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:

This is one chapter that I had to make some important changes to. However, this is still going to be a rather long chapter so buckle up kiddies! There are revelations to be had and bonds to form! Originally I was going to split this up into two separate chapters given the length, but that would've been too much work given the adjustments made. Still, it was necessary to break out of the Beacon arc of the canon.

But, as always, I hope you enjoy the chapter and keep moving forward.

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


Chapter 8


There lied the body of Penny Polendina; cold and lifeless as her body remained severed and scattered before the many in attendance. Among them, Pyrrha and many others looked on in horror at the result of the battle. While it was completely unexpected and unwanted, the cruel reality of Penny's existence had now been exposed, much to a certain General's anger as he looked on.

Everyone who witnessed this was either shocked, disgusted, or horrified at the resulting scene and yet, things only went from bad to worse.

As they tried to make sense of things, more Grimm began to pour into the city, terrorizing those unfortunate to be in their way. The chaos would only bring more and more of the hellacious beasts, proving to be an all-out pandemic.

Back at Amity Arena, Ruby Rose stumbled upon the unfortunate aftermath of her friend being ripped apart and, with tears flowing down her face, wept the death of her dear companion.

"Broadcast, what are you doing? Kill the feed!" Oobleck growled.

"Sorry sir, we don't have control. We can't even shut off the broadcast."

"What? How is that possible?"

The answer came in the form of a red screen with a black chess piece in the middle. Whatever or whoever was in charge of the feed, they were the ones in charge now and they were going to make the most of it.

"This is not a tragedy..." a female voice announced to all who watched or listened. "...This was not an accident. This what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children to men who claim to be our guardians but are in reality nothing more than men. Our academy's headmasters wield more power than our armies, and one was audacious enough to control both." Cinder Fall continued her defiant statement as General Ironwood stormed off enraged. "They cling to this power in the name of peace and yet what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another star pupil."

Pyrrha's eyes welled up as she heard the voice comment on her unintentional act. The lifeless face of Penny stared off into nothing as the dreadful reality began to swallow her soul.

"What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference... and what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment and now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy and yet I have witnessed neither."

Members of the varying teams watched and listened in dismay as Cinder continued her declarations against the kingdoms, the military, and even the academies with helplessness and uncertainty. They each exchanged glances as the broadcast continued. This couldn't be the truth of things, right?

"Perhaps, Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded the streets? Or perhaps, this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces? Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong, but I know that the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves."

Emerald soon made her departure down the south tunnel, making it halfway until she found herself face to face with a pair of green eyes glaring at her. What seemed like surprise soon morphed into a sickening glee as she stood upright. Despite the appearance of confidence, the air around them was smothering.

"Hold it...!"

"I didn't think you'd find me so quickly... Aganju."

"How... How do you know my name?"

The girl said nothing as she turned around, revealing her face to the fox. He glowered at her, but, baring his canines. Though he'd never met the girl before, there was something about her that reeked of familiarity. As if reading his mind, the girl's grin widened as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. But, it was what he heard next that truly made him pause, much to Emerald's delight.

"As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you that the situation there is equally undesirable. Our kingdoms are at the brink of war yet we, the citizens are left in the dark. So, I ask you, when the first shots are fired, who do you think you can trust?"

That voice...

The broadcast feed was finally released yet the signals were still jammed. Try as they may, there was no way to make contact with anyone remotely. Soon, an alarm began to go off, drawing all attention to the blaring red screens above.

"Alert! Incoming Grimm attack! Current level 9. Please seek shelter in a calm and orderly manner."

The crowds of people looked around in horror and, expectedly, they broke out into a panic. With screams and shrieks aplenty they stampeded their way through the various tunnels in hopes of achieving safety and shelter. In the south corridor, both Aganju and Emerald could feel the stomps approaching them.

"I suggest you get on that, huntsman..."

Emerald rushed off through one of the side rooms with Aganju ready to give chase.

Unfortunately, he wouldn't get the chance to do so as the torrent of bodies drew ever closer, nearly threatening to drag him off in the frenzy. Thankfully, there was enough space for him to avoid getting rushed by humans and Faunus alike. As he tried to curb his rage, he could think of one thing as he waited for an opening to head back into the arena.

Back in the announcer's booth, General Ironwood rushed in and took the microphone from the two professors.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please... There is no need for panic."

Just as he said that a massive Nevermore crashed into the top of the protective dome above, rendering the man's plea moot. Truly this was only going to get worse before things would get better. The streets had become filled with Grimm of all species and sizes. The skies were soon overtaken thanks to an associate of Roman Torchwick. To add to this melting pot of chaos, several unidentified ships began to dock only to reveal members of the White Fang Terrorist organization, led by Adam Taurus.

"Let's bring them to their knees."

The question ceased to be 'could things get any worse?' and turned into 'how much worse could things get?'

As the anarchy ensued many of the students opted to stay behind to defend the school, despite the danger awaiting them. Aganju finally made it back to the arena where a visibly shaken Pyrrha and concerned Ruby met him. By the looks of things, the Nevermore had been taken care of, and thus, the arena was at least safe again.

"What's going on? What's the plan?"

"We've got to save the citizens and the school. We can't let the enemy win." Ruby declared, backed up by a nodding Pyrrha.

For his part, Aganju grinned, ready to destroy as many Grimm as he could.

"The others are boarding a ship to Beacon so, we'd best get on too."

They rushed off to join their comrades and soon, the students of the four academies were raring to go. Though there were a few hiccups, such as Ironwood's ship exploding and Ruby jumping off to save him, the biggest issue for Aganju was the state of Pyrrha Nikos. While he wasn't there to witness it, he knew that she was traumatized by what happened.

As she stood in the back, he couldn't find the right words. Rather, he'd gently take her hand into his own. When she looked up, green pools threatening to overflow once again, he flashed a confident smile and pulled her into a hug, giving her the outlet to cry if she needed to. This didn't go unnoticed by Nora and Roxanne who soon turned their focus on the bigger threat that lied ahead.

"Hacked robot soldiers, Grimm, AND the White Fang?" the ram faunus clenched her fists.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Nora inquired, her tone both challenging and concerning.

Roxanne Octane simply gave a crazed grin of delight.

"No. I just want to be sure where my priorities will be..."

"That's the spirit!" the hammer wielder growled excitedly.

When they landed, the crew of students stormed off, each greeted by one of the many forms of enemies. Roxanne prepped her gauntlets and started on a rampage, clobbering any and all who bore the symbol of the White Fang. After her talk with Blake and Yang the day before, she had revealed why were horns were cut off and yet, at this moment, she only felt a need to repay the members of the organization ten-fold for cutting off her horns.

Many others such as Neptune, Sun, and members of teams ABRN and CVFY were hard at work taking down any Grimm that came near the school. It was a spirited effort that showed that they were well taught by their respective schools. Those like Team JNPR and ASRE worked to dismantle the controlled robotic soldiers from Atlas.

While Pyrrha and Esu would do their best to keep the metal men at bay, those like Aganju and Nora would slice or smash their way through the armored ranks.

"How many you got Nora?" he called out, slicing up two in one swipe of his dual blades.

Slamming her hammer down to crush one of the soldier's heads in, she giggled. "That makes 17!"

"I got 20!"

Aganju smirked and began slicing three down with varying slashes, striking a 'cool guy' pose just before the severed parts slid down in pieces, much to Nora's annoyance. Not one to be outdone though, she swung Magenhild, catching three of the metal soldiers in her whirlwind, smashing them before launching the trio into the air while the vulpine's left eye twitched in awe.

"...And we're tied now!"

"Leave it to them to turn this into a game..." Ren shook his head before firing off some shots at a nearby Beowolf.

Scylla joined him and even used her semblance sparingly to paralyze some of the smaller Grimm so that she wouldn't overexert herself. Once the main courtyard around the tower was cleared of any immediate threats, they split off into separate groups to better help anyone in need.

Roxanne, seeing Yang approaching asked if Blake was alright to which she received a solemn no. Not one to be deterred, the two rushed off to find their friend. Meanwhile, the others rushed in the opposite direction making sure that things would be taken care of on their end.


[Beacon-Near the CCT Tower]

As the damage began to pile up, Cinder, Emerald, and Mercury watched it all unfold. The destruction before them was even worse than even they anticipated and yet, not all of them had the same reaction to it. Mercury watched with satisfaction upon the success of their plot. Emerald had almost a sympathetic look on her face while Cinder watched with elation.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she cooed.

"It's almost sad..." Emerald frowned sorrowfully.

"It's horrendous," Cindered added. "Unless you're referring to that Faunus you've had your eyes on." Emerald tensed up after hearing that. She was about to give a frantic rebuttal only to find Cinder's attention now on Mercury who was recording the entire scene in front of them.

"I..."

"Focus on the Atlesian Knights."

"Oh, I'm getting all of it," he remarked with a sly grin.

"Good. Continue the broadcast until the end." Cinder instructed just before the ground around them began to shift and quake, causing him to stumble. "And do NOT miss what's coming next."

The tremors continued, with only a few knowing exactly what caused it. Glynda Goodwitch who was battling alongside Qrow Branwen knew as she looked on into the distance. Many of the students who were tackling their designated posts and even some of the Grimm ceased their actions as a nearby mountain began to shake and crumble. No move was made until the top of the mountain face finally gave way to an even bigger danger.

A wyvern...

It flapped its menacing wings, but what truly made it worse than the others, was its ability to drop large 'eggs' that upon colliding on the surface, would spawn more Grimm as it made its way to Beacon to join in the battle.

"Oh no..." Glynda's voice was no louder than a whisper, but her point was made nonetheless.

Below, the students weren't deterred.

In fact, they appeared to be more determined than ever before as the newest batch of Grimm charged forward. Even Pyrrha seemed to be invigorated by the influx of confidence from her friends and allies, that is until she saw him standing there. Professor Ozpin stood up and gave her that look, a gaze that spelled out that it was time for her decision.

Slowly she lowered her weapons and began to walk toward the headmaster, drawing the attention of the others, including Aganju.

"Pyrrha?" he called out lowly, but she continued, ignoring his voice.

"Where's she going?" Nora raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know," he replied, eyeing the man down before giving chase. "But, I'm going to find out."


Over by the cafeteria, Yang and Roxanne looked around calling for their friend. By the time of their arrival, the feline Faunus had been taken down by none other than the leader of the White Fang himself, Adam Taurus. As he stood over her, Adam noticed the look of anxiety across her face as she saw the duo looking around for her. Weakly, she tried to tell them to run, but barely any sound came out of her mouth.

"So... That's what you've been up to?" she sneered. "Well, I'm going to make it my mission to destroy everything and everyone you love, Blake."

She flashed a pleading gaze at him, quietly begging him not to go down this path, a gaze her savored all the more now. As he raised his weapon, she finally managed to get one word out.

"P-please..."

"Starting with them."

Adam then brought the point of his sword down to stabbed Blake in her side, awaiting the outcome of his actions.


[Under Beacon Academy]

An elevator opened, allowing the trio of Professor Ozpin, Pyrrha, and Aganju to rush down the long corridor. As they crossed down the hall, curiosity took over the latter of the three. This was unlike anything he'd ever imagine, but here he was running down the long and hallowed corridor.

"What? Just what is this place?"

"It's a... type of vault," Pyrrha remarked earnestly.

"You've been here before?" she didn't answer this time, whether out of necessity or guilt was known only to her. "What would a school need to hide?"

His answer appeared in the form of a machine where an unconscious brunette laid in a small chamber. Ozpin began typing in the necessary codes and soon the second pod began to hiss open, welcoming its chosen tenant.

"Agan... I-"

"Pyrrha, get to the pod!" Ozpin directed. Though hesitant, she obliged to the order. Meanwhile, the fox could only watch, both helpless and clueless as to what was happening. The headmaster, seeing the stunned and wary boy, sighed. "If you want to help, you can stand guard here."

Wide emerald eyes blinked a few times before finally shaking off the dazed state he was in. He clutched Nguangis tightly in its glaive form, trying his best to prepare for whatever mysterious foe he was supposed to be guarding against. As Ozpin began typing away once more, Pyrrha couldn't help but ask.

"What do we do now?" her voice grave yet steady.

The old man sighed once more, this one more labored than the first. "We do nothing... You, Miss Nikos, have a choice to make."

Pyrrha stood there, contemplating the options afforded to her. In theory, it was a simple choice, but in practice, her heart was screaming out of frustration. All of her life, she wanted nothing more than to be able to protect others and be a hero if possible, and yet, this wasn't how she envisioned that dream playing out. Looking over to her friend and crush, seeing Aganju with his blade at the ready, she recalled his statement to her question earlier that day.

"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…?"

Was this her destiny? Or was this fate, the undesirable yet, an inescapable path for her life?

Pyrrha could wipe away a single tear that had threatened to fall before stepping inside of the chamber. Once she was settled in, she awaited what would come next. Saddened by what the outcome may be, she heard the professor's voice again.

"Are you ready?" She gave only a nod, the final move of her supposed free will. However, this wasn't good enough for the man as he gave her a look of desperation. "I... I need to hear you say it."

Her brows knit softly but she complied with his wishes.

"Yes..."

"Thank you, miss Nikos."

He pressed the final buttons that would begin the process of transferal. The pod containing the Fall Maiden rose up and soon the thick wires and tubes overhead began to hum and glow with an amber hue. Once it reached Pyrrha's pod, she instantly began to scream in agony as a burning sensation began to fill her body. This prompted the previously focused Aganju to break his guard out of distress for the girl. He could do nothing though as her body writhed in agony while Professor Ozpin, the man he trusted watched in silence.

"Pyrrha!" he called out.

It was a fruitless attempt but one he couldn't help but make as he watched the maiden's power transfer into his best friend and crush. Seeing her in such pain broke his heart.

"I'm... so sorry." Ozpin lamented.

As the process went on, the glass portion of Amber's pod was suddenly broken, courtesy of an arrow that impaled her in the heart. The two males turned to find the culprit. A dark-haired woman with amber-colored eyes smirked at her handiwork, standing before them with her bow drawn. Ozpin knew that things had grown direr now.

As the young woman's life faded away, so too did the powers for which were being implanted into Pyrrha Nikos. With shock and dread, the portion of power remaining would fire out of Amber and into Cinder who eagerly accepted as it infused her with the full extent of its energy.

No...


[Cafeteria]

Blake's scream caught the attention of the two girls who noticed the figure standing above her. While Roxanne stared wide-eyed in horror upon realizing the man's identity, Yang only cared for the wellbeing of her comrade. She fired up her semblance, lighting her hair like a massive blaze, and began to lunge at Adam Taurus with a furious war cry.

"Yang! Stop!"

It was too late. By the time Yang could even get close to halting her attack, she'd be sliced in half. Adam prepared his counter-attack but, something else seemed to catch his eye. A small spark trailed behind Yang in his direction, forcing the bull Faunus to dodge both offenses. However, the blast almost hit Yang who'd just miss it by a few centimeters.

"Watch where you're aiming!" Yang yelled.

"I just saved your life...! Don't be so damn reckless against him!"

With Blake still hurt, Yang and Roxanne readied their gauntlets just as Adam prepared his sword. This time, he went on the offensive, using his blinding speed to catch the pair off-guard. Thankfully, when one was down the other would step in and help. This started with Roxanne who, while not as strong as Yang, was definitely faster with her striking, parrying, and neutralizing the pace of Adam. When he decided to rely on the power of his strikes, Yang stepped up and gave him all he could handle.

Once Roxanne flared up her semblance, things looked to be heading in their favor as she fired multiple shots from her gauntlets. Adam did his best to cut them down, getting grazed by the residual embers that came from his defense. They continued their assault holding the man back until Blake finally got to a vertical base.

"Stop! He's absorbing your attacks!" she cried out.

It was too late however as he sheathed his blade with a sinister smirk. Taking his stance, he rushed past the two in a flash that neither could keep up with. Yang, sensing that things were taking too long, flared up her semblance and charged with reckless abandonment, against the other's wishes. With her battle cry echoing throughout the burning building, he struck, slicing off her right arm in the process.

Though he meant to cut her down completely, the result of the blond crashing into the broken tables unconscious would have to suffice. All that was left now was the girl with... broken ram horns? From behind his mask, he saw that part of Roxanne's hair had fallen down, revealing the image of the severed horn on her left side.

"You?"

She narrowed her eyes and with newfound vigor, activated her own semblance.

"You remember me, huh?" she snarled. "Good, because I want my face to be last you ever see!"

"I doubt that a girl too weak to even stop me from slicing her horns off can do much now."

"We'll see about that now, sugar..."

Having plenty of red Dust at her disposal she steadied her breath and took her stance. She knew about Adam's semblance thanks to her talk with Yang and Blake so she was certain in her strategy. If Yang hadn't rushed in, she was going to make him waste the burst of power he'd collected and blow it back in his face. Now, with that plan no good, she settled on the next best thing.

Roxanne spared Blake an apologetic glance before pushing off of her rear leg.

"STOP!"

With a grin, Roxanne Octane charged up her fists. However, unlike Yang, she chose to stay on the ground so she could avoid being a sitting duck in the air. She wasn't faster than him, but with most of the energy spent, it was a safe bet that, with proper timing, she could get to him before he could counter. Adam figured that he couldn't one-shot the girl, but maybe, he could do enough damage to keep her down long enough to finish things.

He rushed at her, his own attack prepped, and aimed for her throat. With the length of his sword, there was no way that she would reach him first. Little did he know, this is what Roxanne was hoping for.

"You're mine!"

"Not this time!"

She stopped and ducked under the blade, allowing Adam's arm to sail over her. With his torso now exposed, she fired an uppercut loading up as much dust as she could and, upon connecting caused a massive explosion that sent the two flying in the opposite direction. Blake watched as Roxanne crashed into one of the granite columns and hurried over to her side after she slumped over.

"No. No no no! Don't you die!" she cried out in terror.

She pressed two fingers against the ram's neck. After a few moments of whimpering and tears, Blake was able to feel a faint pulse. Looking closer, she also found that her left arm was severely burned, clearly from the massive impact of her punch. A soft cough came from Roxanne's lips as she struggled to even keep her eyes open.

"I... ain't dying... that easily," she grinned before slipping into unconsciousness once more.

Blake felt her lips tug up into a soft smile but, that wouldn't last long as, on the far end of the cafeteria, something was stirring. In complete terror, she watched as Adam drug himself from underneath the rubble he'd caused from the previous attack. Although he was clearly injured at this point, he still had that sinister grin on his face that made Blake freeze.

"Now... You're mine."

Slowly, he stalked toward his now petrified prey with sickening glee. In was only when he was mere inches away did she finally feel herself shake in fear. She couldn't stop him. Yang was unable to keep him at bay. Even Roxanne, despite the damage she inflicted on him was unable to stop Adam. If they couldn't do it, then who could?

Adam lifted his sword to cut down the girl who'd dared mock him, not once, but twice now only to stop suddenly. His grunts of confusion were met with the appearance of a girl with glowing green eyes stepping over.

"S-Scylla!"

"Hurry up and help me get them out of here! I can only hold him for so long!"

By the looks of things, she had been roughed up a bit by the Grimm earlier but here she was enduring Adam Taurus' resistance. She'd been using her semblance a lot on this day given the enemies so she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold the man still before the drawbacks kicked in. Thankfully, Blake took the dormant Yang while Roxanne limped behind them. Scylla fired off some shot from her pistols, various shots surrounded the man.

"W-what a-are you doing?!" he grunted.

"Making sure you can't follow them!"

After a few more shots were fired, the serpent deactivated her semblance just as the drawbacks began kicking in. It wouldn't hold him long, but, it was enough for them to get out of the building with their lives With Adam now taken care of, she turned to join up with the others only to feel something sharp impale her from behind. As quickly as she was thrust through, the blade was ripped out even faster, forcing her to her knees.

"What?!" she sputtered, feeling her blood rushing up to her throat. "There's... no way that-"

Scylla held the massive wound, uncertain of how Adam could've escaped the dust so quickly. Pools of sanguine expanded on the once clean tiles as she turned to figure that out. However, what she saw was not the masked faunus. Instead, her green orbs widened in terror as she recognized the person all too well.

"N-No..." she whispered, fear and hatred beginning to coil around her heart. "It can't..."

She never got to finish her statement when a massive slash cut into her chest. Plasma sprayed from the new wound as Scylla fell back with a silent scream. As her body fell on the hard floor, the life was gone from her eyes...

Scylla was dead.

As the figure looked down at his handiwork, Adam had just managed to shatter the icy prison that contained him. Angry but composed, he brushed off the chilly shards from his suit. As he looked off into the direction that the girls ran off in, he couldn't help but chuckle darkly at the sight of the pest sprawled out before him.

"I wasn't expecting to find you here..." he looked over to the larger figure. "Have you decided to accept our invitation?"

Cold metal eyes stared down, refusing to meet the swordsman.

"I have no need to join the White Fang. My loyalty is to her majesty and..." the male began walking away. "I simply came to ensure that you upheld your part of things. If you'll excuse me..."

Adam watched as his alliance partner left with a subtle grin. Just then an Ursa tried to pounce on him only find itself sliced cleanly in half for its troubles.

"Well played..."


[Underground]

Pyrrha watched helplessly as Amber died on the other side of her. In a span of a few hours, dead was mere inches away from her. It was vomit-inducing and yet the shock was enough to hold down that notion, at least for now.

The hall grew dim as suddenly the truth of the matter finally set in. The murderer had completely acquired the power of the Fall Maiden, a fact that gave Ozpin no comfort.

Aganju continued to stare at the woman. His violet eyes watched as the magic began to swirl around the mysterious intruder but, none of that mattered to him. In fact, the only thing he felt at this point was rage. A slow burn had begun to blaze hotter than the depths of hell itself as the woman's features became recognizable to the fox.

She simply marveled at her new powers, allowing Aganju the opportunity to charge in.

"Stay back!" Ozpin warned.

Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough as the swirling energy blasted him, sending him crashing into the machine.

"Aganju!" Pyrrha shrieked in horror, finally managing to push the door open with her semblance.

The door jetted toward Cinder who flicked it away as if it were mere paper. Summoning her spear and shield, Pyrrha prepared her assault only to be stopped by the headmaster. She tried to protest as Aganju slowly rose to his feet but Ozpin was in no mood for negotiations.

"No! You two must get out of here," he warned. "Find Glynda. Ironwood. Qrow! Bring them here right away. The tower cannot fall!"

"But, I can help."

He looked back at her with guilt and sorrow.

"You'll only get in the way."

To see the resolute expression was both inspiring yet unsettling. Still, there was little they could do at this point; they were taught to fight monsters, not... this! Pyrrha helped Aganju to his feet. As they made their way to leave, the elder slipped something in the girl's hand before they made their way out. Cinder didn't make a move to stop them, though she couldn't shake off a feeling as the vulpine flashed a dark glare. It was only for a second, a fleeting moment of vulnerability that was immediately overshadowed by her pride once again.

With the power she possessed, the two were nothing more than mosquitos to her.

The only threat to her now stood before her.


With every calm for the moment, Ruby finally arrived back to the school only to find Yang unconscious and missing an arm. Alongside her rested a burned Roxanne, exhausted and blurry-eyed Earna, and shaken Blake. She wanted nothing more than to breakdown and cry right there, but this wasn't the time. Sun assured her and Weiss that they would be alright and that he would keep watch until they were evacuated.

"There's a ship ready that'll take you guys to Vale."

"But Pyrrha and Aganju are still missing."

"What?!" Ruby cried in horror.

Sensing something, Sun stepped in pointing at the Wyvern above them.

"Look that giant Grimm keeps circling the school. Even the White Fang are pulling out! We all have to go, now!"

"We're not leaving without... argh!" an injured Ren tried to protest but fell down to one knee in pain.

If things were going to be okay, then she needed to do something.

"I'll find them."

"No. WE will find them," Weiss exclaimed with a smile.

"Got that right! Watch after the others. We'll be back."

With the two volunteering, they were off to Beacon tower.


After some running, Aganju and Pyrrha made it out of the elevator. Both were exhausted but, they wouldn't stop until they were back at the courtyard. However, while Aganju was catching his breath to keep going, Pyrrha noticed the rumbling underneath them, culminating in a massive explosion behind them that sent the two to the ground. Pyrrha looked back, seeing the conclusion of Ozpin's last stand fail as the woman traveled up to the top. With no other options available, she took a deep breath, trying her best to calm her nerves.

Whether she liked it or not, she knew the truth.

Glynda. Qrow. Ironwood.

None of them would make it back in time. Even if they were around, there was no guarantee that they'd be able to prevent this intruder from accomplishing her goal. There was only one choice to make; a choice that she knew would cost her so much.

"I'm going back..."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" As she hardened her gaze toward the tower, Aganju figured it out immediately. "No... No, Pyrrha you can't! You saw how powerful she is..."

"There's no other way..."

"Then I'm going with you," he declared.

"I won't let you get hurt."

He looked at her with a glare that dared her to deny him this and she knew why. When she first met him, he was an outcast. While she never admitted it, there was one time that she did know him, prior to their meeting on the airship but he didn't need to know now. They'd grown into the closest of friends and she even got share some wonderful moments that opened the door for something more.

Their sparring sessions.

An impromptu dance.

Their moments of open discussion.

The moment they nearly kissed...

That last memory gave her the courage to do something she hadn't done before. With a smile, she nodded and the two rushed back into the building. Inside, they neared the elevator, grateful that Cinder simply used her newly gained abilities to reach the top. Upon entry, Pyrrha suddenly grabbed the fox and pressed her lips onto his own.

It was surprising but, he didn't fight it as he leaned into the embrace.

What was even more unexpected was when she placed her hands on his chest, only instead of something intimate, she shoved him out and, using her semblance, shut the door, bending it so that he couldn't follow. Atsura got up and beat against the now sealed door with tears spilling out. His desperation echoed throughout the elevator shaft as she ascended.

Her mind took her back to the earliest moment, back when they both attended Sanctum. At that time, she wasn't the Pyrrha everyone knew and loved. She was just a little girl who was picked on for being so nice to people. She recalled being pushed in the mud only for this boy with dark skin, fox ears and a tail appeared in front of her and scare off the bullies. She never got to thank him after that day because he was soon grabbed by the headmaster and it would be years before she actually met him on their way to Beacon.

It was this memory that both hardened Pyrrha's resolve and left cracks in her heart.

"I'm sorry, Agan..." she tearfully wept. "I truly am."


Outside, Ruby and Weiss arrived at the tower only to hear the hysterical cries of Aganju come from within the building. Rushing inside, they found the Faunus in a state none of them ever imagined. He was on his knees, weakly banging against the broken door in tears. To witness him in such a broken state was heartbreaking but, they also figured there had to be a reason for this.

"Aganju!" Weiss rushed over to his side. "What's going on?"

He sniffed and shook his head, glaring at the crumpled metal before him.

"It's Pyrrha..." he growled as the floodgates continued to flow. "She's gone up on a suicide mission to fight her! She's too strong to face without help but, Pyrrha tricked me into going off on her own."

"Then we'll give her some back-up." Ruby declared.

"What?"

"I'll use my semblance to help you get to the top. You can run up the side of the walls along with Ruby's speed."

Despite his hurt, Atsura forced a smile on his face

The trio then exited the building and with the game plan set, they acted immediately. Weiss conjured up her glyphs along the wall of the tower while Ruby and Aganju took their positions. Using his weapons bow form, the fox fired some black Dust to give him a boost. In sync, Aganju Umbrae and Ruby Rose scaled Beacon tower. When the former was unable to keep up the pace, Ruby gladly used her own semblance to spiral them farther up.

Then they heard it; Pyrrha's outcry of agony.

Ruby threw Aganju with the momentum from their trek in hopes of reaching their friend faster. As he neared the top, he could hear voices, and that only prompted his anger more as his eyes turned crimson. Whatever awaited him, he needed to be ready. He just hoped that he could make it.


[Beacon Tower-Ozpin's Office]

Cinder had defeated the 'Invincible Girl', savoring the sight of Pyrrha struggling to her feet only to fall back down due to her being shot in the heel. After their fierce battle, it was clear that while she was a capable warrior, Cinder simply outclassed her thanks to the power of the Fall Maiden. On top of that, she used glass instead of metal, further widening the gap of disadvantage.

"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours." she walked around her fallen opponent, savoring the sweet taste of victory. Grabbing her chin, Cinder forced Pyrrha to look into her eyes, if for nothing else, satisfaction. "But take comfort in knowing that I will use them in ways that you could never have imagined."

With one final act of defiance, Pyrrha glared into the dark gaze that beat her.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

Cinder frowned at the girl.

"Yes..."

She then summoned her glass to form a bow, the very weapon that ended the life of the previous Fall Maiden. In her mind, this welp didn't deserve such an honor, but at least she could take solace in being killed in the same manner, even if she was a terrible attempt at a replacement.

However, just as she was about to fire, a black shadow descended upon her. With just enough time, Cinder jumped back, her arrows still at the ready as she observed the same boy from earlier. Only... there was something different about him.

His eyes...

Those insufferable violet eyes were now replaced with crimson? She couldn't fathom how the same reckless boy from just mere minutes ago now had an aura of confidence and... strength...

Once more, Cinder could feel a wave of recognition to the younger male as he glared daggers at her. She wasn't one to judge but, there was something about him that continued to draw her attention. She felt as if she knew him but, something was blocking her ability to decipher how.

"A-Aganju?"

Aganju? Cinder's eyes grew slightly.

"Are you okay?" She said nothing, but as she motioned to get up, she winced from the pain in her heel. Atsura noticed this and twisted his body back to the scowling Cinder Fall. "Did you do this?!"

She merely scoffed, trying to maintain her aloof demeanor.

"And what if I did, Aggy...?"

The mention of such a childlike nickname made Aganju tense up. Just like below the tower, Cinder noticed his eyes grow large, once more that vibrant shade of purple. It began to click when she noticed the way his ears began to droop slightly. It was like peering into a time machine. But, instead of seeing that helpless little boy, she was looking at a bandaged young man with a steady resolve.

"E-Ella?"

His voice was low, a trace of hope mixed with betrayal. His eyes began to sting as tears threatened to appear.

"So, you've gone and gotten stronger, I see..." she giggled condescendingly. "...and it's Cinder now."

Darkness began to radiate from the faunus, triggering even the wyvern outside. It seemed that old wounds didn't heal as fast as he'd hoped. Years of questions and reasoning ate away at him. He wondered if she was alive or dead as he tried to move on. Now, here he was standing face to face with the source of his fixation with strength and he wasn't about to leave without getting some measure of payback.

Planting his glaive into the ground, he helped the injured Pyrrha to her feet, though not without pointing a look that told the girl that they were going to talk later if they made it out of this alive. At that moment, Ruby arrived to help, relieved that her friend hadn't been hurt too badly. Once she was taken care of, Ruby made her way next to Aganju.

"You two kids really think you're a match for me?!" Cinder balked. "Don't you dare flatter yourselves!"

Flaring up her powers once again, the two were pushed back a few feet before steadying themselves.

"Ruby, I need you to back me up."

"But..."

"I don't need you getting in the way!" he roared, baring his fangs at the girl. "She hurt two people I care about and I don't need you adding yourself to the list!"

Ruby nodded and backed off with Crescent Rose at the ready. Wondering what they could be planning, Cinder made the mistake of taking her eyes off of the faunus; a mistake she'd come to regret when he found the enraged Aganju swiping down with his glaive. Apparently, Pyrrha had passed him his sword, thus allowing him to rain the heavy blow on Cinder whilst she was distracted.

She crashed into the ground, realizing that she wasn't out of the woods yet. She rushed to her feet, firing off several shots at the boy only for him to dodge. She side-stepped his crushing blow but, it did little good as he separated Nguangis into dual blades. With little time, she conjured glass knives of her own only for them to shatter whenever his swords made contact.

How!? she growled.

In a furious rampage, Aganju unleashed every ounce of his rage, getting in a few hits notwithstanding her solid defense. It was clear that in a one on one situation with mere humans, Cinder was practically unmatched. But, this wasn't the case. She seemingly calculated every detail of this operation except for one thing.

Aganju.

Years away and she never once considered that he would be alive, let alone standing before her as her equal. Cinder couldn't fathom how someone who was so weak had gained this much power, especially when she swatted him away earlier like a gnat. Even when he used his ability during the tournament, it wasn't used long enough to gather intelligence. Now, she was staring face to face with a demon, his eyes glowing crimson but, there was something even more surprising.

It wasn't his anger she was encountering anymore... this was unbridled darkness personified as his sclerae became engulfed in an inky abyss.

Just like...

A shot fired from Ruby's gun managed to stop her from gaining the upper hand during a moment of struggle, but it only gave her a deeper understanding of what stood before her. Even Pyrrha and Ruby were becoming concerned with the boy as he was... chuckling? Indeed, the unbridled fury had gone away only to be replaced with uncharacteristically demented glee.

"Agan...?" Pyrrha whimpered.

"HAHAHAHA! Am I strong enough for you now?!"

His voice, while gleefully twisted, would crack with pain as the faunus shed tears despite the deranged grin on his lips. In his heart, he was unleashing not only years of past hurt, but months of recent hell that'd been pent up within his soul all of this time. From Argus to Merlot, he was indirectly shedding himself of the pain inflicted all on the first person to do so.

If Cinder had to place it, Aganju's laugh reminded her of another associate of hers with whom she had nothing but distaste for. If she didn't end things, she might find out that his actions were exactly like his as well. Seeing no options she tried to run only to find him standing right before her. Wide-eyed and terrified, she fired blast after blast in hopes of knocking the monstrous boy back.

It was futile as he charged through, taking the damage with enjoyment. It wasn't until, in her frenzy, one of the attacks blinded Aganju causing him to shriek in pain, a welcome(?) change from the sinister laughing.

"What in hell are you?! Did you really think you could stand up my power?!"

As he clutched his eye, the glowing aura began to fade a little for Aganju's chuckle to sound normal again. His breathing felt like he was inhaling sulfur but, he remained on his feet. Even so, everyone could tell that he was ready to drop at any moment.

"L-Lucky shot... Ella."

Cinder glared at the mention of her previous name. It was a testament of her weak past, a stain on the powerful woman she'd become now.

Infuriated, Cinder fired another blast that sent the boy flying back over the ledge of the building, his aura shattering as a result. Meanwhile, the Wyvern had been flying around the entire, ready to perch on the tower.

"Aganju!" Both girls cried out as he clung from the edge.

Cinder, eyes ablaze with anger, simply walked past them. Even Ruby's bullets weren't doing any damage thanks to the fire swirling around her. Looking down at the dangling Aganju. With his aura nearly exhausted now, and literally blinded in one eye, there wasn't much he could do as he looked up toward the woman. He growled in pain as she stepped on his fingers, yet he was determined to hold on.

Seeing him in such a position, Amber eyes began to soften out of respect. Respect for their past together. In an instant, memories of their past began to flash as the two stared at one another. Just as that night, she stood tall while he looked from below at her superiority. However, instead of tears of desperation, she was looking into a single violet gem that shone brighter than ever before as he dangled from the ledge.

"I wish it... hadn't come to this..." she admitted, low enough for only his ears to hear.

"..."

"It's too bad really, " she summoned her arrow and bow once more, a single tear peering down her cheek. "If you'd just stayed out of the way, maybe we could've reunited and ruled Remnant together."

Helpless and ready to break, Ruby suddenly cried out. She was unable to move fast enough without making Cinder attack sooner and yet, she felt something in her that would turn the tide.

"NO!" she screamed.

Unknowingly, her eyes began to shine, releasing a powerful amount of energy that soon shrouded them all in a massive flash of light. Cinder turned around, feeling a seeing pain course through her body. Unable to hold on, Aganju's fingers slipped, sending him tumbling to the ground below. As the wind rushed through his ears, he awaited death's embrace, regretting only his failure to tell Pyrrha how he truly felt.

Then... It all went dark.


Time passed by and the situation in Vale had finally calmed down. Many of the students either moved back home or transferred over to one of the other academies. After a few weeks, Aganju began to stir only to find himself in a bed. Without his hair tied back, the right side of his face was partially covered by it. Grunting softly, his head throbbed as he tried to make sense of what happened. When his vision finally cleared, heard someone clearing their throat.

"You're finally awake..." Looking up, he notices Glynda at the door to his room. "She'll be relieved to hear that."

Confused and stinging, Aganju remained silent.

The professor entered and began to explain the events of Beacon's fall. He listened without a word but, many mysteries rattled in his brain the more she revealed things.

He would listen as stories began to fill his ears, each one less enjoyable than the last. Yang's arm. Ruby's loss of consciousness. Roxanne's choice. Blake and Esu's disappearance. But, among the tales, Scylla's death hit him the hardest. When she finally concluded her explanation, he looked at the gentle teacher with only one question that truly mattered.

"So, what happens now?"

Glynda, sensing his defeat, handed him a scroll. "That is completely up to you. While you may not have had any control of your past, you can now dictate the path to your future."

"I have no home. No family. Before coming here, I didn't even have a friend... and, Pyrrha!"

Glynda calmed him down and instructed him to open the scroll. When he did, he found that it belonged to Professor Ozpin as his face appeared with a message:

Aganju, if you are reading this, then that means that I haven't survived.

In light of that, I want you to have this scroll since you've never had one before. Inside, I've left you with a means to communicate along with a few gifts inside for you. One of those gifts is an idea of your past. While I haven't found everything, I found enough to give you a place to look.

Your journey should start in the kingdom of Mistral.

While it is a mere hypothesis, I'm sure you'll find clues to the identity of your past and parents. I am truly sorry for keeping this and other secrets from you, but, know that the truth is either inside this scroll or at the very least clues to the truth. I never intended for things to get this bad, but, I must also say this: I am truly proud of the young man you've become so far.

I trust you will use this well.

Aganju studied the words of the fallen headmaster before closing the scroll. Meeting the gaze of Glynda Goodwitch again he flashed a soft yet, sad smile.

"I guess he really did believe in me..."

"You were truly one of his favorite students." she nodded before standing up. "I must go but, you should get some rest before your next visitor arrives."

Seeing his confusion, Glynda signals for his supposed visitor to come in. He was surprised to find Pyrrha, albeit on crutches. Seeing her alive made the pain he felt worth it, though he couldn't shake off the betrayal he felt too as she arrived next to his bed.

Glynda left them to catch up, content with her role, and flashing a look at someone before leaving the building.

"Hey..."

"Hello..."

The awkwardness began to fill the room as the two refused to look at one another, for varying reasons. Aganju recalled the horrifying events of overusing his semblance; the dark and twisted version of himself made even him shiver. For Pyrrha, she felt ashamed for what she'd done.

"Pyrrha?"

"I'm so sorry...!" she broke. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I was selfish and foolish and it nearly cost us our lives! If I hadn't done something so stupid just to try and be a hero, none of this would've happened." Seeing Pyrrha berate herself, Aganju hugged her. This only made her cry even more as her guilt ate away at her. "I don't deserve your kindness or your friendship! I just- Mmfph!"

This time, Aganju silenced her by placing her lips on her own.

"Agan?"

"You dork! Take my heart then..." he flashed a lopsided grin.

"But, because of me, you ended up in the hospital and lost your eye!"

His smile contorted to a soft frown.

"What are you talking about? I can see just fine through both eyes."

Unsure of his claim, Pyrrha dared tuck the tufts of hair out of his face only to heave softly at what she saw. When he questioned her gasp, she happened to find a hand mirror to show him. Awestruck, Aganju looked at the image of his right eye; now red but with a normal sclera, surrounded by darker colored flesh. He mentally challenged this sudden change but, with a quick look at his new scroll, he chose to remain quiet.

I guess that's another mystery that'll need solving...

With everything that's happened, the faunus felt not anger, but determination. Professor Ozpin gave him a chance to dictate his future now, and this gave him an interesting idea as he turned back to a remorseful Pyrrha.

"Are you truly sorry for what happened?"

"Sorrier than I've ever been before..."

"Okay then. I forgive you... Now can we move past this?"

"But... I..."

"I'd like you to join me on my journey, but only if you want to."

Pyrrha gawked at his request, still finding herself unworthy. But, after seeing his wide smile, the first time she'd witness this, she finally accepted his possible reasons.

"I'd love to. But..."

"Of course, after we recover. I still want to check out what on this new scroll."

"I was actually wondering if you still believe in destiny?"

About to correct her, Aganju discerned her reasoning for asking him. Knowing the rest of the quote, he regarded Pyrrha's gently gaze and flushed cheeks before answering with a simple "yes" before sharing another kiss, this time with no strings attached. No trick. No need to silence. Just true intentions.

Pyrrha simply nodded, giggling after finally realizing how much she and Aganju had grown. It would take a while before things were completely back to normal but, he was willing to practice patience if it meant he could finally spend time with his friend and crush.

When visiting hours came to an end, Glynda returned to usher Pyrrha back to her room only to find the Amazon curled up next to the faunus, his tail protectively draped over her. Seeing this she decided against interrupting their slumber, allowing a brief trace of a smile to appear.


More time passed and the students recovered, whether physically or mentally.

Yang was stuck in a depressive funk after losing her arm though Roxanne, after requesting, hung around.

Blake suddenly disappeared, with Sun following at a good distance.

Weiss was taken back to Atlas by her father.

Ruby, along with Jaune, Ren, and Nora set out for Mistral in hopes of tracking down Cinder and her cohorts.

Esu's whereabouts were still unknown.

With everyone on their newest missions, Aganju sat outside of a weapon's shop, snoozing the minutes away. The doorbell jingled as a young woman walked out. With green eyes and red hair that was tied in a messy bun, the only recognizable thing about her was her headdress. Feeling the warm sun's rays against her face, Pyrrha flashed the sleeping faunus an annoyed glare.

"Aganju..." she placed a hand on her hips.

He jerked out of his slumber, standing up straight like a soldier at full attention. "I-I wasn't sleeping! I swear!"

Raising an unconvinced eyebrow, she instead rolled her eyes playfully.

"Sure you weren't," she giggled, flexing her new spear & shield. "Ready to go?"

The two shared a laugh before heading to the docks where their ship awaited, each one eager to start the next step of their lives.


A smaller, more honest soul. It's true that a simple spark can ignite hope, breathe fire into the hearts of the weary. The ability to derive strength from hope is undoubtedly mankind's greatest attribute... which is why I will focus all of my power to snuff it out.

How does it feel? Knowing that all of your time and effort has been for nothing? That your guardians have failed you? That everything you've built will be torn down before your very eyes?

Your faith in mankind was not misplaced. When banded together, unified by a common enemy, they are a noticeable threat. But divide them, place doubt into their minds, and any semblance of power they once had will wash away.

Of course, they won't realize it at first. Like you, they'll cling to their fleeting hope, their aspirations. But this is merely the first move. So you send your guardians. Your huntsmen and huntresses. And when they fail and you turn to your smaller soul, know that you send her to the same pitiful demise. This is the beginning of the end, Ozpin. And I can't wait to watch you burn.