Title: Never Meant To Be
Characters: Pyrrha Nikos (+ Thea Nikos)
Summary: Pyrrha may have been Mistral's prodigal daughter, but her heart lay solely in her destiny as a Huntress, wherever it might take her.

'The Invincible Girl'.

'Prodigal Huntress'.

'Warrior of her generation'.

Pyrrha Nikos had been called these things, and more in the past few years of her training at Mistral's Sanctum Academy. None of them by choice, but all accepted with a great deal of humility and gratitude. She was a brilliant young woman; brave, and strong, and kind to a fault. Many saw the shining star as the very model of what the aspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses of Remnant should strive to be.

So, when Pyrrha finally mustered the courage to round the corner and step onto the creaking floorboards of her kitchen, she rightly hated how timid her voice sounded to her own ears,

"Mother? Can I... talk to you?"

Thea Nikos was, by no stretch of the imagination, an old woman. Though in her late forties, time had been gentle with the aging artist. Her eyes - the color of which Pyrrha had inherited - shone with a brilliance and lust for life one would expect from someone many years her junior, despite the dusting of silver in her upswept auburn hair and the fine lines around her mouth and eyes that usually only made a prominent appearance when she smiled.

Wiping off her hands, her mother turned to her with one such smile.

"Of course," she said. As Pyrrha settled herself at the small sunlit table, two cups of tea were poured, and within moments one was set in front of her with a barely audible thunk. Her mother eased herself into the chair opposite her, hands curling around her own steaming beverage.

"What is it, sweetheart?"

"Mother, I..." Pyrrha began, but didn't get very far. She averted her gaze and took a slow breath, giving herself a brief few seconds to gather her thoughts. "The application deadline for Haven Academy is tomorrow."

"Are you having second thoughts, dear?" she said, brow furrowing in what seemed like understanding. "It's alright if you are, you know. If you're not sure. You're under no obligation t-"

"N-no!" Pyrrha interjected hurriedly. "No, this is what I want. I want to be a Huntress. I've come this far."

And she wasn't about to throw it all away. Not for something this trivial. If anything, her years at Sanctum had only proved to solidify her desire to continue down her current path. It was, she firmly believed, her destiny to be a Huntress. To help the people of Remnant with the gift she had been so graciously blessed.

"I'm just..." she finished slowly, "not sure Haven is the right place for me."

"I see. Is it something with the school, or...?"

She shook her head. The Academy was an incredible place; the Headmaster was a good man, the grounds were beautiful and peaceful, and it was undoubtedly one of, if not the, best combat schools in Remnant as far as Pyrrha was concerned.

No, it wasn't Haven. It was Mistral. It was her, and what the people thought of her.

Winning the Mistral Regional tournament at her age was no small feat, and a four-year streak was downright incredible. It was something Pyrrha was painfully aware of. She couldn't go anywhere, do anything in the main Kingdom without someone recognizing her. Without pictures taken, autographs signed, questions tossed this way and that.

At first, she had tried not to let it get to her. She didn't care for the fame - all she wanted was to challenge herself to be better. The tournament had seemed like a good way to do that at the time. The ramifications to her personal life had been small, once the fanfare of her victory had tapered off. A bit of recognition here, a 'job well done' or 'are you going to enter next year?' there. But then the second, and third, and fourth years had come about, and she had suddenly found herself very alone. Her fellow students at Sanctum distanced themselves from her. Her professors gave her special treatment. Her status had soared from celebrity to prodigy.

That was a weight she was eager to lift given the opportunity, no matter how it presented itself.

Her mother didn't need to know that, though. Pyrrha loved her with every fiber of her soul, but the last thing she wanted was for her to worry.

"I just think..." Pyrrha said at length, "that a change of scenery might help put things into perspective a little better."

Her mother considered her for a long minute, taking a sip of her tea. Pyrrha did the same, the warm liquid doing wonders to quell the anxiety twisting her stomach.

"Well..." said her mother, giving a small nod. "Haven is not the only Huntsman Academy in Remnant. Was there somewhere, in particular, you had in mind?"

Pyrrha's smile was apprehensive, despite the fluttering hope that swelled in her chest. "Beacon Academy. In... Vale?"

Her mother's eyes widened. "So far?" she asked, setting her cup down.

"Mother," Pyrrha huffed, grin broadening fully. "It's only a day's journey by airship."

"I know," came the soft response. Pyrrha frowned. Perhaps she was wrong in her thinking. She hadn't known for sure if her mother would say yes, but it had far outweighed the possibility that she might say no. Now, she wasn't sure at all. Maybe Vale was too far? Maybe she wanted her to wait another year, until she had settled into the format of a proper combat academy?

She couldn't help her small jump as her mother's hands slid over her own, the older woman crouching at her side. She hadn't even noticed her standing.

"My darling girl..." she said, voice tinged with a startling sadness. A few bothersome strands of hair were brushed from her forehead before her mother's hand came to rest on her cheek. "You've always pushed yourself a little too hard."

Pyrrha winced, and lowered her gaze. She supposed a mother's worry was unavoidable, especially in this circumstance. Still, she found it in herself to offer a playful smile. "I believe the saying is, 'like mother, like daughter'."

"Ah, a fair point," her mother chuckled, giving the side of her nose a tap with a knowing wink. They laughed together for a minute; one that ended far too quickly. All at once, she was frowning again. "Although, Pyrrha, it is an entirely different Kingdom. You wouldn't know anyone there. You're... certain you'd be alright? On your own?"

"Of course," Pyrrha said brightly, straightening in her seat. Her mother trusted her ability to be responsible unwaveringly, she knew that much. Years in the spotlight had demonstrated that quite clearly. "It might take some getting used to. But I'll be fine."

Her mother sighed, a thumb trailing across her cheek in a gentle caress. She regarded her for a few more moments, pursing her lips slightly. Then, she nodded.

"Alright. As long as you call as often as you can spare..."

Pyrrha's breath caught, and she forced herself to swallow past the excitement that leapt to her throat. Her mother got to her feet, still holding her hands tightly, but now her eyes sparkled with joy and pride.

"If you feel that Beacon is where you want to go, then Vale it is. Sounds like a wonderful adventure," she announced.

Pyrrha stood and wrapped her arms around her mother, humming contentedly as the embrace was returned. She felt a little lightheaded, giddiness making her head spin. It was actually happening. Within two months, she would be leaving for Vale.

She giggled and drew back, a bright smile tugging at her lips.

"I'm positive it will be. Thank you, mother!"

Yes, Pyrrha nodded to herself, smile still steadily lifting her expression as she raced from the kitchen, throwing a wave over her shoulder. An adventure. With that perfectly wonderful view in mind, the young warrior took the stairs two at a time. She had an application form to submit.