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:
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.
Chapter 25
Everyone all around Atlas and Mantle had been in a state of shock.
The streets of the latter city were filled with hushed whispers of such an event occuring, their future truly in questionable status. It had been several days since the results of the Atlas Council elections and no one was as shocked as General Ironwood. He didn't want it to be true, especially after the stunt he pulled that incited a riot prior to voting.
Shutting down 'non-essential' SDC stores all throughout Mantle was one thing, but it wasn't the only point. After closing the shops, he soon announced an immediate layoff of workers, mostly from the city below that should've destroyed any chance of victory. And yet, in a cruel twist of fate, on top of the many lives slain at a victory rally, the Dust company mogul took the election in the last seconds.
He knew something fishy was going on, but James didn't have time to worry about this right now. Any way you spin it, there was no denying the unfortunate truth: Jacques Schnee was now sitting on the Atlas council. After the outcome was released, he'd been hard at work trying to keep things from escalating even further.
To make matters worse, several Atlas trucks were mysteriously going missing with her Happy Huntresses redistributing resources from the Amity project to the people of Mantle. Several of Beacon's finest stood in his office, trying to figure out what to do next. Of them, Ren, Aganju, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ruby were all in attendance along with the Ace-Ops.
"We're so close! There must be something that we can do..."
"There is..." Winter turned to Ruby Rose, her tone filled with a grave edge. "...declare Marshall Law."
Ruby and Nora looked at the woman in utter disbelief. Ren and Pyrrha simply exchanged a questionable glance, otherwise maintaining their composure. Ultimately, it was the fox and kangaroo who had the grimmest reaction, both scowling deeply at such a casual mention of such a significant act. The former of the two Faunus looked up, seeing the general turn his back without a word.
"You're not really considering Marshall Law, are you?" everyone turned to a distraught Nora Valkyrie.
Ironwood seemed undeterred by the girl's fruitless plea.
"I understand your concern, but you must ask yourself what is more important. Reestablishing global communication through Amity Coliseum... or a few city blocks?"
"You can't trivialize the needs of so many people!" Nora cut him off. "You keep talking about we need a little more time, but you're not the ones having to struggle!"
"We've all had to make sacrifices for the greater good. The city of Mantle has had to bear a lot of the burden, but-"
"They're bearing ALL of it! The longer this waiting game goes on, the harder each day gets for them down below. Now you want to send in more soldiers?! You can't force people to fall in line! If you do that, you'll just be trading all of these problems for the Grimm!"
By now, Ironwood was losing what little patience he had left. His eyes, simmering embers locked onto fiery passion burning behind Nora's. Thankfully, those flickers of fury died down, slowly regaining the heartfelt woe that plagued the man previously. Ruby stepped in, playing the role of mediator in hopes of quelling the warring individuals.
In the midst of that, Clover and Winter took over the conversation. They pushed the conversation away from the state of the two cities and unto a more pressing matter.
"Tyrian Callows; He was accused of murders all over Anima. He's a homicidal maniac who escaped justice when his prison transport was attacked by Grimm. After that, he was never seen again."
"He works for Salem now..." Ruby announced. "...and he's here. We should tell the people and-"
"What? We tell them that a long lost serial killer is on the loose in Mantle? That would only make things worse before it would make it better."
Nora had finally had enough.
"I... am so sick of secrets! If we'd just told everyone about Amity, about Salem-"
"WE CAN'T!"
All eyes were now on the frustrated general, completely missing the sudden slamming noise behind them. It appeared that everyone was accounted for... all except a certain vulpine.
Aganju shivered in anger, his ear unable to listen to any more of the briefing. He knew that it wasn't professional to just leave, but he risked losing his temper as Nora did. As he stomped away, he kept his eyes forward, white-hot rage threatening to spill over at any moment. His trek brought him to the front courtyard as he looked for a departing airship.
"Agan!" he cursed inwardly as the voice of his girlfriend caught his ears. "What was that all about? Why'd you just leave the meeting like that?"
"I just need to get some air, princess."
"Give me a break," The annoyed warrior crossed her arms, clearly not buying his explanation. "You could've just excused yourself, formally."
"Whatever." Aganju pulled out his scroll, searching the listings for any jobs available. "I'm heading down to Mantle."
"He's right, you know?"
Aganju stopped in his tracks, his simmering anger giving way momentarily to the shock of hearing Pyrrha's abrupt change of topic. When he finally processed his girlfriend's words, his violet orbs flashed with horror at her calm emeralds.
"What are you saying, Pyr? How can you support any of this?!" He hurled. "Arresting Robin? Tyrian running amok? Marshall law? There's no justification for him wanting to do something so radical and you know it!"
Pyrrha didn't back down from lover and friend.
Instead, he stood strong, eyes answering the challenging gaze of his friend. She sighed as she hearkened to the foxes' discontent with everything that was happening around them, his face otherwise unmoving.
"Grow up, Aganju..."
"Excuse me?!" his face twisted in disbelief.
"Look at the state of Remnant, Aganju! We're not kids anymore and this isn't Beacon Academy; We both have witnessed how cruel the world is long before reaching this point. We've encountered monsters that can rip up limb from limb without effort... We've both dealt with life and death situations." Pyrrha's counter was emphasized by her passionate tone."
By this point, their friends and allies had caught up to the two, though neither noticed their presence as Pyrrha continued.
"The world isn't some fairytale! There's no way that we'll achieve a happy ending without making some necessary sacrifices. The general knows this and he's taking measures to ensure that we are prepared for the incoming threat."
"You're not seriously buying into this crap, are you?" Aganju could feel that burning rage beginning to burn his throat as evident by his quiet tone. "You're talking about condemning the citizens of Mantle just to save the elite of Atlas." His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning a bright shade of red from the pressure. "That's not the Pyrrha I know..."
Sensing where the conversation was going, she held up a hand to halt his momentum.
"I may not like all of the rules, but I can't turn a blind eye when others break the rules either. Robin Hill has been doing just that and must be taken into custody. It's not rocket science. Plus, the general is willing to offer her a deal if she's willing to cooperate, so what's the problem?"
The air of tension was building fast; a powder keg just waiting for someone to officially light the fuse. Just like in Ironwood's office, two opposing forces shot vicious glares, daring their opponent to jump at the bait. Ruby wanted to step in and stop things from escalating, but the outstretched arm of Nora stopped that from happening. In her eyes, something was brewing and it was a long time coming.
As the silence threatened to choke the pair, it was a glaring Aganju who finally spoke up again.
"What is this REALLY about, Pyrrha?"
Everyone watched as the steel expression began to crack, revealing a sliver of confusion. Whether it was from his question or the intensity lurking behind his calm voice, her resolve was beginning to break.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about-"
"Cut the crap! You just berated me like I was a child but now you're acting like one! We both know that there's more to this than just 'law and order' but, you're too stubborn to admit it."
"You've made your point..."
"Have I? Because it seems like you're content to just stand on your pedestal, miss high and mighty!"
"I'm warning you, Aganju..."
No Agan... No cute pet names. This was truly a battle, one that might carry heavy consequences.
"Warning me?!" he scoffed, no longer holding the boiling magma in his soul. Yang and Nora watched as tears began brimming his eyes "What can you possibly do to me that I haven't already endured?! I was an orphan living on the streets while you were given a loving family! I was an outcast while you were a celebrity. I was nearly killed by both my former friend AND mother! I have one teammate dead and another missing...!" he seethed, finally taking a breath as his eyes glowed bright red.
This was his final warning to her, enough to silence the previously vocal Pyrrha.
"Even with all of that, I still find a way to care for others! I didn't give up on you even when you left me behind at Beacon to chase some suicidal quest of heroics or did you forget about that, Pyrrha?"
"I... I didn't..."
"Go ahead! Just tell me I'm wrong and I'll stop!" Aganju crossed his arms, silently hoping for an excuse. When he didn't receive one, he continued. "I don't know where this is coming from, but, you're not sounding like the Pyrrha I know. The Pyrrha I know wouldn't just agree blindly to possibly sacrificing people to get what she wants. You say I'm living in a fairytale, but we both know that between the two of us, I've experienced more of reality than you could imagine..."
The group watched in silence as the warring duo exchanged disapproving looks. The air had grown tense around them, further stoking the flame of discord between the two. Eventually, the vulpine released a sigh, his crimson orbs shifting back to their violet form. Pyrrha took a deep breath before turning her back to the faunus.
"If you want to go, then go..."
"Pyrrha!" Nora called out in an irate tone.
The canine scoffed before heading toward the nearest airship bound for Mantle.
Pyrrha wanted to follow him but found herself rooted in place by her resolve. Sure, there were plenty of flaws in the general's plan, she felt more secure in his disposition, very much like her teammate, Lie Ren.
Instead, it was Nora of all people who chased after him, hopping on the aircraft just as it was about to depart, leaving the red-head to deal with the uncertainty that began to eat away at her heart. As she watched the pristine plane take off, it was unknown what would come next, leaving the group in the same state as the kingdom.
Chaotic.
[Streets of Mantle]
Hours passed, bringing with it the familiar burgundy blanket of dusk over the grounded city.
After a silent flight, Aganju and Nora chose to spend their time at Pietro's Pharmacy, assisting Maria with supplies and minor treatments for the patients. It wasn't as glamorous as battling the Grimm, but neither complained as they both felt like they were making a difference. It was certainly a mood lifter, to say the least as both hunters seemed at ease knowing that they were contributing for those who they were suffering.
It was nice to be able to help those in need without any strings attached. On top of that, it was refreshing to get the earlier events off of their minds, even if it was temporary.
Unfortunately, the good times couldn't last long as the doctor thanked the pair for their service. He offered to give them a ride back to Atlas but, they declined, citing the previous conflict to which he understood. They gave a simple farewell, opting to wander around Mantle, mostly in search of food.
"Ugh! I'm starving!" Nora stretched her limbs.
Me too... I could eat someone out of house and home!" Aganju clutched his rumbling gut.
"Where's the nearest restaurant?"
"You know we could've gone to a place back in Atlas."
"No. Way. I'm not looking forward to Ren scolding me..." she chewed her lip anxiously. "We haven't seen eye to eye either on the who Ironwood vs the world situation."
Aganju chuckled at that, averting his amused gaze when Nora flashed an annoyed look his way. She followed this with a playful punch. He rubbed his sore limb but never dropped his delighted attitude.
"Sorry... But, I can't actually blame you for not wanting to go back right away. I'm ready to face Pyrrha again after our..."
"...argument?"
"Yeah. It wasn't exactly my best moment, was it?"
Nora placed a hand on the foxes' shoulder, in hopes of soothing her ally's mood. He smiled in gratitude as they continued to wander the streets.
"It's not like you were completely wrong, mind you."
"How so?"
"You and I, we come from a place where we had nothing. Not much of a past. Hardly any direction. We were purposeless until fate dealt us a break. For me, it was stumbling onto Kuroyuri while you wandered into Argus. We've had to fight to survive and only those who've been there can truly understand that."
Aganju nodded.
"Like Ren?"
Nora shook her head, surprising the fox.
"Even Ren had a family before I met him. Like Pyrrha, he had something that he once possessed. He had a home, a life, and friends; these things he can always look back on with fondness. I can't say the same..." Now it was Aganju's turn to comfort the unusually somber Nora by rubbing her back. He could see traces of tears starting to form before being wiped away by the hammer wielder. "I honestly can't remember much about my life without Ren. Kind of lame, right?"
"Nope."
"What?"
"It's not lame or weird to feel that way, especially after what you've gone through. Hell, I've been through that myself with... someone else. We used to be joined at the hip until she left me behind for bigger things. I thought I was lost without her but, something inside of me wouldn't let me quit. Now, I'm just scared that the same thing will happen again..."
Aganju was stopped by Nora crossing in front of him, her hands on her hip with a knowing scowl on her face.
"Uh... Nora?"
"There's no way that Pyrrha's leaving you, idiot!" she huffed, knocking her fist against his noggin. "If you think that one little disagreement between you is enough to break up the bond that you two have built, then you're not as smart as you think. She loves you deeply, even to the point where she turned down an invitation from Marrow."
"R-Really?"
"Yep... It's why she was so on edge today. After finally telling him that their past was just that, she went on about how amazing you were and how level-headed you are in intense situations. From what I could gather, it might've been that time of the month, if you ask me. Either way, don't overthink and just... promise me that you'll talk with her when we get back to Atlas."
"Okay! I'll smooth things out with Pyrrha."
"Thank you!" she chimed in a sing-song tone.
"Only if you stop being scared of Ren's reaction..."
"What?! I. AM. NOT. SCARED." she announced in a low growl, shaking Aganju by his jacket collar.
A bead of sweat ran down Aganju's face, but it sent the message that he understood her point. Eventually, Nora released the taller male, only to realize something was off. They both found themselves looking at a deserted street near the south district.
There was nobody in sight but, thanks to the vulpine's heightened sense of hearing, he was able to pick up various noises nearby.
Footsteps.
Nora soon noticed his expression change from worried to focused, prompting her to be on guard as well.
He cut his gaze in every direction, slowly reaching for Nguangus. She mirrored his action, grabbing Magnhild and shifting it into its grenade launcher form as the footsteps grew louder. Soon it was joined by a twisted giggle that sent a frost down the duo's spines. The fox steadied his breathing, subtly locating the source to be from a nearby alley.
A figure stood in the shadows with both arms raised, triggering the faunus' reflexes as he tackled Nora to the ground to avoid several rounds ripping through the air. When the onslaught ceased, Aganju could see the shadow-like figure rushing past, leaving behind a twisted cackled that could freeze fire itself.
As Nora struggled to recover, Aganju grabbed his sword and sped after the one who attacked them.
"Wait! Aganju!"
His pants of frustration drowned out Nora's cry echoing down the otherwise silent pathways. His target lept over many obstacles, maintaining the distance. The dimly lit backways blurred as Aganju did his best to keep up. He wouldn't lose sight of his target. The maniacal chuckles bounced off of the brick buildings, haunting the scene around them.
His lungs burned.
His muscles ached.
None of it mattered as Aganju turned a sharp corner, entering a wide-open space. However, there was no sign of his quarry.
"Where'd they go?"
Nothing but the brisk wind answered his question, making goosebumps rise on his neck.
He scoured the area, leaving no shrouded area unchecked. He kept his head on a swivel, but it wasn't his skill leading him to do so. No. It was something far worse. Something that finally forced the mystery assailant to reveal themselves.
"Heheheh... Is that fear I smell?" the boy turned to his left, golden eyes staring back at him hungrily. "I wonder, what that tastes like?"
A male figure slinked out of the shadows, a grin that mirrored the Cheshire cat stretching his face. He noticed the man's hair was braided to resemble a scorpion's tail, affording Aganju the chance to recognize him. His violet eyes grew as the moonlight cast down on the crazed faunus, slowly shifting to their red variant in anger.
"Tyrian..."
He gasped, dramatically placing a hand over his scarred chest.
"You've heard of me? I must admit, I'm truly humbled to be known by the younger generation." He took a bow, further making the fox uncomfortable. "But, I'm sad to say that I don't know your name. You do seem rather familiar though..."
"I'm that little boy you took El... Cinder from..."
Tyrian tapped his chin a few times, his shoulders slumping in disappointment.
"Nope. Doesn't ring a bell... Wait! You're the one 'she' spoke of? The one with eyes like my goddess?" Aganju scowled in confusion and disgust as the male gushed and squealed in delight, his fear melting away as a result. In his mind, this guy wasn't just crazy, he was absolutely out of his mind. He couldn't get a read on him, forcing the vulpine to keep on his guard. When he finally halted his love-stricken rant, Tyrian turned back to the younger faunus. "In that case, perhaps you'd be sporting in accompanying me to meet the savior of this forsaken world?"
"Savior?" Aganju narrowed his eyes.
"Surely, you've heard of her. The magnificent and glorious Salem!" Tyrian twirled in demented pleasure before licking his lips. "She's been very intrigued by your existence and it would be such a wonderful occasion if you presented yourself to her. So, what do you say?"
"I'm not going anywhere with you" the fox snarled, pointing his glaive at the scorpion faunus.
Expecting anger, Aganju was taken aback when Tyrian's smile grew even wider, threatening to split his face. His body shuddered in delight at the outburst of defiance. Little did he know, the scorpion was playing right into the reptilian's hand.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
[Atlas Academy]
Elm stomped down the various halls of Atlas Academy.
Her eyes flashed with determination and focus on the task at hand. Various members of the Atlas ranks stepped out of the way of the Ace-Op, allowing a clear path for her. She reached her destination, letting out a sigh of frustration before forcing the door open with a mighty swing and a dark glare.
"You!" she roared with fire.
Pyrrha paled, wishing he was anywhere else but there. She was trapped in her team's dorm room, prime pickings for the specialist's wrath. "I'm sorry! Wait... What did I do?"
"Don't pretend you don't know!" the taller Amazon pointed. "I heard all about it!"
"I mean it! I've been in my room since the afternoon meeting!"
Closer she stalked, her shadow looming over the apprehensive redhead. After her initial outburst, Elm finally picked up that her cluelessness was, in fact, not an act. This made her anger subside slightly, just enough for her scary face to shift to one of irritation.
"I heard that you and my training partner got into a fight?" she impatiently tapped her fingers across her toned bicep.
"Oh... You did?"
It was all Pyrrha could say as he bowed his head in disappointment, his slouch hat concealing his face. Such a defeated position revealed the level of guilt and shame weighing down on the guy. Elm just sighed out loud before shutting the door.
"What happened exactly?"
Pyrrha Nikos, formerly the 'Invincible Girl', hesitantly spilled her soul out to the Atlesian specialist. This soon shifted to the two discussing the Mistralian's past with Marrow and how she found herself siding with the general and even the fall of Beacon that initiated their relationship. It was all a confusing bunch to take in, but Elm did her best to listen. She left no detail out, flinching whenever she recalled the words spoken between the two. By the time he finished, there was no doubt of Pyrrha's remorse.
"So there you have it..."
Roxanne lowered her head to acknowledge she understood before slapping the girl on the back, forcing her to the floor as a result.
"Ow! What was that for?!" she rubbed her sore spot.
"For being an idiot. You of all people should've known better than to bring up his past, especially when you've been so close for so long. I expect this from my team; we're more of a formal unit than friends. But, if he's as important to you as you claim, then you shouldn't take such measures, even if you're having a disagreement"
"But..."
"No 'buts'. Trust me, we all say things that can hurt, but if it's true, don't you at least deserve to analyze your actual feelings rather than letting them dictate your every move? That's what the general teaches; measured approaches."
Unable to truly find a legitimate counter to Elm's inquiry, Pyrrha exhaled sharply though, he had the faintest signs of a grin on his face. She couldn't deny the older woman's point, and after spending time cooling his head, she could tell that she wasn't taking sides either. During his time of reflection, she began to understand Aganju's passion for Mantle.
She was his partner, his closest friend at Beacon.
He truly felt hurt when she chose to leave for Atlas only to find she'd joined another group entirely.
"I should apologize..." she whispered, voice shaky and haggard.
"Excellent!" Elm smiled brightly, shocking Pyrrha by the sudden shift of mood. "The sooner you do that, the sooner I can get a good sweat with him!"
"W-What?!" green eyes shot open in embarrassment as her face began to burn a beet red.
"He and I have been training to increase his endurance and tactical management in combat. He's truly a strong and sufficient warrior and you're lucky to have someone as capable as him. Most guys are pushovers and wimps. Only one other guy could push me to the limit, a guy named Raja..."
Hearing Elm beginning to stray off into her musings, Pyrrha finally calmed down, tittering at this.
"We're both students of destiny. Luck has nothing to do with it."
Elm simply shrugged.
"If you say so... Just make sure to send him by the training room after you two lovebirds have made up." Elm flexed with a mighty roar of triumph. "I want him at his best!"
The two shared a laugh when Pyrrha's scroll went off. She reached into her pocket to find Aganju's face on the screen, causing her to smile awkwardly. After a few deep breaths, she finally answered.
"Agan? I really wanted to-"
"Hello?! Pyrrha?" The voice interrupted. "Can anyone hear me?!"
"Nora? Why do you have Aganju's phone? What's going on?"
"I just found it lying near a gutter but he was nowhere in sight!" the ginger yelled back in a panicked tone. "We were attacked by Tyrian and he chased after him. When I finally caught up, both of them were gone!"
As Nora did her best to explain further, Pyrrha could feel her heart climbing into her throat. Eventually, Elm had to take the device when she wouldn't respond to the energetic girl's call anymore.
"We'll tell the general and meet you in Mantle. We'll get the others as well so keep searching and keep in touch."
They ended the call and took off for General Ironwood's office, however, they were stopped rather quickly when they ran into the last person either of them wanted to see at the moment.
"Y-Yang?!"
"Hey, guys! What's the rush?"
Lilac purple orbs watched in surprise at the pair's urgency. If they had a choice, the spartan and amazon would've picked better options to break the news to first. But, if there was something neither were willing to do, it was lying to Yang Xiao Long. In fact, one could consider it a death sentence to even attempt to lie to her at this point.
"It's... about Aganju..."
Darkness.
Coldness.
This was what greeted Aganju as he tried to open his eyes.
He took a deep breath that hurt his ribcage. He exhaled sharply, inhaling only due to necessity as the pain coursed through his sternum. His head swam; he tried desperately to return to reality. His stomach tightened, making him want to vomit. His skull ached. His vision blurred. He attempted to reach for his abdomen but found this impossible as the sound of chainlinks added to his pain.
Where am I?
Aganju had no idea of where he was or how he even got here. At best, the most he could recall was his battle with Tyrian.
Tyrian Callows.
Despite the stinging in his head, the faunus felt his memories begin to clear up.
When he tried to move, the fox soon discerned that he was restricted by something heavy. Whatever it was, it did its job to keep him bound and secured. Was this the scorpion's doing? He doubted that as he wiggled in the restraints, noticing how they had an almost melodic jingle to them. He barely made out the shining glow of the full moon peeking through what seemed like blinds. A dull pain pulsed from his side as he tried to make heads and tails of his surroundings.
Glass...
His canine ears caught the faintest traces of movement, showing that he wasn't alone.
He soon made out a feminine figure shuffling daintily toward him through the blackness. From what he could pick up, she was short or at least shorter than he would be standing up. He couldn't make out any details but a part of the faunus felt as if he knew this person. He could feel her face inches away from his own, further adding to his suspicion.
"Step away, Neo..." the woman turned to the voice as the lights suddenly flooded the room. "He may give you rabies."
Ceasing her inspection of the wounded boy, pink/brown eyes rolled at the poorly executed joke. With a sympathetic gaze, Neo left Aganju passing by a woman with short raven hair. One of her eyes was covered by the tufts. She wore an eyepatch over her left eye, though a massive scar remained. A black tank top and shorts were covered by a matching cloak.
She waited until Neo left the room, presumably on a mission, before turning her attention back to the shackled faunus. Her eyes flashed with a dangerous glint as she approached her hostage. Only when the door closed in the distance did her gaze soften slightly. He watched as she reached for the locks and blindfold that hid the damaged portions of her face. Raw pink flesh caught his gaze, but, still nothing. She held out her right hand, lighting it ablaze to a silent response once more.
"I've missed you, Aganju... How long has been?"
He narrowed his eyes as his sore muscles taunted him, crimson death staring back at her.
"Ella..."