Jaune Arc opened his eyes to find himself lying on the floor of a room that he did not recognize. He slowly got up and took stock of his new surroundings.
The room was completely white and was so bright that he had trouble seeing clearly. The room appeared to be a long hallway with white marble columns every few feet, but any detail beyond that was obscured by the overwhelming brightness that seemed to permeate the area. He turned around and tried to take stock of his surroundings.
"Long time, no see." An all-too-familiar voice called from behind him.
Jaune turned around in disbelief. Standing there was Pyrrha, looking the same as he remembered her from that fateful day months ago. She smiled and slowly began walking towards him with her arms outstretched.
The sight of her brought forth feelings that Jaune had done his hardest to suppress. He knew in his mind that Pyrrha was dead, that her body had turned to ash after her defeat at the top of Beacon's tower. Yet he could not stop the aching feeling in his chest that ignored all of the head's pleas for logic and order.
"Pyrrha…" was all Jaune could manage before she closed the distance between them and wrapped him in a hug.
Jaune reflexively returned the embrace. Her body wasn't warm like that of a living person, but nor was it cold. Her touch seemed to create an internal sensation of warmth and comfort in him that was almost indescribable. It was as though the simple act of the hug conveyed to him that no harm could come to him in her presence. He wanted to stay like that forever, but forced himself to release her and look into her eyes.
"Pyrrha, a-are you an angel?" Jaune stammered weakly.
Pyrrha smiled. "I suppose that's close enough" she said.
"And if you're here, does that mean that I'm…dead?" Jaune swallowed hard.
"Hmm, well that seems to be up in the air at the moment." She placed her arms on his shoulders and moved to look him in the eye. "You do remember how you got here, don't you?"
Jaune opened his mouth as if to say something. He quickly closed it when he realized that no, he didn't remember how he got here. Then, as though spurred on by this realization, his memory came flooding back with such intensity that it made him dizzy.
He and his friends had been in a fight against Cinder after having finally tracked her down. Despite being up against the power of one of the Four Maidens, Team RNJR had held their own and even landed a few blows on their enemy. When things didn't appear to be going her way, Cinder had tried to distract her enemies and escape with a single large blast of fire directed at Ruby.
Without thinking, Jaune had jumped in front of Ruby with his shield extended and absorbed the attack. Although his shield had prevented him from being burned, the blast had enough force to knock him off his feet. The last thing he remembered was flying through the air and feeling an impact to the head that he supposed must have knocked him out.
"Cinder!" Jaune cried angrily. "She was there! We were about to finish her and she tried to kill Ruby! I-I blocked it and then…" Jaune broke eye contact with Pyrrha, ashamed to admit to his fallen comrade that they had not avenged her death.
Emotion got the better of him then, and he squeezed Pyrrha's hands in his own and broke down in tears.
"Pyrrha, I'm so sorry. You died because I was too weak to help you." Jaune could not bring himself to look her in the eye as all of the unspoken thoughts he had been alone with since her death came out.
"All I ever wanted was to make you happy," he continued in a voice choked by sadness. "I would have done anything for you. I wish it had been me instead of you who died that day."
The silence that followed felt like an eternity to Jaune. Pyrrha pulled her right hand out of his grasp and placed it on his cheek. The comforting sensation he had felt from her embrace returned and he allowed her to gently pull his head back into a position where their eyes met. She wasn't smiling anymore. Instead, she wore an expression of deep sadness.
"Jaune, listen to me. It wasn't your fault what happened." Jaune started to protest, but Pyrrha silenced him by placing her other hand on his lips. "It was not your fault. I made the decision to go up that tower alone. I knew that I couldn't win against Cinder. I only hoped I could hold out long enough for someone else to get there"
Now it was Pyrrha's turn to look away.
"I also knew that you're the kind of person to do anything for a friend. I knew that if you were there you would have done anything you could to protect me even if it meant getting yourself killed. And that's why I couldn't let you go up there with me. How could I have lived with myself if I let the first person who ever saw me for who I am die with me?"
Jaune didn't know what to say to that. He wished Pyrrha didn't look so sad. He couldn't help but think that it would have been easier if she had been angry with him for surviving when she had died. Anger and being screamed at were things he could deal with, however unpleasant they might be. Sadness on the other hand meant that there was nothing he could do. Seeing Pyrrha look so despondent made him feel as powerless as he had when she had shoved him into the rocket locker the day she died.
He bowed his head and grabbed her hands once more. He had gone over everything he regretted not saying to Pyrrha more times than he could count since her passing, but now that he was confronted with her spirit, he found himself at a loss. After an agonizing silence, he forced himself to speak again.
"I know it doesn't matter anymore, but I just wanted you to know that I would have done anything so that you wouldn't ever have to be sad again." Tears were now flowing freely from his eyes, and he squeezed her hands tightly and his eyes even tighter.
"You believed in me," he spluttered through tears that had been held back since the fall of Beacon. "And I failed you. I wasn't strong enough to be team leader, and I couldn't even be a good student for you."
Jaune took a deep breath and continued.
"What hurts the most is that I couldn't do anything for you. I wanted to make you happy more than anything in the world and I was too useless to even do that. My life is just so empty without you in it that I don't know if I can go on."
Pyrrha wrapped him in a hug once again, this time with his head cradled between her hand and shoulder. She said nothing for several long minutes, just letting him cry into her shoulder. When it seemed like the tears were beginning to subside, she spoke again.
"Jaune, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I left you with such a burden to carry and I could only hope that you would find others to help you bear it."
Pyrrha was crying now, and the sight of her tears made Jaune want to hold her tighter and never let go. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could repeat himself, Pyrrha spoke first.
"I'm not crying because of what happened to me." She said through her tears. "Really, I'm not. I'm crying for you Jaune. Dying wasn't as painful as seeing how much it hurt those I left behind and not being able to do a damn thing about it."
Jaune could only stare in wonderment. He had never heard Pyrrha speak so passionately in life and he was once again humbled by her unflinching selflessness. Hearing that she did not blame him for her death was a relief beyond words. He buried himself in her embrace once again.
"And as for making me happy, I can tell you that you succeeded there."
"But how?" Jaune asked feebly. "I'm just a bumbling idiot. What did I ever do to make a goddess like you happy?"
Pyrrha smiled at that. "What did you think you were going to do?" She asked "Slay a monster or some diabolical foe and then marry me and live happily ever after?"
"Well…yeah, something like that." Jaune said sheepishly, keenly aware of how childish that dream sounded when put so bluntly.
"I used to love stories like that when I was a little girl." Pyrrha sighed "But life isn't that simple Jaune, it just isn't."
She sighed again and pulled him closer.
"Happily ever after. What does that even mean? That after one major obstacle all of life's problems just disappear and everything's perfect until the day you die of old age?"
Pyrrha released Jaune so she could look him in the eye once again.
"Life isn't a simple fairy tale Jaune. I believe it's closer to an epic divided into many chapters. Some of those chapters may end on a sad note but there are many that do have a happy ending even if it's a rough ride getting there. So many of those stories have some quest forced on a reluctant hero who wins the day and becomes a legend. But life will rarely, if ever, just drop the recipe for a happy ending right into your lap."
She paused. "Do you remember what I told you about my belief in destiny?"
"How could I forget?" Jaune asked wearily. "It's all I seem to think about lately."
"I believe the same is true for happiness. It's not a predetermined outcome, but one you work towards. And sometimes…well, sometimes things don't work out the way you thought they would and you have to start the journey all over again. But there is always something you can do to change your situation. You taught me that."
"I did?" Jaune asked skeptically.
"Yes. When you came to Beacon you were a bit of a bumbling idiot. Your words, not mine." She said with a giggle, for Jaune was attempting to scowl through his bleary eyes.
"But there was something about you that drew me in. Maybe it was just the fact that you didn't see me as some untouchable celebrity like everyone else, but for the first time in my life I saw a completely genuine soul in another person. And you proved that you were willing to put aside personal pride and really work towards your goals."
"But what good is that? What did I ever manage to achieve besides making a fool of myself?"
"I'll tell you what you achieved. You worked your butt off and became a team leader that we could count on. And don't sell yourself short, you were a great student. Are you ever going to be the best fighter in the world? Maybe not, but you have something more important. It's your heart, Jaune."
Jaune felt a lump in his throat. If his heart was so great, how come it hadn't been enough to save Pyrrha? Before he could express this thought Pyrrha had changed the subject.
"Do you remember the school dance Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.
"Yeah, what about it?" Jaune replied tersely.
"We both started that night feeling pretty down didn't we? You were still pining over Weiss and I was completely alone as usual and feeling completely removed from the happiness inside the ballroom."
She smiled now, even as tears leaked out of her eyes. "But when I told you how lonely I was that night, you completely put everything aside for me." She laughed. "Who else would have put on a dress in front of the whole school just to make me laugh? You made me feel like I was the only person in the world who mattered to you that night and I was truly happy for the first time in ages. If I have any regrets, one of them is not telling you just how much that meant to me. That night was definitely a chapter in my life that had a happy ending."
Jaune stood speechless. He had thought that he was only holding up his end of a lost bet. He had never imagined that such a simple thing could have such an impact on another person. The knowledge that he had managed to bring at least some happiness into Pyrrha's life was a small comfort, but he still could not shake the belief that he had ultimately failed her.
"I had no idea." He said quietly. "I just wish things could have ended better."
Pyrrha smiled. "I know that I left you and the rest of my friends feeling like my life had a tragic ending, but please understand that I was trying to leave behind at least some hope for others to finish the work I started. I could never have lived with myself if I didn't at least try to do something about Cinder and that giant Grimm."
She smirked "And our friend Ruby made sure that it wasn't a total victory for the enemy didn't she? There's still a long way to go, but I believe that my actions that day did at least give some hope for a better future."
Jaune had nothing to say to that. He wanted to believe that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, but with every small step that he took, the road ahead seemed to get longer and longer. On top of that, he was going down that road without the one person that he wanted to be with more than anything in the world. As though she could sense his inner turmoil, Pyrrha reached out to touch his hand once again. He would have pulled away, but that strange comforting sensation had returned. He closed his eyes and bowed his head, wishing that Pyrrha didn't have to see him like this.
"Jaune, what is it that you're afraid of?"
"Everything!" Jaune burst out. "I'm afraid that I'll never be good enough to contribute to a real mission. I'm afraid that one day I'll see another loved one die young. Most of all, I'm afraid that nothing I do matters at all; that no matter how hard I try to do the right thing I'll always fail and make things worse for others.
"Well those are some pretty scary things to think about. I don't blame you at all for being afraid. But I think it's interesting that all of those things you mentioned show that you're not as afraid of anything happening to you as you are of letting others down."
Jaune's eyes opened wide at that. He had never thought about it, but what she said was true.
"I guess you're right." Jaune said. "But what can I do about that?"
"Well it's not going to be easy, but you've got to do what you can about things you have control over and try not worry about the things you can't control." Pyrrha pulled Jaune in close and wrapped Jaune in a hug that felt like she was trying to squeeze all of the negativity and self-doubt out of him. "I know you can do it Jaune."
"Maybe," Jaune replied. "But all I want right now is to stay here with you."
"Well you could do that." Pyrrha took a deep breath and continued in a voice that betrayed anxiety "But you know what that would mean, right?"
Jaune felt as though he had been hit by a truck. Yes, he did know that staying would mean death, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to care. Life was full of pain and if this was death, then it really didn't seem so bad against all that he had seen in life. In the back of his mind, he remembered something that his grandfather had once said.
"The coward's way out." Jaune said in a defeated voice.
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked.
"Staying here; that would be like suicide, right? My grandfather always said that warriors who killed themselves were taking the coward's way out."
Pyrrha squeezed him even harder. "Well for what it's worth, I don't think you're a coward for wanting to stay here. Misguided, yes, but who could call you a coward after seeing everything you've been through? Just know that I'll still love you no matter what you decide to do."
Jaune was torn. There was a vocal part of his psyche that wanted nothing more than to stay here with Pyrrha. He was sorely tempted to give in to this desire. After all, saving a friend from an enemy's attack was not a bad way to go as far as ways that a Huntsman could die were concerned. As he contemplated this, another part of his psyche that had started as a tiny ember within him began to burn brightly and came to the forefront of his mind. It was the realization that there was still a lot that he wanted to do in life, and so many people that he wanted to see again.
His eyes misted over as he thought of his sisters back at home. He had promised that he would have stories to tell about his adventures when he next came home. And even though his parents had doubted that he would make it at Beacon, he knew that they still loved him and would be devastated by news of his death.
And as for his friends and comrades from Beacon, there was still so much left unsaid and undone. He still had to keep the promise he made to Ren, and he knew that Nora also wanted to return to the village that she and Ren had grown up in even if she always appeared to be more interested in fighting Grimm or eating pancakes. And then there was team RWBY. Jaune exhaled deeply as he thought of his fellow first-year students.
Growing up, he had always believed that a hero never left his comrades behind. Yet three of his comrades were now out of action or seriously wounded. Weiss had been taken back home, possibly against her will. Blake was missing and very likely suffering from severe psychological trauma. Worst of all, Yang had lost an arm in battle and was now in a deep depression. Jaune didn't know if there was anything he could do for them, but he had to try.
Finally, he thought of the two people in his life who had given him the best gifts he could have asked for. Pyrrha had unlocked his aura and given him a real chance at becoming a Huntsman for the first time in his life. More than that, she had believed in him when nobody else would and given him hope that he might really achieve his dream one day. He had spent far less time with Ruby, a fellow team leader, but she was the one who had taught him that being a leader meant that you had to put your team above your own self-interest.
Where there was once endless doubt, for a brief moment the way forward seemed perfectly clear to Jaune. He had to go back to the living world; there were no two ways about it. He felt that he owed both Pyrrha and Ruby a debt he could never truly repay, but he had to at least try, and that meant doing whatever he could to try and write a happy ending for as many people as he could reach.
"Pyrrha, I'm sorry, but I have to go back. There's just too much left to do."
Pyrrha smiled warmly. "You have nothing to apologize to me for. Go back to your friends, they need you more than you can imagine right now."
Jaune turned away and began walking. He had not gone more than a few steps when Pyrrha called out for him one last time.
"Jaune!"
Jaune stopped and turned around.
"Before you go, I just want you to know that I'll be waiting for you here but…" she paused.
"Don't be in a hurry to come back. That's all."
"Of course." Jaune replied. "I'll tell you all about things back in Remnant when I see you again. That's a promise!"
"Good luck Jaune. And goodbye for now." With that, Pyrrha's image slowly faded into nothing, a serene smile on her face.
Although the hallway he found himself in had identical doorways at either end, Jaune found himself running to the one that had been behind him when he first found himself in this strange place. He could not explain why, but he knew that he had made the right choice when he heard the familiar voices of his friends speaking. They were barely a whisper at first, but soon became louder and louder until they sounded like they were yelling from right next to him. As he reached the door and threw it open a brilliant light flashed and quickly faded into darkness.
"Jaune. JAUNE!" a high and panicked voice called out to him.
He slowly opened his eyes. Ruby, Ren, and Nora were crowding around his field of vision. Each wore an expression of deep concern. He tried to sit up and take in his surroundings. Sitting up hurt more than he would have expected, but he managed. He was in a hospital; that much was clear. The nigh colorless design of a hospital room was unmistakable. In addition, there was an intravenous line in his right arm. That could only mean he'd been here as a long term patient.
"How long was I out?" he asked his friends.
"Two weeks." said Nora, her voice sounding small and shaky, not like her usual energetic self at all. Her eyes had dark circles under them, Jaune noticed. The knowledge that she must have spent most of that time worrying over him sent a new jolt of pain through Jaune's heart.
"Where are we?" Jaune asked the room.
"Mistral General Hospital." You're lucky that we were still so close to the city when you got knocked out." Ren delivered this news in his usual deadpan. Like Nora, Ren's face also bore signs of sleeplessness, although this was less unusual for him.
"What happened after I blacked out?" Jaune asked. "What happened to Cinder?"
"She got away." Ruby's hands balled into fists as she delivered this news.
Jaune reached out to touch Ruby's hand. "I'm just glad everyone's all right." he said earnestly. "What's the plan from here?"
There was silence in the room for nearly a full minute. It was Ruby who spoke first.
"There isn't one. I mean Mistral and Haven Academy turned out to be dead ends, so we're pretty much back where we started, except that we're a long way from home now." She sighed deeply. "I remember telling Blake how much I wanted to be like those heroes in books who fought for justice and always saved the day." She looked away, but not before Jaune noticed that there were tears in her eyes. "That seems so far away now." Ruby said in a timid and defeated sounding voice."
Jaune thought back to what Pyrrha had told him about life having many chapters and happy endings being goals that needed to be worked for. He couldn't think long term just yet with all that had happened, but he knew in his gut what their next move should be.
"I know what we should do." He said. The sound of his voice seemed to startle the other three. "Ruby, we have to get your team back."
Ruby looked surprised at first, but her expression quickly changed to one of determination. She nodded wordlessly while Ren and Nora smiled and nodded ever so slightly in agreement.