A/N: THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH ARKOS! :D
here's my contribution~ and not attached to my little Team SLVR story where i like to mercilessly toss these two around~
WARNING! a few suggested/possible spoilers for up to Volume 3 Chapter 9 PvP, AKA THAT episode as i'm calling it or 'How best to break someone...' :D
Sorta beta'd by Wishstone~
Dis: RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and created by Monty Oum may-he-rest-in-glorious-valhalla! :D
ENJOY!
Deluge
Pyrrha Nikos had had enough.
Sure, normally, she was a rational, kind, caring, considerate person who put up with a lot for the sake of those around her and maintaining her fragile (to her) bonds between the few people that bothered to get to know her.
She loved them, she really did, all of them; Weiss, Ruby, Yang, Blake, Ren, Nora and especially Jaune, she really did. They were the first 'friends' she felt she'd ever really had. They had gone into battle together, fought grim and other hunters together (well she and her team so far) so by all accounts they were all her Battle-Brothers and Sisters, they were IMPORTANT to her.
But there were just some goddamn things that had a line!
She had put up with a lot since coming to Beacon. Sure, it was in the hopes of forging new alliances with people that weren't automatic love-struck fans, she was willing to give to get a bit of normalcy, that wasn't much to ask, right?
She had smiled while Weiss rattled on about them being partners even though she knew the Heiress, at the time, only wanted her for her prestige and fame.
She put up with Yang's constant joke, namely about her outfit and how they had matching 'visual space'.
She tolerated Blake's complete ignoring of school lectures and did not turn her in for reprehensible materials in class. (Seriously, she was reading over her shoulder and that stuff was MAJORLY NSFS…)
She listened patiently while Ruby would go on, at length, about whoever's weapon caught her attention at the moment. (Which was honestly more helpful than not as she'd go into specs for weapons that helped during fights.)
She went SHOPPING with NORA.
And Ren better have been DAMN GRATEFUL for it!
But the worst… THE ABSOLUTE WORST!
Was dealing with Jaune…
Oh, sure, the others liked to joke that he was just a bumbling goofball there for comedy… THEY weren't the ones that spent exorbitant amount of hours trying to teach him a decade's worth of battle knowledge into a hormonal and possibly ADD seventeen-year-old boy! Worse yet, they didn't have to deal with the conflicting issues of his waning attention span because of her outfit which she was wearing SPECIFICALLY to attract said attention!
They didn't have to deal with severe image issues that frankly she'd never had in her life prior to meeting him! Never before had she worried, or considered, her looks… worse, faltering miserably when thinking her appearance wasn't attractive enough to garner the boy's attention as the ONE person he seemed INTERESTED in was her complete opposite: pale, short, lilt… while she was tall, tanner, and well-muscled from years of intense training… which she NEEDED to be the best, which she was, only she wasn't achieving her goal and it might be because of her looks and… ARGH! IT WAS MADDENING!
Then there were all the feelings!
She was a warrior! She was trained since youth to WIN! It's what she did! She won! In tournaments, in academics, in battling Grimm, she was a winner!
SO WHY WAS SHE FAILING SO MISERABLY TO ATTRACT THIS ONE BOY'S ATTENTION!
That and every time he was nearby it was like she was having a heart attack! One second perfectly fine, doing work, he walks in and suddenly her shoulders are up, her whole body is tense and her face was on fire!
And she could not take her goddamn eyes off him! Which got markedly WORSE because SHE trained him! Now he was no longer adorably clumsy and goofy and just fun to look at… now… now… er… right! He was a GOD! One she painstakingly chiseled herself!
THE STATUES IN THE HALL OF HEROES WERE NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT SHE'D MADE OUT OF JAUNE ARC!
And she was damn proud of it…
She'd never been so damn proud of anything in her life as that one intsy achievement. She had turned what was little more than a dopey farm-boy into a work of art!
… one that now since that damn dance, EVERYONE was taking notice of… and she'd yet to sign her damn work.
With the new glances and attention came new feelings… well, not 'new' so much as enhanced negative feelings she was really starting to hate.
She had been envious of Weiss keeping Jaune's attention, but she hadn't been that far in at that point, she still had delusions she could be 'satisfied' with just being his friend… so long as he was happy. It was a lie and it nearly worked…
Now after the dance, the fight in Vale… things… she wasn't sure she could handle that concept anymore.
She found herself being very possessive of Jaune, her envy shifting to jealousy as in her mind he was already hers… she just had to stop being a damn coward and SAY IT! She didn't like this feeling. Not at all. It was irrational, she was Pyrrha Nikos, she didn't fear anything, especially not losing someone she loved…
… okay, she did, a lot, but not in such a context as to someone else… that was ridiculous. In war? Sure. Death? Sure. Injury? Sure. To another person? WHAT THE HELL!
Her rational, sane, part said he wasn't 'hers' and these feelings of premature loss were ridiculous.
Then Ozpin had to call her to his damn office and now this…
'Oh, by the way! You are the best and brightest we have, so we've chosen you to attempt an experimental procedure that could potentially wipe your entire existence out… but give you half of somewhat god-powers and ensure they don't fall into the hands of evil and doom the whole world… kay, thanks!'
At the time she had been confident the whole ordeal wasn't as serious as it sounded, that she could handle it… that she would handle it because she was Pyrrha freakin' Nikos and she didn't lose to anything. Not fates, not luck, not destiny, she MADE her own damn destiny and that was to be someone that would save the world!
But now? After seeing Amber and the state she was in… after what they'd suggested what would happen… after what they said they were going to do to her, graph someone's soul onto her own? This was far more than a damn call to arms or a fairy tale! This was… this was…
This was FUCKING MADDNESS!
Worst? The absolute WORST?!
She had to choose…
Save the world… or herself.
The power to save lives… or her happiness.
The future of humanity as a whole… or her own.
Her destiny… or Jaune.
For a few days she carried this horrible choice with her. Then the thing with Yang happened and they got a momentary reprieve, but that just meant she had that much longer to consider it…
Then Jaune had to go and take her hand and she couldn't help but ask him… sure she couldn't say anything specifically, secret society nonsense from Professor Ozpin, but enough, she hoped, to get the crux of the dilemma across. She needed help, needed to tell someone, needed his advice…
… AND HE HAD TO GO AND SAY THE RIGHT GODDAMN THING!
In any situation, ANY other goddamn situation… his words would have filled her with joy…
But not this… not him, not here, not now… this… this wasn't what she wanted. And for a moment she felt extremely shallow…
She'd lost.
The world may win in the end, but she'd lost everything that mattered to her…
And with that feeling of regret, pain, betrayal and loss she just couldn't hold onto her powers anymore and did… did… what she swore she'd never do!
She'd turned her semblance on her friend, student, leader, partner… the one person that meant more to her than the rest of the world… and she'd picked him up like a ragdoll and slammed him into a wall because she couldn't handle her own emotions!
Then the finals, her fight with Penny, the Grimm, the screams, the just utter chaos afterwards…
They didn't believe her. During the fight her powers were messing up, her semblance twisting her own weapons and then Penny summoned a horde of blades and she'd been backed into a corner and…
She never wanted to kill anyone.
She was a winner, a fighter, a huntress-in-training… NOT A FUCKING MURDERER!
That's why she left Mystral!
It didn't matter to her that the girl was artificial, a robot of some sort, she felt an aura in her, she was real! and she killed her!
With the battle ended, the Grimm driven off, and her team picked her back up from the arena floor she didn't know what to do or feel.
She'd lost.
Not just a little bit, everything. Her reputation, her name, her control… Ozpin even told her they lost Amber's body in the fighting.
When they told her she wouldn't have to worry about the dilemma that had been plaguing her anymore, that the choice had been taken away from her she laughed. It was dry, flat, and held no joy. It was fitting, with everything else torn away, why not her choice and destiny too?
She'd had enough, she had one thing left to lose and if she was going to lose him… she was going to at least get a damn answer.
Leaving Ozpin's office Pyrrha stomped through the halls of Beacon with purpose and no hesitation in her eyes. Students got out of her way, seeing the normally bright and friendly champion in a way none had them ever dreamed.
Pyrrha Nikos wasn't smiling. Her brows were furrowed, her shoulders straight, her eyes narrowed, her arms and legs locked and her stride that of someone with only one thing in mind.
Many of them honestly thought she was going to kill someone.
As she found the mingled group of their friends some of them turned to see her, smiles ready with greetings… only to fall flat the second the say the look on her face.
Without a word Pyrrha held out her hand, glowing black as she didn't care anymore about discretion with her semblance. It had ruined enough things already, what more use was there in hiding this power?
The black aura latched onto Jaune's armor, forcing the others to gawk momentarily, and Ruby to jump into Weiss' arms as they'd been talking to the blonde boy, as Pyrrha just stalked towards them, moving her hand and forcing Jaune to face her.
"P-Pyrrha!?" Jaune's voice squeaked, a strained mix of glad she was alright but terrified by what the hell was going on?!
The tall red-haired Mystralian walked right up to him… then remembered there were others present and a small part of her squeaked in embarrassment. Making a snap decision she figured out the best way to 'escape' this dilemma.
What it looked like to the others was Pyrrha (ANGRY-PYRRHA!) had clutched their loveable dope-Leader of JNPR by his armor with her semblance, held him in place, then extended the black aura on her hand to her own armor… and flew away?
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Yang appropriately yelled, "SHE CAN FLY?!"
They all blinked, noticing the speck that was Pyrrha and her captive went somewhere towards the dorms.
"I think it's less she can fly," Blake started flatly, "As more she's using her semblance to 'pull' herself wherever she feels…"
"THAT'S FUCKING CHEATING!"
She landed them on the roof they normally trained at. Herself landing softly while she dropped Jaune unceremoniously on the ground, he managed to roll the last second and spare himself unnecessary damage.
"Pyrrha?" his voice was strict, looking at her firmly with worry buried underneath as he stared up at her from his crouch. This wasn't like her. Pyrrha always smiled, always showed something on her face that was kind, even when she was upset… this was worse than that conversation outside the cafeteria, or the utterly shell-shocked look on her face from the arena. This was blank, neutral, completely serious and dangerous without a single shred of kindness.
"Jaune," her lips moved the bare minimum and her voice was barely more than a whisper.
He moved to stand up, to face her, holding out his arms and dared to approach, "H-Hey, c'mon, what's with all-AH!"
Her hand was engulfed in black again and with barely a motion he was thrown into the wall, pinned by his own armor, arms and legs out wide.
After sucking on his teeth from the pain, he cracked open his eyes to look at her. She still had that stern look about her face, "P-Pyrrha," he bit out, trying to move but knowing he couldn't. she'd done this before but at the time he knew she hadn't meant it, something he said had scared her and she'd lashed out. This time she was in control, he could tell because she didn't slam him nearly as hard as she had before. She just wanted him stuck in place for some reason, "This-this isn't you, I know you and this isn't-"
"Jaune," she walked towards him, her one gloved hand up and making a fist alight with her black aura, "I have spent my whole life with a singular goal, a single purpose," her breath hitched on the last word, "I only ever wanted to do one thing and that was to be a hero that saved Remnant and her people," he finally looked up at her eyes and while furrowed still he could see they were shining, tears forming she refused to let go, "I had a chance to do that, to be the hero and save this world," momentarily she lowered her head, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, "But I hesitated… I hesitated because in doing so I would lose… everything I had gained since coming to Beacon; my friends, my team…" her head raised and her emerald eyes were shining with tears, "You."
"Pyrrha, I-" Jaune started by she made a gesture that moved his arms into a more strained position.
She breathed in deeply, sniffleing as she tried to prevent her tears from falling, "It was for nothing," her hand up gripped tighter and her power seemed to wane a moment, "The choice was taken away and I may well have damned all of Remnant because I hesitated to fulfil my duty as a huntress," she looked at him again with watery eyes, "I failed… because I couldn't put my own desires, my heart, aside for the rest of the world…"her other hand came up and covered her eyes as her whole body shook, "Because I was afraid…"
"Pyrrha, everyone is allowed to be-" she cut him off again, this time it felt like his armor was squeezing him.
"You don't get it Jaune," she looked up at him, with tear stained cheeks and a burning anger in her eyes, not at him, but at herself, "I chose you over the world…" after that declaration her shoulders slumped and her whole body just looked sad, "I betrayed everything I ever believed in because of a stupid, selfish emotion I couldn't even muster up the courage to tell you about…" she offered him a broken smile, a pale reflection of her normal ones, "Because I'm a coward…"
"YOU'RE NOT!" Jaune struggled with all his might, trying to get to her, close to her, to do something that would take that look off her face. But it was her own semblance that was keeping him at bay and try as he might she was simply too strong.
She sniffed, trying to keep up her smile but looking down, "I lost everything Jaune, my fame, my title, my dignity, even my self-respect in that fight…" the tears were gone, the stern façade from earlier was building itself back up, "I don't deserve to be a hero anymore, not even a huntress after what I did, but…" she looked up at him, her face neutral but something painful in her eyes, "If I'm going to lose everything, I just have one thing to ask you…" She stepped closer to him, placing her free hand on his face and delicately rubbing her thumb along his cheek.
"Pyrrha…" his voice was pleading, begging, desperate and for what he didn't know. He felt for her, and hated himself for not realizing she had felt all this inside.
Without hesitation, she gave him one last smile before leaning in and claiming his lips with her own.
Jaune was stunned.
Did he know Pyrrha felt this way about him? No, not really… well, maybe, sorta, he kinda got the hint after the dance. He knew she cared about him, was the only person really that believed in him or held his opinion in any kind of regard. She was his rock, his support, someone that always helped him with a smile no matter how stupid or foolish he acted.
He had thought she was just being kind.
-Maybe she was…- The Pyrrha he knew wasn't someone to be manipulative, to do anything really to get ahead that somehow crossed a line in her mind. He still didn't know all the problems but she had gone through a lot in the past week and after hearing her pour her heart out, some choice she'd still yet to tell him, probably dealing with that meeting with Ozpin, and feeling as lost and broken as she was now…
She was putting everything she had on the line here, everything she had left.
What the hell was he supposed to do?
The Pyrrha he knew was strong, brave, adorable even in how she'd get embarrassed about some things but never boasted when she won, just smiled kindly and helped him back up.
Would he be lying if he said he never saw her as 'Invincible' as others did? -No… she was always strong, but not wholly invincible to me…- she had her flaws, and he thought they were cute. She'd sneak reading comics when others weren't looking, she'd put up with the others socially even if she seemed as awkward as he was under the veneer she'd forged from being a celebrity, she had a really funny laugh that he never got to hear enough of…
And she was lonely. It wasn't the first time he'd seen a chink in her armor, but at the dance had been the most obvious. She'd flat out told him what her life was like and he'd balked, like an idiot, not realizing what it all meant. And of all people, she'd told him.
He could have handwaved that as her simply confiding in him as a leader, a friend, her student, even her partner… but the rejection he'd saw as she walked away, the utter delight when he returned in a dress and made an utter fool of himself. He'd truly made her smile and feel… normal.
And it'd been one of the happiest moments of his life, right next to killing a Grimm all by himself and their team making it into the finals. Each time she'd congratulated him, honestly, genuinely happy for his achievements.
He wanted to see her smile again. it didn't matter what happened, the school could say whatever they wanted, hell the whole world could say whatever they wanted! She was his partner, his confidant, his other-half as far as he cared! She wasn't going anywhere he wasn't willing to go with her!
When she ended the kiss it was with a deep sigh, pressing her forehead to his momentarily before pulling away.
"Pyrrha, wait," Jaune said desperately, pulling at his restrained armor, "Let me go…"
She took a deep breath, taking a step back, "I see," she held her hand out, "I'm… I'm sorry…" and waved her hand, her aura fading from his armor and her hand as she turned around, "I'll… I'll leave-"
The second Jaune was free he raced at her, turned her around and before she could finish the words kissed her desperately, holding her in his arms and promising as much as he could without words to never let her go again.
Emerald eyes went wide as her whole body froze. She had thought he'd rejected her now… this?
After a moment Jaune pulled back, ending the kiss with a smile on her lips, "This is the part where you kiss me back?"
Her face went nearly as red as her hair, but having the confirmation her body was all to happy to reply, properly. Grabbing his head and thrusting her fingers through his hair, she practically leaped on him as he grabbed her around the waist and they both kissed back, properly this time.
Well, maybe not completely properly as both started laughing after a while and lost all the tension from before…
Both had tears streaming down their faces but they were smiling at each other's lips as Pyrrha held him around the neck and he around her waist, both trying to keep each other as close as possible afraid if they let go this would all disappear.
"Jaune, I…" Pyrrha tried to say it, outloud at least once but her voice just stopped and wouldn't let her.
Jaune just held her tighter, "Yea, I know," he nuzzled her face, rubbing their noses together, "I think… I mean… I dunno… but I'm pretty sure… I… do… too?" he ended with a bit of a squeak, feeling silly for not just saying how he felt about her.
It didn't matter because she laughed, and smiled, which was more than he could ever ask for, "That… works… for me."
Jaune just grinned wider, "Third times the charm, right?"
"How about the fourth?" she could feel his brow rise but hushed any words by kissing him silly.
Their little 'moment' was effectively ruined as the door to their 'secret training roof' was thrown open and Yang, Ruby and Weiss came running out, weapons out and ready for a serious fight! "JAUNE WE'RE HERE TO SAVE YOU!"
Without even missing a beat, or ending the kiss, Pyrrha just threw out her hand. Her black aura covered it momentarily, as well as all three of their weapons and they all went straight into the ground.
"ACK!" "WHAT THE-?!" "NOT FAIR!"
The loudest being Yang as her arms were effectively stuck to the ground now and she was trying to pull them out, "SO CHEATING!"
The new couple now took it upon themselves to disengage and turn towards their friends… snickering all the while.
Weiss was trying to pull Myrtanaster out of the ground while Ruby moved to try and help her sister.
Behind them Blake and Ren sighed while Nora waved chipperly, "We tried to stop them!"
The J and P of JNPR looked at their 'friends' from RWBY then back to the three not bogged down by weapon failure.
Pyrrha was the one to ask, "Blake?"
The cat faunus just shrugged with her arms crossed, maybe a tiny smirk of amusement, "I know a romantic setup when I see one." Her smirk increased when the couple blushed.
Ren just sighed, "We'd leave, but…" he pointed at the other three, "What about them?"
That's when Pyrrha got a somewhat sinster looking smirk on her face.
"YOU BETTER NOT!" Weiss yelled, pointing at the champion.
A red brow rose as the Mystralian looked to her leader.
Jaune just sighed, scratching the back of his head, "This is our training ground and you're the boss here…"
Pyrrha just turned her smirk back to the three girls… then flicked her wrist.
The three weapons went flying off the roof.
"CRESCENT ROSE NOOOOO!" Ruby went running after her scythe without a care… picking up Weiss and dragging her partner along as she jumped off the roof.
"YOU IDIOT! PUT ME DOWN!"
"SOOOOOOOOOO CHEEEEEEAAAAATTTTTIIIINNNNGGGG!" was Yang's final cry as she went off the roof with Ember Celica.
There was full blown laughter from Nora, while Blake had her hand up trying to hide her snickering.
Ren just held the door, "We'll be leaving now," and he politely herded the two other girls away, letting their friends have their time to themselves.
The second the door closed, Pyrrha turned to laugh into Jaune's chest.
The blonde boy easily joined her, holding her close while his chest rumbled with laughter, "That was mean!"
"I… ha… I know…" the red head snickered a few more times before looking up at him with an embarrassed blush and shrugged, "Sorry?"
Jaune snickered, "Eh, I'm sure they're fine," there was some loud yelling from down below, "Mostly…"
They both winced as it sounded like a fight broke out down below. They both leaned over the edge to spot Weiss chasing Ruby while screaming various obscenities while the speedy girl didn't seem to care as she tried to find her weapon. Yang was stuck in a tree and very eloquently using Ember Celica to blast her way out, possibly starting a fire.
Jaune scratched the back of his head, "We should probably go…"
"Right," Pyrrha held a hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh, both because of the hilarity that was the fact she tossed three of her friends off the roof and because she was positively giddy about the fact Jaune hadn't let go of her hand. As the blonde tugged her towards the door she couldn't help but ask, "This is real, isn't it?"
A bright smile passed the blonde boy's lips as he looked back at her, squeezing her hand, "Seems pretty real to me!"
Pyrrha hid her eyes as she tilted her head down as they made it to the door, "I'm sorry, for how I acted earlier, I just-" a hand came up under her chin, tilting it up so she was forced to look into those bright blue eyes of his.
Jaune just smiled, "Hey, if that's what it takes to get something that obvious into my head," he scratched the back of his head with a chuckle, "Well, I probably deserve it," he knocked his head, "I'm pretty thick, keeps me sturdy though! I'll always be able to take the hit if you need to toss me around a bit!" he leaned his forehead onto hers, "Besides, I'm just happy to see you smile again…" then gave her a quick kiss.
The Mystralian champion couldn't help but blush, smiling behind her hand. She'd lost a lot in a short while, but maybe… maybe that wasn't what was important. She squeezed his hand, smiling as he opened the door to get them off the roof-
Only to knock three others over into a pile.
Blake, Ren and Nora stared at them with wide eyes.
"We can explain…" Blake started.
"CHEESE IT!" and Nora shouted, grabbing Ren and running off.
The black haired Faunus watched her back up run, looked at the couple staring at her, and back before getting up and bolting as well.
"Ugh," Jaune sighed, "We have some really nosy friends…"
Pyrrha could only laugh.
Maybe she hadn't lost all the much after all.
A/N: Nora and Blake, the RWBY-in-universe shippers! UNITE! :D
wrote this because PYRRHA NEEDS A GODDAMN HUG! the Plot loves to go straight for her weakpoint... and stab it, repeatedly...
for those that don't know:
Deluge: the great flood in Greek Mythology that in one story was sent down by Zeus to wipe out the Iron version of man, Prometheus, being the ever perpetual thorn in Zeus' side and loving Humanity, saved his son Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha (or cousin depending on story and sometimes both because myths) by warning them about the flood, they took refuge in a wooden box and basically waited it out, and when the waters receded since they were pious to the gods Zeus wasn't really all that pissed, in order to repopulate the world he told them to 'throw the bones of your mother over your shoulder' in this case meaning 'Mother Earth' and her bones being stones, which when they did this the stones turned into babies... and thus us of the Stone age of Men were born :D
i know this story has nothing to do with Pyrrha's name, but when i think Jaune's name is 'Arc' and the whole flood story with the 'Ark' i just can't help it XD
plus yea, all her emotions that must be bubbling up from this round of crazy... poor thing needs a goddamn hug!
that's enough out of me~
Till next -salute-waves- Sayounara, Mina!
-Ikasury