Hope everybody dodged that spoiler in the summary. That's why there's no image either.
This is a one-shot about the character's reaction to Pyrrha's death, from to days immediately after that event to the day before Team RNJR/JNRR starts their journey. That requires having watched Volume 3's finale but it also contains some nods to Volume 4 till Episode 8. If you've watched the show this far, you can read this without problems.
It's cold without you here…
Brown colored leaves fell on the graveyard. A girl with long black hair and a big black ribbon on top of it walks between graves. She stops in front of an unnamed one.
"Hi Pyrrha." Says Blake.
She kneels in front of Pyrrha's grave and lowers her head.
"I heard they'll be making this your grave. I'm sorry I cannot attend the funeral. I cannot even wait to see your name engraved here. But… I must leave right now."
Her eyes begin to moisten.
"We weren't that close but you were one of the few people who knew my secret and helped to kept it. You were also one of the few humans I met who deeply cared for the faunus. You said I was a "fun loving person, whom we all admire and respect. I can say the same about you. I'm going to miss you. We're all going to miss you."
She starts to cry.
"I'm being a coward. I left my team because I'm endangerin them but I still left them without even saying bye, while Weiss was distracted and Yang and Ruby were still unconcious. I only came here to say bye to you because it's easier, because you can't respond to me."
She stands up and rubs her eyes.
"I wish I was as brave as you."
Her ears twitch as she detects a sound and she hurries to flee.
Soon, another girl arrives at the grave. This one has a long white hair pulled in a tail. She looks around confused for a moment. She lefts a lily.
"Sorry." Says Weiss. "I tried to make Ruby reach you in time but we couldn't arrive on time. And now I can't stay for your funeral because my father wants me to leave right now."
She starts to shed tears.
"I couldnt say bye to Blake because she left whithout me even noticing. Ruby was still unconcious when they transported her to Patch. I could talk with Yang but she didn't like me leaving like this. I suposse it's my fault for not being able to stand against my father. But at least I can say bye to you, even if it's not your funeral."
She fixes her face with a handkerchief.
"If only I was as strong as you."
She stands up.
"Bye, Pyrrha."
And leaves.
It's like winter lasts all year…
In the room of an inn, a boy with blonde hair sits in the bed. She maintains his head low and a sad expression in his face while looking at a broken spear and shield lying against the wall. Then a black-haired boy and a red-haired girl enter the room.
"Hi, Jaune." Greets Ren. "How are you doing?"
"Good." He mutters.
"You got your own room?" Asks Nora, oblivious to that answer. "You're lucky. With all the students who lost the dorms, all the inns in the city are flooding."
He doesn't answer. Nora and Ren look at each other preoccupied.
"The professors have decided to build Pyrrha's grave in the Hunt Graveyard." Explains Ren. "Every dead Huntsman and Huntress is buried there, unless they wanted to be buried elsewhere, like Ruby's mom. They may even rename it Pyrrha Nikos Memorial Graveyard. It's the first time a student dies but she was definitely a true Huntress. "
"She deserves the honor. " Concedes Jaune. "I'm the one that didn't deserve her. "
Now Nora and Ren look at each other puzzled.
"Before leaving me… she kissed me." Explains Jaune. "Apparently, she felt in love with me a long time ago. "
The pair looks at each other another time. Ren tries to remain calm. Nora forces a smile.
"Then, it's good that she had at least the chance to tell you." Says the brunette.
"Yeah, at least she got to have her first kiss with the one she loves." Ads the redhead.
"Did you already knew?" Asks the blonde, with a serious look.
This time, the pair doesn't look at each other. They both lower their heads in unison.
"We did. Not because she told us." Explains the boy.
"I tell her to confess before the dance but…"Mutters the girl.
Jaune looks hurt.
"It's okay. I'm not angry at you. But at me." He stands up, facing the wall, looking at Pyrrha's weapons." How could I notice something that was so obvious? I made her hurt by ignoring her!"
Ren and Nora get startled by the volume of his voice.
"Jaune, she didn't tell you because she wanted." Ren tries to calm him. "It was her decision."
"It doesn't change the fact that I asked her advice about Weiss while she was in love with me!" He shouts, as his face gets red and his eyes moisten. "She was helping me all this time and I only hurt her!"
"She was probably waiting for the right time to tell you." Suggests Nora.
"And now she's dead!" Keeps shouting Jaune, this time punching the wall. "And I couldn't do anything because I'm weak!"
The pair remains silent while their friend keeps releasing his emotions. But he stops there. Her respiration and face return to normal.
"How could she fall in love with someone like me?"
His friends keep silent. They try getting close to him but he stops them by raising his hand.
"Thank you for trying to help me but… I want to be alone."
Nora looks at Ren preoccupied but he nods.
"Just remember we're here for anything you need."
They leave the room, leaving the grieving boy alone. Only for some seconds.
"Jaune?" Asks a female voice.
"Weiss?"
The white-haired girl peeks through the door. She looks serious.
"Sorry for intruding. Len and Nora just told me you want to be alone but I have to talk with you. My father wants me to return to Atlas and I cannot oppose him." She puts a sad face. "He won't even permit me to attend Pyrrha's funeral."
The blonde looks at her sad face. He also notices sadness in the tone of her voice.
"That's so bad." Laments Jaune.
"At least I could visit Pyrrha's future grave. I left a flower and said bye to her." Explains the girl. "So, can I talk with you?"
"Yes." Says, welcoming her with a hand gesture.
She sits near him, in the bed.
"I must tell you… I was in the stairs when I heard you shouting. I heard what you said about me, you and Pyrrha."
"I'm sorry."
"No, I'm the one who's sorry." She insists. "You reminded me how I ditched you when we first met. I got angry because you interrupted me while talking to Pyrrha. The thing is… I was trying to make her join me in a team just because I knew she was strong and famous and I thought I could use her to be part of the best team. Now I know she hated how her popularity affected her relationships. I surely hurt her back then. I hurt you too."
"That wasn't something serious, Weiss." Assures Jaune. "I doubt Pyrrha was angry at you for that."
"Jaune." She continues, still with a serious expression. "I came to Beacon thinking I could become a great Huntress. I thought I was great but I didn't have the best personality. I was mean to you, to Pyrrha and even to my team. I got better but I regret acting like that."
She looks at Jaune while smiling.
"Pyrrha, on the other hand. was flawless. The best of us. I admired her. So I understand you could've preferred her if you had known she loved you."
The boy lowers his head.
"I would have dated her if I had known, yes. When she kissed me, I instinctively embraced her. I suppose I actually liked her all this time but didn't realize it. She was just a friend to me. Ironically, she said she liked me for treating her like a normal person instead of a celebrity and yet I couldn't notice."
He lifts his head as he talks but looking down.
"But I wouldn't deserve her. I don't understand how a perfect girl like her could fall in love with a loser like me."
That preoccupies Weiss.
"Jaune, you're not a loser."
"Why did you ditch me every time I tried flirting with you?" Asks looking at her.
"Jaune, I told you, I was mean these days." Starts apologizing. "I didn't like you after that first impression…"
"Because I was a clumsy idiot!" Interrupts him.
"And I was a mean egomaniac. I'm telling you. We all come here with our flaws but we've matured."
"Not me. I'm still weak." He insists. "I know I'm the weakest member of my team. Probably of our entire promotion. And yet the best student that ever was fell in love with me. I don't understand what she saw in me."
"Leadership, Jaune!" Tries explaining the girl. "Remember how you instructed your team while fighting the Death Stalker. Nobody but Pyrrha noticed you made a good leader back then. I didn't notice until I saw you fighting in the Festival."
"So I'm only good giving orders to others? That's lame, Weiss!" He protests as he stands up. "I would prefer to be a good fighter, like the others. Maybe then Pyrrha would have let me help her instead of putting me on a locker. Because she knew I had nothing to do in a fight! "
"Can you just stop!?" Shouts the girl, standing up too with an angry face that manages to startle the boy. "I'm trying to help you but you can't stop feeling pity of yourself. Pyrrha's the dead one. You should feel pity of her. She put you in that locker so you could survive, like it or not. She saw something in you, something good, even if you don't acknowledge it. She saw a great leader."
Her voice starts cracking as she starts crying.
"So stop ditching your friends, who want to help you, and be a leader for them. Pyrrha's death has hurt us too."
Jaune lifts her head. His expression still looks hurt but his eyes look serious.
"You're right." He finally acknowledges. "If she was perfect, she couldn't make a mistake believing in me. The best way of honoring her is showing she was right."
She looks at Weiis, with a serious look and sparks in his eyes that manage to impress her.
"I'm going to train harder than I ever trained with her. I'll continue being a leader for my team. I'll protect Ren and Nora. I'm not losing more friends. I must become the man she believed I can be."
Amazed, the girl nods.
"Now you're sounding like such man."
She blushes and turns around.
"I wish I hadn't acted like that in the past. If I had seen you like she saw you…" She looks at him. "I would have dated you."
He gets surprised. She smiles gently.
"But again, I wouldn't be worthy of you. Nor could have I competed against her"
The two look at each other until Weiss breaks eye contact.
"I have to go now."
She turns around again and starts walking towards the door.
"Good luck, Jaune."
"You too, Weiss."
That causes Weiss to turn around one last time, surprised. She smiles at Jaune and waves at him while leaving the room.
Alone, the boy stares at Pyrrha's weapons again. His face lights up.
"I got an idea. Pyrrha, you helped me to become stronger and now I think you can help me to make my weapons stronger too."
He turns his attention to the window. He sees Weiss talking with Nora and Ren before leaving. He hurries to go out and met with them. By the time he leaves the inn, Weiss has left. But it doesn't seem to matter to him. He approaches his teammates, who get surprised on seeing him again so fast.
"Jaune? Is something wrong?" Asks Ren, confused.
"Forget what I said. I don t want to be alone. We should be alone. Pyrrha was our teammate so we must overcome her death as a team." He says this speaking fast but calms down at the last part. "Weiss helped me to realize it."
The pair looks alleviated hearing their friend saying that.
"I've been an idiot with you two. I'm sorry." He lowers his head. "I've ignored your feelings. You must be hurt too so be sincere with this question and let me help: How are you feeling? "
Ren's face changes from calm to hurt. He uses all his muscles strength to control his emotions. Nora, with tears falling through her cheeks, manages to speak with a cracked voice.
"I'm not okay." She admits. "I'm sad because we've lost a dear friend."
"Me too." Coincides Ren, with an equally cracked voice. "I wish I could've helped."
Jaune puts her hands over his friends shoulders and looks at them with an equally sad face.
"I feel the same. But feeling bad won't return us our friend. We'll never see Pyrrha again but we're still Team JNPR. Forever." Assures the leader. "We must remain together and be strong."
Ren looks at him seriously for an instant before he starts shedding tears. He then embraces Jaune and he returns the hug. Nora quickly hugs the two of them while crying herself. Thus, Team JNPR grieves the death of their friend.
But your star's still in the sky…
The day of the funeral comes. Almost all of the student body and teachers reunite for it. Glynda Goodwitch presides the ceremony. It has to be a short, given that they have no body to bury. So she just gives an small speech about how great and promising student Pyrrha was. Then, they've decided to let the deceased's teammates give another small speech each one. When people start looking at them, Jaune, Ren and Nora get a bit nervous.
"I'll go first." Offers Ren, putting her hand over Nora's to calm her.
He walks calmly towards the grave and faces everybody with a sad but solemn face.
"Pyrrha was certainly a great and honorable warrior. But she was also a great friend. She was always there to support us whenever we needed help. She always put others needs before her owns. Just as she fought with bravery in her fights, she acted with great care in her relationships. I'm very honoured of having the privilege of ever knowing her and having her as a teammate and friend."
He returns to his seat while people applauses. Nora looks at him, still with sadness in her eyes but with a gentle smile. She stands up and puts herself in front of everybody.
"I must admit I made Pyrrha mad with my antics. Many times. I can't help; I'm hyperactive. But don't get me wrong, we got along greatly. She cared for me, like she cared for everybody. I tried to help her too whenever she had a problem. She would never admit it when something bugged her but I knew. I only wanted to be a good friend for her, like she was for me. I like to think I did make her a life a bit more happy."
Her speech manages to make many people smile. She returns to her seat with moistened eyes, trying to hold her tears. Ren gives her a nod of approval as he puts his hand over hers. They look at Jaune, who looks at them with determination before leaving his seat.
"I think I knew Pyrrha even better than my teammates. The girl I know was much more than a champion. She was just a teenager girl with her own worries. Fate put a great power in her hands and a great burden over her shoulders. She felt she had the obligation to help everybody. That's why she fought that woman. She lost and now the world is in a state of chaos for everything that happened. But if she was there, she would tell us to stay calm and fight back. We can't let her sacrifice be in vain. At the face of such an enemy, we must be as brave and strong as she was. She was an inspiration for me when she lived. Even after death, she still inspires me. I want her to inspire you all."
As he returns to his seat not only applauses but also some contained cries are hear. Even Nora and Ren look at him with faces that are having a hard time holding back their tears. Only then does he realize he has started crying and quickly dries his tears.
After the speeches, they finalize the funeral. Everybody starts leaving. Most of them walk towards Jaune, Ren and Nora to say some encouraging words or compliment their speeches before leaving. They heard all these comments and give thanks for them. Ruby and Yang wait until they're the last in order to have a conversation with them. Ruby's face looks serious. Yang's glazed.
"Those speeches were great." Congratulates Ruby.
"You're doing better than expected." Comments her sister.
"Well, I was doing worse but after a talk with Weiss, I'm facing this better." Explains Jaune.
"You talked with Weiss?" Asks Yang.
"Just before she had to leave. Looks like her father's not a very nice person."
"Right, it doesn't change the fact that she left." Complains the blonde girl, tilting her head. "Sorry but I'm leaving. I can't stand this."
"Yang." Mutters her sister, in a begging tone.
"Relax. I'm not leaving before saying bye to Pyrrha." Protests the one-armed girl.
She kneels in front of the grave and leaves a yellow chrysanthemum over the pile of flowers everybody has left.
"I'll miss you." She laments, breaking her cold expression for a warmer, albeit still sad face. "You didn't deserve this".
She turns at her friends at waves at them in a rather cold way. Then she leaves, leaving Team JNPR with puzzled looks. Ruby looks hurt.
"Pardon her. She suffered her own loss and she's not taking it very well."
"We understand." Reassures Len.
"We're not doing that great either, to be sincere." Adds Nora.
"There're things about Pyrrha's death that are obscure. Like what was Ozpin doing with her or why did Cinder do this." Points Jaune.
Ruby looks at them individually and nods.
"I want answers too. There're things here that concerns us but we ignore. And if nobody wants to tell us, we'll have to discover it by ourselves."
The team looks at each other. Nora and Len nod at their leader. He nods at Ruby.
"What are you planning?"
"A journey." Answers the silver-eyed girl, very seriously. "I'll explain the details later. In fact, there's so much we must start planning. By now, we'll just do what we all have come to do: say goodbye to Pyrrha."
She kneels in front of the grave and leaves a rose next to her sister's chrysanthemum.
"Pyrrha, I wish I could've helped you. Your death will not be in vain."
She turns at Team JNPR with moistened eyes. They comply. Ren it's the first one.
"It was an honor to be your friend, Pyrrha. I hope you're okay wherever you are"
He sheds a single tear that he quickly rubs as he lets Nora take his place.
"I'm going to miss you Pyrrha." Her voice cracks a little. "Hope you liked being my friend as much as I liked being yours"
And finally, Jaune. He manages to say goodbye without shedding more tears, with a determined look on his face.
"I'll keep training with the videos you left me to become as strong as you expected me to become". He stays on his knees for a moment before adding two more words. "love you."
So I won't say goodbye…
Ruby walks between the graves, covered in a thin layer of snow, until finding Pyrrha's.
"Hi again, Pyrrha." She greets. "There's something I needed to tell you back in the funeral but I couldn't say it in front of others."
She kneels and leaves a rose in front of the grave.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you." She starts saying, as her eyes moisten. "If only I had been faster, I could have saved you. Or I may be killed by Cinder too. Everybody says I shouldn't think of what could have been and focus on the present. That and being positive. Well, there's something I learned from this: I need to become faster with my Semblance and learn to control this new powers of my eyes."
She clenches her fist.
"I'm going to become stronger so we don't have to lose anybody else." Starts crying. "I want to promise you I'll protect your team. And yet…"
She punches the snow covered ground.
"And yet, I'm putting them in danger with this journey. But we need answers. We need to know who are we fighting and why did you have to die. So I must become strong because things will turn dangerous."
She stands up, still shedding tears.
"That's all I had to say. Bye Pyrrha."
She ignores the crow that rests in a nearly grave. As soon as she is gone, the crow transforms in a human.
"Didn't want to eavesdrop but I had to discover their plan." Apologizes Qrow."As I though, they've planned a journey."
He takes his flask and takes a sip while watching in the distance, where Ruby left.
"She's right. Their trip is going to be dangerous. But don't worry, if they can't defend themselves, I will defend them. I will go with them. And I will tell them about your decision. That'll only make your sacrifice even nobler. And not only will I talk them about the Maidens but more things Ozpin didn't tell you because he didn't have time."
He takes another sip as he lowers his head.
"You were a great warrior, Pyrrha. Fighting Cinder on your own… That was really brave. Now that the world is in such a great danger we need warriors like you to save it. It's such a pity you had to die so soon in this war. But don't worry. We're going to win. Your sacrifice won't be in vain."
He transforms back into a crow and flies away.
And so, the red rose is left in front of that grave. Her symbol, her spear and shield, has been engraved on it. Same with her name: Pyrrha Nikos. And under her name lays this epitaph: Fate is the same for the man who holds back, the same if he fights hard.
I don't have to say goodbye.
END
I give more relevance to each character based on how close they were with Pyrrha. So of course Jaune gets the spotlight.
Yes, this was an Arkos fanfic despite Pyrrha being dead. And there was a nod to White Knight too.
The quote in Pyrrha's grave is said by Achilles in the Iliad. I wanted something similar to Summer's The Last Rose of Summer line on hers. I chose Achilles because she is based on him. He had other good quotes but that was the only one short enough for ana epitaph and the mention of fate feels fitting.