Breaking Remnant: Bound by Shadows
Rating: T/M
Series: RWBY
Pairing:
Volume 3: Fall
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:
While this chapter is relatively short, I did make quite a bit of change to it. Along with some omissions, I've added a new scene toward the end of the chapter. FORESHADOWING! Anyway, things are about to pick up, and with literally three chapters rewritten/re-uploaded, I'm going to rest now. I may post another one tomorrow as I'm really trying to catch things up to Volume 8 of the show.
Anyone who's read the original knows that I was working on my own version of the volume but things got severely convoluted so, I'm adjusting things so that it's much more coherent. I may still use what I had after the volume 7 stuff and I may not; who knows? Still, I hope that you all enjoyed these rewrites and I look forward to posting again real soon.
If I don't get another out before the holiday, then Happy Turkey Day or whatever and eat lots of food (within reason haha).
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to RWBY... that honor belongs to Rooster Teeth. I do own the rights to my OCs.
Chapter 12
Inside of a warm room, violet orbs rippled, seeing an eerie radiance surround him, the fragrance of rich oils seizing his senses. Lavender coupled with honey permeated the room as the faunus tried to pick himself up but a piercing ache in his stomach prevented any further attempts. Grimacing, Aganju did his best to steady his breathing as he stared at the faintly lit ceiling. Turning his head, he found that this was due to a large lamp that rested on a nightstand next to him.
Where am I?
As he pondered this, the entrance to the room swung open forcing him to dart up, an act he quickly regretted when he was forced to cringe from the extreme shock coursing through his core.
"You're finally conscious."
He pushed past the throbbing in his gut to notice a brown-skin woman with catlike ears standing in the doorway.
She stepped inside, flashing concern behind her ocherous eyes. Other details discerned were the stripes that adorned her body and wild black, chin-length hair with an asymmetrical bob style. She wore four golden earrings on three of her ears, one each on her Human ears, and two on her left feline ear as well as a small jewel on her forehead.
When she was content with her inspection, the woman let out a sigh of relief.
"Your injury is improving rather well. You're lucky I found you in that cave when I did."
Suddenly, it all came back to him.
The cave. Pyrrha. Raven.
That woman was the reason he was in this shape. She impaled him and left him for dead. She's the one who took...
"Pyrrha! Ow!"
"Lie down, fool! Do you want to open it?!" she scolded only to wince herself. "Dammit..."
The fox groaned softly as he turned to the woman, noticing her holding her chest. By the looks of things, she wasn't in much better shape. He took care to slowly sit up, finding the roles reversed now.
"Are you alright? What happened to you?"
"I'm... fine. Don't worry about me," she replied through grit teeth. "You just hurry up and get better, kid."
Finding a comfortable position, Aganju shifted himself along the side of the bed. From what he could gather, her chest was wrapped tightly with bandages underneath her form-fitting black dress.
"You're not alright... Now, lie down."
"Wha?! Unhand me!"
Though she tried to resist, the tiger faunus inevitably ended up in the bed, pouting like a spoiled brat who'd been told they weren't getting dessert. Nobody puts their hands on her without her approval, even those outside of her inner circle knew this, and yet, the fox didn't hesitate. Either he was completely clueless about her identity or he really didn't care about his own wellbeing.
For his sake, she hoped that it was the former.
As she sat there trying hard to hold back the blush from his casual deed, the feline noticed the boy starting to get dressed as he was only wearing a pair of black boxers previously. She had to admit that he was rather attractive but, given his age, there was no way that she was crossing that line. She took her mind off of that forbidden door by noticing that he had not one but two faunus traits, dark grey ears, and a tail.
"Where are you going?"
He said nothing as he pulled his pants on.
"You haven't fully recovered yet..."
Still, he didn't reply, choosing to focus on trying to find his shirt.
"Listen to me, brat!" she yelled, trying to talk some sense into him.
"I have a name! It's Aganju!" he fired back. His eyes turned red with a fire smoldering behind them but, that wasn't what would cause her to falter as she gawked at him. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"A-Aganju?" her voice was no higher than a whisper. "What is your last name?"
He raised a brow, signaling his confusion.
"I took the name Umbrae when I was little. Why"
For the first time since meeting her, the woman silently chuckled. Her gaze soon turned from overbearing to one of endearment. She held her chest, not out of pain, but to touch her swelling soul. That optimism quickly turned to grief, complimented by her ears splaying back. There was something about this boy, something that reminded her of a time long forgotten.
It seems we have much to discuss.
[Xiao-Long Residence]
The door to the Xiao Long family shed was opened by the girls with Yang leading the way. Inside, the ram looked around only to see a rather large object covered by a tarp. Before she could inquire further about it, she watched as the blond, now with a newly painted arm, pulled it back to reveal her motorcycle. It took everything in Roxanne not to start gawking in amazement at such a fine vehicle.
"Sweet ride," she crossed her arms.
"I agree." Both girls felt their skin nearly leap off of their bodies upon hearing Tai Yang's voice behind them. Turning around, they saw the man leaning against the doorframe with an amused smirk. "But, I don't remember saying that you were ready..."
"Oh yeah? You gonna try and stop us?" Yang challenged.
Tai simply chuckled.
"No. I think I'm still sore from our last fight. I just wanted a better goodbye than a letter and, I also have a question for you," he noticed that the Faunus girl was about to step out only to stop her dead in her tracks. "Both of you."
Yang and Roxanne looked at one another, neither knowing what to expect from the older man.
"Where are you going?"
"What do you mean?" Yang raised an eyebrow.
"Well, despite asking him numerous times not to, I know that Qrow told you where your mother's been at these days. I know how much you want to see her. I've stopped you in the past, but not anymore." he sighed. "And we both read the note. We know your sister is headed to Mistral."
He then turned his attention to Roxanne who still wondered what he wanted to ask.
"As for you, young lady, I've come to see you as my own daughter after these last few months. It's not every day that someone chooses to stay behind and help to cheer up my sunny dragon. You not only did that, but you seemed to have sparked something in her. I don't take that lightly." Roxanne couldn't hold back the warmth in her cheeks.
"You do?" she didn't care that she sounded wanting.
"Of course! You're certainly a member of this family as far as I'm concerned. Plus, if it means anything to you two, I approve."
Both girls instantly tensed up, their entire faces turning beet red upon hearing the father's support.
"How did you...?"
"It doesn't matter. What does matter is that you're both happy and willing to look out for each other going forward?" They slowly nodded. "Good. So, where are you going?"
Yang and Roxanne exchanged a glance before looking back at Tai Yang with confident grins.
[Branwen Tribe Camp]
The clouds above rumbled in the distance, signaling an impending storm. On the outskirts of Amestras, the Branwen tribe made preparations to withstand the rains and keep their location hidden from would-be travelers. However, deep with the back of their compound, a large cage sat, hidden from sight thanks in part to the largest tent shielding it from view.
Inside, sat the constrained form of Pyrrha Nikos. It had been at least a week since she'd been taken captive by the Branwen tribe and by the looks of things, she still hadn't recovered from the traumatic memory of her companion and sweetheart being cut down before her eyes. Since being taken prisoner, she hadn't had a decent shower. Her eyes had dark bags under them; her glare appearing more vicious than intended as a result. She hardly ate the food they brought her due to a lack of appetite.
She just spent days staring off as if waiting for something or someone to appear.
Vernal was currently watching over the warrior with boredom. She hardly said anything over a barely audible hush. The only interesting thing of note that occurred throughout her watch duty came when she noticed the rain beginning to come down. Vernal looked on as Pyrrha didn't even flinch from the harsh and icy tempest drenched her, soaking her clothes to her skin.
"I could get you a blanket," she offered. "I doubt it could take the place for the warmth of your lover."
Pyrrha didn't answer.
She instead tilted her head toward the sapphire orbs, a dark and crazed soul threatening to break out from her vengeful gaze. Even in spite of her safety due to the conditions set in place, Vernal couldn't shake off the faint feeling of anxiety slithering around her spine.
The only one not affected appeared from the back of the massive tent her mask once more concealing her features.
"Make any face you want, girl. It doesn't change the truth."
She didn't have to say it, words designed to invoke rage out of the scarlet-locked warrior. Raven Branwen knew exactly what implications she was making and she didn't care. The past was the past; unchangeable. The slow-burning rage flickered behind her prisoner's green eyes, a look she seemed to revel in as Pyrrha bit down on her lip. The tiny rise and fall of her chest was just another indication of her trying to keep herself from completely losing it.
"I wonder... How could a monster like you have given birth to an amazing person like him?"
Raven turned to her subordinate who looked perplexed at such a random question. The leader shook her head before turning to leave, she had other pressing matters to attend to and she wasn't about to waste time on pointless rhetoric. Vernal could feel that something was off but, she would say nothing. Only a passing glance to the intensely glaring girl was spared before she too left, leaving Pyrrha to shiver from the combination of her boiling blood and the frigid rain.
After reentering the tent, she finally removed her mask, revealing dark bags under her eyes. She thanked the gods she maintained her composure, especially when the girl mentioned her son. In truth, she'd been haunted by her actions, resulting in little to no sleep. It wasn't completely clear to the members of her tribe, but there were some signs that something was bugging her.
Anytime she would try to sleep, she'd see that image of the fox-boy, eyes wide in horror when she revealed herself to him; a secret he'd come to take to the grave it appeared. This wasn't new to Raven, she'd done this before. Assassinations. Executions. Whatever was necessary for her, and the tribe's survival, she never hesitated to do so, and yet, she felt something eating away at her very soul.
That damning sensation didn't stop her though. She went about things as if nothing was wrong but, it was clear that there was more to things than just a simple killing. Of course, the girl didn't make things any better; How dare she judge her? Everything she did was for the good of the tribe.
Right?
The moment she questioned her resolve, that was the moment her humanity returned. There was no way she could convince the demons in her head that her actions were warranted. What could justify killing a boy not even eighteen years old? How could anybody declare the life of one so young to be expendable? Was she happy with what she achieved?
Raven stared at the floor as the rain pounded against the roof of her shelter. The sounds of the increased torrential downpour gave her the obvious answer. Still, her pride wouldn't admit that maybe... just maybe she was wrong. A single tear broke through her defense combined with her lip quivering with every replay of that event.
But, like with all things in her life, she forced herself to ignore the daunting hands clutching at her spirit. The voice of her lieutenant called out to her, forcing her to take a deep breath before putting on her mask once more.
"The weak die so that the strong survive." she recited to herself.
The doors opened to Salem's chamber, revealing two figures. The taller of the two entered first, tailed by the shorter feminine form. Salem looked over with a straight expression as the pair bowed their heads respectively.
"Cinder, please wait outside."
The dark-haired woman opened her mouth to wheeze out her objection, but a glower directed at her shut that down. She took her exit, letting out a silent growl to pour out of her mouth as she shut the door. This left the green-haired girl to face the pale white woman alone.
"Emerald? Do you know why I summoned you?"
"N-No ma'am..." she didn't dare look her in the eye. "I don't."
Salem stood from her chair, causing Emerald to flinch despite being on the other side of the room; the power dynamic clearly visible between the two. She slowly walked over to the girl, sensing her fear growing stronger with each step forward.
"I'm curious about a certain faunus and I believe you can help me."
"I- I can?"
She stopped, leaving only a couple of inches between them; she could literally taste the girl's fear when she leaned forward.
"I want you to tell me about Cinder and this faunus she's so intent on destroying."
"What?" she gasped only to bow her head in submission once more. "I'm sorry. What do you mean exactly?"
Salem simply placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, feeling the air of trepidation course from the subordinate.
"While I don't know his name nor identity, I've sensed that she clearly has ties to him. While the silver-eyed girl can be explained, this nuisance has far greater value to young Cinder. So, I'm going to ask you a few things pertaining to Beacon's fall, and I want you to tell me everything you know. Understand?"
"Y-Yes ma'am...!"
With that, Salem walked back to her seat, ushering Emerald to join her with a gentle yet looming smile.
"Come. Sit," she extended a hand. "We have much to discuss."
The gulls above cawed as they sought refuge before the night overtook the skies. Nothing but water for miles would greet them while the sun nearly completed its descent behind the horizon. A large ship cruised steadily down the ocean face. Onboard, a pair of fiery orbs looked out at the pure scene behind her. While the sunset was beautiful in its own right, she preferred to watch the stars in the clear royal blue sky while leaning against her orange/black motorbike.
"Hey," she was pulled from her thoughts upon hearing the sound her a certain blond-haired girl. "What do you think?"
Yang now wore a tan jacket with orange lining and gold edging, unzipped halfway to show an orange crop top. The coat has darker brown short sleeves, a thick collar that completely encircles her neck, and two long gold-trimmed rectangular tails and fitted black pants. To say that she looked amazing would've been out of character for her, but, the slight tint of pink said enough.
"Y-You clean up alright. Better than the sweats and t-shirt combo." she joked.
"Oh please, I don't recall you having a problem with that look when we were... Mppfh!"
It was a close call, but Roxanne Octane managed to clamp her hand over Yang's mouth, preventing her from spilling their personal business to a couple passing by. As they walked by without a single glance, she finally removed her palm, mainly due to her partner licking her hand.
"Gaahh! Really, Yang?"
"What? I can't help that you taste good."
The ram opted not to bite at the obvious bait, instead, raising an annoyed brow.
"Mhmm... So what's up? Did you get our cabin?"
"Yep! We just need to lock up our bikes and we can go inside."
Roxanne nodded in understanding but made no move to head inside just yet. There was still so much on her mind. Meanwhile, Yang couldn't help but take in the sight of the girl's new wardrobe.
A long sleeveless black and orange windbreaker rested over a skintight, half-cut black muscle shirt that showed off her toned midsection. Her arms were covered by gypsum arm-sleeves, specially crafted to aid in the use of her semblance as well as hide the burns. Instead of pigtails, her auburn hair was now tied in a high updo ponytail. Lastly, she traded in her jeans for black leggings that were tucked in dark brown boots to complete the look.
"Gotta hand it to you, Roxie. You look amazing yourself!"
"Thanks..."
"Alright, what's wrong? You're mopier than usual; like, Blake level mopey."
"Coming from miss sighs-a-lot. I lost count of how many times you exhaled depression!" she countered with a giggle before finally calming down. "I'm just a little nervous. Between your dad helping me get this bike and our journey to Mistral, I was just wondering about our friends..."
"...and your team?" Yang added.
"It's weird knowing that Aganju is just wandering Remnant. I know he can handle himself, but he is my partner after all. We've been friends ever since our initiation and yet, it's been so long since I've seen any of them," she sighed. "After hearing about Scylla, I've become a little paranoid sometimes. Of course, Esu's disappearance didn't help either."
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, orange and lavender locked onto one another, neither backing down. That hand soon slipped into the Faunus' as her gaze softened.
"You've grown and I'm more than willing to bet that they've all been hard at work getting stronger themselves. I can't guarantee that things will be the same but, things will be okay. But, I understand how you feel."
"You do?"
"Of course! I miss my sister, and Weiss too. But, I know that they're going to be alright until I get my hands on Ruby."
"What about Blake?" Roxanne hated how sad her words sounded, but she didn't show it.
Yang stared out at the seemingly endless expanse of water, not even blinking as the dusk kissed her face. What about the cat-girl who just ran off? What did she truly think about her sudden disappearance after Beacon fell?
"It hurt..." Yang placed her free hand over her chest. "She just ran away when I needed her the most. I felt betrayed and yet, I learned something important in spite of that pain."
"What's that?"
"While Blake will always be my friend, I had to open my eyes to find that I could have more. Every moment you spent helping and comforting me; every argument, every training session. You've not only been a good friend but I'm glad to say that you've become more to me too. Yes, I miss Blake. But, I also hope that she's safe too."
Hearing this, Roxanne pulled Yang into a headlock, but instead of ruffling her hair, she surprised the blond by embracing her. In fairness, Yang was now afraid when this happened. Sure, she's experienced soft moments with Roxanne, but this was taking the cake given that this was unprovoked. No argument. No training. Just gentleness.
Roxanne capped this off by kissing her temple before releasing the stunned girl. So many thoughts crossed Yang's mind until she witnessed the ram frown softly at her.
"This stays between us... Clear?"
"Crystal!" she chuckled only to hug the Faunus right back, much to her disdain. "But, it's nice to know you're soft on me."
"I. Am. Not. Soft!" she grunted while trying to tear herself apart from the girl.
Even with the overexertion of PDA, Roxanne couldn't deny that she enjoyed Yang's attitude as the stars overhead shined brightly. She figured that she'd enjoy the peace of these tender moments. Once they dock, it would be all business. From finding Ruby and the others to possibly running into Yang's mom. As they embraced, her mind began to wander on her own teammates.
Can we get back to a happy place? We've suffered so much pain and sorrow
After yesterday is there any way we can trust tomorrow?
Will we go through life filled with strife like it's torn and tattered?
Can we keep this up when we all know that every hope has
After months following the school's defeat, Scylla had a small monument placed over her grave, a sign of respect from the citizens of Vale. While this did little to curb the discrimination toward faunus as a whole, it was a gesture well received. The culprit was never found, but it was clear that whoever was responsible, they were an expert in assassinations.
Her death deeply impacted Roxanne and Aganju as they both felt as if they'd lost their little sister.
And the lesson isn't new
That some dreams just can't come true
When it finally falls and the battle's through
When our faith is gone and there's nothing left to lose
Aganju, having recovered from his near-death experience, trained with the woman who saved his life.
After speaking with her, he learned that her name was Sienna Khan, the former leader of the White Fang and many other things involving his past.
It was grueling work, but he soon got back to form. Now, he was meditating with the woman who treated him like a true son. His attire remained the same, though his sleeveless avant coat now bore the emblem of a grey wolf's face with eyes black as the night. He also cast aside the old scarf he always had since he was a child, replacing it with Pyrrha's scarlet scarf.
Meeting Sienna was possibly the best thing to happen to him as she pushed him but she also comforted him when he needed it. She knew what he wanted and she knew how far he was willing to go to get it. Amidst the sweat and aches, he'd look over to his new mentor, who stood in front of him with arms folded and a smirk on her lips.
"Are you ready?"
His eyes looked back at the tigress with new-found.
Pyrrha. Do you believe...?.
Little did he know, the dangerously silent Pyrrha Nikos, bound and caged let the tiniest of smiles tug at the corners of her lip. She didn't have to hear him, she felt his words.
She may have imagined it, but the feeling it gave her was as real as her situation. Placing her hand on her chest, she closed her eyes, relishing the first feeling of warmth she'd felt in nearly a month. She parted her lips, letting out a sound no bigger than a whisper.
"Yes..."
Let's just live, just one day, let's forget about our problems
Let's fall in love with life and just be free
The sun will never fade, the night won't steal our day
Let's dance and laugh and love and let's just live
After speaking with Emerald in private, Salem traversed the halls of her estate. As she crossed down to the deepest levels of the castle, her steps would be the only thing to accompany her. She found comfort in this. No Tyrian gushing over her. No Watts and Cinde bickering about their roles. No complaints from Hazel.
It was paradise hearing her heels click against the stone steps. Deeper and deeper she moved until she came across a lone door. Behind it, the sounds of combat could be heard. No, this was something else. It was far too ferocious to just be a battle cry. Her lips tugged upward into a sinister grin as she opens the door leading within the pitch-black room.
Bloodlust.
Oh, how she relished that sensation. But, there was no time for such luxuries, not when there was work to be done and plans to enact. Her bloody gaze fell upon a lone figure who'd just finished running their hand through the gut of a Grimm. She snapped her fingers, causing a trail of torches to ignite, thus revealing the identity of the inhabitant.
As he turned to her, his accursed gaze filled with a craving for more destruction, Salem rested the back of her hand under her chin in intrigue. They remained that way until the male's demeanor shifted to a more... civilized appearance. The fury that once resided there was now replaced with knowing respect as he kneeled before her.
"How is she?"
"Young Cinder's recovery, while arduous, is moving steadily along. She's begun to regain her voice and is resuming her training even as we speak."
The young man let out a sigh of relief, though he quickly hardened himself. Here, he couldn't show any weakness. With Tyrian having returned, such an idea was begging for death. Despite this, Salem's gentle smile never left as she approached him.
"Are you ready to see her?"
He inhaled deeply, careful not to be so hasty in his answer.
"Only if you deem me ready..." He answered, only to feel a ghastly white hand rest on his sweaty shoulder.
"That's not what I asked you. I asked if you are ready to see her again." The male nodded silently, mentally kicking himself for his blunder. "Very well... I've arranged for you to join her and Watts as they will be speaking with some contacts about the plot to take down Haven academy. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again after all of this time..."
"And... What is my role in this plan, Queen?"
Salem inspected his curiosity before proceeding.
"You are to remain in the shadows, your eyes will keep watch over the White Fang. No matter what, you are not to reveal yourself to any of her allies. If any of them show even the slightest sign of betrayal to me, eliminate them. I will call for your report after you've returned. Am I clear?"
He flexed his muscular arm, blackened with white spines protruding through his right shoulder and elbow.
"Crystal."
"Good. You will depart in half an hour."
