Breaking Remnant: Bound by Shadows

Rating: T/M

Series: RWBY

Volume 5: Revelation

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:

This chapter is a quick touch-up. Basically, it's an introduction to Pyrrha before getting to the good parts. I plan on taking a different direction from the original stories, so some parts will be similar or the same while others will be completely different. I'm definitely going to have fun with this arc as there's so much potential with the current canon to work with.

As always, enjoy the chapter and I'll see you next time.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.

Chapter 29

The morning was just as it had been many days before in Mistral. This was no truer than for the Nikos homestead, most notably a certain red-head. While most would be enjoying the dawn of a new day snuggled under warm blankets, the tall girl would find herself greeting the day with an early morning work-out. Her morning routine consisted of meditation, stretches, and sparring with the guards that protected the grounds.

Pyrrha Nikos was her name, the only daughter of the famed Admiral Valentin and Persephone Nikos.

Standing at 6'0", she was by no means considered a 'delicate flower' in the eyes of many. She wore a brown overbust corset with a vertical strip of lighter brown in the center. Additionally, Pyrrha wore an elastic, black, A-line mini skirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. She wore a red ankle-length sash that wrapped around her skirt. There was a small circular bronze plate on her right hip opposite two pouches with both connected to a belt. The plate bore her family emblem. Underneath her scarlet locks, she always wore a brown circlet adorned with a pair of small, green, teardrop-shaped emeralds on thin chains. She also sported a large bronze gorget around her neck and a bronze bracelet on the upper half of her left arm.

She had elaborate bronze greaves that started below her mid-thigh before continuing downwards into her boots as well as a pair of cuisses that began mid-thigh and ended slightly above her knees. She was also equipped with a bronze bracer capable of connecting with Akoúo̱ atop the sleeve on her left arm. Her high-heeled boots were brown with bronze trim, matching her skirt and sleeves and reaching up to mid-calf.

After the war, she grew to be an impressive warrior, a true prodigy of the ways of battle.

Her strength and combat prowess were matched by few, making things difficult in terms of improvement. In fact, the only person who'd been capable of challenging her during her years of growth was Valentin himself. Considering he was deemed the strongest warrior throughout Argus and most of Mistral. Unfortunately, Pyrrha was forced to share her training with the less than stimulating soldiers, many of which were either in awe or fear of her abilities.

Even now, she effortlessly dispatched a group of five fighters, using her weapons, Miló & Akoúo̱ to establish a near-flawless offensive and defensive combination. She stood at the ready, green eyes focused on the opposition as they charged in one by one. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at such a novice move by members of the Atlesian/Mistralian military ranks as she spun on her heels, pivoting around the clumsy oaf.

Amateur... she mutely lamented before leaping over the second guard who thought it smart to attack her while she was preoccupied. He received a shot to the back of the neck for his troubles, knocking him out.

The three remaining sparring partners exchanged looks of concern before lunging at the girl at the same time. This did little to intimidate the spartan warrior as she ducked under a double swipe sweeping one off of her feet and sending her crashing into the mat with a hard thud. Still spinning, Pyrrha used the momentum to smash her shield into the gut of the young man. She followed up with a knee to his head.

Pyrrha turned her attention to the lone soldier, finding herself narrowly avoiding her wild slashes with ease. She ducked and dodged each telegraphed swing. When she spotted an opening, she leaned back from a horizontal slash that could've removed her head from her shoulders; we'll if the attack had connected, then it could have. The soldier overextended herself, leaning too far forward. This allowed Pyrrha to slipped her heel behind the woman's foot. With her leverage solidified, Pyrrha allowed her face to express her victory, a simple smirk adorning her lips. She pushed off her back foot into a backflip that connected with her opponent's jaw.

The sound of her pained cries reverberated against the walls of the training room as her conquerer stood triumphant.

At least I've had my cardio for the day... She mused with a giggle, approaching the defeated. She extended her hand to each of the fallen with a warm smile. "I'm sorry! I hope I didn't hurt you."

"Think nothing of it. I believe the only thing wounded is our pride..." the leader of the group replied with a humbled chuckle.

"I'm truly sorry!" Pyrrha gasped in shock, erasing her formerly confident demeanor.

"It's quite alright, m'lady!" they recited in unison, reigniting the subtle annoyance once again. "We will gladly take any blow to protect the Nikos household!"

"I-I assure you that won't be necessary!"

Pyrrha averted her gaze from her father, his towering stature cast a shadow over her. He was truly an imposing figure, with eyes like glowing amber. His greying-mahogany hair was slicked back, giving him a regal appearance. His burly frame was currently embellished in a pure white suit, only the finest silk along his body.

"Good morning, Father," she bowed politely. "I apologize if I was interrupting you with my training."

"It's quite alright, dear. I actually was looking for you..." Seeing his daughter's frown of confusion, he resumed. "I'm having a meeting with a few partners in regards to maintaining our borders, one of them may prove interesting to you."

Pyrrha knew what this meant and she visibly grimaced at the impending idea.

"Father..."

"All I ask is that you meet the young man. He's the pinnacle of strength and would prove to be a wonderful chance for a potential suitor. Brothers know that you're of proper marrying age now."

"I'm only 17..." she deadpanned.

"You're only a month away from being 18, Pyrrha. It's time you start thinking about your future. What if something were to happen to me and your mother? I would want you to be taken care of."

Pyrrha wasn't buying the faux pleas of the patriarch. She knew from experience that there were few in this world capable of even getting close enough to do harm to the high-ranking officer, let alone actually coming close to defeating him. This was just another ploy of his to break down her resolve for his own personal goals. Still, this stalemate wouldn't do either of them any good if it persisted. So, with a heavy exhalation, Pyrrha yielded her guard.

"Very well..."

"That's my girl!" his big smile returned with earnest. "I've arranged for a carriage to take you to the city of Garneta for the meeting. I'm going on ahead to meet with the council early. The festivities will be later tonight and everyone will be delighted to see the 'Invincible Girl', Pyrrha Nikos in attendance."

Valentin leaned in, pressing his lips onto the girl's forehead before leaving, missing the disgruntled shudder as he left the room.

...at least this can't get any worse... she rolled her eyes, thankfully unseen by the now ecstatic patriarch. "So... who is this suitor that I'm to entertain?"

"So, there I was, surrounded by Beowolves..." a gruff and cocky voice boomed from inside a carriage about a tale that was meant to exude manliness, even if the young man was overexaggerating. Pyrrha did her best to appear as if she was truly interested in the recount, but even her patience had a limit.

It wasn't that she was annoyed by this; she'd mostly tune out the nonsense while gesturing at key points in the story. No, her irritation was thanks in part to the fact that the hyper-masculine boy was the one chosen to be her future husband. She did her best to ignore that problem by concentrating on any little detail she could.

"...With my trusty mace, I smashed each of their heads in... with a single blow!"

"That's quite impressive, Cardin..." She forced a smile that only prompted the arrogant boy to continue on about his alleged greatness.

Pyrrha turned her attention outside, losing herself in the forest region and all it had to offer.

A myriad of flowers captivated her with their colors.

A gentle kiss from the midday breeze soothed her cheek.

Even the scarlet dress was a welcome distraction.

Anything was better than the unfortunate fate that awaited her... well, that and Cardin's incessant need to stroke his own ego. The two were enough to make her depressed, but, Pyrrha was a warrior first, and falling to pieces wasn't her style. Sure, Cardin was the heir to the Winchester estate, but that was also the issue with their arrangement.

It was only to secure the fortunes of the two families, love be damned...

Now, she found herself being escorted to Mistral to announce the merger, much to her chagrin. In truth, Pyrrha felt nothing for the burly boy. Just like with her mother, Persephone, there was an emptiness that ate away at her very soul. The only thing that kept her parent's union intact was her birth.

Oh, how she detested her father's covert agendas...

"Hey, are you paying attention?" Cardin's voice ripped her from her silent torment. "I was just getting to the best part."

"I'm sorry. I was just... thinking about something important is all."

"What could be more important than me?!" he fired back. "If we're supposed to be getting hitched, you could stand to have better manners. I thought nobles knew that?"

You're one to talk... she droned. "I apologize, Cardin. What were you saying?"

The boy wouldn't get the chance to pick up where he left off as their transport came to an abrupt halt. Neither of the teens understood what was happening as several Mistralian soldiers began to approach the front of the coach to investigate.

"What seems to be the problem?" Pyrrha politely inquired, daring to peek out of the window.

"Nothing that concerns a woman," Cardin callously replied as he stepped out. "Just stay in the carrier while the men handle this."

Between the misogyny and arrogance, Pyrrha wondered if there were any redeeming qualities about the boy she was expected to wed at some point. She honestly wouldn't give someone with so little likable traits the time of day, but, thanks to her father's influence and the laws of Mistral, she feared for the worse.

Outside, the stocky boy began to push past the group, intent on figuring out what was holding things up.

In front of them, a slender young man walking along the middle of the road. While this wasn't abnormal, what was eye-catching was the grey tail casually swaying behind him. Pyrrha peeked out one of the windows to get a better look at what was transpiring. Unfortunately, there were far too many bodies to see past, forcing her to step out of the chaise.

"Hey! You there!" The boy continued down the path without so much as flinching at the head captain's call. "In the name of our illustrious leader, King Valentin Hades Nikos, I command you to halt!"

Despite his boisterous cry, the faunus continued on without so much as flinching.

Not one to be ignored, Cardin knelt down, grabbing a moderate-sized rock. He then drew his mace and took aim and hit the stone as if it were a ball, watching as it hit its target.

"Ow!" the vulpine hissed, rubbing the sore spot as he turned around with a pained snarl. "What the hell was that... for?"

Squinting violet eyes narrowed as the male finally noticed the cavalcade behind him, sparking caution. Blinking several times, he finally turned completely around giving the men a clear look at him, just as his hood fell to reveal another important trait.

Fox's ears.

"What are you doing on this road?"

He tilted his head as a frown of irritation began to form over his face.

"What?..."

"I said-!"

"I heard you the first time, idiot." he deadpanned.

"Ahem... I said, what are you doing on this road? "

"Um... Walking?" he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Cardin had enough of this exchange. Stomping forward, he got right up to the fox, staring eye to eye with him.

"You know what he means, faunus filth!" he growled, his bigoted hatred oozing from every pore. When the boy didn't so much as budge, he pointed his trusty mace at his chest. "You're in our way..."

Pyrrha watched the whole thing transpire, although she was unable to hear much of the verbal exchange given the distance.

From what she could make out though, the person in question was a faunus, a rather attractive one at that. He had cocoa brown skin and a rather athletic build; not too slim and not too bulky. Wild black hair was tied in a ponytail that draped just a little over his shoulder. Finally, she was surprised to find that, rather than the usual animal-like trait, the male had two.

She observed the attempted bullying from her 'date', noting another reason to dislike Cardin in the process as he jabbed his weapon into the chest of the boy. She knew of the laws and conditions pertaining to faunus, and she hated that her country was so closed-minded to even allow such evil to manifest in Mistral.

If she had to guess, Cardin's incessant barking was about the status quo and how 'faunus should know their place'.

Typical bigot... she inwardly groaned.

It was only when he demanded to see some form of identification when things began to get interesting.

"Where are your papers?!"

"Excuse me?"

"Your papers! I want to know who your owner is!"

"I'm sorry," The young man smiled innocently while shaking his head. "I belong to no one. I'd be more than happy to give you my name if you'd-"

Sadly, the fox wouldn't get to finish his sentence as a swift punch to the jaw caused the boy to skid against the dirt path. Cardin simply laughed at his plight, his roars of satisfaction made Pyrrha's skin crawl. She asked herself how someone could treat another soul in such a demeaning way and still think highly of themselves. Clearly, Cardin Winchester, son, and heir to the Winchester family business was one of those individuals.

What family business, you might ask?

"Arrest the mutt! My father can find a buyer for this one."

The guards moved in. Their orders were clear as they proceeded to apprehend the grounded boy. With their weapons trained, the men and women carefully watched as the boy gingerly sat up. "Don't move!" One of them ordered. "By order of Master Cardin, you are now the property of the Winchester Faunus Ranch. Come quietly and you won't be harmed. Resist and you will be met with necessary force."

"If those are my options, I guess there's no choice."

One grabbed a pair of handcuffs and grabbed the teen's wrist, pulling him rather forcefully to his feet. This was the first of many mistakes to be made as the fox grabbed hold of the armored male, flipping him over his shoulder into a seated position. This gave him some leverage against the other militants as they hesitated to fire on their own comrade.

The faunus smirked confidently upon noticing this. He used this to his advantage, twisting his hostage's right arm over their collar, snapping the cuffs on the limb. In an instant, he proceeded to pull the left arm behind the man's back underneath this time. He repeated the process of restraining his captive, leaving him in a compromising position. He then shoved the bound guard into his allies, creating enough space for himself.

"If you think I'll let you make me a slave for some spoiled bitch, you're more stupid than I thought..."

"This is your last warning!" the restricted soldier grunted in pain. "Surrender or die!"

The young man rolled his eyes at the pathetic threat.

Rather than comply, he raised his right hand, pointing at the small group. He flipped his hand up and lifted the middle digit up with a soft scowl. With his last chance for leniency rejected, he expected a full-on assault, reaching slowly for his weapon.

To his surprise, the human who'd punched him waved them off.

"Stand down, boys. I'll handle this."

"But sir-"

The brunette male flashed a look over his shoulder that silenced the officer quickly. He soon turned his attention back at the fox across from him, his mace clutched tightly in his hand. His own frown rivaled the Faunus', showing that he was in no mood for any more delays.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Should I?" the canine replied with a bored huff.

"I am Cardin Win-!"

"You're Cardin Winchester, heir apparent to Kristoff Winchester, owner of one of the largest Faunus ranches in Anima." he deadpanned, wondering if someone could actually have such little intelligence. "It's called sarcasm, dumbass..."

Cardin felt like he was about to blow a gasket at this point.

Matters weren't made better once he heard a giggle from behind him. He spared a glance and found Pyrrha coughing lightly, the failed attempt at trying to remove the humored smirk making his blood boil. How dare this... this beast... Nobody speaks to me like this! He growled and charged in with a mighty roar.

He raised the club high in the air as he closed the distance between himself and the ill-bred wretch.

If he didn't have any respect for him due to his name, then Cardin would beat it into him.

That idea would not come to fruition as the boy simply stepped aside to avoid the clumsy attack. Cardin simply twisted his body, attempting to strike with a back-handed strike. In his blind rage, he hadn't anticipated the 'lowly' being to follow his movements, rotating almost 180 degrees behind him. The knights and Pyrrha watched in shock as Cardin's wild strikes hit nothing but air while the boy just toyed with him.

From his bored expression to being swat in the face by his opponent's tail, Cardin Winchester was being outmatched by the weapon-less faunus.

His rage soon boiled over as he unleashed savagely ripped at the space; Forget trying to capture the inferior beast, he was going to end his worthless existence. He snapped and swung again, a wild roundhouse punch that glanced harmlessly off the other boy's shoulder. "Fucking hold still," said the noble, trying his hardest to drive his fist deep into the vulpine's gut, managing only to smash his knuckles on his knee.

It was only downhill from there as he felt something make contact with his heel, dropping him to his own knees.

"Enough... You've lost."

"SHUT UP!" Cardin spat, digging his fingers into the earth. "It's not over until I say it is!"

He took the handful of dirt, tossing it into his adversary's eyes.

He used this opportunity to rush him, now his chance to reestablish his rightful place at the top of the totem pole. No filthy Faunus would ever get the better of humans, the superior race.

It was his destiny to trample any he deemed unworthy, especially a faunus.

Pyrrha pressed her hands over her mouth in horror at what was about to transpire, quickly stepping into the carriage so as not to witness the brutality that was to come.

Only those assigned to escort the pair found anything worth cheering as they encouraged the scion.

"Die!" Cardin's face burned, an animal-like growl clawing its way through his throat, a sadistic smile stretched his face as he prepared to bash his enemy's skull in.

He swung down with every ounce of his strength, missing his target by only a few inches. Time appeared to slow down at this point for Cardin as he looked up to find the fox-boy staring back at him, but something was seriously wrong.

He found himself staring not into angry eyes but cold crimson orbs, surrounded by a black abyss.

It was like staring into the depths of hell itself.

For the first time since their encounter, Cardin Winchester discerned that he'd screwed up, his very soul quaking as a result. "W-What... are you?!" he whispered, petrified. His answer came in the form of a solid right hand that connected with his jaw, sending the boy flying into the procession like bowling pins.

As they scrambled to get up, their first instinct was to immediately open fire, except there was no target to attack.

"Where is he?!" Cardin bellowed at the top of his lungs.

In that instant, only a blur greeted them as the faunus rushed past. All they knew now was that there was a fugitive faunus that would need to be captured for attacking a human, a felonious offense in Mistral. They had an idea of what he looked like, but that wasn't much to work with at the moment.

For now, they needed to reach the capital.

What they didn't know was that only one person had any inkling as to where the lone boy had gone. Green eyes blinked repeatedly, far-flung images flashing in the girl's mind. She had managed to catch only a glimpse of the vulpine, specifically one important trait but it was enough to trigger something in her core; something familiar?

Those eyes...

Demonic red in the blink of an eye morphed into the most brilliant violet gems she'd ever seen.

It was all she could remember before he disappeared into the depths of mother nature herself. Still, it was more than ample enough to leave an impact on the girl, evident by the warming hue of pink that developed on her cheeks.

It was only when she heard the door of the coach slam shut that Pyrrha snapped back from her musing.

Expectantly, Cardin went off on a tangent about being blindsided. A series of other excuses filled the vehicle, but this time Pyrrha had something to distract her from the delusional rant.

Those eyes...

Unbeknownst to Pyrrha, the mysterious faunus, now well hidden, had felt the same thing, if only for a moment. Deep in the forest, Aganju rubbed his sore cheek, cursing himself for allowing that pompous oaf the chance to actually hurt him.

"That's what I get for dropping my guard..." he scolded himself, recalling the scenario that'd just unfolded. Interestingly, his mind soon drifted to the scarlet-haired girl once more, prompting a smirk as he started back toward his destination. For a human, at least she was easy on the eyes.

[?]

The calming shores washed up on the serene beach as the sun took its departure. Twilight laid the perfect scene as a pair of black heeled boots rustled through the shifting sand. Crimson eyes scanned the region with concern but, there was little solace to be had for one Raven Branwen. Her left hand stayed on the hilt of her blade, Omen, ready for any signs of danger.

"Where am I? What is this place?"

"Perhaps... I could be of assistance?" a voice replied from the shadows, soft and teasing in tone.

Immediately, Raven drew her sword. Finding nothing but faded shadows in the sand. Wait...

"Who's there?" she pointed her blade directly at the ground, watching the small obscurations sift backward.

"Oh, dear!" the voice playfully lamented. "It appears you've caught far sooner than I anticipated."

"Whoever you are, show yourself!"

The mystery figure obliged, revealing a wide, unnerving grin. Raven Branwen was known for her courage, but even she could deny the unsettling chill that ran down her spine.

"Who... Who the hell are you?"

"Is that really important? the grin countered knowingly. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with the faunus you came here with?"

"You mean my son?"

"My apologies... I didn't realize the error I made when you two arrived," Soon a shadow-like figure began to form behind the wicked smile, forcing Raven to strike. However, her blade hit nothing but air as a dark mist began to flow behind her, culminating in the apparition once more. "I could help if you'd like..."

"...and why should I believe that you want to help?"

For once, the smile flipped upside down, further stoking the former bandit queen's caution. Time passed before her 'host' sighed deeply, allowing the dark smoke to finally dissipate, revealing a sight that caused Raven to flat out drop her weapon. Eyes that shimmered under the massive moon, filled with relief, yet, there was also sorrow. It was as if the light was only there due to the luna.

Still, Raven stood frozen in place as she just stared at the revealed form.

"Because none of you should be here..."