Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or anything associated with Roosterteeth. All I own are all my feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllls. Please read, review and enjoy.

Repeat

I tossed and turned in my sleeping bag, doing my best not to wake the others. I know I need sleep, we're in dangerous territory, I know I need my strength, but I just can't stop thinking about that town. Everyone gone or dead, a town that used to be so peaceful, full of life just snuffed out like that.

My family went there so many times it was almost like a second home and now it's gone.

Just like…

I flipped my bag open and left, making sure to be quiet. I think Ruby's been having nightmares lately. Which I guess isn't surprising, I think we all have something to have nightmares about these days. I looked around to make sure everyone was alright before leaving.

Have to admit, it was a beautiful night out here in the wilderness, the moon was bright and there were lightning bugs slowly dancing all around. It was…peaceful.

I managed to find a nice clearing far enough away where I wouldn't wake the others but could still rush back just in case. With a deep breath I took out my scroll and selected an old video.

She made this video in case she wasn't around to help me practice due to being away from Beacon. This way I wouldn't have any excuse to not train and could still have her around as a mentor.

It's one of the few things I still have of hers and it might be the most…precious out of all of them.

I set the video on repeat and placed my scroll on a nearby stump. I started the video and just let it run as I looked over my new equipment and just listened for a moment. I must have listened to this video a hundred times by now but each time I do it again it feels like the first time.

The video finished its first run through and I got ready.

"Alright Jaune, just like we practiced, follow these instructions. Shield up,"

I raised my shield to the proper height.

"Keep your grip tight,"

I tightened the grip on my sword.

"Don't forget to keep your front foot forward."

Already done.

"Ready? Go."

I tried to focus my aura as I shouted and stabbed forward.

"Again."

I focused harder and swung, making a slight distortion in the air in front of me.

"And again."

I focused with everything I had and swung one last time and again and only got a barely more visible distortion in the air for all my efforts.

I breathed hard from the effort as I paused, only three swings and I'm exhausted. Why am I so pathetic?!

"Ok, now assuming you aren't cheating," she teased, "we can take a break."

I felt the familiar frustration clamp down on my heart, making me wonder what the point of it all was. I'm giving it everything I've got but it's still not enough, it's never enough. I'm still too weak, I still can't protect anything, I still can't save anything.

It all makes me want to cry from the frustration of being so useless…

But she always knew how to pull me from those feelings.

"I know this can be frustrating."

I looked back toward the video.

"And it can feel like so much effort to progress just a small amount. But I want you to know that I'm proud of you. I've never met someone so determined to better themselves. You've grown so much since we started training. And I know this is just the beginning."

I can't help but smile just a little as she says that. She always knew how to make me believe in myself. Make me believe that despite everything, despite how hard it is, how slow my progress is, that I'll make it if I just keep going. She always had such faith in me…

She looked away from the camera for a moment, "Jaune I…I…" I turned to face the camera completely, almost taking a step towards it as she suddenly became shy with her words. Then she seemed to find her confidence again and looked directly at me again.

"I want you to know, that I'm just happy to be a part of your life," I smile at that too.

"I'll always be here for you Jaune."

And for a moment, just that one moment, it feels like she's not gone. That Pyrrha is still here right in front of me, still training me, having faith in me, loving me. And everything's alright.

Then the scroll beeps and rewinds the video and the moment's gone, just like she is.

"Alright Jaune, just like we practiced. Follow these instructions. Shield up, keep your grip tight. Don't forget to keep your front foot forward."

I look up and try to exhale the familiar pain before taking my stance again. I close my eyes trying to harden myself, try to stop it from hurting.

"Ready? Go"

But I can't.

"Again."

I can't change what happened.

"Again."

I can't bring her back and I couldn't save her.

"And again."

The only thing I can do is try to get even the slightest bit stronger. But now the swings of my sword aren't even making any distortions in the air, it's like I've slipped backwards trying to crawl out of a tar pit that no matter how hard I work, how many times I repeat this, I just can't escape the fact that I'm still weak.

I scream in frustration with my last sword strike, like I'm trying to cut down that one inescapable fact.