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:
I won't be long with this but, I wanted to say that after this chapter, I will be shifting the direction of the story to fit a little more with the timeline of Volume 8 canon. It will start with the ending of this chapter technically, though it is a minor change that'll have a greater impact moving forward. I hope you enjoy this and be on the look out for the next one.
See you guys!
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.
Chapter 26
[Atlas/Unknown Hotel]
Cinder Fall smirked darkly after hearing her name pass the lips of the young man. The sheer anger mixed with his surprise was like a sweet symphony to her as she watched the fire burned behind his blood-red orbs. The dark and corrupt thoughts that swam behind that threatening gaze reminded her of the one thing she desired above all else: Power.
That ability to dominate others, no matter their own strength was like a drug to Cinder and she relished the high she got from it. Her warped lust for domination held an even more potent effect when she managed to subdue someone who was considered to be her equal, though it only reinforces her fascination to crush their will and resolve.
The idea of this happening made her Grimm's hand shiver in delight.
"I'm glad that you remember," she purred. She didn't care at the moment when he didn't respond, his murderous glare spoke volumes more than his words ever could. A certain part of her wanted some verbal feedback; It'd been so long since she had a real conversation given the company she kept currently. Neo was more than a competent henchwoman, but her inability to speak made things a bit awkward at times. "Although, I'll admit that I was actually hoping to give you a 'proper reminder'."
"I bet," he turned away, trying to keep the venom burning in his throat down.
Good, she liked that his injuries hadn't affected his attitude. She wanted the honor of breaking him thoroughly, just like before.
She turned his shirtless form, manicured nails tracing down the dark lines that adorned his torso; The stories each one told could fill a small library to the brim with the experiences and hardships felt by the faunus, some of which she knew personally. His toned frame involuntarily shivered as she examined each one from his limited position.
It mattered little as she silently 'read' each line as if she were a fortune teller.
Soon, the answer became evident.
Vulnerability.
It was a feeling Cinder had long since forgotten about, a long-lost friend to the power-hungry woman.
A gasp escaped his lips feather-like grazes only to be followed by a low rumbled from his chest. That was something she absolutely relished as she watched his face twist, rage slowly rising, bending his features to that of a raging beast; It was a distinct reminder of that night on Beacon tower.
"Don't you like this?" her lips brushed his ear, cooing and teasing him against his will. When she received no answer, Cinder began nipping at his lip, biting down, threatening to draw blood from her defenseless captive.
If her prey would offer his resistance, she'd give him something to test that resolve. Cinder removed her hand from his chest, finally giving her victim a chance to regulate his breathing. She watched his eyes clench shut as he steadied his breath only to bring a new measure to the fray.
"No? Then perhaps you'd prefer this!"
Amidst the lingering sensual torture, Aganju suddenly felt something sharp lightly piercing his side. This time she exploited one particular spot, a wounded part of his body underneath the right side of his ribs. Though he couldn't see it, Amber eyes bore witness to the area, dull purple on brown skin made for a sickly combination; Tyrian's work, no doubt.
She secretly thanked the psychopath for his involvement in injuring the fox.
Another grunt escaped his lips but the glass that restrained key parts of his body held him firmly in place on the plush bed. She savored every detail on his face. From his furrowed brows to his exposed canines, she loved every single moment. But, like any human, she had needs that required fulfillment. Within seconds, the stinging flesh gave way to sharpened claws that began penetrating the area around the wound, painting them red like roses.
"Aaahh!" his sudden scream erupted as bile began to fill his mouth.
I see this gets results... Cinder's wicked grin grew as the euphoric scream, further stoking the blaze of control into a wildfire. It would only be a matter of time before he broke, just like all others before. Surely, she expected a challenge from her former friend. It was inevitable as she awaited its arrival.
Gripping his chin, Cinder knew one thing was certain:
"It's only a matter of time."
Pyrrha Nikos stood outside of the Schnee family manor with a solemn expression.
It's been nearly three days since Aganju's disappearance and the search for the fox clearly hadn't gone well thus far. Other than his scroll and a few samples of his blood left behind, there were no other clues to go by. On top of that, now they were pulled from their investigation in favor of playing guests to the new councilman, Jacques Schnee.
Though Ironwood was the main invitee, the general pulled everyone from their search to accompany him. What was supposed to be a chance to 'break bread' really turned out to be a glorified victory celebration for the narcissist and his elitist friends; a party of pompous Atlas celebrities. After arriving, she quickly left the main hall to patrol the grounds with Qrow and Marrow doing the same for their own personal reasons.
Green eyes scouted the landscape of the mansion, only a chilly breeze making its presence known. She knew there was nothing to worry about if she was being honest with herself. Pyrrha just wanted to get away from the fakeness that permeated the inside of the lavish building. The false smiles, masking jealousy for their fellow guests disgusted the Spartan to no end. It was one of the reasons she secretly despised her position in Argus; It sparked her reason for choosing Beacon of Haven. Most importantly, it was what led her to meet Atsura.
Where are you...? she quietly lamented.
Only the low whispers of the wind answered, making the 'Invincible Girl' shiver. It wasn't the wind that made her shake though, the missing piece of her did that. The only thing that kept her from succumbing to the chilly weather was her anger at the general for taking them all to this abhorrent performance.
"Thought I might find you out here..." Pyrrha turned around to find a familiar blond approaching. Empathy was on display behind the lilac gateways. "The party scene not to your liking?"
"Oh, Yang... I just needed to get some air."
"Of course! It wouldn't have anything to do with my brother, would it?" Pyrrha allowed a humorless giggle to pass from her mouth but the evidence was clear as crystal. "I miss him too, and if I'm being honest, I'd rather be out there looking for him instead of being around these boring stiffs. In fact, we all rather be searching for Aganju, but..."
"I know," Pyrrha cut in. "It's been over two days and there's been no trace of him. Add to it the mission for Amity Coliseum and it blatantly clear that we've been stretched thin. I still don't care about that damn tower when someone's life is on the line."
Yang picked up the signs of her friend's emotional armor cracking; It wasn't every day that one would hear her curse after all. The normal collected Pyrrha Nikos began to tear up though she fought to maintain her smile. On cue, the blond wrapped the taller girl in a solid embrace, cocooning her ally from any outside criticism that may come. They'd remain that way for a while until Pyrrha finally broke away.
It was clear that guilt was eating away at her as Yang finally saw traces of dark circles beginning to form underneath her emerald eyes, the same way she looked when they reunited at the Branwen camp. It also reminded her of a certain feline back during their time at Beacon.
"It's not your fault, you know?"
"Excuse me?"
"Aganju didn't leave because of you... He left because he couldn't deal with Ironwood's possible decision on martial law."
"But, the argument-"
"Is nothing that most couples haven't handled before either. Even Roxie and I have a spat every now and then," Yang shrugged. "It's a part of relationships. You disagree. Argue. Fight. Make-up. It's normal to face those things sometime."
"Thank you, Yang. I... really needed that."
Yang merely blushed while rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "It was nothing. Besides, you should see Ruby. She's nearly blamed all of this on Ironwood herself but, Oscar was able to calm her down."
Both girls laughed softly at the half-hearted joke. It would soon be interrupted by the hard footsteps of Qrow.
"Hey, Ruby called looking for you two. Is everything alright?"
"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Branwen."
Hearing his name being recited in such a formal fashion made the older man blush nervously.
"Just Qrow is fine..." he chuckled. "Mr. Branwen makes me feel old."
As he turned around to leave, both girls erupted into a more jovial laugh at his expense when the blond remarked about him actually being old.
It was only when they finally calmed down that they'd opted to head back inside. Each step became heavier for the pair, but they pushed on, each realizing that Aganju carried a great deal of importance to their friends as well. Faces depicting hope, guilt, anger, and more only strengthened their resolve to find their companion.
If he was being held captive by Tyrian, they'd find the monster.
More importantly, Pyrrha would hurt him and anyone else involved with such a cowardly act. She knew at this point, Tyrian was a part of Salem's faction which led to the belief that others were hidden in the kingdom as well. Ironwood mentioned Hazel but, she also knew that Emerald & Mercury were also involved with the group as well. Could they be here too? If so, that meant there was a good chance that she would be here.
That was 'debunked' when Yang mentioned that she saw no sign of that monster back at Haven academy. It wasn't good enough for Pyrrha though; Unless she saw that damned woman's corpse, she wouldn't be satisfied.
In her mind, she'd rather be safe than sorry.
[Unknown Hotel]
Sharp gasps and groaned filled the room that contained the Fall Maiden and her helpless 'guest'. The cries of agonizing pain ricocheted off of the soundproof walls as Aganju continued to endure the never-ending torture. Cinder dug her nails deeper into unprotected flesh, drawing crimson streams from various areas. She took delight in his muffled moans, as she toyed with his defenseless form.
"Someone's having fun," she grinned.
She stared down her captive, eyeing the defiance and fury burning behind his red orbs. The way his face wrenched in misery. His chest rising and falling heavily as she twisted her sharpened talons. The confusion involving his lack of aura. It all further stimulated the way Cinder took control of the boy's body, picking and choosing where on the ebony map she'd attack next.
"F-Fuck y-y..."
That's what she liked to hear, that rebellious nature that only increased her sinister fetish. Though he couldn't tell, she was growing hot and bothered, a sickening revelation if he suspected as such. From the way she bit her lip to that twinkle in her eye, there was no question that the woman was enjoying the moment far more than she intended to.
"What was that...?" she hummed seductively. "I couldn't hear you over that moaning and suffering."
"Shut. the fuck. u-Mmphff!"
There it was; the final stretch before the soul-crushing truly began. This was all Cinder needed before burying her claws deeper into his abdomen.
Aganju tried to force the anguish out but he was silenced by the woman pulling him into a heated kiss. His groan reverberated into her mouth, tickling her throat as he squirmed futilely. Eventually, the pain became too great to bear. Feeling his body begin to go limp, Cinder only tightened her grip on his head. Her tongue pressed past his lips, dominating his otherwise unmoving lingua. She even watched as his eyes rolled back, not from pleasure, but from the pain she inflicted on him with demented glee.
Soon, only a shallow trail of drool connected them as she drew away from her victim.
Her smirk finally falling into a thin line at the sight of the semi-conscious Faunus. She lifted his face gently with her Grimm's hand. His furious bloody gaze, dull and hazy, gazed back a weak yet harsh look locked onto Cinder.
To see this made Cinder smile softly, licking her lips of the pilfered lip-lock.
And yet, there was something else that surfaced within her.
A feeling conflicted with her previously entertaining sensation as she noticed even then, how the faunus began to stir.
"...that all... you got, Ella?" he wheezed roughly; his throat now raw from what felt like an eternity of screaming. Her grin only grew more voracious at this sight of his rebellion. He wasn't broken yet, after all, just stubborn. Perfect.
"I'd hate to break my toy before I've finished having fun," she crawled over his bound form, eyeing him like a piece of meat. After committing such a disgusting act, Aganju wasn't surprised when she willingly crossed another line. She ground her hips in his lap, feeling something stir, albeit against his will. He turned away, ashamed that his body would betray him in such a carnal way. "Don't be shy. I'm not completely sadistic, if you play your cards right, I can be gentle."
"S-Somehow I doubt t-that..." he spat with a weak smirk.
"What do you know?!" Cinder abruptly snapped, allowing her human hand to hover over his discolored wound. "You're just a mutt playing hero! Even now, you're the one at my mercy! If I want you to kneel at my feet, I can make you do it, whether you want to or not."
"It... won't change the fact t-that you're still that s-same little girl from before, E-Ella."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she began to seethe, incensed at how he could still push her buttons. "My. name. is. Cinder!"
Aganju simply laughed, choking a little from the stinging in his gullet.
"And here... I thought you were just... some 'cute' face."
Cinder picked up the sarcastic tone, further robbing her of the warm sensations that stirred in her core earlier. Even worse, his lower region had gone soft underneath her, robbing her of potential sexual satisfaction. That was twice now, his spite had served to infuriate her. This was her game to play, her game to win. She'd broken his body, evident in the pained look on his smirking face.
"You forget," she heated her palm, inching closer to the distorted wound. "I could end your life at the snap of my finger."
"And yet... you haven't..."
Cinder felt her good eye twitch at the comeback. After everything he'd endured at this point, he not only had a strong resolve, but that little flicker was steadily growing to a sizeable fire. The nerve of him! She huffed at the audacity of her prisoner to not only deny her of her victory but openly mock her as well. She conjured a small flame in her hand, slapping her palm against his damaged side.
If she couldn't use him to sate her physical needs, then he'd at least be good enough to satisfy her insatiable desire for subjugation. The heat was intense as his body rocked and shuddered in unbearable pain, forcing a stifled grunt as she seared the poisoned wound shut, viciously digging her nails into his side to add even more suffering onto his plate. Despite the agony, he kept his grin, flashing a look reminiscent of the crazed expression he had when they fought on Beacon tower.
Fool.
It was the only word she could think of as she watched the faunus go completely limp.
At first glance, she thought she'd ended his pathetic life, but a few light convulsions halted those aspirations. The stench of burning flesh then began to fill her nose, forcing her to leave the unconscious male to his scalding punishment. She would break him eventually, but for now, she heard the door to her room opening, signaling that her subordinate had finally returned.
Hopefully, there was some good news from Neo.
If nothing else, her report might pull her away from the damning truth of the vulpine's words.
Even when she burned him into unconsciousness, she found herself truly lacking the resolve to actually kill him. In short, she hesitated; held back her usual brand of torment in favor of... Mercy? She shook off the thought of herself going soft, but, she now had a terrible realization come upon her.
Aganju was right:
Underneath Cinder Fall, the dominating Fall Maiden was still that weak and pathetic little girl somewhere inside.
Ella was still alive.
[Streets of Mantle]
The city of Mantle had become a harbinger of chaos. To start from the beginning, the city's external heating system had shut down, leaving thousands to freeze to death in the bitter elements. This, of course, brought nothing but pure negativity and strife as the citizens began to riot. Breaking into shops. Stealing as much fire Dust as they could hold. More complaints and 'theories' pertaining to Atlas's plans. It was all that was needed to trigger a ripple effect from outside of the city walls.
The Grimm.
Mammoths. Sabyrs. They came in droves, breaking through the poorly constructed walls of the city. The people began panicking, even more, attracting more Grimm onto their streets. It was a vicious cycle but, thankfully, Ruby and the gang were able to make it down in enough time to begin cleaning up the mess while Ironwood and the other members of the council worked out the issues of Jacques Schnee's crimes against the kingdom.
On the bright side, they now knew who was responsible for so many of the crimes occuring in both cities.
The bad news?
Arthur Watts was the culprit.
With his knowledge of Atlas' inner workings, he was able to hack into any access point, turning even the most encrypted security measures into his own technological playground.
For now, the general had begun forming a plan, leaving the huntsmen and huntresses to tango with the beasts down below.
Ruby, Harriet, and Penny managed to take out one of the mammoths using one of its tusks to impale it. Nora and Elm somehow turned the task into a game of "Whack-a-Grimm' each one being tallied by one of the huntresses. Vine, Jaune, and Ren were focused on evacuating the citizens to any nearby Atlas transport with Jaune leading the charge while Ren and Vine kept the negative emotions and surrounding Grimm at bay. Weiss and Marrow managed to slow down the monsters with the latter's semblance and the former's Arma Gigas summon. Qrow, Robin, and Clover were tasked with locating and apprehending Tyrian; preferably, to interrogate the whereabouts of the mission Aganju as well as Salem's plan.
This left Yang, Pyrrha, Roxanne, and Blake to handle any remaining Grimm while evacuating many of the citizens on the southern end of Mantle.
"Watch out on-"
"-the left?" Pyrrha finished, blasting and slicing away at an incoming Sabyr. "There are two from-"
"Behind!" Yang yelled, rolling under the pair of Grimm that tried to pounce on her. She followed this up launching sticky bullets, aiming for their masks. Yang then slid under another pounce from one while another lunged straight at her. Thankfully, her speed was superior as she timed an uppercut perfectly to knock one in the air before pivoting on her heel to slam the other into the ground.
In a matter of seconds, the airborne tiger crashed onto its grounded counterpart before the explosives were activated, destroying them cleanly. Pyrrha nodded, impressed at such a flawless sequence before tossing Deimos into the mouth of another Sabyr that dared try and get the jump on her. The strength of the shield shattered the animal's large fangs but she wasn't done yet.
Pyrrha activated her semblance flipping the vile creature several times with tenacity. When it finally began to fade away to blackness, the spartan warrior turned to an equally impressed Yang.
"Hmmm... Points for brutality!" she gave a thumbs up. "Hey, Roxie! How's it going with the evacuation!?"
"We're pretty full! I don't know if we'll have enough room but we'll keep trying!"
Pyrrha and Yang nodded in agreement just as the doors to the airship began to close. Soon, it took off for the city in the sky, leaving Yang and Pyrrha to fight their way back to the others. Unfortunately, no matter how many Grimm they'd destroy, the number of citizens in Mantle was far too great. The shelters stationed all through the city were nearly full, yet the crowds never seemed to grow smaller.
The people were growing restless; their fear and panic only served to attract more Grimm, more than the huntsmen could eradicate. Nora tried calming them down, but her efforts would prove fruitless as the citizens continued to gripe. From placing blame on Atlas/Ironwood to the doom that awaited them, the situation seemed far too out of hand for the young warriors.
"Please, if you could just give us a little more time..." Nora pleads to no avail.
Then, a massive screen began to flicker to life, bringing what she and the others hoped would be the first step to bringing relief to those who needed it the most. Thankfully, the face of Robyn Hill appeared, comforting the people and calming them long enough for Ironwood to explain himself. Using her semblance, she confirmed every word spoken to be the truth, from the revelation of Salem to the recent happenings in both Atlas and Mantle.
Nora sighed in relief.
Ruby watched proudly.
Jaune used the momentum to direct the citizens in his sector to safety.
There was even a revelation of the culprits as well as a plan for asylum in Atlas for those who've yet to reach a shelter. No detail was spared. Nothing was off-limits. Tyrian and Watts listened as the general disclosed information about Amity Coliseum while Robyn sent out a warning threat to the twisted serial killer.
It seemed the pieces were all placed, and Ironwood had made the first move.
[Unknown Hotel]
"I still can't believe those idiots beat us here!" Cinder's growled in irritation as she stomped toward the massive window that overlooked the magnificent floating kingdom. Like many others throughout the two cities, she and Neo watched the broadcast. Through her good eye, Cinder began picturing her plans falling apart before her. "Vacuo was supposed to be the next target. The timeline's changed."
Neo quietly groaned as she knew another brooding spell was about to come. Surprising her, Cinder turned around with gravity slowly lifting in her gaze.
"You said the farm boy has the lamp?" Neo nodded. "Find him. Take it..."
The younger woman hopped up, using her semblance to turn herself into Ruby Rose, earning the ire of her 'partner'.
"No! We get what I need first, then we get what we want. Now go."
Frustration finally erupted from Neo, her arms crossing as her impatience began to rear its head. Of course, Cinder, be a master manipulator in her own right, smiled gently at the sight before her. She knew what Neo wanted but, they had a mission to complete first.
"Ironwood's been hiding the Winter Maiden for years. Tonight, I'm going to find her," she took the scroll from the illusionist who simply frowned at the woman's unquenchable thirst for power. Had she not learned from her previous encounter at Haven? Apparently not if she was still trying to claim a maiden's power for her own. Alas, Neo wouldn't challenge Cinder; If she wanted to repeat her mistake... again, then she was free to do so. "The general is as predictable as his androids; Threaten what he has, and he'll flock to protect it."
Cinder then took her exit, satisfied with her abrupt change in her plan as was the case with narcissists. Content with the way things were to go according to her grand design, she completely forgot about her 'subordinate' and more importantly, the hostage she'd be using as her pincushion.
Neo didn't forget though as she turned her attention to the back room where their captive was held.
Sparing a glance at the front door, she slipped to the back. Opening the door, she was given a clear view of the damage inflicted on the fox. Unlike before, he was only bound with simple ropes, though in his current condition, they were more than capable of holding him.
Dried blood had caked up over several lacerations and puncture wounds. Under the shattered moon's glow, Neo could see the black and dark crimson hues mixing with his brown skin. The smell of singed flesh entered her nose, making the young woman want to vomit as he barely had the strength to open one of his eyes due to Cinder's anger being inflicted on his right eye as repayment for his part at Beacon Tower.
A violet gem peered at her with amusement as Neo looked on in horror.
"Oh, Is it... your... turn now?" he playfully teased in between coughs. "I... admit, I don't think... I can take anymore tonight."
Silently, she frowned before shaking her head at the boy.
In her mind, she had a mission to complete and after seeing that Aganju was indeed alive, she turned to leave. It's not like she actually cared about him. He was interesting, to say the least. Still, that wasn't enough, to continue stalling on the task at hand. Even as she left the room, she couldn't help but feel a familiar stirring in her stomach. After days of torture, she could see that the last flicker of defiance was nearly snuffed out. It was a realization that hit too close to home for her; just before the fall of Beacon.
Just like before... When she found out about Roman.
As she rushed down the dark hallway, she failed to lock the door, a mistake that would be exploited immediately. An unknown figure snuck inside the suite, scanning the area for anyone else. He held a blunt object close to him as he inspected the place for anything of value. With all of the chaos, he was able to case the place for a few jewels here and there but, there was something about this room that felt different. Perhaps it was the girl that'd just left.
He slinked around, carefully searching for anything but, he was disappointed to see that there was nothing worth stealing. The sounds of soft hacking made the man freeze in his tracks for a moment before turning his weapon in the direction of the noise. His eyes were focused on a cracked door as he stealthily crept toward it. Normally, he would've left but, he wasn't going to leave empty-handed. He placed a hand on the door, steadying his breath and mind for the possible task at hand.
"Aha! Ugh..." green eyes widened in horror at the grotesque sight and smell that permeated the room.
Rather than finding some rich, hapless elite, he was met with the image of a battered and bloody Faunus. Nearly every part of his body was covered in desiccated gore that ravished his traits. Aside from the ludicrous amounts of damage, there was nothing special about the sleeping boy. However, there was something that caught his eye.
Off in the corner of the man's gaze, a large sword rested in the far corner of the room. He was sure that would fetch a pretty lien. Just his luck, the boy began to stir, ceasing his attempt before it even got started.
"N-Neo?" the boy wheezed sharply.
"How do you know that name?" An eyebrow raised in intrigue as he dared to inch closer to the restrained boy. "By the looks of things, she did quite a number on you."
"No. ...wasn't... Cinder."
Of course, it was her handiwork...
"Cinder?!" the man instantly jumped back, taking a glance over his shoulder just in case someone was coming. He looked back at the boy with horror, now knowing the individual responsible for such carnage. Shaking his head, his mind screamed at him to run away but, seeing the broken imagery before him. The guy sighed, knowing that leaving the poor soul for Cinder to return would be a fate worse than death. "Oum... I hope I don't regret this."
"You will if you don't back away from him."
As the man turned around, he found himself frozen in terror by the sight of the figure staring back at him.
Eyes like the devil...