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:
Chapter 6: Baring Our Fangs-1
[Vale/Commercial District]
The city of Vale was abuzz with life. The late morning sun blessed the land with its tender rays as the residents were energetic throughout the shopping district. Even the old man shopkeep wore a smile on his face as he put the finishing touches on his grand re-opening sign. However, the pleasant feeling did little to help when the elder Dust shop owner slipped down one of the rungs only to land on his behind.
Before he could gather himself, the old man was greeted by soft and light-hearted giggling. His old eyes spotted a young woman with medium-brown skin and dark-red eyes looking back at him. Her hair was a light, mint green with a straight fringe and bangs as well as two long locks on each side in the back. Accompanied by a considerate smile, she did not indicate danger.
"Excuse me... Sorry. I'm not from around here. " She helped him to his feet before pulling out a small piece of paper with what appeared to be an address written on it. "Would you mind pointing me in the direction of this shop?"
Shopkeep studied the information for a few seconds only to smile out of realization. He pointed the girl in the direction behind her and waved goodbye as she thanked him. Little did he know, his kind gesture would have severe consequences for his entrepreneurial colleague. Such a sweet man couldn't even protect himself from being pickpocketed. How could he have known what awaited the faunus?
After leaving the shopkeep, Emerald traversed several blocks alongside her associate, shooting the breeze about their mission. So engrossed in their conversation, neither noticed two faunus discussing their disappointment about the owner preparing to shut his doors for good. The two were engrossed in the books they managed to acquire, that neither the fox nor the feline considered the significance of the green-haired passerby.
What was thought to be just a simple girl was simply a veil that hid the claws of a beast.
Claws that would soon be drenched in blood.
Several months passed and the students were settling into the culture of Beacon, each one filling the campus with talks of the upcoming Vytal Festival and the influx of students that would be coming from the other kingdoms. Elm found it rather interesting how eventful the kingdom of Vale had become once she settled in as a professor. Sure, there was the issue of her 'rivalry' with Professor Peach every so often but even that didn't seem to trouble her too much.
Even more fascinating to the Atlesian was the way her companion took to the kingdom so easily. The awkward faunus she grew up knowing from their academy days seemed like a distant memory as he took to the role of a teacher like a fish to water. Confidence. He was still a man of secrets, but there was something different about the way he carried himself. Even now, Elm was busy watching the panther carrying some boxes upstairs with an amused grin.
He's such a character... she shook her head, her face tightened up to hold back the laugh at his expense.
With the new semester starting up soon, the pair were just getting settled into their apartment within the school grounds. She loved how he was willing to aid her despite her capabilities to handle the heavy lifting. It was endearing as he worked himself while she sorted things out in the living room of their new apartment.
Their home; she couldn't blush at the thought of it.
Their residence was nothing short of quaint, yet it was spacious enough for the pair. Two floors, plenty of room for recreation, what more could they ask for? It was only a few minutes away from the campus so there was no issue of commute. But, there was still concern about her partner that itched her brain. All of this happened shortly after telling her about his impromptu meeting with Ozpin.
Was he to be trusted?
"Sango, you know I could help if you need me!"
"I got it, Elm!" he grunted, trying hard to maintain his footing. "Don't sweat the heavy stuff."
She simply giggled at his attempt to sound macho, it quickly shifting into a full eruption of laughter when the sound of boxes falling was overshadowed by what hinted at a groan from her colleague.
"Are you okay, Sango?" she called, her sing-song tone thinly veiling her amusement at his plight. She received a grumble for her efforts which drew her from inspecting her hammer Timber. Her lips curled downward when no further noise followed. "Sango?"
She climbed the stairs and found the panther sitting on the floor, surrounded by the boxes he'd dropped earlier. To her surprise, his tail was swaying happily while his head was buried in a book. Only after he let out a low chuckle did he finally acknowledge her, a broad smirk coupled with the gentle gaze of silver.
"Whatcha got there, stud?"
"My old graduation photo..." he pointed to an image of himself standing awkwardly between two individuals. The first was Elm herself, flexing for the camera with her signature big smile. The person on the other side was none other than Winter Schnee, her astute posture countering her carefree style. "You have no idea how nervous I was that day."
"You had us to cheer you on!" Elm flashed her pearly whites once again, mirroring the past picture. "Hard to believe it's been years since that night."
"Yeah. Between your cheering and Winter's clapping, it helped make the walk a bit easier. You two were the closest thing to family I had at the academy."
Elm took a spot next to him, still grinning at his graceless position.
"In a way, we were family," she sighed, finally allowing her dismay to display. "Whether people will admit it or not, Winter was viewed as either a fool for leaving her father's fortune and status behind or just a pawn for the man to take control of the military ranks despite her gaining her position through her merit. You were looked down upon for obvious reasons..."
"The charity case..."
Elm bowed her head in shame at the truth behind his words.
"...and I? I was just a meathead who was wanted only because of her strength. Some people still wonder whether I was gifted a spot as one of the Ace Ops, never once considering that maybe I was smart enough to be there..."
"Didn't Clover and the others think highly of you?" Sango slowly turned his gaze to the Amazon.
"Of course! Clover is always the first to remind me that I'm more than just the hammer-swinging grunt. Even Vine mentions my tactfulness every so often after missions. But... Well, you know the rest. We're more like a group of individuals who work well together thanks to our semblances. Not like you..."
Sango said nothing. Instead, he hugged the woman, pulling her close until her head was resting on his shoulder. It reminded him of their brief time together at the academy before their separation. To the world, she was a member of the famed Ace Ops, the best of the best amongst Atlas' ranks. But, to him...?
"You're still my best friend, Elm. Nothing could ever change that..."
Elm sniffed back a few tears and hummed her gratitude before finally shifting against him. Sango figured it was due to her still being a bit emotional but, only she knew the truth of her hasty movement.
"Thanks," she whispered, biting her lip. "We should clean this mess up though."
Sango laughed at her insistence, silently agreeing before gathering up the boxes. He grabbed one of the smaller boxes and took it to the bathroom leaving the woman to ponder their moment of vulnerability. She could feel her throat hitch a bit as she continued to stare at his graduation photo. Though he didn't care to confess it, she recalled how shocked he was to see them there that night.
While most eyes were filled with disinterest or contempt, the sight of Winter and Elm acknowledging his accomplishment was enough to make him almost cry, hence the lopsided grin. She loved that about him. After that, they'd see one another from time to time when they weren't on missions or whenever they both had an off day. She secretly thanked the brothers for another chance to strengthen their friendship.
"Dammit, Sango..."
The next morning sparked the beginning of training match-ups in preparation for the Vytal Festival. Many of the students who were there to partake sat around the small arena while Glynda Goodwitch officiated the battles. Among the appointed teams, there were some guests from Mistral who also attended the practices; one couldn't be too prepared, right?
Amongst them sat the exchange professors, Elm & Sango, each one observed for a different reason.
For the latter, it was interesting seeing so many faunus students engaging with their human counterparts, either matching or exceeding expectations. Blake wasn't built for one on one combat, at least not against those who excelled in that style, yet she held her own against her opponent. After her bout, he was impressed with a vulpine faunus named Aganju who achieved victory against one of Atlas' finest students, Kobalt. He even took notice of a blond monkey faunus with a carefree nature, sparking a little jealousy from the panther.
He's a free spirit... Sango chuckled.
For Elm, she simply enjoyed the battles, observing with pride the results of her training. With that being said, the special operative wasn't oblivious to the atmosphere around her. For starters, she could feel the eyes of a certain professor burrowing into her skull; Professor Peach. She could see the woman glaring in her peripheral vision but she wouldn't acknowledge it.
There was something far more pressing on her mind.
There was also a trio of students who hailed from Haven Academy; one of them being a certain dark-skinned girl with mint-green hair who was currently watching a rather interesting matchup between Pyrrha Nikos and a certain grey-haired boy by the name of Mercury Black. The fight was competitive despite Pyrrha being slightly fatigued from a previous exhibition against Cardin Winchester and his team. Despite this, she was not only holding her own against Mercury but, she held the advantage throughout the fight.
During this period, the pair paid close attention to the combat styles of both warriors.
Seeing one of her top students holding her own against yet another arrogant punk was more than worth the price of admission. Every kick he fired at her would wind up blocked by her shield. He'd counter with a solid back kick that knocked her spear off to the side, leaving her seemingly unable to mount a solid offense. It looked like he would finish things off with a simple roundhouse kick only to have it expertly waved off though, she didn't touch him.
Mercury appeared more delighted than upset, however.
He managed to turn and avoid a full-on bumrush from Pyrrha, using the gun barrels at the bottom of his boots to bounce off of her shield. This didn't deter her as she kept charging forward, ready to deal the final blow of the match.
"I forfeit..." he called out, surprising nearly everyone watching.
Even Pyrrha herself gasped in shock before narrowly avoiding running out of the ring.
"You... don't even want to try?"
"What's the point?" he shrugged lazily. "You're a world-renown fighter. We're obviously leagues apart."
Green eyes glared at Mercury Black, clearly not buying his disingenuous remark; her hand now on her hip to emphasize her irritation as Professor Goodwitch stepped in.
"In that case, Pyrrha Nikos is the victor of the match... again. Next time, you may want to think a little harder before choosing an opponent."
"I'll be sure to do that," he gave the professor a thumbs up before walking off.
"That is all for today! Remember, the dance is coming up but you all have your first missions the day after." Glynda announced. "I will not accept any excuses."
Sango and Elm watched as the students began to file out, each one concerned for their reasons.
"I'm going to go check on the students," Sango nudged the larger woman with his elbow. "Professor Peach and I have been tasked with making appointments with them to ensure their mental health is sound."
As he headed up the stairs, Elm felt that same feeling from earlier beginning to worm its way into her chest.
"Alright, but..."
"Something wrong?" he blinked, oblivious to her nerves.
"Um, try not to overwork yourself," she lied with a huff. "We're both supposed to be chaperoning the dance tonight."
"Oh! Okay...? I'll be there..."
Sango rubbed his neck with a sheepish grin before leaving Elm in the combat room. Only then did she finally let out a sigh, cursing herself for displaying cowardice.
"Dammit, Elm... Way to blow it."
"Sounds about right to me," a voice all too familiar to the Atlesian chimed in. Elm could only roll her eyes before facing the woman, a discontent scowl sending a clear warning to the smaller woman. "Relax. I'm not here to start a fight. I'm simply agreeing with you; it's so obvious that you have a little crush on Mr. Bagheera, or am I mistaken?"
"Mhmm... If only you were as skilled at minding your business as you are assuming things, perhaps you'd be a bit more tolerable."
"Sticks and stones, Miss Ederne," Olivia Peach feigned distress from Elm's barb. "I would hope that with a new semester, we'd be able to get off on the right foot this time around?" When Elm's frown remained firm, she continued. "While I understand your... hesitance, I assure you that I truly think of you both as a rather interesting couple."
"Really?"
"Of course! Why, with you both being from Atlas and graduating from the academy, it's a solid start. You both were sent here as part of the exchange program so there's something in common there as well. You both just moved in together, if I'm not mistaken. It only makes sense that you would want to ask him to be your date for the dance. Plus, I've seen the way you look at him when he's not looking."
Elm felt a wave of heat surge to her face at the mention of what she thought was a mystery.
"I... I don't know what..."
"But, then again, it's not like this has happened before... right?"
The question alone held no significance, but rather, it was the knowing tone of Olivia's that made the room feel colder for the specialist. Elm felt frozen in dread, her eyes growing in size at the sudden recall of her early years at the academy. The night that only held a single breath of optimism for her. Her mind wasn't kind enough to draw upon that memory though, rather, it chose to highlight all of the melancholic events of that horrible night.
But, how could this woman be so confident about something she'd know nothing about?
Unless...
"Are you starting to realize it, Elm?" the typical politeness in Olivia's voice gave way to a more sultry and enchanting one. "Honey orange? Ring a bell?"
NO! Her mind screamed in horror. Nevertheless, her body remained rooted. "How do you...?"
"It was the color of the dress you wore to the Winter Formal, right before Odion made you look like a fool in front of the student body. You immediately ran off and sought comfort with a certain faunus after being attacked by the other girls. Correct me if I missed something?"
Finally, the Amazon managed to gather her words, swallowing the lump in her throat first.
"Who are you?"
"You don't recognize me, Elm? Team S.B.L.E.?"
The mention of such a team name provoked a pang within Elm's stomach. There was no doubt about it, visual was uncanny as she stared in horror at the woman across from her. The sensations burning through her body were only another clue as she struggled to catch her breath. "It's you?!" she forced out a whisper. "L...?"
"Lilith Tortuga" the woman turned her nose up at the prone operative. Her eyes blazed with a sinister fury that would've made anyone wet themselves; her wicked grin did little to remove such a devious expression. "Former member of Team Sable and the Ace-Ops, though I'd prefer Olivia Peach."
Elm watched as she gave a dramatic bow, smirking darkly at her former companion.
"How are you here?"
"It's a long story, E... Neither of us has the time nor the will to discuss this in detail."
"You deserted your team..." Elm seethed, rage beginning to settle in her heart. "You're the threat!"
"Hmmm? Oh no," Peach or Tortuga let out a mocking laugh. "I didn't leave the Ace Ops, Elm. I was kicked out... Left to die during one of our missions in the tundra. You all left me to freeze in that frozen wasteland... all over a disagreement."
"You ignored directives!"
"I did what was right!"
"You never defy orders!" Elm growled only to feel the stillness weigh down on her more.
"He told us to bomb an entire village just to smoke out a mass of Sabyrs! There weren't even Grimm near there. Ironwood had us attack innocent people under the guise of eradicating the Grimm."
Despite her anger, Elm found little fault in the now seething woman. "Lilith...! Is that why you're doing this?"
"No..." Lilith Tortuga took a deep breath, allowing her to regain control of her semblance. The pressure eased up on Elm though she remained in place. "I honestly made peace that you are a devoted dog of the military. I'm not even mad when I heard you all replaced me."
"Then why?"
"Because of him..."
"Sango?" Elm raised a brow in confusion. "What does he have to do with this?"
"I ended up relocating to Vale after you left me to die and, honestly, I'm happy here. But, I hate you Elm for hurting him... When you were promoted to the Ace Ops program, you left us to fend for ourselves. Sure, I was promoted after, but I still stayed in Sango and Chesire's life. You have no idea how hurt he was when you ignored him to be with Odion only to come crawling back when he pulled a prank on you."
"I didn't know... You know it wasn't my call to leave, Lily!"
"Tell that to Baldr! Oh, wait... You can't, can you?" the faunus flashed an unhinged grin, once again giving that knowing tone as she knelt face-to-face with Elm. Her eyes burned deep into the Atlesian's soul. "The damage you caused us is irreversible, but I warn you, Elm. If you hurt Sango again, you will regret it."
"Do you think I'm scared of you? I'll just inform the general of your status and..."
"We both know why you're here with Sango and it's NOT to teach students, well at least that's not YOU'RE reason for being in Vale. It would be a shame if someone were to reveal your true intentions, it would crush him. I suggest you keep your mouth shut about me and everyone continues to move smoothly. The last thing we want is for 'complications' to ruin a good thing. As far as we're concerned, this conversation never happened."
Elm remained silent, her anger melting away at the revelation; the weight of the world crashing down upon her shoulders. Their former teammate was alive after all of these years, unforgiving toward her. Baldr was believed to have gone AWOL, listed as deceased shortly after their graduation. All that was left was Sango, the only one who still held strong ties with her. That bond was still fragile though as neither understood where they stood with the other personally. If he were to find out her real reason for coming here, it could crush him.
Any little thing could damage all they'd built thus far, perhaps irreparably so.
Elm couldn't afford to lose him too.
A single tear fell down her cheek while her former ally turned to leave, satisfied with her deed.
"I'll leave you to consider what I said, Miss Ederne. I know it's a lot to take in so I won't trouble you about this again, what, with your busy schedule and the festival approaching soon. Take all the time you need; and Elm?" The specialist was forced to look at the woman, seeing a smoldering rage dancing behind 'Olivia Peaches' eyes. "Have fun at the dance."
"It doesn't make sense..."
Aganju rubbed his chin, as he observed the action that'd unfolded before his eyes. So many questions rattled his brain. Why would someone challenge Pyrrha so soon after she had a match? Why forfeit after keeping her on the defensive for most of the fight?
"I agree." He looked up to find none other than Pyrrha herself sitting next to him. Like him, she appeared to be puzzled at the results that'd just transpired too. She took a seat next to him and appeared to be lost in thought. "Why would he challenge me only to quit shortly after?"
"It's a mystery to me. He seemed to be a good match for you early on."
"While I hate to admit it, you were right. His technique is rather unorthodox, to say the least."
"You still held your own despite being a little fatigued. Don't be so harsh on yourself."
The two friends shared a lighthearted laugh. It was nice to be able to unwind, especially after having to exert oneself. For Pyrrha, she was able to release the tense aura around her after dealing with two matches. However, in Aganju's case, he couldn't help but smile upon seeing his friend upbeat again.
After calming down, they gathered their things and departed the combat class. As they headed over to their dorms, the two began to talk about the upcoming Vytal Festival and other miscellaneous topics. But, one event, in particular, overshadowed them all.
"Are you planning on going to the dance?"
The air around the fox came to a screeching halt upon hearing the question.
"Um... I uh... t-thought about it," he replied with a steadily red face. "I've been so caught up with staying ready for the festival and my team's mission, I nearly forgot."
This was a lie, but it was thankfully constructed well enough to keep Pyrrha from being the wiser.
"Oh... I was just wondering if I would see you there..." Pyrrha stared at him for a moment before turning away to hide her own flushed features.
"I mean... I'd go if we can make it back in time."
"That would be nice," Pyrrha replied with a simple smile, now hiding her disappointment. It was clear that she had some thought of meeting the faunus at the dance, but, something within her held back, almost convincing her that the upperclassman wouldn't be able to see her as anything more than just a friend. "I was hoping Jaune would ask me but..."
It was a hasty statement, one that held a little truth behind it. Pyrrha did find the scraggly blond attractive, yet something was lacking between her leader and herself. She hadn't noticed the slight twitching of the fox's ears. Even less noticeable was how quickly those ears would droop upon hearing that she wanted to go with Jaune, not that he could blame her.
"But?"
"He seems to be more focused on Weiss."
"Oh..." he replied, his tail hanging limply before swiftly putting on a smile again. "He'd be dumb to ignore you, in my opinion."
Pyrrha giggled softly at Aganju's words, breaking out of her funk.
"You'd be surprised. He told me he'd wear a dress if I came to the dance alone."
Aganju simply chuckled, mostly to hide his true feelings.
"I'd... actually pay to see that."
The two friends exchanged a legitimate laugh at the idea of Jaune Arc in a dress as they headed upstairs, unaware of the eyes that were watching them with intrigue and contemplation. When they arrived at Pyrrha's room, the pair would find their humor interrupted when they overheard Jaune talking to Ren about trying to woo the Schnee family heiress.
With a sad smile, Pyrrha entered her room, leaving the faunus in the halls of the dormitory, quickly working to convince herself to just go for it while Nora noticed the disheartened fox taking his leave. Shaking her head, the typically hyperactive girl watched as her team's leader sped out of the room with newfound determination while a dispirited Pyrrha wandered over to her desk.
"Practice what you preach, Pyrrha."
[1 Week Later]
With the Vytal Festival soon approaching, each of the second-year teams was sent on their respective missions. Team CFVY chose a simple rescue mission in the Lower Caim region of Mountain Glenn, accompanied by Professor Port. This put a damper on their ability to set things up for the upcoming dance, but, Coco and co. knew that duty waits for no one.
Meanwhile, Team ASRE found themselves choosing a simple recon and investigation mission under the supervision of Professor Peach. While also being sent to the ill-fated settlement of Mountain Glenn, the group was taken to a northern region of the abandoned city. As expected, several Grimm blocked their path from time to time, but it was nothing that they couldn't handle.
"How close are we to the target?" Scylla hissed, blasting one of the wolf-like creatures square in the face with her dual pistols, Jester & Harlequinn.
"ETA says 2 minutes west!" Esu replied, hacking at another of the accursed creatures. "Aganju! Any sight of it yet?"
The fox confirmed this, firing off a Dust-constructed arrow from Cerberus' bow form. Roxanne would take advantage of the blinded monsters by bashing their heads in with her gauntlets, Arpagi. Using her raw strength, combined with the storage of flame dust, the pair made swift work of their adversaries, sending the hellacious creatures flying with each punch.
This cleared a path for the four to head to their destination; a science facility. It was a simple mission, secure the area while strengthening their teamwork skills for the future. They were briefed that there were no civilians but, it was no excuse for them to wreck the city either. They needed to complete their mission...
"Let's go, guys! We're on the clock!"
Aganju rushed through, expecting his team to follow close behind as he headed inside. It was dark and unkempt; expectant of a neglected facility. The fox checked his scroll to find that he was in the right place, noticing that his target was further up. He turned around to inform his team only to find them nowhere in sight. "Damn. They must still be fighting the Grimm..." he cursed, motioning to return to his comrades. However, something stopped him, a chilling stillness in the air beckoning him to remain where he stood.
An enemy...? he wondered.
He scanned his surrounding, clutching his weapon. A bead of sweat ran down his face. His eyes darted in all directions, finding nothing out of the ordinary. This only increased Aganju's agitation as he was sure that he was not alone. His ears and tail stood up straight, the only tell-tale sign of his discomfort.
"Who, or whatever you are," he called out to the silence, with a conflicted resolve. "You might as well come out...!"
Nothing.
Only the whistle of the icy wind answered his invitation, leaving its kiss against the back of his neck. After a few more minutes of this, Aganju finally allowed himself to exhale, loosening his tense muscles. If the entity refused to acknowledge him, he wouldn't waste any more time. Despite knowing this, his mind chose that moment to plague him with thoughts of the prior week.
Disappointment.
Dereliction.
Pyrrha wants Jaune...
Not now! he screamed. "I need to focus."
You should've asked Blake... The voice mocked him. At least you both have something in common, right?"
She likes that Sun guy! Besides, we're just reading buddies. Wait... Why am I entertaining this!?
He turned to rejoin his team when the sound of something snapping drew his attention. However, this time, the vulpine didn't have time to react as he did before as a low growl would follow immediately after. He slowly shifted his body only to find himself being blindsided by a mysterious creature. The last thing he recalled was a pair of flaming eyes before everything went dark.