Breaking Remnant: Bound by Shadows

Rating: T/M

Series: RWBY

Pairing:

Volume 2: Summer

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 7


As the second day's events went on, Professor Ozpin sat in his office with many things on his mind. After meeting with Qrow and Ironwood, the older headmaster tried to process everything that was given to him. He recalled the information given to him from the huntsman about an intruder on the campus grounds and their connection to the assault of the Fall Maiden, Amber with somber insights while arranging for the next candidate to arrive.

There were several options for him to choose from if one were to consider the powerful crop of huntresses-in-training. However, there was only one person in his eyes who was the perfect nominee to take on such a powerful responsibility; a young woman whom he deemed as the most suitable from the first moment he met her. Qrow Branwen chugged his mug of coffee, no doubt 'Irish'd up'.

"So, have you chosen your guardian yet?"

"Maidens choose themselves..." he countered. "I simply believe I found the right candidate. Ever since the day I met her, I've had the feeling she would be the one. She's strong, intelligent, caring, but most importantly... she's ready."

As he pondered what to do, he caught the sound of the elevator swooshing open, revealing said candidate.

Long red hair.

Green eyes filled with innocence.

A smile that revealed cordiality as well as uncertainty.

Time to put on a convincing smile, Oz...

"Miss Nikos! It's a pleasure to have you here."

"Thank you for having me, Professor." she bowed respectfully.

"Please, have a seat. There is much I wish to share with you."

She complied with the request, not truly realizing what awaited her next; the shift in the very thing she called destiny.


[Amity Colliseum]

The final matches of the evening were wrapping up and those in attendance were practically salivating for the next set of the evening. Interestingly, it was a special match-up involving a team they were all too familiar with. With the arena cleared again, Professor Port cleared his throat before attempting to speak.

"And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for... The one on one finals!"

As if the people couldn't get any more restless, their deafening cheers made it be known that they could. Among them, the remaining members of Teams RWBY, JNPR, SSSN, and ASRE all sat together to cheer on their designated representatives. Yang, Sun, Pyrrha, and Aganju were among the finalist, standing to others like Mercury Black and Penny Polendina.

Gazing from the corner of his eye, Aganju noticed that his friend appeared rather unsure of herself. He wanted nothing more than to inquire about what was bothering her, but, that would have to wait as he awaited the recitation of the rules.

"Bardy, why don't you explain the rules?"

Oobleck flashed a challenging look but, obliged nonetheless.

"Instead of a bracket system, each round of the finals will be randomly determined immediately before the match takes place."

"Excellent. This means that there will no preparation time for our remaining participants." Port added with gusto. "Now, let's see who our first match-up will be."

All eyes soon fell on the jumbo screens all around them as the participant's faces spun on the digital roulette. A sudden hush fell over the arena as they awaited the first match to be determined. As the seconds ticked, the screens suddenly went blank only reveal the first fighter to be announced.

"Roka Braxton from Atlas versus..." the second picture soon came into focus afterward. "...Aganju Umbrae of Beacon!"

While everyone cheered for the match, Aganju could his blood begin to boil. Observing the young woman, he narrowed his eyes upon seeing her very presence; something she noticed very quickly. What did go unnoticed was a young woman with raven-colored hair stepping away into the cheering enthusiasts.

"Would all other combatants please leave the stage?"

Soon the others made their departure, some giving their encouragement to their friend, including a troubled Pyrrha who forced herself smiled before walking off. As much as he wanted to run after her to cheer her up, there was no time as he returned his gaze to the girl across from him. She had amethyst eyes that gleamed with arrogance, a trait he despised to no end...

But, why would hold a complete stranger in contempt?

Simple. She was no stranger to Aganju.

"Well, it looks like the pup's all grown up and playing with the big kids now..." she placed a hand on her lush hips. "You even went and finally found some friends and made a team."

He said nothing, instead choosing to focus on keeping his emotions in check while the area around them began to ascend around them. In truth, the center stage was actually descending, revealing the possibility of a ring out as spotlights began to point down on the two.

"Don't cry on me like last time. I don't think you want everybody in Remnant to see that."

"Bite me..." he sneered.

Before she could retort, the speakers rang again.

"3..."

Roka pointed her Naginata spear at the fox and smirked deviously.

"...2..."

Aganju separated Ngaungus into its dual sword form, eyes laser-focused on his opponent.

"...1!"

They each took a deep breath, almost exhaling in sync.

"FIGHT!"

In a flash, the two charged with Aganju taking the early offensive.

He jumped up, slamming his blades down only to have it blocked by the durable staff portion of her weapon. He followed up with several slash attempts but each one of the attempts was deflected by Roku's exceptional defense. This did little to discourage Aganju who simply resorted to mixing up his approach with thrusts and even a few kicks to keep the Atlas student on her toes.

Everyone watching cheered on the tactical spectacle as the vulpine continued his relentless assault. However, what appeared to be a one-sided affair quickly turned into a clear mismatch when Roka suddenly ducked under a spinning back kick. She followed this up with a downward slash of her own that narrowly missed its mark thanks to Aganju rolling to the side.

"Ah! I see you've picked up a few new tricks since the last time we fought. You even got rid of that dusty old scythe too!"

He grinned ferally.

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. I'm not the same weak little fox you met at Sanctum."

"Really?" she scoffed, steadying her naginata. "Then prove it."

"Gladly..."

The two resumed their battle, neither truly getting the better of the other. This chess match was truly what the crowd wanted to see as they each exchanged ferocious blows. If one did get an advantage, it was quickly reclaimed by the other to return things to the earlier stalemate. Vicious strikes bounced off of potent defenses as the battle intensified.

As the roars of the masses in attendance increased, several eyes furiously followed the action with varying feelings. A pair of crimson eyes locked onto the dark-haired girl with a sneer just as another woman sat next to her, drawing her attention but for a moment.

"What do you think, Emerald?"

"I don't get why you'd care about him, but..."

"But?" the woman asked with intrigue.

"I'll do it..."

Amber eyes gazed at the darker girl with approval.

"Anytime you're ready."

Emerald took a deep breath while focusing on the Atlesian who began to gain the upper hand over Aganju. While the competition appeared to be fierce, it was nothing more than a heated rivalry between the two as they sought to move on in the tournament. However, with a well-timed sweep kick, Aganju fell down. He narrowly avoided a thrust attack thanks to him rolling backward upon impact.

"No semblance today, weakling?" she teasingly cooed. "I thought you wanted to... ugh...?"

Aganju was about to fire back with a retort but instead, he looked at the young woman, confusion washing over his features when she suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. With time winding down, he spared the fighters board a glance seeing that they were still neck and neck with Roka having the tiniest of leads in the aura bar. He wasn't sure what was going on but he couldn't waste an opportunity to seize victory in such a close fight.

Connecting the handles of his swords, a thin line of aura was created through the rings near the tip of each blade. He'd been saving this move for whomever he was pitted against in the final round, but it was worth using it now.

Pulling back, he created arrows out of the dust stored inside of Nguangis, red like roses, and fired around the stunned girl.

Soon the ground erupted with small blasts around her form giving him the perfect cover to strike. Aganju, now confident in his win, combined the blades back into its dual-ended glaive form and rushed in. Blinding speeds would give him the advantage as the smoke began to disappear, revealing the shadowed figure of Roka trying to wave off the cloud.

"This is it..." he muttered before leaping high in the air.

Unknown to him, upon his appearance through the smog, Roka didn't see him. No. Instead of seeing the fox, she saw a beast; a creature of Grimm. Panicked amethysts saw not her former classmate, but a ravenous beast descending upon her with intents to make her its next meal. In her eyes, she wasn't prepared for such a monster but, she knew one thing, she'd have to destroy it if she was to live.

Heart racing, she gripped her naginata, and with an elegant yet forceful swing, she struck. A piercing howl resounded throughout the arena, bringing the venue to a hush. Everyone in attendance remained silent as the dust began to settle. What they saw on the monitors both shocked and disgusted them.

Aganju dropped his weapon, clutching his face with both hands as blood poured down his face from what appeared to be just under his eyes. Despite the sanguine liquid flowing out like a fountain, he still managed to dodge another slash, this time aimed at his chest. On the other side, Roka now had a feral gaze in her eyes and a black aura coating her body.

"What are you doing?!" he tried to yell through his hands. "Roka! Cut it out!"

"Why. Won't. You. Die?!" she roared while continuing the relentless assault.

The crowd looked on with horror at such a malicious attack, yet, they couldn't tear their eyes away.

It was clear that this wasn't just a fight to determine a winner anymore. This was bloodlust. She continued to fight, wishing nothing more than to end the sudden nightmare inflicted on her. Emerald had to admit that she was rather enjoying the sight unfolding before her, something her partner noticed with a sinister grin.

"This is going too far," Scylla stared wide-eyed.

"Yer telling me," Roxanne cringed at the scene before her.

Many of their friends agreed. Pyrrha remained silent. She simply followed the events with worry and terror drawn all over her face.

The sanguine stains on the stage grew larger and she knew that something was severely wrong, but, what could she do? She was helpless to do anything but endure the torturous display continue on.

Now with potentially his life on the line, there seemed to be no choice for Aganju other than using his ace. Every cell in brain screamed for him not to, but his instincts seemed to call a bit louder as he finally dropped his hands, revealing the cut, while not too deep, had crossed horizontally along the bridge of his nose.

Another few slashes later, and the unfortunate realization finally set in.

Do it! Show this wretch what you truly are!

"Die!"

Clenching his teeth, he looked on to see the feral girl charging at him, ready to impale him at this point. Her eyes were feral, devoid of any reasoning, and rationality. There was little choice...

"ENOUGH!"

He flared his hidden power, sending a massive shockwave all throughout the arena. Even with the barrier protecting everyone, they still could feel the abrupt outburst of energy radiating from the faunus. Even his teammates were caught off-guard at such immense power.

Among those in attendance, Ironwood looked the most shocked as he witnessed one of his own students being pushed back by the raw power. From his office, both Ozpin and Goodwitch expressed their own surprise at Aganju's exhibition, each knowing exactly what they were witnessing. However, a pair of amber eyes began to look in intrigue. Only Pyrrha remained unmoved by the display as the vulpine unleashed what many would believe to be his semblance.

The blast rocked Roka to her knees as she fell down to her hands.

She lifted her head to find that burning amber aura swirling around him. However, the most notable change wasn't that, but the subtle change on his face; dark and glowing crimson eyes, surrounded by scleras as black as an infinite abyss. It was then that Roka would realize that she was no longer seeing whatever twisted creature haunted her.

She was back in the arena, surrounded by a deafening silence.

Sweaty and exhausted, she dropped her weapon and lowered her head in shame.

"I yield..."

Those two words, soft as they were, reverberated throughout the stadium. Her image on-screen turned dark, and just like that, the match was over.

"Ladies & gentlemen, I give you the winner: Aganju Umbrae!"

Slowly but surely the place began to ring with the sounds of applause and cheers, though there were some murmurs thrown in as well. It was a fierce match but, also one that was confusing as well. Even Aganju was perplexed at what'd just unfolded as he allowed the f. How did a highly competitive match turn into a fight for his life?

He'd find himself surrounded by a medical team who quickly clasped towels over his face to stop the torrent of blood oozing out of his face. He hissed as he was led off toward the tunnels but stopped next to a now visibly shaken Roka. When she looked up, gone were the eyes of a demon, replaced by the calm emerald orbs that she recognized from her former classmate and victim.

That's right, Roka and Aganju had an unpleasant past during their time at the combat school, and it seemed that the past finally came back to bite the former bully. Soon, she was escorted off to the medical unit as well while Emerald watched puzzled. In her mind, Roka should've snapped from the illusion she cast on her but, once the vulpine used what she believed to be his semblance, she couldn't maintain her focus and lost her control over the Atlesian's mind.

"Cinder..." she whispered hesitantly. "What was that?"

Her eyes locked on the faunus for a moment, never leaving his movements until he disappeared within the tunnel. There was something about him that resonated within her. Perhaps, it was such a display of power? From what she could pick up, it reminded her of something she'd felt before.

"C-Cinder?"

"A... wildcard has presented itself..."


[Beacon- JNPR's Dorm]

As the matches resumed, Pyrrha decided that she'd had enough fighting for a bit, especially considering she had her own match to participate in. While the others were focused on the match between Yang & Mercury, she sat in her room, conflicted. Two major things possessed her mind, forcing her into a miniature state of depression.

First, there was Aganju who'd been in the infirmary for what felt like ages, though it'd barely been half an hour. To say that she'd grown attached to the boy would be an understatement as certain things from his match appeared in her head. His howl of pain froze her spine. The wound he'd sustained from the attack; the blood pouring out onto the stage. All of those things were enough to cause her mood to drop.

Then there was her conversation with Professor Ozpin, and his 'request'. The idea of possessing not only the power of a maiden but possibly having the girl, Amber's consciousness inside of her truly made her want to shrink into nothingness. All of that power; a power that had the potential to save the world? She couldn't deny that it sounded so amazing. Any would-be huntress would jump at the chance to gain such an honor and yet, she felt more impotent than ever before.

Is all of this worth the price?

It was the question she'd ask herself since leaving the underground facility beneath Beacon Academy. Ozpin. Glynda. Qrow. General Ironwood. These four were apart of a covert group seeking to thwart an evil far greater than the Grimm. She couldn't wrap her brain around that, primarily this greater evil that anticipated them. On top of that, she was given a 'choice' to make...

"Hey..." she nearly jumped upon hearing the sound of her teammate and leader, Jaune Arc.

"Oh... Hello Jaune..."

He was trailed closely by Ren and Nora who all had soft smiles on their faces, though the air of tension was also evident. They each surrounded their friend, showering her with love and encouragement in hopes of cheering her up. It helped a little with Nora suddenly changed clothes in an attempt to get Pyrrha to work-out her nerves. Ren offered her a green smoothie he made only to have Nora try it and nearly vomit from the taste.

She couldn't help but giggle, grateful for the distractions; temporary as it may be.

However, Jaune noticed her true feelings, sitting next to the warrior.

"You're worried about him, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" she averted her gaze.

"Either that or your mind is caught up on your upcoming match!" Nora poked her.

"Nora...?"

"Sorry, Ren."

Pyrrha simply bent her head in agreement. "I am a bit... concerned about his condition."

"Then, why don't you just go see him?" Nora chimed in, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"What?"

"Professor Oobleck gave an update, stating that he was alright and that he'd be cleared to keep fighting in the tournament. In fact, I think he'd just been..."

In a flash, Pyrrha got up and rushed out of the room, leaving behind a small dust cloud and her friends. Interestingly, Jaune and Ren looked over to find Nora holding her hand out with a raised eyebrow and a knowing grin.

"I told you! Now, pay up..."

The boys rolled their eyes, each digging in their pockets to give the hammer-wielding girl 20 liens each. She thanked then with her childlike tone and booped Ren on the nose before leaving the room, skipping and humming to herself.


[Beacon- Cafeteria Grounds]

Those eyes of yours are... special.

There's a purpose for your abilities...

You must take fate into your own hands, Aganju.

The words of the headmaster rang in Aganju's head as he sat outside of the cafeteria building.

The crisp air kissed his face as he watched the various colored leaves fall from the trees they once clung so tightly to. After his match, he'd been released only to encounter Professor Ozpin who gave him a few words before departing. With a muddled mind, the only option for him seemed to be to sit down and let life happen.

He currently had his hood up, though his ears were exposed this time, shutting his eyes as he took in the sweet smell of the incoming season, trying his hardest to put the past events behind him. It helped a little, but there was no denying that he would need more than just a cool breeze to soothe his woes.

"I wondered where you were hiding..." he opened his eyes to find his best friend approaching. "Mind if I sit with you?"

Without turning to her, Aganju patted the open spot next to him.

Pyrrha quietly sat down and the pair just watched in silence as a few more leaves fell down to earth. When an orange petal floated near them, neither could tell that the other was affected by the sight. For Pyrrha, it was a constant reminder of the near-impossible decision she'd have to make sooner rather than later. However, it was more of an omen for Aganju who barely resisted the urge to growl at the taunting spawn of nature.

Finally, the air of stillness became too much to bear for the Amazon to bear.

"I..."

"Do you believe in fate?"

She turned to look at her hooded friend with confusion and interest.

"What?"

"Do you believe that one's life is already dictated by a higher power and that there's nothing you can do about it?"

Pyrrha turned to Aganju, his features obscured, with grief. Her frown only grew as she contemplated his question. She always pondered in her mind how she would take control of her life and do what she felt was right. But fate? What was fate? A culmination of events orchestrated by said higher power against the person's will?

"No. I don't believe in fate." Now it was Aganju turn to face Pyrrha, though she hadn't noticed as she had her gaze locked on a nearby tree. "Are we predisposed to events like the trees, who endure the same cycle every season that passes? Are our lives governed by a scripted set of events? No, for we are gifted with something that the trees, oceans, and skies do not possess."

"...and what would that be?"

She finally looked at him with a ghost of a smile.

"Choice."

"Pyrrha..."

"If our lives were fated, then you and I may have never met. We were kept from the knowledge of the other's existence and yet, we still met. I was expected to follow in the path that would either lead to Atlas or Haven yet, I am here, representing Beacon Academy. If fate had any real control, I wouldn't have met such wonderful friends and allies, nor someone as special as you."

Despite the bandage across his face, Aganju still managed to visibly blush which only made Pyrrha's smile grow more. He returned the gesture and inched closer to her until their shoulders were touching. She followed that up by lying her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes in peace for once. When she felt his head touch her own, she sighed contently.

"You have a way with words..."

"I appreciate the compliment," she giggled.

Unseen by the duo, a cotton candy wielding Scylla and Esu were rounding the corner, only for the former to quickly shove the latter back, no doubt to tell the others of this new development.

"So, if you don't believe in fate, what do you believe in?"

Pyrrha took in the question, allowing it to mull around in her soul before resting against his shoulder again.

"There is a quote about our destiny that I've always asked..."

"Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds… true love?"

"You know it...?" she gasped softly.

Aganju pulled his hood down, letting his long black hair fall freely. By now, Pyrrha had a clearer view of his bandaged wound, wincing quietly upon seeing the slight hue of pink along the bridge of his nose. He looked over at her with an embarrassed frown on his face.

"I.. learned about it after we met. I guess you really rubbed off on me."

The air grew silent once more but, what wasn't said in words, was spoken in actions. They both felt their hands touch against the others, that familiar sensation of energy shared filling their forms with renewed strength as well as an understanding for one another. Both of their faces were flushed as they found themselves inching closer.

Just millimeters apart, they closed their eyes in preparation for what came next.

"Would miss Pyrrha Nikos please report to Amity Arena for the next match?"

It seemed that fate was none too pleased with their conversation and chose to impose its will to cease their intimacy. Sadly, it left a massive void though so little space was left between the two. They slowly rose to their feet, neither happy with the missed opportunity as they departed to the stadium. Once more, they were engulfed by the nagging circumstances that threatened their futures but, it seemed that they at least had a chance to feel the comfort of the moment, as fleeting as it may have been.

Behind them, that lone leaf suddenly found itself accompanied by another dry one that landed on top of it; the brittle petals breaking on the inner halves but, managed to remain whole as the pieces joined together, a sign that destiny could intervene.


On the outskirts of Vale, several hordes of Grimm began to overrun the military forces, and even the huntsmen and huntresses who arrived to assist were becoming inefficient at this point. For every few they took down, there appeared to be twice as many that would replace the fallen. If this continued, the spike in the monsters would become nearly impossible to stop.

Little did they know, that things were about to get much worse.


[Amity Coliseum]

The battle between Pyrrha and Penny was an expert display of quality vs quantity as while the latter was a wealth of weaponry at her disposal, Pyrrha was still able to hold her own. The multiple sharpened blades were proving to be a task to overcome though as she found herself once again on the defensive end of things while Penny simply walked her down.

"Go Pyrrha!" Nora exclaimed

In the stands, Aganju did his best to cheer her on, watching closely at the stance changes and attack patterns of both girls for obvious reasons. But that excitement would soon turn into concern as, no matter her approach, despite whatever angle she came from, Pyrrha just couldn't seem to get past Penny's guard. Something was wrong; he could feel it.

In Pyrrha's mind, she saw her weapons begin to bend from her semblance yet, she wasn't using it at the moment. Was her mind playing tricks on her? Unbeknownst to her, Emerald Sustrai was the one responsible for this, again.

The battle grew fiercer as both girls stepped up their game. Whether on the ground or in midair, Pyrrha and Penny seemed evenly matched, despite the earlier static of the former's mind. After getting knocked to the ground, Penny resorted to using her lasers to provide some much-needed distance from her opponent. While it halted her offense, it didn't stop Pyrrha from carefully dodging the blasts.

"Come on, Pyrrha! You got this!" the faunus yelled out.

Ducking, twisting, flipping, and sliding, Pyrrha seemed to sense that the momentum was tipping in her favor and, sure enough, she was right. With a well-timed block, she pivoted on her heel and leaped upward to land a solid kick on her typically cheerful opponent. With a smile, she was prepared to finish things and move on to the next round.

That desire would be put on hold though as Penny charged forward, lurching her swords again at her. This time, however, she aimed not for Pyrrha herself but her weapons. Every time she attacked, either her spear or shield would be knocked away only for the girl to summon them back with her semblance, Polarity. This strategy wiped the smile from her face, replaced with a worried expression.

Then it happened...

Seeing this as nothing more than a stalemate, Penny recalled her blades behind her prepared to drive them in an all-out assault. That's when Emerald made her real move. Once again that sensation hit Pyrrha and when she looked again, eight blades soon appeared to be hundreds, if not thousands of them. With no way to summon her shield or spear in enough time, panic began to slither around her heart, suffocating the girl as she stumbled backward.

Aganju could feel something was off, but with this many people, he couldn't tell what was truly going on. All he knew was that this feeling was familiar. Closing his eyes, he got up and rushed off, not paying attention to the event that would occur next. All that mattered was that he find the culprit.

With what she perceived as an unstoppable barrage, in a last-ditch effort to protect herself, Pyrrha used her semblance to cause a wave of magnetism to stop them, only to be met with a devastating reality: Her opponent too was affected.

Penny Polendina stood there clutching chest suddenly, the effects of Pyrrha's attempt beginning to crush her body from the inside. Inch by inch of the girl was either crunched in one direction or severed off completely in another as the wires controlling the swords began wrapping around her limbs and torso, squeezing until her form could no longer stand the force and rip apart.

Shock filled the arena as even Ozpin himself hadn't expected this development. The sudden surge of negativity gave way to the imposing threat just outside of the kingdom as more Grimm began their onslaught on Vale, overrunning the defenses assigned to the borders. Still, with what had just happened, it was clear why so much despair existed.

Penny Polendina was dead.