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 11: When it Falls-2
[Under Beacon Academy]
Professor Ozpin, Pyrrha, and Aganju rushed along the lengthy corridor together as an elevator sprung open. The last of the three became curious as they made their way down the hall. He had never imagined something like this, yet here he was sprinting down the lengthy, revered hallway.
"What? Just what is this place?"
"It's a... type of vault," Pyrrha remarked earnestly.
"You've been here before?" she didn't answer this time, whether out of necessity or guilt was known only to her. "What would a school need to hide?"
His response materialized as a machine with a brunette lying still in a compact space inside of it. As soon as Ozpin started entering the required codes, a second pod started to hiss open, letting its selected resident inside.
"Agan... I-"
"Pyrrha, get to the pod!" Ozpin directed. Though hesitant, she obliged the order. Meanwhile, the fox could only watch, both helpless and clueless as to what was happening. The headmaster, seeing the stunned and wary boy, sighed. "If you want to help, you can stand guard here."
Before finally waking up from his drowsy state, his wide emerald eyes briefly blinked away the hazy feeling. He tightly gripped Cerberus in its bow form, doing his best to get ready for whatever enigmatic adversary he was supposed to be defending against. Pyrrha asked, unable to help herself as Ozpin started typing once again.
"What do we do now?" her voice grave yet steady.
The old man sighed once more, this one more labored than the first. "We do nothing... You, Miss Nikos, have a choice to make."
Pyrrha stood there and considered the possibilities available to her. Though it seemed like a straightforward decision in theory, in reality, her heart was screaming in anguish. She had dreamed of being able to shield people from harm and, if possible, to be a hero her entire life, but this was not how she had seen that dream materializing. Aganju was standing next to her with his bow ready as she encountered her friend and crush. She remembered what he had said in response to her question earlier that day.
Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds…?
Was this fate, the undesirable yet, inescapable path for her life?
Before entering the chamber, Pyrrha was able to quickly wipe away the lone tear that had threatened to fall. She waited for what would happen next when she had settled in. She once more heard the professor's voice, which made her saddened by the potential outcome.
"Are you ready?" She gave only a nod, the final move of her supposed free will. However, this wasn't good enough for the man as he gave her a look of desperation. "I... I need to hear you say it."
Her brows knit softly but she complied with his wishes.
"Yes..."
"Thank you, Miss Nikos."
He activated the last set of buttons to start the transfer process. The Fall Maiden's pod ascended, and soon the thick wires and tubes above started to hum and glow amber. As soon as it got to Pyrrha's pod, she started screaming in pain as a burning sensation spread throughout her body. Aganju, who had been concentrating earlier, became irate and broke his guard as a result. Professor Ozpin, a man he trusted, stood motionless as her body writhed in agony, and he was powerless to intervene.
"Pyrrha!"
It was a fruitless attempt but one he couldn't help but make as he watched the maiden's power transfer into his best friend and crush. Seeing her in such pain broke his heart.
"I'm... so sorry." Ozpin lamented.
Then, suddenly, an arrow impaled Amber in the heart, breaking the glass portion of her pod during the process. The two males turned to look for the offender. Standing before them with her bow drawn was a woman with dark hair and glowing eyes wearing a malicious grin at the results of her labor. Ozpin was aware of how dire things were at this point.
As the young woman's life faded, so did the powers that were being implanted into Pyrrha Nikos. With shock and dread, the remaining power would fire out of Amber and into Cinder, who eagerly accepted as it infused her with the full extent of its energy. Aganju and Pyrrha could feel the chills running all over their bodies, yet it couldn't compare to the horror welling up in their headmaster.
No...
[Cafeteria Area]
On the other side of the war-torn campus, Blake's scream drew the attention of the two girls, who had noticed the figure standing above her. While Roxanne gasped in horror when she realized the man's identity, Yang was only concerned with the well-being of her comrade. Despite the pleading gaze of her partner, only a single managed to pierce through her thick skull.
Fight.
She pumped up her semblance, lighting her hair on fire, and lunged at Adam Taurus with a ferocious war cry that echoed into the night sky.
"Yang! Stop!"
Too late now. By the time Yang got close to stopping her attack, she'd been sliced in half. Adam was ready to counterattack when he noticed something else. Yang was followed by a tiny spark that flew in his direction, forcing the bull Faunus to evade rather than counter. The blast, on the other hand, almost hit Yang, who missed it by a few centimeters.
"Watch where you're aiming!"
"I just saved your life...!" the ram barked at the blond. "Don't be so damn reckless!"
Yang, Roxanne, and Blake all readied their gauntlets as Adam honed his sword, but Blake was still hurt. This time, he went on the offensive, using his blinding speed to catch the pair off guard. Fortunately, when one was struggling, the other would step in and assist. With her striking, parrying, and neutralizing of Adam's pace, Roxanne got things started. She wasn't as strong as Yang, but she was undoubtedly faster. When he decided to rely on the strength of his strikes, Yang stepped up and gave him everything he could handle.
Things appeared to be going in their favor once Roxanne flared up her semblance and fired multiple shots from her gauntlets. Adam did his best to cut them down but was abraded by the embers left over from his defense. They continued their assault, holding the man back until Blake reached a vertical base.
"Stop! He's absorbing your attacks!"
It was too late, however, as he sheathed his blade with a sinister grin. Taking his stance, he rushed past the two in a blur that neither could keep up with. In defiance of the earlier warning, Yang flared up her appearance when she realized that things were taking too long and charged with reckless abandonment. Blake and Roxanne's voices faded out as she closed the distance; She was going to end this now! Except, Adam wanted this, releasing his own power and slicing off her right arm as her battle cry echoed out throughout the burning structure.
Though he intended to completely sever her, the result of the blond collapsing unconscious into the broken tables would have to suffice. All that was left was the girl with... broken ram horns? From behind his mask, he noticed that Roxanne's hair had fallen, revealing the image of the severed horn on her left side.
"It's you?!"
She narrowed her eyes and with newfound vigor, flared up her semblance once again.
"You remember me, huh?" she snarled. "Good, because I want my face to be the last you ever see!"
"I doubt that a girl too weak to even stop me from slicing her horns off can do much now."
"We'll see about that now, sugar..."
With enough fire Dust at her disposal, she held her breath and took her stance. Through her conversations with Yang and Blake, she learned about Adam's resemblance, giving her confidence in her plan. She was going to make him waste the burst of power he'd gathered and blow it back in his face if Yang hadn't rushed in. With that plan failing, she resorted to the next best option.
Roxanne gave Blake an apologetic look before pushing off with her back leg.
"STOP!"
Roxanne Octane raised her fists with a grin. Unlike Yang, however, she chose to remain on the ground to avoid becoming a sitting duck in the air. She wasn't faster than him, but with the majority of her energy spent, it was a safe bet that she could catch up to him before he could counter. While Adam knew he couldn't kill the girl in a single shot, he reasoned that he might be able to inflict enough harm to incapacitate her long enough for him to finish the job.
He charged at her, his attack prepared and aimed for her throat. She couldn't possibly reach him first with his sword's length. He was unaware that Roxanne was hoping for this.
"You're mine!"
"Not this time!"
She came to a halt and ducked beneath the blade, allowing Adam's arm to glide over her. She fired an uppercut while loading up as much dust as she could, leaving his torso exposed, and when it connected, it caused a huge explosion that sent the two flying in the opposite direction. Blake stood there watching Roxanne collide with one of the granite columns and rushed over to her side when she landed in a heap.
"No. No no no! Don't you die!"
Two fingers were pressed against the ram's neck. Blake could feel a faint pulse after a few moments of whimpering and tears. When she looked more closely, she could see that her left arm had been severely burned by the punch she had just thrown. Roxanne struggled to even keep her eyes open, and a soft cough escaped her lips.
"I... ain't dying... that easily."
Blake felt her lips tug up into a soft smile, but it wouldn't last long because something was stirring on the far end of the cafeteria. She watched in utter terror as Adam dragged himself out from under the wreckage of the previous attack. Even though he was hit directly, he showed no signs of any damage aside from a flickering aura. Even worse, he now wore a sinister grin that made Blake's blood run cold.
"Hello, my darling."
With sickening glee, he stalked slowly toward his now-petrified prey. Only when he was just a few inches away from her did she at last start to shake with fright. She was powerless to stop him. He was beyond Yang's ability to contain. Even Roxanne, despite the damage she inflicted on him, was unable to thwart Adam.
If they couldn't do it, who could?
Adam raised his sword to slay the girl who had dared to mock him not once, but twice now, only to be cut down abruptly. His puzzled sighs were met by the appearance of a girl with glowing green eyes and scaly skin standing next to a much taller panther dressed in a white uniform. On the latter's back was an injured girl, petite and barely clinging to life and bleeding out.
"Hurry up and help me get them out of here! I can only hold him for so long!"
Although the hurt girl being held at the moment was of no consequence, there was something off about the person doing it. Silver eyes blazed with rage, but there was something else behind it, a reason for his indignation.
"An Atlesian? With a former member of the White Fang? This is interesting."
"...a decision I don't regret!" Scylla spat, shivering from the effects of her semblance. "You're
"Adam Taurus..."
"You know of me?" Adam tilted his head slightly, confusion washing over his unconcealed features. "Who are you?"
"It's hard to forget a manipulative, murderous, sociopath..."
Both Adam and Blake kept their eyes on him, unknowingly pondering the same question.
"You know each other, Professor Bagheera?"
"Bagheera?!" Adam rubbed his chin thoughtfully until the itch in his brain was finally scratched. "It can't be! Sango?"
"Scylla, help Blake get Yang and Ciel out of here..."
"I'm not going anywhere!" the serpent growled. Her eyes were starting to burn from the semblance, yet she held her gaze through sheer determination alone. "She's on your back so why don't you get help? I'll catch up soon!"
"Running away again, my love? Is that what you've become?"
Adam's plea earned him more pressure, courtesy of Scylla. She had been a little roughed up earlier by the Grimm, but now she was putting up with Adam Taurus' resistance. She'd been using her semblance a lot on this day due to the enemies, so she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep the man still before the drawbacks kicked in. Fortunately, Blake took the dormant Yang, and Roxanne trailed behind them. Shots from Scylla's pistols rained down on the man, encircling him in a hail of Dust bullets.
"Ugh...! What are you doing?!" Adam roared, feeling something icy crawling up his body.
"Making sure you can't follow them!"
"Scylla..."
"Go, Professor!" she yelled, finally releasing the exhausting effects. By now, the ice had swiftly enveloped the bull faunus and allowed her to rest for just a moment. "I'm just going to double up on the ice and then I'll join you!"
Sango wasn't convinced of Scylla's status, yet he didn't have much of an argument to give. When Ciel started exhibiting symptoms of convulsions, he knew the viper girl was correct. He flashed a glare at the icy statue before turning away.
"Fine. But I'll be back as soon as I find someone to take her. Understand?"
Scylla said nothing; All she could do was load her pistols through blurry eyes. With barely a nod, she heard the professor's footsteps echo into the night. The serpent deactivated her semblance after a few more shots were fired, just as the severe drawbacks nearly took hold. Risking blindness was more than worth it if it meant that this monster would be removed from this world...
"Goodbye, leader..."
She knew it wouldn't hold him for long, but it was sufficient for them to get out of the building alive. With Adam taken care of, she turned to rejoin the others, only to be impaled from behind. As quickly as she was thrust through, the blade was ripped out, dropping the girl to her knees.
"What?!" she sputtered, feeling her blood quickly pooling in her throat. "How did...?"
Scylla clutched the massive wound, puzzled as to how Adam had escaped the dust so quickly. As she turned to figure it out, pools of sanguine grew on the previously clean tiles. But what she saw was not the masked faunus. On the contrary, her green orbs widened in terror as she recognized the individual all too well.
"N-No..." she whispered, fear and hatred beginning to coil around her heart. "It can't... Be-"
A large slash to the chest interrupted her before she could finish what she was saying. Scylla screamed silently as plasma sprayed from the new wound. The spark of life was gone from her eyes before her body landed on the hard floor.
Scylla was gone, her light extinguished by the last person she ever imagined would do so.
Adam had just broken free from the icy prison holding him as the figure gazed down at the work of his hands. Angry but composed, he brushed the icy shards from his suit.
"You're late..."
"Forgive me," the young male turned around to reveal a sadistic smile that would haunt even the leader of this insurrection. "You can't imagine what it felt like to have to keep putting on an act like this."
"Did you truly love her?"
"It doesn't matter!" the boy snarled, though his voice lacked any venom. "The only concern I have is that the traitor has been eliminated."
"I take it you've accepted my invitation?"
"Glory to the White Fang..."
"Then, consider this your official initiation trial, Brother Esu," Adam watched as his alliance partner left with a subtle grin. Just then an Ursa Major tried to pounce on him only to find itself sliced cleanly in half for its troubles. "I'll finish up here..."
The dragon faunus bowed his head in compliance before leaving; It wasn't a moment too soon either. The scarlet-haired male stood proudly over the still form of Scylla, the traitor to their cause. Contempt wouldn't begin to describe the extent of his glare, but it wouldn't matter now. He had another traitor to worry about if he ever decided to return.
"So, you're still alive? Clever bastard."
[Under Beacon Academy]
Pyrrha stood helpless, watching Amber die on the other side of her. In a matter of hours, she was inches away from death. It was nauseating, but the shock was enough to keep that thought at bay for the time being. The hall grew dim as suddenly the truth of the matter finally set in. The murderer had completely acquired the power of the Fall Maiden, a fact that gave Ozpin no comfort.
Aganju continued to stare at the woman in horror as the mystical power swirled around the mysterious intruder but, none of that mattered to him. The only thing he felt at this point was rage. A slow burn had begun to blaze hotter than the depths of hell itself as the woman's features became recognizable to the fox.
She simply marveled at her new powers, allowing Aganju the opportunity to charge in. In his mind, her distraction would serve as the perfect opening. Little did he know...
"Stay back!" Ozpin warned.
Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough as the swirling energy blasted him, sending him crashing into the machine.
"Aganju!" Pyrrha shrieked in horror, finally managing to push the door open with her semblance.
Cinder flicked the door away as if it were nothing more than paper. Pyrrha gathered her spear and shield and prepared to attack, only to be stopped by the headmaster. As Aganju slowly rose to his feet, she attempted to protest, but Ozpin was not in the mood for bargaining.
"No! You two must get out of here," he warned. "Find Glynda. Ironwood. Qrow! Bring them here right away. The tower cannot fall!"
"But, I can help."
He looked back at her with guilt and sorrow.
"You'll only get in the way."
His words cut deep, but the truth wasn't meant to soothe and sate. His resolute posture was both inspiring and disconcerting. They had been trained to fight monsters, not this, so there wasn't much they could do at this point. As Aganju stood up, Pyrrha assisted him before they rushed to leave. Cinder didn't move to stop them, but she couldn't shake the vulpine's dark glare as they passed her. It was only for a split second, a momentary display of weakness that was quickly replaced by her ego once more.
"Pitiful mosquitos..." she muttered to herself before directing her attention to the man wielding a cane once more.
He was the only one that mattered now; Ozpin stood between her and destiny.
Aganju and Pyrrha had to run to reach the elevator, but they eventually did. Even though their bodies were both drained they continued until they reached the courtyard again. However, while Aganju was catching his breath to keep going, Pyrrha noticed the rumbling beneath them, which culminated in a massive explosion behind them that threw the two to the ground. As the woman climbed to the top, Pyrrha looked back, seeing the conclusion of Ozpin's last stand fall short. She could think of nothing else to do so she took a deep breath and did her best to relax.
Whether she liked it or not, she knew the truth.
Glynda.
Qrow.
General Ironwood.
None of them would make it in time. There was no assurance that they would be able to stop this intrusion even if they were present. There was only one option, one she was well aware could cost her dearly. Ignoring the wrenching in her heart, she dared not look at the recovering faunus, if only to maintain what little composure she had left.
"I'm going back..."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Aganju choked, wandering over to his friend in disbelief.
Despite this, even the slightest glance revealed the startling truth; There was no such thing as denial when he caught the seriousness. Aganju recognized what Pyrrha was talking about. His stomach sank and his body shook like never before. Every word he attempt to utter found itself trapped in his throat as if burning his vocal cords. Aganju could've sworn he tasted sulfur when he managed to get anything out.
"Are you crazy?!" he roared, eyes wide with fury and horror. "She just defeated our headmaster! She. Killed. Opzin! If he couldn't stop her, then what shot do we have?"
"...I have to try..."
"...and do what?! sacrifice your life in vain?"
Pyrrha finally broke her resolve, bracing herself for the inevitable. What she found was a far cry from the voice that berated her, admittedly, recklessness. Greeted by his furious gaze, the warrior girl found something else swimming behind the pool of angry rationale. Aganju's words didn't come from someone with fear and trepidation for its sake.
"What are you saying?" she whispered, finally revealing her anxiety through each shallow breath.
"You can't beat her, Pyrrha!"
"We have to try..." she rebutted, subtly leading the fox toward her true inquiry. "How else will we know unless we try?"
Silence fell between the two for what felt like ages. Pyrrha watched as her beloved friend bit his lip so hard, she wondered if it would be severed from the pressure. But, as disheartening as this was, she had a job to do; The longer they waited, the more damage would be done. For Pyrrha, this was something she simply couldn't allow.
"I understand if you can't tell me..." she announced, taking the first steps toward whatever destiny awaited her. This time she wouldn't... No, she couldn't spare so much as a look in his direction, or else she'd falter completely from her goal. "...just as I wish you'd understand why I have to do this! Professor Ozpin made it clear: The tower must not fall..."
"You can't beat Ella..."
Pyrrha halted her advance toward the CCT tower before once more breaking her resolve. She peered over her shoulder, emeralds dancing with curiosity toward the faunus. No longer was his face adorned with apprehension, only a terrible knowledge of the situation at hand.
"Ella? You mean Cinder?"
"That must be why I didn't recognize her," he chuckled bitterly, still shivering as he looked back at the girl who impacted his life the most. He dared not keep this secret any longer, though it wasn't on purpose. "Ella, or Cinder, is stronger than you think. I know because we... we used to live together before I ended up at Sanctum. She's cunning and malicious which explains all of this chaos. You can't beat her alone."
Hearing his confession, Pyrrha couldn't help but have a multitude of questions about this. Unfortunately for them, there was no time to inquire about this as the shriek of the wyvern Grimm could be heard overhead. The beast had begun to perch itself atop the damaged structure, no doubt to please its master. Once again, the duo stared at one another, each waging their silent war against the perspective of the other.
"You're really going through with this?"
"There's no other way..."
"Then I'm going with you!"
"I won't let you get hurt!"
Aganju growled at the girl in such a way that made her heart leap in a way she never felt before. The primal defiance he exuded was both intimidating and... attractive? While she never admitted it, there was one time that she did know him, before their meeting on the rooftop or even their time during the dance.
Their playful sparring sessions.
An impromptu mission to rescue him.
Their moments of open discussion.
The moment they nearly kissed...
A warrior could recognize their own. The maiden acknowledged her rogue.
"Don't forget, I'm older than you, not to mention, a leader of Team ASRE! I'm not letting you face this alone, Pyrrha."
His declaration sparked a newfound courage within her. With a smile, she nodded and the two rushed back into the building. Inside, they neared the elevator, grateful that Cinder simply used her newly gained abilities to reach the top. Upon entry, Pyrrha suddenly grabbed the fox and pressed her lips onto his own.
It was surprising but, he didn't fight it as he leaned into the embrace. Even more unexpected was when she put her hands on his chest, but instead of doing something intimate, she pushed him away and, using her semblance, closed the door, bending it so that he couldn't follow. With her eyes streaming, Pyrrha could hear Aganju banging against the door, his muffled pleas fading the higher she ascended the elevator shaft.
Rather than confront these feelings directly, Pyrrha chose to distract herself with thoughts of her past; thoughts of the earliest days at Sanctum Academy.
At that time, she wasn't the Pyrrha everyone knew and loved. She was just a little girl who was picked on for being so nice to people. She recalled being pushed in the mud only for this boy with dark skin, fox ears, and a tail to appear in front of her and scare off the bullies. She never got to thank him after that day because he was soon grabbed by the headmaster and it would be years before she met him on their way to Beacon.
It was this memory that both hardened Pyrrha's resolve and left cracks in her heart. But, there was no time for tears, not when the enemy was only seconds away. She clutched her weapons so tight that her knuckles began turning white. She needed to focus on the task at hand. Nevertheless, some part of her mind and heart hoped that the boy would find peace in what she did.
"I'm sorry, Agan..."
Ruby and Weiss reached the tower and were greeted by the sound of Aganju's distressed cries coming from inside. They hurried in and found him on his knees, sobbing and weakly pounding the now-busted door. Witnessing him in such a vulnerable state was heart-wrenching, but they knew there must be a reason for it.
"Aganju!" Weiss rushed over to his side. "What's going on?"
He sniffed and shook his head, glaring at the crumpled metal before him.
"It's Pyrrha...!" he snarled as the floodgates continued to flow. "She's gone up on a suicide mission to fight her! She's too strong to face without help but, Pyrrha tricked me into going off on her own."
"Then we'll give her some backup." Ruby declared, confidently swinging Crescent Rose.
"What?"
"I'll use my semblance to help you get to the top. You can run up the side of the walls along with Ruby's speed."
Aganju, despite his emotional wound, meekly nodded in agreement to the terms presented to him. The trio quickly exited the building and put their plan into immediate action. Weiss utilized her powerful glyphs to create a path on the tower's wall, while the duo took their positions. The fox then harnessed the power of black Dust to propel himself upwards with his weapon's bow form. In perfect unison, Aganju and Ruby climbed the tower without any hesitation. When Aganju struggled to keep up, Ruby utilized her unique abilities to help them ascend even higher.
About halfway to their target, both could hear it: Pyrrha's outcry of agony.
Thinking fast, Ruby threw Aganju even farther using the momentum from their trek in hopes of reaching their friend faster. As he neared the top, he could hear voices, and that only motivated him more as his eyes turned crimson. Whatever he'd find, he needed to be ready.
He just hoped that he could make it in time.
After defeating the "Invincible Girl", Cinder enjoyed watching Pyrrha struggle to stand before falling back to the ground in agony. The reason for such action was lodged in her Achilles; a reflecting bolt. She was a skilled warrior, but after their bloody struggle, it was obvious that Cinder was simply superior to her due to the Fall Maiden's strength. Furthermore, she utilized glass instead of metal, exacerbating the disadvantage.
"It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours." she walked around her fallen opponent, savoring the sweet taste of victory. Grabbing her chin, Cinder forced Pyrrha to look into her eyes, if for nothing else, satisfaction. "But take comfort in knowing that I will use them in ways that you could never have imagined."
Pyrrha looked at the black gaze that had triumphed over her in one last effort of defiance. In her eyes, this woman was nothing more than a monster, a terror that was more useful as a legend to scare children into complying. At least, that's what she tried to tell herself. The heartbreaking truth was that Aganju was right about Cinder. Whatever their past was, Pyrrha began to understand why he was so adamant about joining forces.
But she was too prideful to accept the invitation; A little girl wrapped up in the fantasy of being a hero.
"I don't know what he saw in you..." Her eyes widened at the insult, facing a disgusted, almost jealous glower from her conqueror. "From what you showed me, I'm not impressed! Weaklings flocking together, I suppose."
"Do you believe in destiny?"
Cinder frowned, noting the pained smile on the girl's face. Such an act of martyrdom was enough to infuriate the woman. Beacon and her students were a blight on the world, to her world. The only rebuttal to this was execution; She would stomp out every bug that dare find itself in her path.
"Yes..."
Cinder then conjured her glass into the shape of a bow, the same weapon that had killed the previous Fall Maiden. Although she was a lousy replacement, she might find comfort in the fact that this welp was slain in the same way even though she felt that he didn't deserve such an honor.
She was about to fire when a dark shadow surrounded her. Just in time, Cinder sprung back, her arrows still at the ready, and looked over at the boy she had seen earlier. But... there was something off about him.
His eyes...
What were once violet eyes... No, they were emeralds before, weren't they? Either way, Cinder couldn't deny the hue that pierced through her gaze. Crimson; Red as rose petals flying aimlessly in the wind. She couldn't fathom how the same reckless boy from just mere minutes ago now had an aura of confidence and... strength...
Once more, the Fall Maiden could feel a wave of intimacy in the younger male as he glared daggers at her. She wasn't one to judge but, there was something about him that continued to draw her attention; Almost as if she knew him but, something was blocking her ability to remember.
"Aganju?"
Aganju? Cinder's eyes twitched slightly, watching as he approached the wounded girl.
"Are you okay?" She didn't say anything but winced when she made a motion to stand up due to heel discomfort. Aganju noticed this and twisted his body back to the scowling Cinder Fall. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Ella?"
"Not long enough, Aggy..."
While he felt a minor bit of embarrassment from Pyrrha's nickname for him, Aganju felt nothing but vexation from the woman's call to him. Just like underneath the tower, Cinder noticed his eyes grow large, once more that vibrant shade of purple. It began to click when she noticed the way his ears began to droop slightly. It was like peering into a time machine. But, instead of seeing that helpless little boy, she was looking at a bandaged young man with a steady resolve. This was why she didn't recognize him outright!
"So, you've gone and gotten stronger, I see..." she giggled condescendingly. "...and it's Cinder now."
Darkness began to spread from the faunus, activating even the wyvern outside. It seemed that past wounds didn't heal as quickly as he'd thought, but he couldn't worry about that right now. His mind had been eroded over time by inquiries and arguments. He attempted to move on, but couldn't help wondering if she was still alive. Now he stood face to face with the cause of his obsession with strength, and he wasn't going to leave without some sort of retaliation.
Pyrrha was damaged, and he assisted her to her feet by burying his glaive in the earth, but not before giving her a look that indicated they would converse later if they survived. Ruby showed up at that time to offer assistance, happy that her friend hadn't suffered the worse outcome. Ruby moved to be near Aganju once she had been attended to.
"You two think you're a match for me?!" Cinder balked. "Don't you dare flatter yourselves!"
Flaring up her powers once again, the two were pushed back a few feet before steadying themselves.
"Ruby, I need you to back me up."
"But..."
"I don't need you getting in the way!" he roared, baring his fangs at the girl. "She hurt two people I care about and I don't need you adding yourself to the list!"
With Crescent Rose at the ready, Ruby backed up while nodding. Cinder made the error of looking away from the faunus as she pondered what they might be up to; she would later come to regret this action when she discovered an irate Aganju slashing down with his glaive. Pyrrha had passed him his blade, allowing him to land a heavy hit on Cinder while she was distracted.
She crashed into the ground, realizing that she wasn't out of the woods yet. She rushed to her feet, firing off several shots at the boy only for him to dodge. She side-stepped his crushing blow but, it did little good as he separated Nguangis into dual blades. With little time, she conjured glass knives of her own only for them to shatter whenever his blades made contact.
How!?
In a furious rampage, Aganju unleashed every ounce of his rage, getting in a few hits notwithstanding her solid defense. It was clear that in a one-on-one situation with mere humans, Cinder was practically unmatched. But, this wasn't the case. She had calculated every detail of this operation except for one thing.
Aganju.
Cinder was familiar with the rumors surrounding his sudden absence, especially since the one who spread them was one she would rarely question.
He was presumed dead, leading Cinder to conclude that his weakness was the cause of his demise. She never imagined that he could still be alive, much less standing in front of her as her equal. Cinder was amazed by how someone she once considered weak had become so powerful, especially since she had dismissed him earlier as a mere nuisance. Even when he demonstrated his abilities during the tournament, it was not enough time to gather any useful information.
She was now looking directly into the crimson-glowing eyes of a demon, but there was something even more unexpected.
It wasn't his anger she was encountering anymore... this was unbridled darkness personified as his sclerae became engulfed in an inky abyss.
Just like...
A shot from Ruby's revolver prevented her from getting the upper hand during a conflict, but it only provided her with a better grasp of the situation. Even Pyrrha and Ruby were worried about the boy because he was... laughing? The unrelenting rage had vanished, only to be replaced with an abnormal amount of insane glee. This ominous aura was so dense that even Pyrrha and Ruby could feel its pressure.
Was this his semblance manifesting?
No, this is something akin to the Grimm!
The fox's skin turned pitch black from the swirling energy attaching itself to him. His eyes were nothing more than glowing sanguine windows as a deep growl ripped through the air. For the first time since enacting this mission, Cinder began to feel herself flinch involuntarily from the visual before her. This wasn't the boy she thought to be a hindrance to her plans.
This was truly a beast sent from the darkest pits of the underworld. Such an observation wasn't helped when she heard that wicked laugh.
If Cinder had to place it, Aganju's laugh reminded her of another associate of hers with whom she had nothing but distaste. If she didn't end things, she might find out that his actions were exactly like his as well. Seeing no options she tried to run only to find him standing right before her. Wide-eyed and terrified, she fired blast after blast in hopes of knocking the monstrous boy back.
It was futile as he charged through, taking the damage with enjoyment. It wasn't until, in her frenzy, one of the attacks blinded Aganju causing him to shriek in pain, a welcome(?) change from the sinister laughing.
"What in hell are you?! Did you really think you could stand up my power?!"
She continued to pelt him with blast after blast allowing the monstrous shriek to echo like a horrific symphony for all to bask in. Eventually, the shadowy figure grew tired of the assault, catching one of the fiery blasts in his hand and swallowing it in a cloud of darkness. Cinder couldn't believe her eyes! She was a Maiden! She defeated Ozpin! Pyrrha was nothing but a rag doll compared to her power!
How could this novice take one of her attacks without so much as a scratch?
"Sorry..."
As he clutched his eye, the evil ambiance began to fade away, leaving a chuckling Aganju. The spot over his right eye was bloody but he smiled through the pain, much to the shock and relief and Ruby and Pyrrha respectively. He was back to normal, or close to it. His breathing felt like he was inhaling sulfur but, he remained on his feet. Even so, everyone could tell that he was ready to drop at any moment. Whatever that was in control, it had reached its limits.
"That's... all you got, Ella?"
Cinder glared at the mention of her previous name. It was a testament to her weak past, a stain on the powerful woman she'd become now.
Cinder was filled with anger and frustration, and she unleashed another powerful blast that hurled the boy off the edge of the building, causing his aura to shatter in the process. In the meantime, the Wyvern circled the area, preparing to land on the tower.
"Aganju!" Both girls cried out as he clung from the edge.
Cinder, eyes ablaze with anger, simply walked past them. Even Ruby's bullets weren't doing any damage thanks to the fire swirling around her. Looking down at the dangling Aganju. With his aura completely exhausted now, and literally blinded in one eye, there wasn't much he could do as he looked up toward the woman. He choked back on the pain shooting through every inch of his body as she stepped on his fingers, yet he was determined to hold on.
"Aaaah!"
As she saw him in a vulnerable position, her once contemptuous amber eyes softened with respect for their shared history. Memories of their past flooded back as they gazed at each other. Like that night in the past, she stood tall while he looked up at her in admiration. But this time, instead of feeling desperate and shedding tears, she gazed into his bright violet eyes that sparkled even more as he hung for dear life.
"I wish... I wish it hadn't come to this..." she admitted, low enough for only his sensitive ears to hear. "She told me you died that day."
"..."
"It's too bad really, " she summoned her arrow and bow once more, a single tear peering down her cheek. "If you'd just stayed out of the way, maybe we could've reunited and ruled Remnant together. She would've loved to see how you turned out."
Unseen behind her, Ruby felt her heartbeat racing! She wanted to save Aganju but there was no way she could beat Cinder in this state. She had powers that far exceeded anything they were equipped to handle. On top of that, Pyrrha needed assistance too! What could she do?
Hearing a voice, one as faint as the breeze, Ruby felt a warm sensation welling up in her face. She was panicking, but deep down, Ruby only wanted to help. Taking a deep breath, she tried to charge at Cinder Fall, screaming at the top of her lungs in hopes of reaching the faunus.
"NOOOOO!"
Unconsciously, she started to sparkle, and the energy she released from her eyes quickly enveloped them all in a tremendous burst of light. Cinder spun around as she felt an agony rip through her body. Aganju's fingers slipped, causing him to fall to the ground below. To his surprise, the pain he previously felt soon melted away, almost as if he was being comforted by a familiar presence.
"You're going to be alright, child..." The sweet voice tickled his ears, causing him to forget about his plight.
His only regret was that he didn't express his true feelings to Pyrrha as the wind whipped past his ears as he awaited death's embrace.
Then... It all went dark.