Here's a few notes about this story. This story is in honor of Monty Oum, the creator of RWBY, and today would have been his birthday. We love you Monty.
Next, this is sort of a companion piece to my RWBHY: The Aura Mage story. There are a few slight spoilers, but nothing that you should worry about.
Now onto the story.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee."
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So, this is the afterlife? Not what I was expecting… not that I wanted to die really… Pyrrha Nikos tried to see what was around her, but there were only vague shadows in the otherwise almost blindingly white landscape. She could see buildings and other objects around her, but no details about them. So she decided to start walking.
She tried to remember how she died, for she knew she was dead; no doubt about it. I was fighting Cinder… and then she shot me in the heel. That hurt a lot. And then she shot me in the chest. I couldn't breathe, and there was such pain… then there was an intense heat… Then I was here. But where's here? The afterlife obviously, but I thought there would be others here too.
Pyrrha looked down to see if her wounds were visible and then saw that she was naked. Strangely that doesn't bother me a lot… but I would like some clothes… As soon as she thought that her normal combat attire, minus her headpiece, appeared in front of her on the ground. Well that's helpful. She bent down and dressed herself, repeating movements that she had done for years, honed so she could be ready in minutes.
Soon dressed, she began to wander again, and delved into thinking. Did I do the right thing? Was it worth it? Did I even accomplish anything? She felt sadness and regret seep into her. I didn't even wind her in the end. All of that for nothing. And I left Jaune to… die… But he can still live his life. I just wish I had more time with him… that he realized what I felt for him even if he was blind most of the time.
Things started getting darker and her vision grew grey. This is it. I've passed on to the realm of death. For nothing. Cinder got the Maiden's powers, and that dragon Grimm will destroy everything. It's over. I failed everyone. I failed Penny. I failed Amber. I failed Jaune… I failed my destiny…
She stumbled a few more steps and then fell to he knees, the weight of her failure crushing her. Grey became black and she felt nothingness creep upon her. In any other moment, she would have been frightened and have done anything she could to escape it. But now… now it was release.
If I feel nothing, then I will remember nothing. Not my failure, not the destruction of Vale… I won't even remember Jaune. The blackness halted. She stopped. Jaune. Ren. Nora.
My friends. My parents. I won't remember them. I'll become nothing. But… I don't want to forget. I want to remember them. The blackness became grey again, and she stood up. I don't want to forget. I want to remember them.
With that, her vision became clear and the weight disappeared. She felt… free. Resolute, but tranquil.
In these surroundings of white, she saw a figure approaching. He was the only source of color besides herself, even if it was black, and Pyrrha looked at the figure. Is that death? Coming to take me to the afterlife? She realized then that this was just a waiting spot, for a final decision to be made.
So she waited. And watched as the figure came closer and more details became clear. It was a he, about her height. Parts of him seemed to shimmer in and out of existence, and an otherworldly power radiated from him. But it wasn't oppressive. It was welcoming and calming, peaceful, inviting her to accept what had happened and be at peace in her soul.
As he came closer, Pyrrha realized who it was and gasped. She couldn't speak, as his was a face she didn't expect to be here and see. And didn't want to see here in all places.
He stopped right in front of her, his green, slightly glowing eyes looking at her. "Hello again Pyrrha, it's been a while."
"H-Harry?" She whispered.
"In the flesh, so to speak," he said, bringing his arms out.
I- I can't believe it. Harry? Harry's dead too? She remembered the fifth person of team RWBHY, the first five-person team in decades. Harry Xiao Long-Potter. His story was more complicated than others, an actual Wizard, but from another world. Brother to Yang and Ruby, but also the boyfriend of Ruby as well. It was a little strange at first when she learned about their seemingly pseudo-incestuous relationship, but once she got the full story it was understandable and more acceptable since they weren't related by blood.
Harry had been retaken/sent to his birth world, and Pyrrha had thought that it was permanent. Now it seemed like he would never come back to Remnant. "Harry? You're- you're dead too?" She knew that he was, for how else could he be here. "How?"
"Well, yes I am dead, but not yet from your perspective," Harry said, not helping in the slightest.
"What?"
"This is always confusing to people who know me," he muttered to himself, combing a hand through his hair. He looked her in the eye. "In your time, when you died, I wasn't dead yet. I was… well, I wouldn't say happily, but I was in my own world. And after you died, I came back after a while, with some help. And then much-much later, I died."
"But… why are you here now?" Pyrrha asked, rational thought getting back on the rails. She noticed that he had an accent somewhat like Velvet's now… or was it always there and she just didn't hear it before?
"Apparently, through a series of convoluted plans and accidents, I got three powerful artifacts from my birth world which, under one wielder, would make that person the 'Master of Death'," Harry said dryly, making air quotations. "And apparently there was a bit more to it than that which no one knew about."
"Which was?" Pyrrha asked, much more at ease, remembering some of the more pleasant times at Beacon.
"You become Death when you die," Harry said bluntly. "Which I didn't expect to be part of the job title. And since Death is immortal and eternal, I'm everywhen and everywhere."
Pyrrha blinked in surprise. "You died? You did die?"
"To quote a fictional wizard from my birth world, 'death is just another path, one that we all must take'," Harry gently said. "It's just a matter of when. And don't worry about when I died. I was happy bouncing my grandbabies on my knee the week before I kicked the bucket."
Pyrrha thought about it then a growing smile came across her face, "You mean… you and Ruby?"
"Yep," Harry said, popping the 'p' like Ruby would do. "I came back to Remnant and after another long series of convoluted incidents, we finally got married and had kids, but that's a story for another time.
"But now, it's your time," Harry said, suddenly solemn. "Pyrrha… you died before you should have, but destiny had plans for you."
Destiny. That word held so many connotations for her, many not so good now. And Harry says that it was my destiny to die then? "You mean I was supposed to die then?" She asked, growing angry.
"Unfair, I know," Harry commiserated with her. "But it wasn't as needless as you think." He waved a hand and suddenly the air rippled, and it looked as if it were a mirror, save showing a scene.
Pyrrha's breath hitched as she saw the scene. On top of the ruins of Beacon tower. She could see it all from a bird's eye view. Cinder pointing the arrow at her, ready to fire. The dragon Grimm looking on at the scene, it's enormous head filling the air.
But there was something she didn't see before. A red blur leapt up the side and landed on the ruined office floor. Ruby, Pyrrha recognized. Wondering how she got up there, Pyrrha leaned over and saw the fading glyphs from Weiss' work going up the side of the tower. Ah.
The arrow fired and she saw the arrow sink into her flesh. She flinched, feeling the ghost wound, seeing her own face gasp for air as life slipped away from her. She watched as Cinder came over and held her, almost comfortingly before immolating her body and sending her ashes into the wind.
But she also saw Ruby, the devastation on her face as the ashes scattered. Then, in emotional pain, Ruby cried out "PYRRHA!" Pyrrha herself gasped as she watched a blinding light shoot out of Ruby's eyes, washing over the tower. She heard Cinder's exclamation of surprise, and the screech of the dragon before everything whited out.
Then it stopped. Vision and color came back and everything was still. Ruby was lying on the ground, unconscious. Pyrrha was amazed when she saw that both Cinder and the dragon were both frozen, a silvery sheen covering then, locking them in place. How did she do that? Is she… is she secretly a Maiden? She wondered at the power Ruby displayed.
The scene continued as a bird, a crow, flew up to the top of the tower. She was only slightly surprised when the bird transformed into that man… Crow-no Qrow, and picked up Ruby, saying comforting words aloud to the unconscious girl. He gave a glare at Cinder, but didn't disturb anything as he hopped down with someone far more important to him, disappearing from sight.
Harry waved his arm again and the vision disappeared. "Before you ask, no, Ruby isn't a Maiden," Harry said, though he had a smirk that had a different, secret meaning. "She was born with that power, an ancient power before kingdoms: the power of the silver eyed warriors. What you just saw was the first time Ruby, unknowingly, used this power. The dragon was frozen, unable to wreak havoc like intended, and Cinder was incapacitated for some time.
"In a morbid sense, your death halted further immediate destruction, allowing our friends to regroup. You were martyred, and like most martyrs, your death made the others push on, to eventually succeed."
Pyrrha was silent, absorbing what she had seen and coming to terms with everything. "What happened afterwards?" She asked quietly.
"I won't lie and say it was sunshine and rainbows for us. There was a lot of death and destruction before it was over, in both worlds. But it did end. The heroes prevailed. And though you died, you achieved immortality with your passing, all of us never forgetting." He snorted. "Ruby insisted upon a statue of you being put up in Beacon after it was repaired. I was happy to oblige," he smirked, twirling a stick in his hand... which would have to be a wand since he is a wizard, Pyrrha thought belatedly, unused to seeing him without his Dust Staff.
Despite everything, Pyrrha had to laugh a bit, Harry chuckling along with her. She eventually stopped laughing and looked around, recognizing what she hadn't before. "We're at Beacon, aren't we?" Wait… "The afterlife is Beacon?" She asked incredulously.
"Yes and no," Harry said. "It's different for everyone. Everyone sees something different when they move on. Some would see a big open field, others a magnificent castle, or maybe even a train station," he added offhandedly. He gestured to where the entrance hall would be. "Through there is where you begin your next great adventure…" he sighed a bit after that last part. "For all that I despise the old coot, he was wise in his own way," he muttered.
"Next adventure?" Pyrrha asked.
Harry looked at her, "Death… is indescribable, but if I had to, then it is life in it's own form, but different. Our souls don't just disappear. We linger, some longer than others before they move to the Beyond, and even I don't know what happens then. My job is to guide the people who have died, to lead their souls to where they should go."
"And… where will I go?" Pyrrha asked, worried about the answer.
Harry gently smiled at her. "You need not worry. You'll see everyone again in time. Until then, there are things you can do."
He gestured to the doors of Beacon. "You can step through there and 'move on' permanently so to speak. Your soul will linger for as long as you want, and you can meet others as well who have died. I know that there is one soul, who in life was named Monty Oum, who wants to talk to you in person. Another taken before his time," he said sadly. "There are others as well. The previous fall Maiden, Amber, your ancestors, and many others.
"You'll know peace, happiness, and serenity that you never knew existed. All through those doors."
Pyrrha looked at the doors that she had passed through many times in life. "What will happen if I decide to stay here?" She asked, just to know her options.
Harry shifted to a neutral expression. "You'll wander in this realm. Not many decide to stay here for long, and most likely they are the ones that have… issues they need to work out." He grumbled something and Pyrrha caught the word 'Roman'. Harry looked at her again. "Honestly, I wouldn't want to be here long either. It gets boring."
Pyrrha had to smile again at the humor and looked again at the doors. They looked no different than in life, but she felt as if they were calling to her, gentle pulses of comfort and pure bliss coming from them. It was enticing, and soon, she had decided.
"I… I think I'll go through," she said, the momentous decision made.
Harry beamed, "Brilliant! Death isn't what it seems, and you'll enjoy the time you spend while reflecting on the life you had without regrets. Pyrrha Nikos, this is the next step in your journey." He stepped aside, making an unimpeded path to the doors.
Pyrrha looked at them. I'm… really dead. There's no coming back, but… I still feel sad. But glad at the same time. I'm sorry that I left people behind, causing them to grieve, but… they still have their lives, and I'm happy for them. She started walking forward and almost got to the doors before Harry's shout caught her.
"Hey, Pyrrha!"
She turned and looked at Harry who was closer now. "Yes?"
"One last thing; I think you'll be happy to know we named one of our kids after you: Nikos Potter-Rose," Harry said with a smile. "And Jaune named his first daughter after you as well."
Pyrrha blinked in surprise. "Jaune got married?! To who?"
Harry wagged a finger, "That would be telling. Besides, you can see what they're doing inside," he waved to the doors.
Pyrrha had a smile on her face as well, thinking about the blond lovable goofball. I'll see them again… in time. Maybe we could have had the life we never had in death. She turned and pushed open the doors, vanishing into the white light, in passing achieving immortality.
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So that's that. Just a little drabble I wrote that has (in my opinion) a little less feels than Bring Me to the Place You Rest, but still gets you. It's not supposed to be a major work like some of the other stories, but stay as is. I hope you enjoyed this-
-OrangeGalen