Fangs of the Exiles

Rated M

Rwby

Summary:

Life is not about what happens to you, but what you make of it... At least that's what everyone says. Two faunus will answer whose way is right, carrying the will of a titanic kingdom while the other, the spirit of one who shouldn't exist. Forgotten, their paths will cross, for better or worse.

A/N:

Buckle up! This is a long chapter! You have been warned!

Chapter 3: Parallels 1

Sango and Elm managed to arrive at the military institution without arousing suspicion from anyone, though the former had to work out a kink in his neck at first. While it was a bit stressful to deal with, it was also needed as the latter was in a brighter mood than many were accustomed to. While she was set to handle training sessions for the day, Sango wanted nothing more than to relax and enjoy the day off.

So, you can imagine his disappointment when he found himself being led down the hallway alongside a certain snow-haired operative.

"Come along, Specialist Bagheera. The general's right this way."

Sango rolled his eyes but said nothing as they entered the conference room. As before, a clean-shaven General Ironwood sat with a man and woman on either side of him, discussing something before noticing the pair enter. The specialists stood at attention, as per the protocol, awaiting acknowledgment.

"Winter. Sango. I'm glad you finally made it," James welcomed.

"Apologies, sir. We would've been here sooner, but tardiness is inexcusable nonetheless."

It took everything in the faunus not to roll his eyes at the obvious attempt at 'kissing up to the boss', but, even he nodded to keep up appearances with the council members. A stout, dark-skinned woman and a taller white man silently consented to the duo's presence, accepting their explanation. Ironwood simply chuckled gently before continuing.

"Well, better late than never, right?" he inquired, watching as Winter turned her gaze away. "Anyway, I won't keep you both long as we have much to discuss, namely the Vytal Festival." Both Winter and Sango exchanged confused glances. "While it's public knowledge that Vale will be hosting this year, there is a new addition to the festivities that I feel concerns you both."

"What would that be, sir?" Sango probed, coolly disregarding the glower from his associate.

"The Vytal Tournament."

Silver eyes cut quickly toward the woman, her weary gaze revealing years of experience and impediment.

"Councilmembers Camilla and Sleet have informed me that there will be a change to the tournament format, or rather, an addition. While the traditional ways of students representing schools will commence as normal, there will also be a second tournament for full-fledge huntsmen and huntresses..."

"...And you want us to participate on behalf of Atlas?"

"No," Councilman Sleet chimed in. "Just Specialist Bagheera."

Sango blinked silently for a few seconds, trying his best to process what he was being told. Had he heard correctly? The Atlesian council wanted him to represent the kingdom! While he recommenced letting his brain reload, the others watched him with worry and apprehension. Finally, he was brought back to the present when he felt a sharp elbow jab into his ribs, right in his old scar.

"Are you alright, Sango?"

"Huh? Oh, uh... Y-Yes sir," he stammered sheepishly. "I just wasn't prepared for such an announcement."

"I can respect that," Ironwood leaned back in his chair. "However, there's more to this than just defending the prestige of our academy and kingdom. You'll be going down to Vale early as both a teacher and an envoy. With that, we'll need you to monitor and report any possible cases of security issues that may harm the celebrations within the upcoming months."

"Teacher?"

"You would be a scout, allowing Atlas to determine whether added resources will be needed upon our arrival. Is that something that you can handle?"

"Of... of course, General." the faunus bowed his head out of respect.

Ironwood mirrored the gesture, watching the feline take his leave.

"Perfect. I'll have the details of your assignment ready in about an hour. For now, I would recommend that you focus on picking a suitable partner for the upcoming tournament," the general proposed, his tone hiding veiled amusement. "I hear that Special Op Ederne is available."

Sango froze in his tracks.

His mind began racing as he cursed inwardly at his lack of restraint at his superior's suggestion. Could he already know about the night before? Was this his way of sending a warning? It was nearly impossible to guess what the man was plotting, serving as an indication of why he held the rank he did. Fuck. FUCK. FUCK! FUCK! His mind chanted, adding to the anxiety as he turned to face the council. Even worse, he could feel the conflicted gaze of Winter Schnee burrowing into his skull.

"E-Excuse me, sir?"

"Looking at your academy records, I found that you and Ederne were once teammates; your chemistry in battle and tactical trials were above satisfactory levels. It's a shame that you were separated so early, you'd probably be the top-ranked pair by now. With her tactical prowess and your unmatched adaptability, I admit that it was a shame to have you apart for so long."

Though he couldn't see it, Sango was silently sighing in relief.

"Well, I suppose I could consider that option, sir! Thank you."

General Ironwood dismissed the operative with a coy grin, allowing the panther to step out of the room. Only when the door shut behind him did he rush to the nearest bathroom. Locking himself in the stall, the panther reached for his chest. However, his digits didn't clutch at his heart, but his side. Underneath, he traced the disfigured flesh with shaky fingers.

"Calm down..." he muttered. "B-Breathe..."

Sango followed his haggard instructions, his chest rising and falling against the rapid rhythm of his heartbeat. The faunus' mind replayed that short but powerful moment. Normally, he wouldn't think twice about such an experience, there was something about the general's energy that slipped past his defenses. Whether it was the conspiratorial tone or the knowing grin, Sango couldn't help but feel himself being taken back to that night.

Not now... he pleaded flashes of the night came back in full force.

That sneer of the person who turned his life upside down. The burning in his side as the blade pierced through. The uncertainty of whether he'd live or die. It all seemed so fresh.

Anger and fear mingled together in the abyss of his stomach, pushing him to hold back the demand to puke. Ironically, the restless Sango felt a little better as he continued gently outlining the scar, granting a sense of relief that began to soothe his tormented soul. Only then did he feel the bubbling subside did he finally open his eyes, recalling his surroundings.

That's right... I'm in the bathroom!

Sango wiped the sweat from his brow, cursing his collapse of composure. What was done was done and there was no use in dwelling on what happened. He didn't know just how long he'd been in the restroom, but he didn't care either if he was being honest. All that mattered was that he needed to pass the time until he was given the details of his upcoming mission.

The mission...

He still had to pick a partner to join him or at least that's what the general suggested. Now that his mind was cleared from the previous episode, the faunus could thoroughly process the general's words. Whether he'd admit to his superior or not, nothing was disingenuous about Ironwood's explanation for suggesting Elm Ederne. They were partners during their academy days and they did display good chemistry before she was placed in the AP ranks, leaving him and their team behind.

He continued to contemplate this choice as he traversed a corridor that led to the data & processing wing. Sadly, he couldn't shake off the thoughts of the night before. While they were devoid of the carnal deed, his chest still rattled with the events after they left the restaurant.

[Sango's Apartment-Previous Night]

Just like that night, Elm found herself resting in her friend's queen-sized bed. After dinner, the two decided to enjoy an evening with old movies and snacks. How she ended up asleep in his room was beyond her, even more so when she realized that the wildcat faunus was nowhere to be found. Still, in her Atlas uniform, Elm decided that if she was going to be resting in someone else's bed, she'd at least be comfortable. She stripped down to her bra and panties, taking special care to keep her attire in the best condition possible by hanging it up in her closet.

"Just like our school days, right?"

Elm nearly jumped out of her skin, instinctively covering her most private areas from the male. In his defense, Sango let out a humorous laugh while she fixed her eyes on him, clearly not amused.

"Do you always, sneak up on a girl when she's naked like a pervert?"

"First of all, you're not naked if you still have something covering you. Two: I just came in to check up on you since you seemed pretty exhausted earlier, and three? It's not right to call me a pervert when I've seen your body before."

That last part made Elm roll her eyes. "We were teenagers...!"

"It was a year after graduation, Elm" he deadpanned.

"You weren't complaining!"

"Neither were you!"

"My point is, you're making a big deal out of nothing," He chuckled. "Now that I know that you're alright, I'll be on the couch. Extra shirts are in the top drawer if you get cold."

As Sango turned to give Elm some privacy, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He found himself spun around rather roughly as he noticed his friend muttering to herself, her gaze pointed downward in a way reminiscent of their academy days. Although he couldn't tell what she was thinking, there was that familiar warmth coursing through him again.

"Something wrong?"

"Ngh... I was wondering if... You'd..." she grumbled. "Forget it."

"What?"

"I..."

"Yes?"

"Would... Would you hold me tonight? Like how we used to?"

Sango Bagheera took her hands into his own, unknowingly making Elm's chest swell. It'd been years since she'd been able to be vulnerable given the state of the military. Soldiers weren't meant to express emotions but, she was still human; a human with simple needs. Ever since they graduated, Elm had grown used to being around teammates with no personal ties, lacking any sort of genuine bond with any of her allies in the Ace-Ops. Whether it was Clover, Harriet, Vine, or the rookie Marrow, she found it difficult to truly enjoy what she did.

But Sango?

Sango was an actual friend. Even still, her training brought with it a sense of guilt as she tried to suppress her emotions. But, after their celebration of his promotion, it was evident that the true Elm had just been dormant within her, bringing both relief and dread to her mind. Still, that war would be put on hold as strong arms wrapped around her.

"No problem..."

"Are you... sure? I don't want to trouble you more than I already have."

"No no-it's alright, come on."

The two made their way to the bed, Elm crawling under the warm covers first. Sango joined her after removing his shirt, leading Elm to swallow a lump that'd formed in her throat as she observed his matured frame under the moon's beams. She praised Oum for her years of composure training or she might've given in to her most primal urges right then and there.

An oblivious Sango simply smiled innocently before joining her, taking care to put himself in a position that was beneficial for them both. Like her, he thanked the brothers for the larger bed and the many options available, though they'd both settle for Elm resting her head on his heart, allowing the steady rhythm to lull her to sleep.

"Goodnight, Elm."

"Goodnight..." she'd yawn, smiling largely.

Sango didn't follow suit right away. Instead, he found himself staring at the ceiling for a few minutes as he contemplated their current situation. He didn't mind this; in fact, he loved being this close to Elm just as much as he did in their academy days. But, he wasn't a fool. He knew how Atlas frowned upon their agents fraternizing with each other while active members. It was why they kept their intimate moments a secret when they were younger and with them being in separate divisions after graduation, it made things easier to avoid such a potential scandal.

But, the panther faunus wasn't too upset as he spared a glance at the resting form of his old friend.

The only thing that would truly do any significant damage is if word got out we were dating...

he smirked bitterly at the idea; being ridiculed and judged by society for mixing business with pleasure. It would create a scandal the likes that neither could afford to deal with. Personally, Sango didn't care about having the judgmental eyes of the world pointed at him; he was used to the treatment given his race. But Elm? He couldn't possibly subject someone he cared about to that fate.

Plus, he feared that it would alienate another ally, the one who changed the direction of his life in ways he could never imagine. But, even he couldn't deny the curiosity that teased his mind.

It wasn't such a bad thing, right?

Perhaps you were just overreacting again? There's no way that Ironsack could know about last night, not that anything happened...

"Shut up" Sango grumbled at the voice in his head.

Fortunately, his voice was low enough that nobody else could hear as he approached the front desk. He inhaled softly before releasing any tension he might've had before smiling at the receptionist, who looked none too pleased.

"Welcome. How may I help you-? Oh! Specialist Bagheera, how are you today?"

"Meh, I've had better days," he stretched casually, making the hamster faunus giggle at his antics. "How are they treating you lately, Hannah?"

Her ears drooped slightly and her scowl returned in quick succession as she returned to her typing.

"Ugh... I wish I could say it's been better," she huffed, glaring at the screen. "But, I only have another week before I'm back on active duty again so, I can stomach this a little longer."

"You're fortunate that they put you on desk duty, primarily after that stunt you pulled during the last Grimm invasion in Mantle."

"It was an accident" she complained.

"You blew up two city blocks..." he deadpanned, clearly not convinced by her argument.

"It got the job done, didn't it?"

"You could've killed dozens if not hundreds." he crossed his arms, his tail pointing accusingly at her.

"It was scheduled for demolition anyway!" she fired back, smirking deviously. "If anything, I saved Atlas a shit-ton of lien on a wrecking crew!"

Sango couldn't tell if the woman was being serious or just poking fun at him with her faulty logic. Either way, it didn't stop the tic from throbbing near his temple; his resistance to pinching the bridge of his nose proved to be a colossal failure. Hoping to stave off a migraine, the panther released his new frustrations before addressing his colleague.

"Your fetish for explosions aside, can you give me the reports for my pay from the last mission?"

"Why? Big plans for a date, lover boy?" This time, Sango wouldn't take Hannah's bait, sustaining his serious glower while she grabbed the printouts. "Oh fine. You know, you can be a real buzz kill, right?"

"Just give me my documents, ya damn pyromaniac!" he finally chuckled, ripping the papers from her hands. The two exchanged a farewell, leaving the hamster faunus to her 'work'.

Meanwhile, Sango had more important things to take care of.

[Beacon Academy]

Today was the day.

Initiation day!

The upperclassmen gathered in the amphitheater, each one savoring the moment when the headmaster launched the new crop of would-be huntsmen and huntresses. Their wait was rewarded when a panicked wail erupted on screen, courtesy of a blond boy; they debated that part. Throughout the moments shown via the camera feeds the auditorium was abuzz with various conversations about the newest crop of incoming students.

First was the aforementioned blond boy who didn't appear to be anything special. Many wondered how he even got this far due to Beacons' rigid selection process.

The same could be said for a certain red-hooded girl, though not for the same reason. Unlike the taller boy, she was a capable warrior in her own right, though her age and inexperience proved to raise a few eyebrows. There was also a certain orange-haired girl who appeared to be hopped up on caffeine and sugar and appeared to be partnered up with a dark-haired boy with a pink streak. There was also another blond who appeared to be extremely carefree, if not short-tempered.

Out of the various groups, Aganju felt drawn to three, in particular, his focus silently rotating between the various screens.

The first was a small girl with snow-white hair that was tied in an asymmetrical ponytail.

Amidst the chatter and noise, he managed to pick up the girl's last name; one that was famous to some but infamous to him and other faunus.

Schnee.

It was a name that usually either struck fear or hatred in the hearts of the faunus. It wasn't that uncommon due to their controversial practices with faunus labor, especially within the kingdom of Atlas. Still, he felt more curiosity than anger upon seeing her, asking himself why she was even in Vale in the first place.

The second was a raven-haired girl with amber eyes. She carried an air of mystery to her, one notably being when he noticed just the slightest hint of her black bow twitch at times. Maybe it was just the wind? One could be forgiven for missing such minute detail, but Aganju was considered to be one of the best in-training huntsmen currently and details were his specialty.

Finally, he noticed a rather tall girl with scarlet red hair. Like the Schnee girl, this huntress kept her hair in a ponytail though she was adorned in armor that gave off the impression she was a capable warrior in her own right. He kept his focus mainly on her as she helped the incompetent blond out with his aura. Even when there were far more interesting and noteworthy moments to pay attention to, the dual-trait faunus kept finding his gaze being pulled to whatever the redhead was doing.

She looked oddly familiar...

"See something you like, Aganju?"

"What?" he blinked several times, finding himself face-to-face with his counterpart, Roxanne. The ram faunus eyed him closely, her lips lifting slyly as the vulpine's face began to heat up.

"Don't play dumb!" she winked smugly, snickering. "I know when you're checking out a girl and it looks like you got your eyes on a few ."

Aganju was not amused at his partner's antics. He turned away, letting his wild black hair shield his features.

"Whatever... I'm just scouting the talent pool."

"Yeah. Between the mysterious girl in black, the strong yet caring warrior, and the forbidden royal, I'm sure you'll find time for 'sparring', right? Or maybe you have another form of exercise in mind, Sugah?"

"Do you ever think about anything besides girls?" Esu finally stepped in, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. When the pair turned, they were greeted with a rare playful smile from the tall dragon faunus. "What our leader does in his spare time is none of our business..."

"Thank you!"

"That being said, knowing what his type would give him some depth so..."

"Okay! That's enough, Esu! Your help is appreciated..."

The group of friends laughed at the vulpine's sarcasm, though he could tell there was no malice behind their jest. Still, he'd be lying if Roxanne's words didn't carry some weight as he returned to the many monitors. That didn't mean the fox would concede to the teasing girl's jabs either. He thought he caught her stealing glances at the monitor that showed the dark-haired mystery girl but, it was the buxom blond who would be the recipient of her attention.

But, seeing the batch of new blood go toe to toe against many different forms of Grimm. From a King Taijitu to a Nevermore to a Death Stalker, he couldn't help but recall his initiation where he and his team were forced to deal with one of the real dangers that lurked outside of the safety of the school grounds.

[Emerald Forest-1 year ago]

The time had come for Aganju to show his stuff!

Of course, what goes up must always come down and the fox was more than prepared as he drew Ngaungis, his double-sided glaive. As a massive tree drew ever closer, he grinned before slashing at it multiple times. This allowed him to pass through the now smaller logs without so much as a scratch while landing on a branch.

He flipped and parkoured over to each nearby limb until he ended up rolling safely on the ground.

"Solid landing..." he chuckled, dusting himself off.

With the landing strategy taken care of, Aganju wondered who he'd run into.

Clutching Ngaungis, he rushed past the trees while keeping an eye on his surroundings. Remembering his previous encounter near Argus, the last thing he wanted was to be caught off guard by Grimm again. The sounds of the ground crunching under his boots were the only sounds that accompanied him until a roar caught his attention followed by a low grunt that forced him to stop dead in his tracks.

"Great..." he rolled his eyes. I hope I don't regret this.

While his mind told him to go on down the path, that nagging feeling in his gut was pulling him to check out the source of that noise. As expected of himself, he followed the sensation in his gut. Rushing past the various bushes and trees, he found a clearing coming into view. It was there that he found a girl with Auburn pigtails fending off a small group of Beowolfs by herself.

From his position, he could tell that she was rather short but, no less capable of handling herself as she landed a solid straight left on a lunging beast, sending it flying into a nearby rock face. Whoever she was, she was pretty adept at combat as she continued to bounce on her toes, ducking and side-stepping plenty of the monsters with expert timing. However, what caught the attention of Aganju was when one of the Beowolfs tried to swipe at her only to land on its face.

Instead of just stepping to the side, the girl spun around, and with the momentum, she punched it on the top of its head smashing it into the ground.

"Whoa!"

"Huh?" she suddenly turned around to finally notice the faunus behind her. This left her wide open for a joint attack from the Grimm who didn't want to waste the opportunity for a potential meal. By the time she could react, she knew it was too late. Two of the evil creatures were already descending on her with little time to defend herself.

Thankfully, the boy was able to slash at the Beowolf before it could take a bit out of her arm. With his blade drawn, he proceeded to slash away at them repeatedly until they fell back in a heap. Another one tried its hand at attacking from the left side only to wind up getting skewered on the end of his blade before being sliced in two when he managed to split the big weapon into two halves.

"Hey! I had it under control!" she screamed at him.

"Doesn't mean I can't help..." he looked back over his shoulder at her indignant expression.

Soon another group of the wolf Grimm began to emerge from the brush and surrounded the two. The girl bumped against him and took her boxer's stance. Aganju, hearing the growls behind them, pressed his back to hers ready to strike.

"Think you can handle them?"

"Prubly..." she replied dryly. "Can you?"

"Did you not just see me?"

"I softened 'em up for ya!"

The fox rolled his eyes and returned his focus to the ravenous Grimm around them. The snarling creatures stalked closer yet, neither Aganju nor the shorter girl showed any signs of being intimidated. Quite the opposite, as they stared at their foes with a focused gaze before leaping at their enemies.

They dispatched the monsters rather easily, each one trying to outdo the other.

"Not bad..." the vulpine stretched, taking in a deep breath. "Um... I never got your name."

Roxanne Octane, the best gearhead in Vacuo! You can call me Roxie though!"

"Aganju Umbrae. Nice to meet you."

The girl held out a hand to Aganju who shook it out of respect.

Surrounding them were the disappearing carcasses of the Beowolfs that failed to defeat them. They each put away their weapons and made their way toward the temple where the relics awaited. It was a rather uneventful trek, but they managed to make it with no other issues unless you'd count the awkward silence between the pair.

"By the way, sorry for throwing you off and... What are you doing?"

The question came as a result of the girl staring at him for an uncomfortably long amount of time. His cheeks became flush at the sudden invasion of privacy yet, it did little to affect Roxanne. This went on for another few seconds before she finally looked away as if she had suddenly realized what she was doing. Those big fiery orbs peered through his emeralds, threatening to burn past his defenses had she not looked away when she had.

"Sorry."

"No problem...?" he replied. "That was just unexpected."

"I didn't mean to stare..." she averted her gaze. "Guess it's 'prubly obvious that I don't get out much. I just remembered that we were s'posed to make eye contact if we're gonna be partners. It's pretty neat to meet another Faunus too, especially one with two traits instead of one.

Aganju took note of her explanation and squinted his eyes when his cognizance hit him.

"You're a faunus too?"

"Of course! Ain't it obvious?" she replied, annoyed when he shook his head. "How on earth can't you..."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

As she was readying to berate him, Roxanne watched as a large amount of her hair flowed in front of her thanks to the wind. Her hair must've come undone during the fight with the Grimm and she was just now noticing it. She quickly grabbed the tufts of hair and, using a tie, regained her pigtails after revealing partially severed ram horns.

Sensing the fox's thoughts, Roxanne just started toward the temple, hiding the shame on her face. Thankfully, Aganju didn't press the issue; something more important awaited them. Heading down the makeshift path, the pair stared at the collection of 'relics', both intrigued by the 'artifacts' resting on the pedestal. To say that it wasn't expected would be an understatement.

They both would have to discuss the oddities later.

They rushed through the forest in hopes of avoiding any more issues. That was wishful thinking as the pair wound up running into a King Taijitu, and running FROM said King Taijitu. Aganju and Roxie gasped for any amount of air as they hacked and slashed their way through various parts of the forest with two large reptile heads snapping at them every few seconds. The former had tried to blast the creature with Nguangus in its bow form, but it only served to infuriate the monster.

After that failed attempt at slowing it down, the two settled on avoiding and outrunning the dual-headed Grimm.

Their efforts brought them to a clearing. With enough space to move around effectively, Aganju chose that moment to morph his weapon back into its glaive form. He then pivoted on the balls of his feet, and shoved the blade into the ground, sending a large amount of dirt and dust into the serpent's eyes. Seeing this, Roxanne used her semblance to make the dust ignite after mixing in fire dust with it, sparking all around the Grimm's unprotected eyes.

With it temporarily blinded, they turned to run again only to wind running into someone.

"Ouch..." the girl groaned while clutching her head. Whatever it was that she ran into, it was sturdy yet, comfortable. It was only when she placed her hand down that she realized something was off. Instead of the hard ground underneath her, she felt strong pectoral muscles underneath the soft fabric. Royal sickly green eyes finally opened to find a dark-skinned boy with fox ears dazed from the impact. "Watch where you're going!"

Aganju managed to shake off the effects, clearly miffed by the girl's rudeness.

"You ran into me!" he growled back, matching her energy.

A tint of pink adorned the orange-haired girl upon his rebuttal.

"W-well, you shouldn't have been standing in the way!"

"Whatever. Would you mind getting off of my chest now?" He shuffled under her. "We're trying not to get eaten here."

That's when the girl saw that she was straddling the male. With wide eyes, she hopped off of the boy as if he'd burned her and began dusting herself off. Meanwhile, Roxanne was busy helping a boy, whom she bumped into, to his feet. Unlike the green-eyed girl, he was more grateful for her assistance.

"What had you both runnin' for the hills like that?" the ram asked before noticing the boy's scales and reptilian tail. "You're a faunus too! Like us!"

"We both are!" the girl protested with a smile, after reaching her feet, giving an animated peace sign. "Esu's a dragon. I'm Scylla and I'm a cobra."

With a smirk, Esu nodded only to remember the big issue that brought them here. His silver eyes shifted back to terror once the ground began to rumble slightly. Sure enough, their pursuers rushed toward them, a partially blinded King Taijitu. It was hardly alone though. It was accompanied by a vicious snarl from one of the three Beowolf that drew the attention of the four.

"Oh great!" Scylla slumped in disbelief. "Does the universe want to add anything to the melting pot?"

Unknown to them, another Grimm would take that invitation. It was on the small side, one of its advantages as it slithers along the back of King Taijitu. It was a small skull-like creature, with three pairs of eyes, a pair of horns, and several tentacles. Soon, it began to extend its tentacles, landing on and freezing the trio of remaining Beowolf. Instantly, they froze in place, their growls soon turning into whimpers as they were drug toward the serpent.

Aganju and the others watched with a mix of shock and disgust as the four hellacious beings suddenly started melding into one another. Their twisted howls and hisses echoed throughout the forest region. Notwithstanding, none of the would-be huntsmans dropped their guard.

"I swear I was just kidding..." the serpent clamped a hand over her mouth, her stomach churning as the grotesque transformation began to reach its conclusion.

"Um... Should we run?" Roxanne backed away.

Silver, violet, orange, and green eyes looked on in horror at the results of the transformation, worry gripping their very souls. No longer were they facing three Beowolf and a King Taijitu. Now they were face to face with something far worse. Three pairs of bloody eyes narrowed at the four students. Three heavily armored heads rested on one body, each snarling or licking its lips in anticipation of their impending meal. Its tail was now split into two snakeheads that swayed with a mind of its own.

Whatever it is, it had just made running no longer an option.

The Emerald Forest shook with a mighty roar.

The ground shook with each step the ferocious Grimm took. A trio of heads lunged and snapped at the foursome who tried to dodge its hungry attempts. Esu and Roxanne did their best to slow the beast down using the latter's dust gauntlets to keep its attention while the former would rush it with his buster sword. Aganju and Scylla took to the trees as they tried to figure out a way to capitalize on the moment, aiming to land on one of its heads.

They were both stopped midair when the Chimera Grimm spun on its heel, lashing its serpentine tail at them. The brunt of the blow forced them into the trees, snapping one in half, courtesy of the vulpine faunus. A horrifying shriek bellowed from the monster as a result before turning its attention to the remaining two.

"Got anything in that bag of tricks of yours, Roxie?" Esu allowed a nervous grin to appear.

"Keep trying to wear it down..."

It wasn't the best plan, but it was better than nothing. The chimera beast began to stalk forward only to freeze in its tracks unexpectantly. Confused, Esu and Roxanne found a recovering Scylla focusing her gaze on the Grimm. Her pale green orbs turned into serpentine slits as she hissed. This was her semblance which she dubbed Medusa's Glare. However, it took a massive toll on her as she slowly limped to her allies.

"Scylla?"

"Hurry up and attack it!" she strained, wincing at the throbbing in her skull. "I can't hold this forever!"

The two heavy hitters agreed and rushed at the beast, each charging up their most devastating assault in hopes of ending things. Unfortunately, being inexperienced in using her ability on such a large creature, the effects would be reduced to slowing the monster's advances. This was all it would need as while it was unable to move away from the attack, the chimera could still use its tails to whip the duo away, sending them crashing into the cobra faunus, effectively knocking them all unconscious in the process.

Meanwhile, Aganju began to stir, his breaths labored. The fox clutched at his head, trying to shake off the cobwebs as the pain dulled. His vision was still a little blurred but he could make out the fallen forms of both Roxanne & Esu as well as an unconscious Scylla. With the Grimm stalking closer to the injured girl, he felt an all too familiar heat build up inside of his body.

Normally, he'd hear the voices taunting and pushing him to that dark place. This time, he didn't hear that but rather, a soft melody playing. It was like the sound of a music box, creepy and eerie in its tune. He pulled himself up to his feet, struggling to get his legs back underneath him again.

"HEY!" he called out to the Grimm, pulling its gaze upon himself. "We have unfinished business!"

As if understanding the boy, the chimera began to threaten him, a low growl rumbling from its belly. Aganju wasn't afraid though, that familiar power within him beginning to shroud his body in a bloody coat. He didn't resist it, allowing the aura to take over his body while the beast began to pick up the pace. Single steps turned from a jog to a full-out sprint as it sought only to devour the first of its many meals. Little did it know, that's what he wanted.

Aganju opened his eyes, a dark sneer stretching his lips as the beautiful violet gems were replaced with red surrounded by the dark abyss glaring back at the rushing monster. He easily leaped back to avoid the first attack then ducked under the second swipe.

He then ran to his weapon with the creature following close behind. The pain in his head began to subside completely just as he clutched his hands around the hilt of Ngaungis and with bloodlust oozing from him, he sprung at the abomination, slashing its right head off in one swipe.

Then another.

and another.

Another.

Each blow from his glaive seemed to cause increasing pain, fueled by the faunus' rage. Amid his wild assault, his blade happened to strike the smaller Grimm that was attached to it, leaving behind the wounded remains of the separated Grimm that made up its former massive form. Soon, he launched one final strike to completely decimate the snake and wolf creature.

It was only a few moments after, but Roxanne managed to snap out of her unwelcome nap feeling like she'd been hit by a bus. That was a pretty accurate comparison once she remembered being hit by the Grimm. Her eyes then immediately shot open upon recalling the current situation. Picking herself up, Roxanne saw her partner standing over the vanishing smoke that showed the sinister beast was no longer alive.

Aganju stood over the fading ashes, triumphant but it came at a price as his figure now held a foreboding spirit. His burning aura slowly began to fade leaving behind a lingering feral presence in the wind. Is this his semblance? She wondered. Or is this something completely different?

Whatever it was that aided, it was enough to stop their toughest enemy to date which meant they were successful in battle, though the price of such power would ring true when the faunus dropped to one knee in exhaustion. Roxanne rushed over to this side, concern adorning her features.

"Are you okay?" she draped his arm over her shoulder.

He turned his head toward her, flashing a tired yet positive smile. Relief washed over the worry, Roxanne smiling back.

"Didn't know you cared so much..."

"Whatever! I just don't want to explain to the others why you died or nothin'." she rolled her eyes playfully.

They both shared a gentle laugh while two groans from behind them drew the pair's attention.

"Did we win?" Esu rubbed his sore neck.

The air around the four began to lift when Aganju nodded. He took a long look at the others, a tiny grin beginning to tug at his lips. For now, they had won! Even with the reminder that they needed to finish the task, one thing was certain:

"Yeah... It's over."

Back in the present, Aganju continued to watch as two of the final teams began to return with their relics. A ghost of a grin would form as he began to make his exit. There wasn't much left for him to see with things wrapping up, and after spending half the day between 'scouting' and reminiscing, he needed a break. After so much action, he needed some food and a nap.

Said break would cost him the remainder of the day as the fox sat alongside the cliffside over the Emerald Forest. By now, it was sunset so all of the first years were either moving into their dorms or partying. He didn't mind taking time to himself as his tail swayed with the breeze. As he gazed upon the scene that lay before him, Aganju found himself lost in thought as he inhaled the sweet air.

"It's very beautiful, isn't it?"

Aganju tensed for a moment, cursing his moment of vulnerability, hearing a soft and cheerful voice as he turned around.

The owner of the voice was a girl with scarlet red hair tied in a waist-length ponytail and green eyes with the most innocent smile he'd ever seen. he noticed that she wore a brown overbust corset with a vertical strip of lighter brown in the center. Additionally, she wore an elastic, black, A-line mini skirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. She wore a red ankle-length sash that wrapped around her skirt. Underneath her hair, she always wore a brown circlet adorned with a pair of small, green, teardrop-shaped emeralds on thin chains. She also sported a large bronze gorget around her neck and a bronze bracelet on the upper half of her left arm.

If one were to glance at her, they'd find themselves rather intimidated by the armored style of dress. However, it was her soft and innocent smile that put such notions to rest.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you!"

"N-No! It's alright!" he tried to console her, coughing nervously. Wait. Why was he nervous? He was a fighter; fear and trepidation were not in his vocabulary. Still, she managed to slip up behind him. Such a blunder could've cost him dearly. "I just wasn't paying attention."

"It still doesn't excuse my abruptness. I could've said something earlier."

He watched as she blushed, sparking something in his chest.

"Seriously, it's alright. No harm."

The girl finally smiled again, much to his gratitude.

"Would you mind if I stood here?"

"Sure."

His shortness with her didn't draw any offense as she smiled warmly before joining him. As she gazed out at the scene before them, the vulpine spared a glance and found that she was truly beautiful as she looked at the scenery, captivated by mother nature's natural appearance. If it weren't for the faunus chocolate complexion, the burning shade of red that surfaced would've been as clear as the skies. Thankfully, he managed to regain his former self before she turned to him.

"Might I ask your name?"

"Huh?" she stared blankly at the sudden request.

"You name. It is customary for friends to share their names, is it not?"

"I don't remember us being friends..." he replied flatly, earning a gasp from the girl. His ear twitched when she began apologizing profusely. "Relax. I was just kidding!"

"Oh! I'm sorry for missing the joke."

"I'm Aganju Umbrae. The leader of Team ASRE."

"Pyrrha Nikos. Member of Team JNPR."

What resulted was a casual conversation about their respective teams, highlighted by the faunus' shock at who her leader was. This earned a hysterical laugh from the girl that sounded adorable to him. They'd carry on discussing the atmosphere of Beacon, him being an upperclassman, and typical teenager things, though that was a grey area given their lack of social interactions.

Still, despite being strangers, there was a sense of familiarity that neither was brave enough to mention...

...at least not yet.

Unknown to one another, they knew each other from before this moment, though there was a sense of enmity that kept them from interacting. Perhaps it was better to leave well enough alone? Thankfully, they were given some grace when Aganju's scroll rang, revealing a message from his partner.

"I should go. It's pretty late..." he apologized, finally relaxing into a grin of his own. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around a lot."

"That sounds wonderful to me! It's nice to have a friend outside of my teammates... Err, I mean...!"

Aganju extended a hand to the girl which she took graciously.

"I think your assumption is correct, Pyrrha! Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable earlier."

The air of awkwardness was heavy, yet neither of them felt out of place with the other. When Aganju extended an offer to escort her back to her dorm, she politely obliged. It didn't take long before they arrived back at the dorms, making it just before the final curfew call. It was a relief that they both lived in the same dorm hall, though Aganju stayed a few floors up. They arrived at the room of Team JNPR, both still trying to know more about the other. Only when they officially did they notice that they were holding hands.

Quickly, they pulled away, clearing their throats and not making eye contact.

"I... appreciate you escorting me to my room."

"It was nothing," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't feel right leaving you to find your way back on your first day."

"Thank you very much" she bowed respectfully before reaching for the door.

"W-Wait..."

"Yes?"

"I, um... Goodnight, Pyrrha!"

"And goodnight to you too, Aganju!"

If at all possible, Pyrrha's smile grew wide and bright before entering her room, and not a second too soon. Just as the door clicked shut, he found his tail wagging violently, contrasting his annoyed scowl. Grumbling to himself, Aganju headed to his team's room in hopes of getting some rest. With school starting soon, the last thing he wanted was a lack of sleep on top of these weird feelings.