Fanfic: Spring
Rwby-AU: After the War- One-shot.
Disclaimer: RWBY and characters are properties of Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace and cookies.
Inspired by Crystaline (song) Ivan Torrent
'No matter how long the Winter, Spring is sure to follow.' Proverb.
The weary man found himself standing over a cliff, looking down to an endless field of sunflowers.
He closed his eyes, he listened to the sunflowers blowing in the winds of spring, he felt the warm breeze on his skin, as gentle as feather...
A soft smile formed on his lips. He felt the weights he had carried for so long tugging at his arms. His weapons, Crocea Mors, the heirloom of the Arc Dynasty, a relic of an age long passed, the sword that had slain the Fallen Maiden, his sword, and his sheath, engraved on it the Yellow Crescents- the sigil of the Arcs, and the Crown of Victory- the sigil of... her. A girl with burning red hair, as soft as silk, her skin as white and smooth as cream, on her face a gentle smile that set his soul alight. Pyrrha Nikos, the four time Champion of Mistral, the supposed-to-be Fall Maiden. His closest Friend. His Partner.
Someone who had taught him everything she knew, who was a Beacon of Hope, who had shown him the way in his darkest hours... A Mentor who was always so patient, always so gentle and caring...
Someone who cared for him with all her heart... Who loved him with all her heart. A Friend, or perhaps if he wasn't such a Fool, a Lover, torn away from him by the Pawns of Darkness...
He breathed in, finding himself lost in an all too familiar scent of Mistralian sunflowers...
He felt his weapons tugging at his arm, as heavy as lead, waiting to be discarded...
Breath out...
Crocea Mors and shealth landed softly on the wet spring grass.
He breath in again, this time much deeper.
He felt the urge to take another step forward. To meet the end of his journey, a release for his weary soul. But a hand gripped at his shoulder, gently stopping him.
'Don't.' The spirit in green said. Another hand placed on his other shoulder.
'We are always here with you, silly! Past, present and future, all three tenses! And besides...' She said, her face turning up its most joyful (and terrifying) smile '... Dare to think about it again, and I. will. break. your. legs...'
He sweatdropped, nodding. He smiled. His old team JNPR, now only 'J' was left. But still, teammates always take care of each other, even in death huh.
"Thanks. I really needed it you two."
'No prolemo~!' The energetic orange head shouted, while the black-haired one simply smiled and nodded. They slowly dissipated back into the wind...
He sat down, and continued gazing out to the flower field below in silent. The wind continues to blow softly in a rhythim he couldn't make out of, but... it made him felt at peace. Perhaps, that is enough.
Time passed... An orange color tinted the horizon, as the sun slowly set... He heard, or perhaps felt someone sitting down next to him. He knew who.
"You are as beautiful as ever, Pyrrha..." he smiled, staring into her deep, heavenly green eyes. The Angel was clad in the traditional Mistralian summer dress, fluttering lightly in the wind...
The Angel blushed, before chuckling softly at his remark 'Hehe... Still as courteous as ever, huh...'
She leaned her head on his shoulder, as they sat and enjoyed the scenery in content, no need for words exchange between them. For a while, at least.
"It had been... hard... losing you, Pyr."
'I understand, Jaune. I know. It is hard, yes- but you are strong. You still have the entire future ahead of you. You will stand tall and protect everyone just as you had dreamt. And you did. Besides...' She paused, a tender but sad smile on her face. '... you still have somebody to stand up for, don't you?'
"I do..." he answered sadly, barely a breath above a whisper. She smiled, and cupped the side of his face with her slender, soft fingers, bringing it closer to her own.
'We all have to keep moving forward, Jaune. We all have to.' She whispered, her eyes staring intensely into his own.
"Pyrrha..." There was no current of air- she is a spirit- but that did not matter, as he slowly inched closer until their faces were only milimeters apart...
'Jaune... I...' just as their lips were about to touch, she realized what they are about to do, and pushed him away. She swallowed dryly. His face was etched with sadness and confusion.
'I'm sorry, Jaune, but we can't. I can't.' She shook her head gently 'This will only weight you down further, Jaune... I can not allow that to happen.'
"I... understand, Pyrrha." He smiled sadly, his head dropping down. "You only wanted the best for me, as always."
'As always, Jaune. And again... I'm sorry... It's time...' she hugged him tightly, her body slowly dissipating away, back into Dust... 'Just... promise me something Jaune...' She asked, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes 'Promise me... to find your own happiness Jaune, and don't follow us too soon.'
"I..." he paused, hesitated "... promise, Pyrrha, that I will stay safe..." he paused again, swallowing dryly before continueing to speak "...and be happy. I swear, on my name as an Arc, Pyrrha." He reached out, wiping away her tears. "On my name as an Arc..."
'Thank you... Jaune...' she smiled, before blowing him a soft kiss, her ethereal form returning back into Dust...
Millions of glowing particles of Fire Dust, floated gently in the winds, each burning brightly like a million dancing fireflies in the orange-tinted sunset...
He reached out for one. The particle was hot to the touch, much like that of a Mistralian Summer. It danced in his palm, before floating up again into the wind, joining its brethren in an ethereal dance of lights in heaven.
He felt his eyes blurred. He felt something wet rolling down his face. He closed his eyes as the tears fall.
"All are born of Dust, and to Dust all shall return..." he whispered softly, a prayer, or perhaps a statement.
As the tears continued to fall, he sat alone once again. For a short moment at least.
"Jaune!" He heard someone call out his name. He turned back, and was greeted with the sight of a woman in a red cloak dashing toward him, a trail of red petals dancing in the air behind her.
"Hey Rubes..." he smiled just as she stopped right in front of him.
"The ceremony is just about to start, where have you been?" She asked worriedly before noticing the streams of tears flowing down his face "Oh..." she paused, realizing. "Jaune, would you like me to stay with you?"
She had been through this before. Many times before. What she needed each time was a sympathetic shoulder, or a comforting soul. And he was always there for her, being both.
Perhaps, this time she could be the second to him...
"Just... watching the sun set, Ruby." he tried to smile, gazing back at the distance. "And yes. I'd love that."
"Oh, okay." She said, before sitting down next to him.
The two of them sat quietly, enjoying the rare moment of peace and quiet. Even after the defeat of Salem, the Council's 'Heroes of Remnant' rarely had a break. She shifted closer to him.
They sat there watching the sun setting down in peaceful silence. The stars soon rise, along with the shattered moon of Remnant. After a while, he felt someone leaning onto his shoulder, resting peacefully. And adorably.
The weary man smiled, closing his eyes.
He breathed in. The scent of Spring mixing with the scent of sunflowers, and with a touch of roses...
He listened to the sound of birds singing, the sound of sunflowers gently blowing in the wind, and the soft, cute snoring by his side...
He felt the wet grass on the ground, the warm Spring wind carressing his skin, and the weight his friend (or perhaps more) sleeping on his shoulder...
He breathed out, a smile on his face.
He is happy.
A/N: So... how was it? Good, bad, better,... ? Thanks a lot for reading, and please give me constructive reviews for self-improvement!
This is set after the war, when everything was over, Salem defeated (kinda) and etc, but at great prices. JNPR is now only left with the J, while RWBY was luckier, the R and W. But they are all damaged, in one way or another.
This is (my imagination of) the scene at the end of their Journey, the (hypothetical) Epilogue, and the happily ever after they all deserved, I think. :)