Chapter One
"This is so boring. Why is she so...boring?" Pyrrha thought as she backed away from yet another horizontal strike from Titania's axe. "She's done nothing but repeat the same moves over and over. She's so predictable."
Pyrrha rushed forward and batted the monotonous girl down using her shield-arm.
"Do you really have nothing else to offer in this fight? Even Jaune, who is not really the best one the class has to offer can keep up with you," Pyrrha contemplated as she side-stepped out of Titania's rushing attack as she tried to hook Pyrrha's shield to take it away with the ax nook from Pyrrha, only because the last 7 attempts were so successful.
"I've left you with so many opportunities to properly take me down and you repay me with this abhorrent display? I'm so disappointed. At least you know how to move quickly with those legs. Too bad you're too stupid to use them to try to make a kick."
Just like the last 7 attempts, Pyrrha took the opportunity to place Milo's handle shaft into the ground, directly in front of Titania's charging path and tripped the amateur fighter. No, amateur was too nice. As Titania stumbled forward, Pyrrha smacked her ass with the flat of Milo's head.
"I hope you learned something from that spanking, you child," Pyrrha mentally remarked. "Was Ozpin feeling charitable when he brought you in? How the hell is it also that you even made it past the Initiation in the Forest? I understand your partner saved your cowering ass from an Ursa cub. A fucking cub for Dust sake."
As she watched Titania get up, Pyrrha took a look around the room.
Professor Glynda Goodwitch, who normally would be watching the match like a Mother Nevermore over her hatch-lings, was sitting down on the arena-side bench seats, working her nails against an Emory board. On her lap was the Scroll tablet that was running the health monitor of the 2 fighters.
"Oh look, you bored the shit out of the one who has to make sure we don't actually end up killing each other." Pyrrha mused to herself.
Titania jumped back up on her feet and now lunged towards Pyrrha's legs. Titania hooked her ax head behind Pyrrha's ankle and shifted the balance off of Pyrrha's leg.
"Surprise, bitch," Pyrrha thought as her knee connected with Titania's chest, taking the wind out of her, sending Titania onto her side and putting Titania's aura into the yellow. The thing about that is Pyrrha was already going to kick her with that leg. "I am surprised you learned a new move though. I wonder how many times you'll use that."
Pyrrha immediately went and spanked the girl again with the flat of Milo's spearhead, satisfied with the sound of the smack against the girl's behind.
It was clear that while the girl still had her aura, her stamina was terrible. Pyrrha took another peek into the crowd in the arena theater seats. Up top and closest to the action sat Team RWBY. Second from the left sat the youngest student and the leader of the team, Ruby Rose. The girl leaned so far forward that most of her waist was almost over the rail, though she doesn't really look that amused as she normally does with every fight.
"Even Ruby, possibly the most nicest, innocent student here thinks you're a little bit shit at fighting. Congrats, you bored her of a fight and you're the first one to do so. Hope you're proud."
To Ruby's left, sat the mysterious Faunus-girl, Blake Belladonna. As usual, rather than watching the fight, she's buried her face in a book. Pyrrha couldn't help but feel a little jealous of her.
To Blake's left stood the overly flirty blonde, Yang Xiao-Long. She appeared to be waving over to the guys at Titania's team. Pyrrha saw the look at their faces as Yang winked at them.
"Please guys, that is obviously a sympathy flirt," Pyrrha thought."She's not even in your league. I hope you understand that sooner rather than later if you don't want her to drop you."
To Ruby's left, still in her combat clothes, sat Weiss Schnee. She had the first battle of the class and she looked absolutely wiped. Pyrrha quietly applauded her mental fortitude as she saw that Weiss was handling the homework for not only herself but Ruby. Then a look of annoyance flashed on her face before returning to her work.
"I know Weiss, I'd be mad too if the mere thought of fighting this girl bores you too."
Finally, her own team sat just a bit to the right of Team RWBY, Team JNPR, the only other friends she ever had apart from the ones she made on Team RWBY in the whole school, apart from a select few others.
Looking towards the very distracting diminutive Nora Valkyrie, was waving her arms at Pyrrha, and giggling like the happy and very bubbly girl that she is. The quiet guy, Lie Ren, or rather just Ren, sitting right beside her. Pyrrha saw him take out a box of crayons and watched Nora perk up with and go up and down in her seat at the sight of them. She then saw Nora dig through Pyrrha's bag and retrieve a notebook.
"Nora don't you dare. We need those notes intact," Pyrrha silently fumed as she saw Nora set herself to work. "Thanks Ren. Let's just watch the grade on our Team's research paper drop a full letter grade because of her dead Ursa drawings on the cover page."
Looking to Ren's left, and just behind Weiss, sat the team Leader and Pyrrha's partner, Jaune Arc. Ever since she extracted him from the tree she nailed him to, his growth as a fighter and a Huntsman was her greatest pride. Pyrrha couldn't really believe she'd ever fallen for anyone so...dim. She never considered herself as wanting to be in a relationship, or even being relationship material for anyone, and yet she met hi-
"So that's why Weiss looked so annoyed," Pyrrha thought as she disrupted her own personal narrative, as she saw Jaune offering Weiss a box of raisins and a can of People Like Grapes. "Can't you just leave the poor girl alone? She'll never say yes to you. I mean she's really smart, pretty, very eloquent. I can see why you like her so mu-SCHNEE, YOU BITCH!"
Looking up to the stands, Weiss, while still recuperating from the last fight, was apparently not tired enough to not clock Jaune in the face. Weiss screamed just a little after the first contact. As Jaune recoiled in pain, the tiny all-white Huntress dragged Jaune over to the rails and continued to pummel his face with her tiny but strong fists. Then she really started to lay into him.
Ren and Yang nodded to each other and saw to break it up. Ren tried to get between Weiss as Yang went to pry Weiss off of Jaune. Weiss elbowed Yang in the throat and shoved Ren down the aisle.
"YOU LILY-WHITE BITCH!" Nora screamed as she tackled and pinned Weiss. The littler red-haired girl made a point to grab the White Huntress' wrists to stop her from flailing.
Jaune slid and collapsed to the floor, hands to his face, crying out in pain.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZ!
"THAT IS ENOUGH OF THAT, CHILDREN," Goodwitch shouted up to the top row, with a seriously pissed off look on her face.
Pyrrha was following Goodwitch as they both made their way up to the crowded theater first row. As Pyrrha rounded the corner from the stairs, she stopped as she caught a glimpse of Jaune slumped over on the wall, with blood all down his uniform. She could already see the welts and bruises starting to swell and just knew she really did a number on her man, her leader. The whole area was a mess too, with soda and raisins everywhere.
"Ugh, Schnee," Nora began in a some a disgusted tone that Pyrrha never thought possible from the happy redhead. "I know he probably, maybe, deserved that, but Dust-damn you little bitch! Why go for his face? And then you shoved Ren down and hurt your own friend who was only trying to help you, you c-"
"Stop with the profanity right now, Miss Valkyrie," Goodwitch sharply interrupted. "This brawl has clearly stopped in time, so please, get off of Ms. Schnee and sit down over there. Everyone else that was not involved, please stay seated."
"Okay! Sheesh!" Nora said as she complied, grunting as she got up with Ren's help. Ren guided her back to their spot where Nora got back to coloring her picture on the cover page of the team's research paper, which Ren took notice of Pyrrha rolling her eyes at them and realized the importance of that document.
"Pyrrha, I'm so sorry. I thought she'd use the coloring book I got her and not the assignment," Ren said with his hands up. "I saved a copy to the team's Scroll network. We can just print out another, no worry."
"It's fine, Ren. It's okay, but that's not my concern right now," Pyrrha groaned. She went and picked her partner up off the floor, his hands glued to his face. "Jaune, Jaune, hey, it's me...everything's going to be okay, just let me guide you to the seat over there, okay?"
Jaune moaned and nodded and let Pyrrha guide him over to the other section where the soda didn't spray.
"Miss Schnee, please pick yourself off the floor already." Goodwitch asked abruptly, making Weiss jump a little. Soon enough, Weiss was off the floor, purple stains on her white jacket accompanied with bloody and bruised knuckles. "Now, please explain to me why you needed to test your hands against the possibly exceptionally dense skull and facial area that Mister Arc possesses?"
Weiss shrugged.
"Miss Schnee, while I appear angry, please understand this," Goodwitch began, "as for right now, I'm only mad at the situation, not you. However, if you don't answer my questions, I have to assume that you pummeled your dorm neighbors face and then trying to maim your own team mate for no particular reason, and then I will be mad at you, and everything we've tried to talk about here will be for nothing and you will face the consequences as I see fit."
"Okay, f-fine." Weiss said while cradling her injured hands. "That idiot wouldn't stop bothering m-"
"Miss Schnee," Goodwitch sharply interrupted, again jolting Weiss. "There is no Mister Idiot that attends this academy, to my knowledge. Please treat your peers with respect. You will address him by his name and only in that manner."
"Y-yes, Ma'am" Weiss stuttered as she nodded in agreement with Goodwitch. "Mister Arc wouldn't stop trying to give me raisins and that Grape soda even after I told him no. I was just trying to do my homew-"
"Pause," Goodwitch interrupted, staring directly into Weiss' eyes, yet through her."Miss Schnee, I find it incredibly disturbing that you'd attack a student, who sounds like he was offering you refreshments after your battle."
"It wasn't like that. Honestly, Professor," Weiss winced as she continued on, "he just didn't understand my ignoring him or my repeated "no's". What was even the point of our talk at last week if he wouldn't leave me alone like he agreed? I also have a Grape allergy, which I thought he knew cause "why not?" and I thought a simple "no" would work. I was trying to be civil and ignore him, but he wouldn't stop tapping my shoul-"
Nora stood up, balling up the fists that had the crayons so hard the crayon exploded.
"THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE WAS ASKING YOU, FUCKING CU-"
"MISS VALKYRIE!" Goodwitch shouted at Nora as she stood. Nora jumped. "Unless you want punishment for the profane and vulgar words in your vocabulary you used as well as the one you were about to use, I'd insist you take a page out of the book of your friends, Mister Lie and Miss Belladonna, and stay silent on this matter."
Goodwitch took this brief few seconds to re-compose. "No offense to the both of you, Mr. Lie and Miss Belladonna. I really do admire your combined ability to retain composure and resign yourself to silence. Although both of you do it too often and I do wish you'd both offer more input."
"I'm okay with it, Professor," Blake spoke with her eyes not leaving the pages.
Ren gave a subtle nod and a smile, arm around his partner, who went to continue coloring.
Goodwitch smiled back. "Glad to know we understand. Now, back to the situation." She turned to face Weiss and sat back down next to her. "So, Miss Schnee, you mean to tell me that, after our long discussion with yourself and Mister Arc just last week, about him asking you on dates repeatedly, during class hours and your annoyance with him, you decided to ignore my suggestion? That you could simply move seats any time you felt like you couldn't stand to be around him, and then visit with me after class. You couldn't do that, and then you decided to engage his face in fisticuffs because you thought he was still propositioning you?"
Pyrrha looked at Jaune with intense concern. Last week, Jaune came back looking really dejected. Weiss made her complaints known to Goodwitch about her lack of comfort and irritability at Jaune and his frequent attempts for dates. Together, they met and decided on a corrective action, should Jaune ever annoy Weiss with any requests for dates, or use of the nickname he gave her. The agreement that was that as long as he remained as a student who can control himself and not ask her for anything, he wouldn't be suspended for his harassing behavior. Or worse. Weiss' name had a lot of influence, even though this school does try to maintain neutrality and root out all favoritism.
Weiss nodded, and Pyrrha winced painfully for her partner.
"Y-yes Profe-"
"No. No. NO...Weiss, that's not what went down and I think you know that." Ruby finally voicing up, really angry. Weiss turned her annoyed gaze to Ruby.
"Miss Rose? Something you'd like to contribute?" Goodwitch asked fervently.
Ruby nodded. "You see Professor, Jaune actually brought snacks and drinks for all of us and his own team so we'd have something for watching the match. He forgot to get Weiss hers, so he rushed out and came back. He knows about her allergy, but I think he forgot about it. He was only being nice."
"That so?"
"Yes it is, Professor," Blake added.
Well, Miss Schnee, I think you should stay seated where you are for now." Goodwitch turned back to face her. "I want you to sit there and think about how you're going to make this right for both Mister Arc, whom you could have severely injured, or even killed, and how you're going to make it up to me for trying to manipulate me into thinking of making a notice of severe action against Mister Arc and his school record. Don't think for a second that the agreement we all came to wouldn't have any consequences for you. Take the time to start making your considerations now."
Weiss developed this look of worry and retreated within herself, tears streaming down her face.
"That's what you get for trying to game the system, brat," Pyrrha thought as she smirked.
Goodwitch walked down the aisle back to Jaune and Pyrrha.
"Mister Arc, please know that despite my recognition of Miss Schnee's attempt to manipulate the agreement to her own will, it doesn't mean there are no consequences for you. At least nothing too sever-Are you listening to me Mister Arc?" Goodwitch asked in a rather testy tone.
Jaune moaned again and nodded, his hands still covering his bloodily bruised face. Goodwitch sighed, knowing she couldn't continue addressing him with him so withdrawn.
"Miss Nikos," Goodwitch turned her head to Pyrrha. "I want you to, very carefully, remove his hands from his face. It's hard to speak with him when he's so withdrawn. Use those towels over there so you don't touch any blood."
Pyrrha nodded and quickly got up and retrieved two fresh towels on the table by the stairs to the arena, often used for any fighters to wipe up any blood, activated dust residue, inactive dust, or sweat with. She quickly came back and knelt down in front of Jaune, face still obscured.
"I don't think I'm going to like what happens next." Pyrrha thought as she returned and knelt in front of Jaune.
"It's going to be okay, Jaune," Pyrrha said softly, reluctant to see the damage, and hiding her tears expertly. She took one of the towels and unfolded it into both of her hands. Gently she moved the towel over his head and gently grasped his hands with hers through the towel. "I'm going to move your hands now, okay, Jaune? Alright."
Gingerly grasping his hands through the towel, she carefully remove his hands, feeling through the towel the sensation of his hands still sticking to his face. Jaune whimpered.
"I'm sorry." Pyrrha apologized. "I'm so sorry, Jaune."
She carefully folded the towel over the inside of his open, quivering palms and moved his hands together in a prayer position. She moved his hands down and away from his face.
Pyrrha was used to seeing cuts and bruises all the time. It was a hazard of the career option they all worked toward. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for the sight of Jaune's battered face. She was now mentally cursing at Weiss over what she was seeing, feeling the tears finally escape and roll down her cheeks.
"Not this. No..."
The state of Jaune's face was worse than anything she anticipated. Both of his eyes were swollen shut, and there was swelling and deep cuts along his cheeks, around his eyes. His nose was broken and the bridge was facing his entire nose area to the left. None of the cuts were as bad as the one on his upper lip, cleanly split and showing his gums. Jaune had also lost 2 teeth and 5 of them in front, that Pyrrha could see, were chipped.
"To think you were a friend of ours, Schnee. Fuckin' psycho," Pyrrha thought as she started sobbing at the sight of Jaune's once perfect face.
"Oh for Dust sake," a remark that Goodwitch incidentally let escape, upsetting Pyrrha more.
Glynda saw the damage and her eyes winced at the sight of this. How could such a smart and generally nice girl do something so horrid to another student? To think that girl was going to use her to take an action against this boy made her draw a blank as to how Miss Schnee could make any reparation for this egregious scene. She looked at the white-haired Heiress and saw she was still withdrawn into herself in the fetal position and shaking as she cried. And this angered Goodwitch like nothing else.
Glynda considered then to disregard the agreement right there, but stopped herself. How could any student, and those in this class who now know about this agreement she forged with two students, ever come to her for something they need out of their own personal safety if they couldn't trust her to keep up her agreement with them? That would set a bad precedent and Goodwitch knew she couldn't abide that.
Glynda then took a look and kept contact with Jaune, who now is pressing his face into the towel in his hands and steeled herself.
"Miss Nikos, I know this is hard for you" Goodwitch began. "We need Mister Arc to relax. I'm going to try to set the bones in his nose back in place so his aura doesn't heal it incorrectly. I'm also going to attempt to do the same thing for that split upper-lip of his. I need you to help me calm him down a bit more. Do you think you can do that for me, please?"
Pyrrha nodded.
"Good. Now then, I need you to remove his hands again," Goodwitch said in a calming tone to Pyrrha as she withdrew her collapsible riding crop from it's holster on her leg.
"Okay," Pyrrha said as she turned back to face Jaune again, taking the other towel from the seat next to him. Gently, she withdrew his hands, using hers once more, not looking into his face, but their hands as they held each other. "Jaune, I want you to start breathing in deeply? Try to match me as you inhale and exhale, okay?"
Jaune nodded and followed her lead, even though he couldn't see her. Just as she breathed in, he did too. Sharp, staggered inhale from his physical and now emotional pain, through his mouth, and slow, yet unsteady, exhale through the same entrance, and he repeated.
Even though this was a tough situation for Jaune, she couldn't feel anything but some sort of strange feeling that she wished they were even closer may indeed, somehow, come true. And it meant a lot to her, to be there for him when he needed it. Who was she kidding? She was always there, but this feeling at this moment felt so precious to her. She smiled, just a little through her tears, and beneath her breast, while she helped him relax.
Goodwitch looked at her and gave her a tiny smile which Pyrrha couldn't see.
Such a strong girl. Mister Arc has been such the fool in not pursuing her instead. At least she accepted him for what he is to her. Dust be damned, she'll have to give up teaching if these two never got together. Goodwitch then pushed that unwarranted, but not entirely unwelcome thought out, and returned her focus.
"Mister Arc, please relax and keep up your breathing through your mouth. I'm going to reset the bones in your nose. I'm warning you now that it will hurt. A lot." Goodwitch said with the same calm Pyrrha had. "I'm going to count to three. I will then re-align your nose, so get relaxed now and don't tense up. The swollen areas and minor cuts will be treated for you in the infirmary using your own aura. They'll want to look at your eyes and maybe treat you for a concussion."
Jaune nodded in agreement again with his head pointed at the direction Goodwitch's voice came from. Pyrrha looked at the Goodwitch as she raised her crop and pointed at Jaune.
"Okay...One." Goodwitch counted as she waved her crop.
The sound of Jaune's nose could be heard on the other side of the arena where CRDL sat, trying to stifle their laughs silently like mute, retarded seals, clapping their hands over what Goodwitch had done.
Jaune roared out in pain, tears streaming out, as his nose was reset and as the nerves and tissues in his lip reconnected and re-sealed, activating his aura. This time, he really glowed. As he glowed, Pyrrha's aura did also.
She then felt really tired, as if she were being drained of all her stamina and mental energy. Then, another sensation that re-energized her the next second. "Strange," Pyrrha thought, "I was only a little depleted from the fight before, but now I feel like not even if the school crumbled on top of me that I would be affected at all. Look at that, not only that it felt so good, Jaune doesn't look so bad any more! Even some of the swelling has stopped."
However, that good feeling went away really quickly when Pyrrha remembered that Goodwitch didn't exactly reach "Three".
"No offense, Professor, but what the actual hell was that?" Pyrrha swore. "You said you'd do it on "Three"."
"Come now, Miss Nikos. I can't have him flinching after "Two", now could I? I do understand your anger, but there's no need for it," Goodwitch smiled.
Pyrrha opened and quickly closed her mouth. The professor had a point. Even she would've flinched after "Two".
"Good. Now as for those teeth of his." Goodwitch remarked as she waved her crop yet again and brought all the non-liquid debris off the floor. Glynda inspected every piece and only found one whole tooth, and three shard-like pieces of crown and enamel. "I suppose that since this is all we could find, it's probably safe to say that he swallowed the rest."
"Well, he needed to go to the infirmary anyway. They can probably pump his stomach for the other tooth and crown pieces before he digests them. They can be re-attached as long as he gets there sooner" Goodwitch remarked. "Very we-Miss Valkyrie, what are you doing?"
"Coloring."
"I see that. Why are you coloring the benches and not in a coloring book?"
"I can't find it?"
"Well, Miss Valkyrie, you now, not only get to escort Mister Arc to the infirmary along with these teeth, you get to come back and clean this entire mess up. Make sure to bring the strong cleaning chemicals and a mop back with you. You'll also be wearing three layers of rubber gloves so Mister Arcs blood doesn't infect you with something particularly nasty." Goodwitch stated clearly. "Now, chop-chop!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" Nora exclaimed. She took another towel from the pile and draped it over Jaune's shoulders as her small frame pulled him up to his feet. "Come on, Jaune you heard her, now march! One-Two! One-Two! Your legs aren't broke, so move it!"
Jaune groaned as Nora marched him upstairs towards the double-doors leading outside.
"Get better, Jaune" Ren said, winking at Pyrrha.
"Yeah," Jaune said as he exited the arena doors.
"Okay then...I forget. What was I going to do now?" Goodwitch asked herself out loud.
"Umm...Professor?" Pyrrha asked, getting her attention. She subtly pointed to the White haired girl.
"Miss Schnee, would you come over here please and have a seat?" Goodwitch asked. "Don't think I've forgotten you."
Weiss jerked her head upward, realizing that Goodwitch was addressing her. She got up, and traveled from the very sticky area she made to where Goodwitch stood, with her boots now sticking to the floor from the soda that was everywhere.
"Now, I realize you were most likely still on edge from your fight before this...this," Goodwitch trailed off, taking off her glasses with one hand and rubbing her eyes. "...thing that happened. I can understand if you were still in "Fight mode" or something and you saw a threat to your well-being..."
Goodwitch sighed as she put her glasses on, about to continue on with her eyes closed, as if she was avoiding eye contact with Weiss.
"However, you already know that you are supposed to leave "Fight-mode" in the arena, or in hostile territory while you're on a mission. It's clear you brought it back with you into the stands." Goodwitch half-opened her right eye, gazing into Weiss' with annoyance. "And then you sought to play with me, in order to ruin your dorm neighbor's reputation, and have me ruin his school record and force him into academic suspension from this establishment in the Hunting trade. All because he annoyed you with friendship."
"But he was still bugging me when he said he wouldn't," Weiss said desperately, feeling as if she was up against the ropes with her school career.
"I'm well aware that he still breached his terms, Miss Schnee, I don't need you reminding me of it, thank you," Goodwitch droned. " I will be speaking to Mister Arc in the infirmary soon after class about any consequences that he may still be facing. As of right now, however, I don't believe his consequences are any business of yours."
Weiss sniffled and nodded in agreement with her eyes on the floor.
"Now that's settled, let's have your team mate, Miss Xiao Long, look at your hands," Goodwitch began, seeing the long-haired blonde perk up at the mention of her name with her hands over the area on her throat were Weiss elbowed her. "Yes, you Miss Xiao Long, please come over here."
Yang stood up and walked over to them kicking her feet forward by small amounts as she walked.
"Miss Xiao Long, are you okay?" Goodwitch asked.
"Yeah," Yang replied hoarsley. "I tried prying her off of him when she got me in the throat with her elbow. It's fi-"
"No, Miss Xiao Long, it isn't fine," Goodwitch stopping Yang. "Your team mate savagely attacked another student and you were also harmed, along with Mister Lie now that I recall, as you both were trying to bring order back. Now, do I need to send you to the infirmary as well? You don't sound good at all."
Yang shook her head, "No, I'm okay. I've had worse before."
"I'm alright too, Professor. She only shoved me down." Ren added.
"Excellent, I commend the fortitude you both display." Goodwitch praised. "Now, Miss Xiao Long, would you please inspect your team mate's hands?"
"Yeah, I got it, Prof," Yang replied back and as she turned her attention to Weiss' hands.
Goodwitch rolled her eyes at the slang word she was referred to as.
"It's Professor, or Professor Goodwitch to you." Goodwitch said indignantly. "You don't abbreviate anything in how you address me. Understand? I earned this title and it demands your respect."
Yang nodded, not breaking her focus as she was exploring Weiss' left hand.
Yang then moved on and had Weiss lay her hands flat against the rail over the edge of the arena as she gently poked areas on Weiss' dried, bloody, bruised right hand with the eraser end of a pencil, causing Weiss to wince and whimper as Yang prodded certain areas. Yang then had Weiss try to extend and retract her fingers to test movement. Most of her fingers moved okay except her thumbs, which she couldn't move at all, causing her the most pain. Yang then told Weiss she may rest her hands.
"Well then, Miss Xiao Long, what conclusions have you made looking at her hands? Being the fisticuffs expert on your team, that is." Goodwitch asked.
"Okay...well her hands could be worse," Yang began, "The cuts on her middle and ring finger on her left hand tell me that was the hand that got him in the mouth while it was open. Her knuckles scraped the fracture lines on his teeth and judging how deep they are, he definitely swallowed some. It's probably also how his lip unzipped on him like that. She also sprained that wrist too, probably from a punch or two while her wrist was weirdly angled Or because she hit one of his cheekbones while his head was angled or something. Also, probably having something to do with just hitting one of the hardest bones in the human body."
"Quite possibly so? As for her right?" Goodwitch asked.
"The bruised area on the side of her pinky, continuing down to the palm and wrist area is severely sprained. Bad hammer-fist against the temple or the area around his eye sockets, I'd say." Yang explained. "Her pointer finger is jammed and is also sprained and the nail there is broken. This is probably what caused the more minor cuts all on the left side of his face."
"Is that all?" Goodwitch asked more fervently.
"No. Both thumbs are definitely broken," Yang replied."If I had to guess, she broke punching rule 101: Never tuck your thumb in. I'm confused though...she uses a sword. You practically have to wrap your fingers around the handle and secure the grip with the thumb on the outside knuckles, or at least on the sides of the pointer finger."
"A very astute observation, Miss Xiao Long," Goodwitch commented. "Would you say that Miss Schnee here would have benefited from watching any of your sparring matches a little more closely?"
"Yes, Ma'am. She definitely would've," Yang sourly replied, "but I think she knows how not to hit someone now. She probably doesn't need my help anymore."
"Really?"
Yang nodded.
"Do you agree, Miss Schnee, with your team mate here? That your injuries are not only your own fault, but they also come from not paying any attention to any school rules?" Goodwitch asked loudly for everyone else in the class to hear.
"Yes." Weiss answered.
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, Professor. I'm to blame for my own injuries because I didn't follow the rules of the school or our agreement."
"Now that you've acknowledged this, how do you intend to make good with your side of the agreement?" Goodwitch asked curiously. "I know what you can do for me, but how can you ever repay Mister Arc for the physical, mental, and emotional pain you've dealt to him? Because I'm drawing blanks, Miss Schnee."
"I don't know."
"No, that's not what I asked you," Goodwitch snapped. "What can you do for not only for Mister Arc, but also Team JNPR? You harmed their leader, and by association, your whole team's relation with them. What will you do?"
"I'm s-s-sure I ca-a-an think of s-some-th-thing." Weiss stuttered as she tried to not offend the Professor.
"I hope its better than that half-assed reply," Pyrrha thought. "You hurt my man. I don't think there's any room for bribes, you white witch."
"Well, I should hope it's better than your answer, for your own sake, Miss Schnee," Goodwitch replied with a cheshire grin. "Now that we now have a plan of action, let's take care of your hands. Hold them out in front and away from your face."
"Th-thank-k y-yo-"
"I'm only doing this for you because I'm responsible for the well-being of all of my students in my arena. You'd do well to think I'm not doing this because I want to or have to or even because you've finally shown me some aspect of recognition of your misdeeds." Goodwitch snapped causing Weiss to jump up again.
Weiss nodded silently, head facing the floor.
"Good girl," Goodwitch said flatly. "Now, I need you to calm yourself and relax. I'm going to set the breaks in both of your hands and I need you to be still. You will be still, won't you?"
Weiss nodded again, now looking up at Goodwitch with her scarred left eye.
"Now, breathe deeply and this part will be over soon." Goodwitch smiled calmly.
As Weiss started breathing in, Pyrrha can't help but think that the Professor was going to do the same thing to Weiss as she did with Jaune. She looked over at Weiss, with a grin. Weiss' powder blues met Pyrrha's emerald greens and then got what message Pyrrha was telegraphing to her and shuddered.
"Eyes on me, Miss Schnee, and relax," Goodwitch said, riding crop in hand and pointing at Weiss as she noticed her looking elsewhere. "Now I'm going to count to "Five". On "Five", I will reset the bones so your aura will help you heal the injury properly. I'm also going to see what I can do about those deeper cuts. There's not much I can do for your sprains other than sending you to the infirmary after. Do you understand?"
Pyrrha relished the vulnerable look on Weiss' face as she nodded in agreement, and turned around and covered her ears with the biggest grin.
"Now breathe deeply and relax for me. I'm going to start counting." Goodwitch said as she focused on Weiss' thumbs.
"One."
Weiss flinched but noticed nothing.
"Two."
Weiss relaxed when she thought Goodwitch would reach "Five".
"Three." Goodwitch waved her crop, noticing Weiss calm demeanor.
Pop. Pop. Pop-pop.
Just as Pyrrha anticipated, she covered her ears fully at the right time as Weiss' sharp and pained cry filled the entire theater.
Pyrrha accidentally let a giggle escape, attracting a mean look from Ruby, a non-plused look from Yang, and Ren's stare.
"Dammit, now Ruby, and everyone else thinks I'm enjoying this," Pyrrha thought as she quickly changed her facial expression back to the stern but concerned expression she maintained. "Well I am."
"Something funny happening over there, Miss Nikos?" Goodwitch asked.
"No, her scream took me off-guard. I hate it when my friends are in pain," Pyrrha lied, maintaining the same look.
"Damn straight, it was hilarious Professor," Pyrrha mused. "Can you do that again? I want to record it and save it for later when I'm feeling down."
"Oh...I'm sorry, Miss Nikos. I guess I should know you really care about your neighbors. I should have expected as much from Team JNPR's most promising member." Goodwitch apologized, then realized what she said out loud and faced Ren. "Not to say you aren't also equally talented, Mister Lie. You also show immense promise as an up-and-coming Huntsman."
Ren smiled as he turned his head and waved his hand forward and crossed his legs.
"So modest." Goodwitch quietly added. She then re-focused on Weiss. "Miss Schnee, once you pay a visit to the Infirmary and they have treated your sprains and give you something for the pain , I will need you to lend me your hands. For the next seven weeks, not including weekends, as that is your own time, you will be my own personal assistant, on top of any curricular responsibilities you'll maintain as a student here. Starting tomorrow."
Weiss picked her head up from looking at the hands she was baby-ing with a sad look. Pyrrha couldn't help but want to take a picture and treasure this moment this broken, white-haired doll was having at this moment. Complete with vibrant purple stains all over her clothes for the rest of her young adult life.
"Ye-y-yes-s P-p-p, Pr-prof-fess-s-or." Weiss said timidly, not wanting to provoke Goodwitch any more than she unwittingly had.
"You're such a good girl, Miss Schnee," Goodwitch said sharply. "I know! Would Miss Rose, so kindly, escort her partner to the Infir-"
Ruby went up to her partner, in the blink of an eye, put her on her own shoulders, then made her way back up the stairs and out the double doors with Weiss in tow.
"-mary...Get better soon, I suppose," Goodwitch finished as Weiss blinked out of view.
Bing-bong.
"My Dust, that whole ordeal ate up class time!" Goodwitch said groaned in disgust. "There's only 5 minutes left of class and we didn't get to the other matches...ugh...Fine. Oh, Miss Nikos, may I ask you something?"
"Yes, Professor?"
"I bet as soon as the final bell rings and you're out for the day, you planned on stopping by the Infirmary, correct?"
"Indeed, I was Professor."
"Then would you mind if I accompanied you over there?" Glynda asked her, her lime green eyes staring into Pyrrha's. "In order for me to deliver punishments or any disciplinary action that is understandable and fair, I would require your presence as his partner and team mate. I understand it if you didn't want to bear witness, but this is Beacon policy, as well as my own."
"Fuck, really?" Pyrrha thought as she stared back. "I just want to see him, and you want me to watch you push him off the bed and down a flight of stairs and expect me to just stand there and do nothing but smile? Who do you think I am? Some kind of sadi- well I guess I am...apparently by the way Ruby thinks...maybe Yang...and I guess Ren too...but that's not the point. It's my Jaune."
"I understand, Professor, I'll sit in with you for that." Pyrrha lied. "I just hope he's okay."
"I'm sure he's going to be okay. Shaken up at most." As Goodwitch briefly looked away.
"AND YOU WANT TO KICK HIM WHILE HE'S DOWN, YOU WHORE?" Pyrrha's thoughts raged as she just wanted to choke the bitch.
"Here's hoping," Pyrrha said with little sarcasm.
Nora finally entered the arena, playing with the mop, throwing rubber gloves everywhere.
Bing-Bong
"Finally...am I right, Professor?" Pyrrha asked.
"Indeed, ha-ha," Goodwitch laughed. "But my day is long from over. I still have reports to make to the Headmaster after we're done which I'm not really looking forward too. I also have errands I need to run and get changed for a date."
"Alright, that's the bell, everyone. Remember my counsel from the matches you watched, or fought in, and apply that to your unending pursuits! You are all dismissed! Have a good day!" Goodwitch said. Then turning her gaze upon the hyperactive red-head playing with the mop. "Miss Valkyrie, if you plan on going to see your Team Leader before the infirmary closes up, I'd insist you'd stop dawdling and start cleaning."
"Pyrrha! I'm going to help out Nora so we could go see Jaune too." Ren called out to them as he waved. "We'll catch up later!"
"Alright Ren, but hurry!" Pyrrha called out. She then turned to Goodwitch. "Let's go then."
As Goodwitch and Pyrrha walked through the infirmary, they found the rest of Team RWBY at the side of the exam table that Weiss was laying on as the nurses cleaned up Weiss' hands, stimulating Weiss' aura to help heal her hands the rest of the way.
Continuing down the main room, they came by the bed Jaune laid in, resting, with his face covered in bandages.
"Hey there Jaune? How are you doing partner?" Pyrrha asked as Jaune started to stir awake. "Professor Goodwitch is here wanting to speak with you."
"Hey Pyrrha. Hello Professor." Jaune yawned hoarsely as he sat up, whistling as he pronounced the "s" sound.
"I guess they didn't get to his teeth yet, but I can tell they pumped his stomach," Pyrrha thought.
"Mister Arc," Goodwitch began, "you were aware that I would come to speak with you regarding your breach of your terms with our agreement?"
Jaune looked down, breaking eye-contact with both women. "Yes, I thought you would.
"Good." Goodwitch replied, "That makes my job easier. Essentially, while you were bothering Miss Schnee during class hours, but only with a friendly gesture and camaraderie, you still breached your terms."
"I'm awa-"
"I wasn't finished. Due to the current circumstances, the agreement still holds true. However, as you clearly meant no harm or malicious intent, you'll be sentenced to only 3 weeks detention with Professor Oobleck, as opposed to the suspension as this was only "Harassment" and not the other, more egregious kin to it. You're getting off really light here."
Jaune brought his hand up to his face in frustration.
"I know what it meant what I said when you needed a team member to witness this, but this is just too much," Pyrrha thought as she tried her best to maintain composure with Goodwitch right in front of her. Pyrrha hated seeing him like this.
"When does it start?" Jaune asked as he looked up at Goodwitch and Pyrrha.
"As soon as the nurses and the Doctor see fit to discharge you from their care." Goodwitch answered.
"So I'm not only dealing with recovery and my stupid teeth for the rest of this week and through out the weekend, but I get to report to detention on Monday for something that was hardly my fault at all?" Jaune asked, whistling the "S" and "TH" sounds, that Pyrrha thought was a little cute.
"Yes, Mister Arc, that's right." Goodwitch answered glumly. "While these circumstances were hardly your fault at all, you still failed to fulfill your end of the terms of agreement we set. I don't like this either, but you will be held just as accountable as Miss Schnee is going to be when she also leaves."
Pyrrha noticed Jaune wince at the sound of Weiss' name.
"I suppose we'll see how you feel about that migraine-causing dwarf now that she doesn't look to be suitable for you any longer. I wonder if I could fill that void that you vacated for her..." Pyrrha thought.
"Take the time you need to recover. I don't care if your here until next month because of this," Goodwitch continued. "I'd rather you serve the sentence while in good health and in better condition than when you arrived in my arena. You will be excused from all of your classes on your itinerary and I'll notify all your Professors so they may make arrangements with you with your homework situation."
"Understood. Thank you, Professor." Jaune said dejectedly, hanging his head low.
"Thank you, Mister Arc, for your understanding. Have a good week." Goodwitch said, now turning to face Pyrrha, touching her hand to Pyrrha's shoulder. "I suppose I will see you again tomorrow, Miss Nikos. Stay here as long as you feel you have to, or at least until visiting hours are up. You still have classes, after all. Good day to you both."
Goodwitch turned on her heels and headed out of the Infirmary.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked.
"Yeah, what is it, Jaune? Do you need something?"
"I just want to say thanks for your help."
"For help with what Jaune? You don't need to thank me for anything. I helped you back there because I wanted to, not just because you needed it. I know you would've done the same for me."
"You're right about that, partner." Jaune smiled with a tired look. "Look I'm pretty beat-"
"You got that right."
Both of them shared a laugh.
"I want to go back to sleep, Pyrrha, if that's okay," Jaune asked.
"But, Ren and Nora are probably finishing up cleaning the-" Pyrrha paused as she saw Jaune wince again. "-the thing...over there. They're going to want to see you, you know. See how you're doing."
"I get that they would. It's just I don't want to be seen like this," Jaune explained. "I'd rather see them once I'm out of here...and I guess that goes for y-"
"B-but I-" Pyrrha said as she teared up again.
"I know, Pyrrha, but I've had enough for today." Jaune said as he started to lay back down. "I just don't think I can deal with them looking at me the same way you are now."
Now the tears really started streaming.
"But we're your friends, your teamm-"
"Yes. Pyrrha. I know." Jaune interrupted, now irritated. "I am your leader though...a-and speaking as your leader, not as your partner, or as your...friend-"
"Oh please, no. No, Jaune. No-o-o-" Pyrrha cried out.
Jaune pushed onward in his irritability. "No, Pyrrha stop it. Stop crying. You're making this harder than it needs to be."
Pyrrha couldn't stop.
"All I-I w-w-want to d-do is b-be here. PLEASE THAT'S ALL I WANT!" Pyrrha sobbed, looking down at the floor.
"I'm not asking you, I'm ordering you...please...don't try to see me until I can walk out of here again. Would you please just let me be? I'll see you this Monday, okay?" Jaune said as he brought his hand under her chin to look at her in her lustrous emerald eyes. "Then this would all be ov-Pyrrha wait! Stop! I'm not done! Pyrrha!"
Pyrrha had enough, and ran out of the infirmary an absolute sobbing mess, just as Ren and Nora entered. Just as she passed them, they saw the look in her face and both turned around to pursue her.
Pyrrha exited the building and fled for the dorms.
Just then she felt the soft, little hand of Nora's on her wrist that stopped her.
"Hold her, Nora!" Ren shouted as he caught up.
"No! Let me go!" Pyrrha yelled, feeling the sting from her tears as they reddened her olive cheeks. She tugged and jerked but couldn't escape the tiny girls iron grip.
"Pyrrha! What's gotten into you?" Ren asked with a concerned look in his pink irises. "Why did you run out of the place? We were all going to catch up with J-"
"NO! LET ME GO!"
"DAMMIT PYRRHA NIKOS! JUST STOP ALREADY" Ren shouted, with a absolutely menacing tone as his voice boomed, stopping Pyrrha from moving, just frozen in place from the sheer terror. He clearly boosted that with his aura, which didn't make any sense to Pyrrha.
"Do I even know you, Ren? You never make yourself that imposing." Pyrrha's thought dreaded. "How mad are you that could you do that?"
Immediately, Nora released her grip and sunk to the ground crying.
"Ren! Y-you p-p-p-promised you wouldn't d-do that th-thing anym-more." Nora cried through a flood of tears, clearly scared of him.
"I know I did Nora. I'm so sorry," Ren said as he reached out to hug Nora, only to be met with a slap across his whole face.
"SORRY ISN'T GOING TO CUT IT LIE REN."
"I know," Ren replied in his gentle voice, not focusing on the sting across the whole right side of his face."Nora, it's going to be fine."
Ren then noticed out of the corner of his eye that Pyrrha was going to escape again.
"Pyrrha, wait" Ren commanded. "You made me break my promise that I have kept now for eight and a half years. Now turn around, or else you will feel that terrifying presence again."
"Ren, no-"
"Nora, hush now, and I'll make it up to you later? Okay, you silly little sloth?"
Pyrrha turned around slowly, not wanting to incur the wrath of the boy she thought was so silent.
"Hehehe, yeah okay, But I get to choose what you'll do." Nora said, immediately going back to her cheerful self.
"That's fine," Ren said, now turning his focus back on Pyrrha. "What was that all about that we had to chase you down for? Did something happen with Jaune?"
"No, R-ren."
"No, Ren? That's it? What happened?"
"Ja-Our l-leader want-ted us to lea-v-ve him alo-n-ne."
"That so? What about tomorrow?"
"Not-t th-then, either. H-he made it-t very cl-clear he didn't want to s-see a-anyone un-until after he g-got out."
"When will he get out then?"
"M-M-Mond-day."
"That's absurd. We're his team. His friends."
"His-s or-ord-ders to u-us."
"Well, his order is stupid."
"I kn-now that! I'm j-just th-the m-mess-en-n-ger!"
"I suppose we have no choice then. If that's what our leader wants, we'll leave him then."
"Okay..." Pyrrha replied back as she finally settled, but only a little. "I'm going back to the dorm, you guys coming?"
"Yes! Ren is going to make us pancakes! All the pancakes! Tonight! Tomorrow! And the night after! Won't you, Ren?!" Nora exclaimed as she bounced in place.
Ren sighed and started making his way to the dorms. Pyrrha turned to go over there as Ren did when Nora stepped in Pyrrha's way. Nora then wrapped both her arms around her tightly.
"Nora! What are you doing? Don't you want to help Ren?" Pyrrha asked, taken back by Nora's affectionate hug.
"I do, but you don't understand. This is the only way to feel better when Ren scares you. I know," Nora replied. "Besides, don't tell little ol' me you didn't need one before."
Pyrrha then hugged her back, even tighter as she felt like crying again. "Th-thank y-"
"No words, Pyrrha. Only dreams now." Nora gently interrupted. "Shush now..."
"Pyrrha! Nora! Let's get something to eat!" Ren yelled, without the aura boost.
"Coming, Ren!" Both redheads yelled back.
Eventually, all three of them, still red in the face from today's events. It wasn't long after that Ren fried up quite the stack of pancakes, with Nora's help.
Later that night, Pyrrha rose to hear her Scroll vibrate on the nightstand. She picked it up and looked at the screen
"You have 1 message from "Father material""
Pyrrha, now fully alert, opened the message.
-Hey Pyrrha!
-Sorry if I upset you in some way. -I was cranky and tired and just wanted rest and you were bawling. -You mean so much more to me than a team mate. -I do mean it when I gave the order though. -3 ya! -J.
Pyrrha fell out of her bed.
Pyrrha then woke up and immediately checked her Scroll. No new messages.
"Fuck me, that was a dream?" Pyrrha said out loud.
"Shh...go back to sleep Nora..." Ren said as he stirred.
"That wasn't me...you go back to sleep."
"I will if you will."
"Deal. Shut up, Pyrrha."
"Fine. Good night, midget."
Author's Note: Hey there everyone! I am Nurple17 and this was my first fanfic. I used to write stories all the time but I never really thought they were ever worthy of being published. I have to give credit to /u/RagingStorms7482 for inspiration in a thread he made on the /r/RWBY subreddit where he was taking requests for RWBY one-shots. I just had the idea for this and as I was in the middle of putting in the suggestion, which grew to a ridiculous length, I decided that I would like to execute it instead.
Be sure to tell me what you think in the comments here or on the /r/RWBY subreddit. Thanks for making it down this far...right? Stay tuned for Chapter Two of Auric Dissonance: Fighting For Your Love Only
