This is a little something I wrote after watching RWBY again. It's nothing special. But I hope it means something to you, as much as it does to me.
In memory of those of us who lost people. And one man in particular.
"You know, you did everything you could." Lie Ren told his best friend, Nora. They walked together through the empty corridors of Beacon. Nora smiled sadly, looking at Ren. "I could've moved faster… I should've been there…" Nora shook her head, only to be interrupted by Ren. "Nora… You need to forgive yourself. You couldn't do anything." Ren grinned slightly, his lips quirking into a smirk. "There were hundreds of Ursai…" he prompted, getting a sad laugh from Nora. "Yeah… and they were everywhere… I was taking them down, CRASH, BANG!" Nora waved her hands to elaborate, her eyes lighting up. Ren, for his part, simply smiled as Nora lit up with joy and retold the story.
Eventually, Nora calmed. "Hey, where's your book? Aren't you going to study, like you always do?" Nora asked. A quiet voice struck up behind her, one soft and sad. The voice of a leader. "Studying for what?" Jaune asked as he slowly walked into view, his usual armour gone in favour of a formal suit. Pyrrha stood nearby, watching quietly. Nora laughed. "Hahaha! You know, the big end of year test! Not that he needs to, being a perfect student and all…" Nora laughed, only to falter when Jaune, happy go-lucky Jaune, didn't join in. "Where do you think we are, Nora?" Jaune asked gently, taking the Valkyrie's hand and squeezing it.
Nora looked at Jaune, then back to where Ren had stood. Only now, there was no sign of her childhood friend. Her eyes welled up, and she looked back to her team-mates, both of whom now flanked her. Pyrrha gently embraced her, as they walked together to where Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang sat, Glynda stood at the front and Professor Ozpin next to her. Beyond them, lay a casket. Inside, lay the body of a young man, taken before his time. His hair was perfectly messy, his eyes closed in perfect repose. Twin pistols lay atop the casket, perfectly held in place.
Nora sat, pride of place amongst the friends and comrades that gathered. Team RWBY, Team CRDL sat behind her and her family from Team JNPR flanked her, Pyrrha holding one hand while Jaune held the other. Glynda started speaking, but Nora didn't hear anything. Slowly, the tears rolled down her face as she realised exactly where she was, and why she was here.
As everyone left, only Jaune, Nora and Pyrrha remained. The Spartan and the Knight took up stations at the door, a silent vigil over their Valkyrie as she moved to lay a lone silver lotus on the coffin, and a gentle kiss to the forehead of the one person who truly understood her, who loved her without question or without reason. No words were necessary, as she bade him goodnight.