Finally, on the day that marked four years since her death, Jaune returned to the garden. It was as eerily quiet as it always had been; the vine-covered statues of long-dead hunters were all that greeted him, their glassy exteriors shimmering in the sunlight as he weaved his way through the rows to the spot he knew she would be.
And there she was, although not quite as he was expecting her to be – her effigy was now covered in vines, the deep green plants obscuring every trace of the glass underneath. He was stunned – the last time he had come here, well over a year ago, these vines had been dead, and the petals of the flowers had scattered across the ground, had crinkled and crunched under his feet as he placed his parting flower on the grave. Slowly, cautiously, he approached the statue and placed a hand on the verdant surface, his eyes widening as each bud opened at his touch.
"Red tulip: undying love… Purple tulip: forever love," Jaune began, reciting each flower's meaning after a bit of thought. Ren had taught him basic flower meanings after the first time they had come to the garden, likely knowing that he'd return, and now, he was extraordinarily grateful for that. "Pink rose: grace – no, wait. Dark pink rose: gratitude…? Yeah, that's right. Plumeria: new beginnings." The last flower gave Jaune pause, its soft, pink petals lightly twitching in the small breeze wafting through the garden. It sat in the center of the statue, right where Pyrrha's heart would be, and the round lily pad underneath the bloom seemed to pulse as though a heart beat beneath it. He took a deep, shaky breath before reciting its meaning.
"The lotus flower… Rebirth."
As he said that last word, the vines suddenly began moving, snapping, twisting, and Jaune stepped back, watching them unfold with surprise and apprehension. After a few moments of motion, Jaune could see strands of red and patches of tanned skin inside the wall of vines, and he gasped, his hand flying to his mouth as his eyes teared up. The last of the vines receded and standing there, in the place of what had once been a glass statuary created from ash, was Pyrrha. Her flowing crimson hair lay around her shoulders, having long since fallen from its usual up-do, but her clothing was pristine, albeit a little small – she had grown somehow, and her knees no longer sat properly in the gold leg plates, among a few other issues. Jaune's tears began flowing, and he reached out to touch her, to assure himself she was real…
And she fell straight into his arms, a small snore coming from her mouth as he caught her. He smiled lovingly as he settled her body into his arms and sat on the ground for a moment, his hand running through her fiery bangs before moving down to softly cup her cheek, wiping his tears from her face as they fell. After a few moments like this, with his light cries echoing through the small yard as he sobbed from joy, he picked her back up and carried her bridal-style out of the garden.
A few days later, Pyrrha awoke for the first time in four years. Her eyelids felt heavy and her body was sluggish as she moved an arm to swipe at her face and rub her eyes. It took her a few moments of blinking and studying the room around her – a hospital room, she quickly realized, as she took in the cream-colored walls, white sheets she was under, and the patterned gown she was covered with – to notice the slight weight pressing on her other hand.
She looked down to see a golden head of short, curled hair lying on the bed next to her arm, holding her hand tightly in his while he slept. As she stared at the all-too recognizable mop of hair, it dawned on her that she must've been alive again. An immense joy came over her, and she found herself on the verge of crying.
Her eyes misty with tears, Pyrrha leaned to the side and gently called, "Jaune?"
"Mh… Wha'?" Came the muffled reply as Jaune woke up and raised his head, and Pyrrha smiled happily: he hadn't changed so much in however long it had been… How long had it been?
"Jaune, what's the date?"
"Hm? Uh, it's…" The blonde paused for a second before turning to look at her, his eyes sparkling with joy. "You're awake…!" Pyrrha giggled at his enthusiastic exclamation.
"Yes, I am," she responded with a broad smile, which quickly fell as Jaune's eyes began watering as well. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Jaune...? What's the matter?" He closed his eyes and tilted his head back.
"Lord, I thank you for your forgiveness from my sins," he whispered, and suddenly Pyrrha understood. She laughed gently at his small prayer, and he looked at her. "What?"
"Oh, it's nothing, really. I've just… Never seen you be so religious, Jaune," she explained with a smile full of adoration. Jaune blushed and looked away, his hand rubbing at the back of his neck.
"Well, I listened to the messages you left me, so I'm just glad I was forgiven after I failed…" He started, but paused when she tilted her head at him and raised one eyebrow.
"What messages are you talking about?" She asked. He shook his head.
"It doesn't matter," he replied with a small shake of his head. "It's over now. Everything's back as it should be." At that, Pyrrha grins, and he smiles back at her as he leans over, their lips connecting in their first true kiss.