still couldn't see that it was not his worth that was in question but his choices in who he'd become.
The cold truth of his present just extended out of reach for his understanding. He saw nothing wrong with his approach.
His treatment of Blake.
The killing of humans at Beacon.
Usurping the throne from Sienna Khan.
Killing his kind just to retain his pseudo-opulence.
Even now, his grudge with two young women never once opened his eyes to the truth; an unfortunate fact buried under one's ego.
"I see you've made your choice, and I've made mine."
Reaching for Wilt & Blush, Adam took a low stance. The time for talking was over; There was no more room for chances, pleas, or threats. All that mattered now was who would stand and who would fall.
Adam vs Yang & Roxanne.
A will to be lionized challenging the will to overcome a haunting past.
Both girls took the initiative this time, rushing forward rather than allowing their opponent the chance to strike first. This proved to be advantageous when Adam swung his blade defensively. The steal made contact with that of Yang's gauntlets while Roxanne flipped over them both, landing a stinging kick to his back in the process. When he turned to attack again, Adam was met with a small wall of flames that nearly burned his face.
He turned, eating a spinning back elbow from Yang, sending him staggering backward. Unlike during their fight at Beacon, it was clear that the two were much more in sync. Little by little, they wore down the once-proud Adam Taurus, forcing him to make sloppy counters that hit nothing but air.
It seemed that the pair could do no wrong as Roxanne rushed once again at her fellow Faunus only to slide underneath his legs. She quickly stood up, twisting her body to landing another kick that sent him flying. Yang followed this up by using her gauntlet rounds to propel her forward, giving her more momentum to land a powerful punch.
What she didn't count on was Adam recovering fast enough to attempt a desperate but accurate thrust.
This forced Yang to try and maneuver out of the way, causing her to land awkwardly on her side in the process. Adam seized this window of opportunity and lunged at the blond only, he sheathed his blade and settled on soccer kicking the girl into the rockface, shattering her aura in the process. As she slid down the jagged terrain, her body bounced hard upon landing on a small ledge, semi-conscious.
"Yang!"
[CCT Tower]
Cinder rushed in, flaming swords in hand. It appeared that whatever her reason, she was content with letting her actions speak this time around. While Aganju didn't complain, he found that a silent and focused Cinder was a much more dangerous foe than an arrogant and vocal one.
Each time he raised Nguangus to attack, she'd find some clever way to avoid the hit.
He chalked this development up to her athleticism and tried a new approach. Recalling his battle with Pyrrha, Aganju transformed the weapon into its bow form and fired a series of black dust bolts at the woman, shrouding her in a cloud, giving him enough cover for the time being.
In truth, he only needed to hold her off until Blake returned.
However, the woman rushed out of the fog, seemingly unaffected by the gravity dust.
This caught the fox off guard, as he didn't have enough time to change his weapon back to any other style. He was forced to evade, narrowly eluding the vicious strikes. He managed to duck under a slashing blade that would've certainly taken his head off. He then swept her legs only to see the woman elegantly flip backward, a trait he'd never intentionally associate with her.
What the hell?
Still, he wouldn't waste time pondering such a trivial detail, opting instead to reform Nguangus' glaive configuration.
This allowed him to go on the offensive. Thrusting and slashing in every direction he could, Aganju pushed the woman back, and yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. This would once again cost him as Cinder launched multiple fire blasts.
He rolled out of way, only to eat a fireball directly in the stomach. He tried to stand up only for another to knock the sword from his hand. Disoriented and now, defenseless, Aganju couldn't help but feel that tiny itch in his brain grows larger by the second.
Back in the forest area, things were slowing down.
Roxanne, while a capable fighter, still appeared to be one step behind the lionized faunus, much to her dismay.
"Moment of truth!" Roxanne turned back to face Adam, that insufferable snark in his tone. "Do you think you're stronger than you were at Beacon? Think you're braver than you were in Vacuo? Do you really believe that you can defeat me without her help?!"
That was enough to make her pause.
Immediately, her mind returned to that horrific day when she was humiliated by Adam and his henchmen. She thought she was protecting her mother, that her actions would prove that she was strong enough to protect others. Instead, it brought only a sense of cynicism and fear that wouldn't be broken until the day Yang and Blake talked with her.
Even when she saw him again in that cafeteria, she only survived due to a reckless act that resulted in her arm being burned. So, it was safe to say that his inquiry carried weight.
"Heh, me neither."
Adam removed his weapon with a triumphant smirk.
Then, in a complete 180, he began toying with Roxanne, expertly switching their roles from before. With Yang out of action for only Oum knows how long, the faunus' flaws and weakness were now on full display. It was true that the two had improved greatly, but it was also evident that they remained far behind the training and skillset of Adam.
He was like a beggar, feasting on everything that he could get his hands on at this point; a buffet of openings to counter and exploit to his insatiable delight. No matter what she did: Block. Duck. Back away. It was never enough as he'd always close the distance and wear Roxanne down with blunt strikes and kicks while she staggered.
It was like a cat playing with a mouse before devouring it, and Adam Taurus couldn't get enough. That part of him, the dark and sadistic side, lusted for brutality against his enemies and Roxanne would prove no different. It was the reason he cut off her horns after she dared to not only reject his offer to join the White Fang but also challenge his men and by extension, himself.
"Your Aura's bound to be running low."
He wasn't lying.
With every strike, Roxanne could feel her aura growing weaker. It would only be a matter of time before it completely ran out, leaving her open to a potentially fatal attack. Even then, she flashed a defiant glare, drawing Adam closer with a dark sneer on his lips.
Meanwhile, Yang had woken up. She thankfully had enough aura to circumvent passing out, but, instead of rejoining the battle right away, she opted to climb the rocky wall. Tired and aching, she spared a glance over her shoulders to find both parties were still fighting. Back on the natural platform, Roxanne took deep breaths showing that even her impressive stamina was beginning to give in to the chilly air.
"Hit me already!" Adam taunted, launching more sword swipes.
The ram simply evaded again, even flipping over a diagonal slash. She noticed Yang climbing in the distance but she also knew that she'd need more time. So, Roxanne stalled. Choosing a boxer's stance, dancing on her toes while forcing her opponent to miss wildly. It was a chess match in terms of the mental war, shifting back and forth between the two opposing forces.
"What do you even see in each other?!"
Fed up with the games, Adam hurled his blade downward, causing it to spin like a buzzsaw.
Roxanne easily blocked the attack, allowing it to ricochet back in the air to which Adam caught it. His speed was waning at this point as well which granted the girl a chance to leap back as the metal hit the earth, though he was still quick enough to trip her up upon landing.
Roxanne spared another glance over by the waterfall, seeing Yang leaping to another face of the area. Yang climbed as fast as her body would allow while Adam, in his unquenchable fury, launches a large percentage of his semblance. The blast made contact, creating a dust cloud large enough for Adam to end things. He gladly accepted the invitation as he jumped high in the air, ready to sate his bloodlust.
The sounds of pained grunts filled his ears, delighting the bull. But, that grunt would soon give in to light chuckles.
His eyes began to widen in shock as the dust settled around them. He knew that he'd made contact and yet, what he saw was not something he wanted to. Adam tried to pull back his sword but, something held a firm grip on the hardware. Upon closer inspection, he found that Roxanne herself was holding the weapon.
Using the fire Dust at her disposal, she'd been able to make a blast powerful enough to soften the blow of the attack, making it easier to hold in her now slightly bleeding hand.
"Gotcha..."
Roxanne winked before pulling adam closer and landing a devastating, fire packed, punch to his stomach that knocked him several feet back, creating a mini crater as a result. His aura flashed several times before vanishing, though it did little to stop his temper.
Once Adam made it back to his feet, he reached for his blade only to realize that it wasn't with him anymore. Roxanne now possessed Wilt & Blush and had a clear advantage over her opponent.
"I may now be faster than or as skilled as you, but, I'm smarter."
At that moment her maroon aura fractured and broke, leaving her imperiled to any threat as well. Worn and pained, she tossed the infernal sword over the side of the rocky bridge to a cry of 'No' from Adam, who futilely chased after the weapon. When he reached the edge, however, he was greeted by a jaw rattling uppercut from Yang Xiao-Long.
He rolled backward, dragging his boot against the broken halves of Gambol Shroud.
Upon realizing this, he rushed over to the larger portion. Yang looked as if she was going to mirror his action but, she knew that she wasn't fast enough to grab it. Instead, she tightened her cybernetic fist and, with crimson eyes, as he came within inches of the tool. Behind him, Roxanne cocked her right hand back as well bringing it down like a mighty hammer.
Three screams echoed throughout the woods followed by a small explosion.
Slowly the dust settled. Inside, three forms steadily became apparent once again. When their images were clearly visible, the scene showed Adam with a shocked expression while two fists, one buried in his stomach and another digging into his back. The sound of crunching ribs became overshadowed by the gurgling noise that followed close behind.
Yang and Roxanne ripped their hands from the male's midsection and back, observing as he plodded past the blond.
His body was now covered mostly in third-degree burns and the blond knew that she'd broken several ribs from just the sheer force of their combined attack. Each move seemed random like he was a zombie before he collapsed on his knees just before reaching the edge. Soon, he regurgitated blood, the sanguine fluid creating a crimson waterfall before his eyes rolled back.
Adam was dead.
If one wanted more proof, it appeared when his form leaned forward, descending and crashing down on several stone ledges before landing in the raging river, soon to be forever lost in the current. Lilac and orange eyes watched the sight, clearly traumatized at what they'd just witnessed.
Yang & Roxanne won.
They defeated the monster who once ruled over their nightmares.
So... Why didn't they celebrate?
Yang dropped to her knees, shaking violently while Roxanne rushed over. The faunus swiftly wrapped her arms around her companion, both shedding tears.
Joy.
Relief.
Redemption. All of these things and more began to swim within the two but, there was also something that threatened to destroy the feel-good moment.
"He's dead..."
Yang's voice was but a whisper, yet the gravity of her words felt just as heavy if she had screamed them.
"It's going to be okay..." Roxanne tried to comfort her.
"We killed someone, Roxie!"
Yang clutched at the girl's jacket sleeve, sobbing at what she'd done. Sure, they've killed countless Grimm on their adventures both during and after their time at Beacon, but... a person? Yang couldn't help but feel lower than Adam, even with his presence no longer there to frighten them.
"Blake... She won't... Forgive. She'll hate us!"
"No." Roxanne pulled away, allowing the tearful blond to see her face. "Blake knew what Adam wanted. I'm not saying that she'll be completely happy, but, I know that she won't hate you, nor will she leave us behind..."
"But... mmphff!"
Yang wanted to object but found that impossible once Roxanne latched her lips onto hers. Any attempt to mumble anything close to a rebuttal was silenced as they eventually deepened the liplock until they both began to relax.
"...Neither will I, Yang." the ram whispered/giggled nervously.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because, just like I risked my life for you, I'm willing to move past this. No matter how long it takes, we will get through this together."
Feeling a little better, Yang allowed a feather-like chuckle to escape her throat.
"I guess you really do love me, huh?"
"Always willing to start my day with a Yang..."
The two shared a gentle laugh at the admittedly horrible pun before sharing another quick embrace in front of the falls. This time, however, the tears that accompanied the gesture weren't of pain and anguish, but of love and gratefulness for one another. It was a hard-fought battle, but it was one that ended this personal war.
Blake managed to reach the top of the communication tower, working diligently with the controls and passcodes.
As she continued bypassing the firewalls, Aganju was struggling with Cinder's aggressive assault. Without Nguangus, he was reduced to running and dodging in hopes of closing the gap.
Instead, he wound up eating fireballs anytime he got near her.
He had a lot of aurae to spare, but even he knew that this approach couldn't last much longer.
Soon, the Fall Maiden's eyes lit up with an amber flame before rushing the male faunus. He side-stepped out of the way, seizing the moment to recover his sword. Without delay, he rushed over to the idle weapon only to eat another blast for his troubles.
This one sent him grinding against the earth until he landed into a tree with a sickening thud.
Groaning, the vulpine struggled to his feet as his earlier realization proved to be a more horrific reality.
This was clearly not the same Cinder he'd fought on Beacon Tower.
In their first battle, she was powerful, but her arrogance and inexperience with the newfound ability even things up a little. Add to that his loss of control after seeing the state Pyrrha was in and it was a fair fight. Now? Now Aganju was experiencing a more thoroughly trained and more serious version of the woman he despised.
Leaning against the base of the tree, the vulpine tried to shake off the disorientation he was feeling only to eat multiple blasts.
One after another after another after another. It was seemingly never-ending as the raven-haired woman unleashed as much rage as she could muster. The sounds of each mini-explosion caught the ears of Blake Belladonna who'd just finished disabling the military-grade codings. Though the tower was shut down, she couldn't savor the victory as her eyes widened in horror.
"Aganju!"
Her shriek was enough to cease the assault, Cinder finally feeling that she'd had enough.
A gust gently peeled back the shroud of smoke showing the young man still standing, though he was badly banged up for his troubles. Even with the pained grin on his face, it didn't take an Atlesian scientist to detect that he was in no shape for a fight anymore. Each breath was labored, causing intense anguish from such a relentless attack. Still, his lips never dropped, though his body did.
On his hands and knees, coughing and heaving from pain, his aura soon gave way to the previous barrage.
"Damn... That's twice now that you've hurt me." he chuckled darkly.
Cinder said nothing though, continuing the odd approach to their rematch.
Rather, his ears caught the sound of metal scraping against the ground. Lifting his eyes, Aganju noticed that it was his own sword. Behind them, Blake hopped down each level of the column, praying that she'd make it to him in time.
This was what she worried about when she left after Beacon's demise.
She heard about this similar scene with Pyrrha. She saw the damage that befell Aganju after they were brought to the hospital in Vale. She couldn't bear to see him killed.
She just had to reach him.
She had to...
Don't die... Please, don't die...!
She mentally chanted this over and over as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Cinder didn't care. All that mattered what that she finally would win for a change. Using her powers, she managed to lift the heavy blade over her head before bringing it down on the defenseless faunus.
"NO!"
"Stay back!" The abrupt boom stopped Blake dead in her tracks. "Don't... come any... closer, Blake."
The strain in his tone was enough to warrant an objection.
However, what Blake saw shut that notion down.
Though she witnessed his aura shatter, the feline could see three black and purple limbs extended from behind Aganju.
They were gripping Cinder's wrists as well at the blade she planned to execute him with. Slowly he lifted his head, an evil grin stretching his lips. His eyes, while crimson now, had also become surrounded by an Amethyst ring that slowly expanded throughout his scleras.
"Aganju?"
Guess I can't hide this anymore... he groaned to himself. "Did you finish?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Good. Then it's time I stop playing around."
His opponent looked shocked at such a bold declaration. After all of that damage sustained, was he truly not taking her seriously? Anger began boiling over at such a cocky notion. Surely, he was bluffing just to save face in front of the dark-haired girl.
Right?
Blake didn't know quite what he meant, but she wouldn't press the matter for the time being. All that mattered was that he was safe and, by the looks of things, he was still able to fight. In an instant, he ripped Nguangus from Cinder's hand before using the other limb to shove her back.
However, instead of taking the weapon, he chose to shove the point of the sword into the ground, using it to pick himself back up. He took the moment's reprieve to crack his neck, much to the confusion of the silent Cinder.
This time, however, he wouldn't be so hasty in his approach as he recalled the limbs back into his body.
Unlike before, when Cinder threw multiple flaming spheres, he expertly dodged without hesitation. He was fast, but this was something beyond the scale of anything either woman had seen before. This wouldn't stop Cinder from unleashing her rage, surrounding herself with rings of fire, silently smirking; a direct challenge to the faunus male.
"Cute trick. Mind if I try?"
She raised an eyebrow, contemplating just what he was referring to. How could he replicate the powers of a maiden? The answer revealed itself in the form of a dark shadow stretching underneath his feet. Soon, it morphed, similarly swirling around his frame to Cinders' shield.
Denial contorted to surprise then to horror; he wasn't lying.
Where did he get such power? She pondered worriedly.
The foxes' eyes blazed with confidence before his body completely vanished in a flash.
Before either girl could process this, Aganju suddenly appeared in front of Cinder, his face mere inches from her own. Even more amazing, his head was inside the ball of energy, unscathed. Whatever power he possessed, this was on par with that of the maidens, a development that struck trepidation in the heart of the woman.
No way was she prepared for this.
In a desperate bid, she vanished, moving at supersonic speeds but, this didn't stop Aganju as he matched her speed while in hot pursuit.
Left.
Right.
Forward.
Backward.
Behind him.
In front.
Either side.
Nothing Cinder tried came remotely close to shaking off the faunus, a fact made all the more true when she looked back to find a smug grin on his face. It was a total contrast of the deranged expression from Beacon, but somehow, someway, this was far worse.
Leave me alone! She screamed internally.
"Not until you show me who you really are..." he teased.
This froze the woman completely, thus concluding their game of tag. Aganju did the same, arms now crossed and the smirk replaced with a dangerous stare. At first, she thought he read her mind, but, that wasn't his semblance. There was nothing about his abilities related to telepathy, so how did he know what she was thinking?
In truth, he'd been able to read her expressions rather easily.
It wasn't a perfect technique by any means, but it was effective.
"You're not Ella, are you?"
The woman's face had a soft scowl, another sign that he was right.
Cinder didn't scowl, she always bore her fangs when she was no longer in a favorable position. Only one other person had been able to communicate with her silence. Sensing something more, the impersonator decided to test the extent of the boy's analytic skills.
How could you tell? she raised a single eyebrow.
"Ella's a fuckin' loudmouth and you were quiet the entire time we fought. On top of that, your fighting style is vastly different from hers."
True. I'm impressed. the woman silently giggled.
"Thanks. But, you're not just here to stop up are you?"
How did you...?
"It's written all over your face," he solemnly spoke up. "Plus, I picked up that you're using a semblance. Lastly, I figured you weren't her when you didn't stop to gloat at your 'victory'. There's no way that narcissist would pass up a chance to monologue."
Blake narrowed her eyes in confusion at what she was hearing. If this wasn't Cinder, then who was this person?
A quiet sigh, followed by an over-dramatic eye roll confirmed Aganju's suspicions.
Another blink and amber orbs instantly morphed into pink/brown optics.
Soon, the entire facade began to melt away as the image of Cinder Fall gave way to a much smaller girl with thick long hair that matched her eyes. She wore a brown jacket that ends just below her shoulders and above her chest and has pink trimmings on top and is pink on the inside, two brown belt shoulder straps, a gray scarf, and a vest, gloves, a belt, pants, and heeled shoes of a matching white color.
While she transformed, Blake immediately raced over to the wounded warrior's side, nearly knocking the young man over.
"Aganju, be careful. This is Roman Torchwick's henchwoman!"
Oh goodie, you're one of the blond bimbo's friends. the girl's frown deepened. The name's Neopolitan, bitch, and I was Roman's partner and daughter, NOT a damn Henchman!
Aganju decided then to defuse the situation before another fight broke out.
"How do you know my sister?" he asked, somehow getting all of that.
Neopolitan turned her gaze, her jaw steadily dropping upon his revelation.
How in the brothers is she related to someone so cute? Aganju didn't miss the slight seductive edge to her last word but, chose to remain silent, though it did little to stop the pink hue from appearing on his cheeks. Anyway, I must be going... Tata, Aganju.
As she turned to leave, Blake attempted to rush after her only to be stopped when she heard a soft thud behind her.
Looking over her shoulders, she found Aganju in a seated position, his torso rocking back and forth as if he was trying to force himself upright. That's when she noticed the various bruises from the battle. That Neopolitan girl happened to spare a glance, taking in the worn-out demeanor. He was a strange case to her, but, anyone who could naturally communicate with a mute was definitely worth the intrigue.
I hope we meet again. she smiled playfully before vanishing without a trace.
The pair didn't seem to notice her departure though as Blake did her best to assist the boy back to his feet. As expected, he was much heavier than she was yet, she managed to find a steady pace to keep them both upright. With their mission complete, they needed only to return to their friends and hopefully get over to Atlas. While they traveled the main path, Black constantly snuck glances at the boy.
She wanted to chalk this up to 'monitoring his condition' but, she knew it wasn't the entire truth. If Blake was being honest with herself, this was the closest she'd ever been to Atsura alone. She milked this moment for all it was worth, noting many of his features, from the overt to the most subtle. Whether it was the way his tail swayed lazily or the tiny traces of chin hair, Blake noticed it.
"Sorry..."
She suddenly snapped out of her voyeurism upon hearing his voice.
"What?"
"I'm sorry for worrying you, Blake. I was being stupid in trying to stall rather than just fight all out from the beginning."
"So, why didn't you? Aside from discovering it was really that Neo chick, why were you so stubborn with stalling her?"
The walk grew silent for a moment. While it was only seconds, to Blake, it felt much longer.
"Mainly, I stalled so that you wouldn't be a target."
This was shocking to the cat girl.
"You took all of that damage, risking your life and sustaining injury for me?"
"Yep. Had I gone all out from the start, the enemy might've thought to use you as leverage. By giving the illusion of them overwhelming me, you had enough time to focus on your task without being harmed."
"That's... That's insane!" she frowned, anger thinly lacing her tone. "I can handle myself, you know? I'm not a helpless girl who needs to be rescued. Did you think it would impress me or-!"
Blake quickly clasped her hand over her mouth, but she knew it was too late.
Aganju took notice but, he was too exhausted to press the matter. Instead, he apologized once more, earning himself a hug. It was a simple gesture, but both were equally glad that it didn't last longer than a few moments. In their minds, they knew that there was an attraction but, neither would ever cross that line.
"Let's hurry and get back to the others," Blake quickly extended a hand to assist the fox. "Pyrrha's gotta be worried about us right now."
"Okay, Cat-Girl..." he chuckled as they began their trek back to their friends. "Just promise me that you won't go brooding over this, alright?"
"Wha?! I do NOT brood..."