Dig site, Northern Vale.

In the dead of the night, as darkness enveloped the camp and the majority of the personnel were asleep, the Commander slipped out of his command tent, pulling his coat tighter about his shoulders to ward off the nighttime chill on the empty steppe. The camp was quiet and still, with only a few guards on watch, accompanied by the distant ring of work on the dig site. Here and there, puddles had formed in the dirt lanes of the camp, the result of a recent rain. The dry ground had absorbed most of it, but the mud still pulled at the Commander's boots as he walked towards the center of the encampment.

Over the past few days his work crews had been slowly widening and enlarging the tunnels dug into the side of the cliff face, as well as the tunnel that had produced the small crystal. The work on the latter was tedious: at his insistence, the men had ceased using the powerful mining equipment in favor of hand tools. This was a necessity in his eyes: the last thing he needed was for some errant drill to take out a supporting rock structure and bring the whole cavern down on the digger's heads.

To say nothing of the cataclysm that would be unleashed if someone struck a more serious vein in the rock...

He stalked past a patrol truck that slowly made its way up and down the avenues of the camp, responding to the salutes of the men inside without looking at them. He'd personally made sure of the tightness of the patrol schedules and perimeter defenses, lest some intruder or errant Grimm find their way in among the people who served under him.
Not that the Grimm ever came within forty miles of this location...
Approaching the Communications tent, visible by the large CCT tower outside, he waited until the truck had turned the corner behind him before entering.

Qray stood there, waiting by one of the consoles: all other personnel had been dismissed for the moment. A few puddles had formed on the floor due to leaks in the overhead tarp, but the equipment, safely elevated on cinderblocks and mesh pallets, had been spared any damage.
Qray focused for a moment on the console, adjusting a few frequency knobs and keying in a series of codes. She turned to the Commander as he strode up.
"Commander: the old man is on Line 1, awaiting your transmission. everything's ready." She said, holding out a headset towards him. Nodding and taking a deep, preparatory breath, he stepped past his lieutenant and sat down in a folding chair that had been erected. Sliding the headset over his ears, he looked up at the fuzzy image of a middle-aged man with fierce white hair and moustache that appeared on the monitor, seated behind a desk. Beyond him, through a large window, the Commander could see a massive industrial complex.

"Commander Pyrrhos" the man spoke, his voice deep and cutting.

"Mr. Schnee." The Commander replied. The old man, Eisen Schnee, owner of Schnee Dust and its affiliated industries, glared at him through ice-blue eyes, the intended effect of which was slightly undone by the scraggly moustache that sat like a furry cat on the man's upper lip. The Commander had to resist the urge to smile at the sight. Schnee continued to speak.

"I have received the sample your Subordinate so graciously provided: my chief scientist has informed me that the provided piece alone can produce as much energy as an entire shipping crate of Fire dust."
He leaned forward, elbows on his desk and hands meshed before his face. Now hiding the ridiculous moustache, his eyes became much more striking. Pyrrhos cast a quick glance to his left, where Qray was keeping her eyes on a wristwatch, apparently keeping the time. Schnee continued speaking.
"As you have produced visible results, I have thusly followed through with the first part of my deal. The promised equipment will be delivered in the next few days, more to be sent upon reception of your first shipment."

The Commander hid his relief. Aside from money and digging equipment, Schnee had promised him a vital supply of badly needed parts for…another project. As well as promised information once their transaction was complete…information vital to his plans…
"Understood." He replied "My digging teams believe they have found the cavern mentioned in the Prophet's Journal: they're going slowly to make sure the room isn't mined."

Behind his hands, Schnee scoffed.
"any traps laid by those old fools would have long since succumbed to time and rot at this point, Commander. For a leader of an organization named Requiem, you seem to be rather concerned with death amongst your ranks."
Pyrrhos fought down a surge of rage at this… businessman's casual dismissal of his people's lives. Taking another look at Qray, who held up three fingers and slowly counted down, he continued speaking.

"And for a man who has seen the power a piece of alchemical rock smaller than his thumb can generate, you seem awfully dismissive of the abilities of its creators. Sir." The Commander replied. Schnee scowled. Qray, meanwhile, slowly counted her fingers down to one, before a small smile crossed her face.

"I await your first shipment, Commander Pyrrhos." Schnee said, cutting off the transmission. Pyrrhos slowly slid the headset off his ears, resisting the urge to put his fist through the screen. He had been reluctant to join forces with Schnee…the man was everything he and his organization was opposed to.

"Arrogant Atlas swine." He growled "if I didn't need those spare parts, I'd-"
"Sir…" Qray said hesitantly, placing a hand on her leader's shoulder. He exhaled heavily, closing his eyes as he slumped in the chair.
"I Know, I know….."
He paused for a long moment, reaching up and covering Qray's hand with his own. She was a lifesaver in so many ways…
Finally, taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and looked at his lieutenant, all business once more.
"So, did we-?"
"Yes" Qray said with a smile, as she reached down and unplugged a portable USB drive from the communications monitor the Commander had been using "the program is in his systems. We'll have everything in short order."
"Good." Pyrrhos said as he began to stand.

Suddenly, he grabbed his chest, his eyes wide as he gasped in sudden pain.
"Commander!" Qray cried, her neutral tone becoming one of concern as she reached out and grabbed her leader's shoulders, steadying him as he collapsed to his knees. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, his pupils pinpricks as he clutched his chest in a death grip, his breaths gasping and ragged. His fingers clawed into his flesh, and finally, a wet, hacking cough ejected a coagulated mass of blood, mucus and flesh from his throat.

Blood dripping from his lips, he sucked in air, more coughs dislodging subsequent wet masses of biological matter from his throat. Qray held him up, rubbing his back, frustration at her inability to do more clear on her face.

Finally, the Commander's agony seemed to subside, his breaths becoming more normal. He rubbed at his eyes with his free hand as he was finally able to let go of his chest. When he opened them again, his gaze fell upon something lying on the ground before him.
His jerking movements had dislodged the simple clay figure of the girl from his pocket, and his eyes widened as he scooped it up and gingerly placed it back in its protective spot.

"Not yet…" Pyrrhos gasped when he was at last able to make a sound "Not…yet….I still have much to do…"
His eyes rested on one of the puddles that dotted the floor, the shattered façade of the moon reflected in it through one of the holes in the tent.
He then noticed something else reflected in the pool. Resisting the urge to look up, he slowly reached inside his jacket, trying to keep his movements hidden from any angle of viewing above him.
"Qray…" he said, slowly, quietly, as a metallic *click* was suddenly heard "How many of your birds did you bring?"
Qray, who was kneeling beside him, looked confused.
"Only two, sir, Allen and Lenore. Why do you ask?"

Pyrrhos didn't answer. Instead, in a flash of movement, he drew a wicked looking Tomahawk-gun from inside his coat and, gripping it by the head, his hands protected from the razor-edged blade by the reverse of the cutting edge, he raised it and fired three shots at the hole in the tarp directly above the puddle.

A loud SQUAWK! Echoed from outside and, through the newly-enlarged hole above, Qray, looking up in surprise, could see a bird silhouetted against the moon as it flew away, trailing feathers.
A few of those feathers floated down to rest in the puddle, some smoldering from near-misses of the bullets.

Crow's feathers…

[=]

Semester Exams came and went, and Jaune somehow managed to struggle through the tests and sparring matches. Aside from a moment of satisfaction where he threw Cardin Winchester out of the ring, the experience left him drained and exhausted. The same could be said for the rest of his team, and on their last morning before they departed for summer break, Team JNPR lounged in their bedroom, still in their pajamas. Jaune, Nora and Ren had already packed, labeled and handed off their larger bags to be shipped to Jaune's home, while Pyrrha's had already been shipped out to be returned to Mistral. The four teens sat idly on their beds, travel bags stacked in one corner, letting the tensions of the past few days fall away from them. Even Nora seemed drained. Some of their friends, such as team RWBY, had already departed: it was easy enough for Ruby and Yang, for their home was close by, as it was for Blake, who had accepted an invitation to join them. Weiss had reluctantly refused their extended invite to herself, and had departed for her home in Atlas the night before.
Jaune and Nora had both tried to start conversations with their teammates, but out of an effort to avoid the disappointment of Pyrrha being unable to join them at Jaune's home, they found a suitable topic hard to come by. As the sun rose higher in the sky, they resisted the urge to just go back to sleep. They lounged, letting the day flow by, but it was clear Pyrrha and Nora were restless. Pyrrha sat cross-legged on her bed in the strapless tank-top, short-shorts and black thigh-high tights she typically wore under her armor, and was fiddling with Milo, adjusting the sights on its rifle-mode. Nora, meanwhile, lay on her own bed, her legs up the wall, tapping her foot in irritation. The sound echoing in the silence.

"Anyone for pancakes?" asked abruptly. Pyrrha shot her a quizzical look as she glanced up from her weapon, a screwdriver held just so between her fingers.
"didn't you already pack your cooking gear?" she asked. Nora scoffed.
"I NEVER pack my pancake gear too deeply, young Pupil." She said in a deep facsimile of a wise mentor's tone, her ongoing efforts to teach Pyrrha how to make pancakes well-known in the dormitories. (considering how many fire alarms the "classes" had set off.)
Pyrrha's initial reluctance to indulge in the sweet hotcakes had only increased Nora's determination to both feed and teach her, and even the health-conscious redhead couldn't say no to the fluffy confections.

"Sure, I guess." Jaune said as he extracted himself from his bed, stretching out his back. Nora, with a squeal of delight, sprang from her own mattress and reached into her duffel bag, instantly producing a hotplate and pan: the dorm's small stove had already been shut off.
"Jaune, could you and Ren run down to the commissary and get some milk?" she asked as she pulled out a box of pancake mix "We used up what we had on Cereal last night."
"If there's any left, sure." Jaune replied as, pulling on his jeans over his pajamas, he headed for the door. "Ren, you coming?"
His dark-haired companion merely "mmph'd" in reply, from where he lay face-down on his own bed. Zombie-like, he stood and lurched after Jaune out of their shared room: he'd had his sparring exams the previous day and was still feeling the wear and tear. Jaune smiled sheepishly and patted him on the back as the two walked out the door.

After they'd left, Nora turned to Pyrrha, a mischievous smile on her face as she finished laying out the materials for the imminent pancake-ing.
"Now then, as we've got a few minutes to ourselves and we're not gonna get to talk face-to-face for nine weeks" she said with an evil glint to her eyes, which Pyrrha met with a nervous expression. Nora's face then lit up like a flare as she continued.
"… Let's have ourselves a girl-to-girl chat!"

Pyrrha stared in surprise at her teammate, before sighing: Nora's attempts at "girl talks" were usually centered around one topic…

"sooooooooooo…." Nora drew out as she rummaged for a mixing bowl from her bag "Blake told me you and Jaune were caught in a rather…interesting position, the other night."
Pyrrha blushed as she recalled the event, and Nora giggled as she stood up, "booping" her teammate on the nose.

"Want to tell me what happened?" she went on, reaching back into the duffel for chocolate chips and syrup. Pyrrha, sensing she wouldn't have much to do for the immediate moment, uncrossed her long legs, flipping Milo back into Sword mode and setting it against Akouo where it lay on her travel bag as she watched Nora work.
"Well…" she hesitated "Jaune and I were chatting about…..some personal things."
"You mean your brother?"
Pyrrha looked up in shock at the redhead's statement as Nora stood up, her arms full of pancake ingredients. She continued speaking as she laid the mass on the table next to the pan and turned to face her teammate.
"Ruby told us you showed her and Blake a photo of your brother, and you were gonna go talk to Ozpin about him." Nora went on, her face suddenly falling at Pyrrha's expression.
"Sorry…I didn't know it was priva-"
"Oh no, no!" Pyrrha stammered, waving her arms as she sheepishly laughed "No, you just…surprised me, is all."

Her face slowly reverted to a saddened expression, as she reached over to her travel bag and extracted the pouch. As Nora trotted over to her side, Pyrrha drew the familiar photo out of its pocket, holding it up for Nora to see.

"Awwww…" Nora cooed as she smiled at the five-year-old Pyrrha in the photo, before her attention turned to Jaden. Her eyes widened as she looked him over.
"He's got your hair" she said, noting the scarlet locks both siblings in the photo shared. She seemed to be drawn to the wide smile the young Pyrrha in the photo had plastered on her face. A thoughtful look came to her own face, a rarity for Nora.

"The only time I ever saw you smile like that was…." She began, but Pyrrha spoke for her.
"The Dance…" she said, remembering her reaction to Jaune's dramatic arrival in a dress. A smile tugged at her lips at the memory.

Nora sat down beside her teammate: as she'd gotten to know Pyrrha, she'd come to see, as had Ren, that Pyrrha was reluctant to open herself up to others, even when she was hurting herself by not doing so. As the dance had approached, Nora had tried to encourage Pyrrha to admit her feelings for Jaune, even as Pyrrha had advised the oblivious Jaune on how to ask Weiss to the dance.

Nora respected Pyrrha enough to have never even let Ren know about how she'd heard Pyrrha crying when she'd thought she was alone later that evening…

Even with the seeming progress Jaune and Pyrrha had made in getting closer, Nora could see that both of the two's own inherent awkwardness had built a wall between them that they simultaneously built up and tore down. Here and now, with long separation imminent and sad memories of her brother on Pyrrha's mind, Nora decided to offer some simple advice.
"Pyrrha…" she said slowly "Sometimes…you have to just do what comes naturally…."

Pyrrha said nothing, merely smiling at her teammate as she slid the photo back into the pouch and put it back in her bag. Nora reached out and placed a supportive hand on Pyrrha's shoulder: for all her bubblyness, she could be serious when she had to be.

She prepared to speak more, but Jaune and Ren chose that moment to return, gasping for breath as they held a quart carton of Milk in the air triumphantly.
"Last one…had to…fight off…CFVY…Yatsu is…BIG…" Jaune gasped as Ren leaned forward, hands on his knees.
[=]

"Well GREAT!" Coco snarled, crushing a paper coffee cup in her hand as Velvet tried to calm her down "NOW I'll have to use CREAM!"
"I DETEST cream!" the CFVY team leader went on, as Fox tried to help Yatsu out of the bushes Jaune and Ren had tripped him into in their mad dash to escape the almost empty commissary store.

{=}

"Thank you boys" Nora said as she sprang from her position beside Pyrrha and daintily plucked the carton from Jaune's hand, who promptly collapsed to the floor, eliciting a gasp from Pyrrha as the tall redhead got to her feet.

"Now! My Young Apprentice…" Nora said, turning to Pyrrha, who paused in her movement to Jaune's side "this will be your final test! Are you prepared?"

Straightening up and seeing that Jaune wasn't unconscious as he gave her a weak thumbs-up, Pyrrha couldn't help but smile at Nora, and bowed respectfully before speaking.
"You have taught me well, Pancake master Nora. I shall not fail you." She said, desperately trying not to giggle.
"You'd Better not!" Jaune gasped "after what we went through to get that milk…."
"SILENCE!" Nora Commanded "My apprentice is about to begin!" At which Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh aloud, a hand hiding her mirth as she held it to her face.
Taking the carton from Nora's offered hand-and wondering when Nora had tied an Apron about her waist-Pyrrha turned to the bowl on the table, where Nora had already emptied the contents of the pancake mix.
"Instructions…add one pint of milk…" she said to herself, taking the measuring up and pouring the requisite amount, stopping at just the right line. Behind her, Nora stood, the most serious expression Jaune had ever seen on her face, as he helped Ren over to his bed.
Depositing the white liquid into the bowl, Pyrrha took the electric mixer in her free hand and paused, taking a deep breath, one hand steadying the bowl. Nora seemed to hold her own breath.

With an electric WHIRRRR, the mixer sprang to life, and, inserting it into the coagulating mix, Pyrrha deftly maneuvered it around the bowl, attacking each clump of batter and fiercely blending the ingredients, not allowing any of the mixture to escape or splatter. Her memories of her first attempt were fresh in her mind…she swore she could still find clumps of dough in her hair.
Before long, her opponent had been reduced to nothing more than a bowl of white goo.
Nora stepped forward, a critical expression on her face as she inspected the results.
"You have met your first opponent…and defeated him" she said at last, smiling approvingly at Pyrrha. Despite herself, Pyrrha bowed once more, regardless of the wide smile on her lips.
"BUT!" Nora went on "you now face your REAL challenge!"
She turned and gestured dramatically to the preheated pan on the hotplate, as thunder suddenly boomed. Ren looked up in confusion for the source of the noise (the sky was perfectly clear) while Jaune, playing along with the game, cried out dramatically
"Master Nora, NO! She's not ready; it's too much for her to handle-!"
Nora Scoffed, turning up her nose like a countess as she pushed Pyrrha, bowl in hand, over to the pan.
"My apprentice has received the finest training in the world, Squire Jaune! You would do well to mind your place! Now… FETCH HER WEAPON!"
Acting half-heartedly the humble squire, Jaune reached into Nora's bag and withdrew a pink-handled Metal Spatula, which he held out to Nora as though it were a sword. Taking it deftly, Nora turned, presenting it to Pyrrha, waving it over each shoulder as though she were knighting her.
"Your final test is at hand…" she said gravely "Trust in your teaching…..for this will be the deciding challenge."
Pyrrha was fighting down the urge to laugh aloud at all of this, and turned to the pan, regarding it with the same expression she regarded a challenger in the sparring ring. Setting the bowl to one side, she took the spatula from Nora's hand and, placing it down, took up the bowl once more.
Slowly, hesitantly, she tipped it, gently letting the batter slip to the edge of the bowl. Her hands were rock-steady, her will ironclad. This was another challenge to be faced… and conquered.
Then, with a deft movement of her hand, she let a dollop of the white goo slide from the bowl, hitting the pan with a sizzle as it grew to a perfect saucer-sized circle.
Setting the bowl down, she took up the spatula and waited….she could feel Nora's eyes burning into her back, and patiently began to slide the metal tool underneath the circle of batter.
The room seemed to freeze for a moment, as though a duel to the death was taking place, and Pyrrha could actually feel sweat beading on her forehead.

Then, with a sweeping, snap-movement of her hand, Pyrrha deftly flipped the pancake, depositing it dough-side down as a perfectly browned surface took its place. The room filled with a loud gasp-
"Where is that coming from?" Ren Demanded-
before, slowly, letting it brown for the crucial seconds, Pyrrha slid the spatula beneath the sizzling hotcake and, gently, lifted it from the pan, sliding it onto a plate.
Nora stepped forward. Despite the silliness of it all, Pyrrha was surprised to find she actually felt Nervous.
Her teammate looked firmly at her handiwork, before producing a fork and, using it to slice off a piece of the cake, popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoroughly, thoughtfully, letting the mass slide from side-to-side behind her lips. Jaune and Pyrrha both looked at her expectantly, Pyrrha clutching the spatula with both hands.

Finally, Nora swallowed. The room was silent and still, ad the shadows were, for a moment, completely black and white. Nora's eyes were closed, and she seemed to be in deep thought.
Then she smiled, and opened her eyes, locking them directly onto Pyrrha's. the taller girl started despite herself.

"Perfect."

A few minutes later, the team happily munched, as Nora emptied the last of her syrup supply over her stack. The rest of the batter, officially dubbed "Pyrrha's Pancakes" had come out of the pan as perfect as the first one, and Pyrrha felt a sense of swelling pride: she indulged in the feeling, something so simple bringing her such joy, to say nothing of her friends.
"Let's hear it for the new Pancake Flip Champion, the one and only Pyrrha Nikos!" Nora said, making the sound of a roaring crowd with her mouth as Jaune clapped and Ren gave a half-hearted "whoo." Pyrrha put a hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh lest she choke.
"We must preserve the moment, for posterity!" Nora went on as she drew her scroll and activated the camera function. Turning it to face her team, she snapped photos as the others tried to get into a more dignified position.
"Oh goodness, I've got syrup all over my face!" Pyrrha said with a laugh as she tried to wipe her mouth clean, "Come on, take one where it looks like we actually prepared!"

"Why would I do that?" Nora replied " it's photos like that that build the most memories! Besides, I can think of nothing better for the yearbook…."
Pyrrha was quickly devolving into helpless laughter, which had already drawn Jaune into a chuckle fit of his own. Even Ren smiled his near-imperceptible smile, which drew delighted cheering from Nora.
For a beautiful moment, all of team JNPR reveled in the lighthearted laughter, as the sheer silliness of the situation drowned out the disappointment of the previous news.

And then it was lost, as Ren, Nora and Jaune's scrolls all beeped with an incoming message. Pulling out his own, Jaune looked at the screen as the last of his chuckles subsided. His face quickly fell.
"Our transport will be here in an hour." He said to Nora and Ren. All of his teammates fell silent.

The moment was gone.

[=]

Hastily cleaning up the pancake-ing materials, Jaune, Ren and Nora quickly reassembled their bags and got properly dressed. Pyrrha stood there, silent, letting them talk over some last-minute details.
"Okay, you're sure you brought the manuals?" Jaune asked, looking to Nora.
"Of course I did!" she said "What good is training going to do us if we forget the basics?"
"Just double checking" Jaune replied, before his eyes fell on Pyrrha. She stood awkwardly at her bedside, seemingly unsure exactly what to do.
"You…gonna come down to the landing pads with us?" Jaune asked, feeling some of his old Awkwardness returning as he looked at her…her under-armor clothes left little to the imagination, and he fought down a blush. She looked at him, her expression hurt.
"Of course I am! Did you think I was going to sit up here and mope?" she replied. She then looked down at herself, and a fresh blush came to her own cheeks as she looked over her skin-hugging attire.
"Just…let me get dressed first, okay? I'll meet you guys down there." She continued, as she reached for her travel bag.
"Sure thing" Jaune replied, eager to leave his stupid question behind: of COURSE Pyrrha was going to see them off, why wouldn't she?

Grabbing his own duffel bag, he and his companions left the dorm room and descended the stairs out onto the main concourse leading to the landing pad. They were only three among many students leaving for home: other first years, second, third and fourth years, all lined up awaiting their respective transports. Jaune waved a sheepish wave at team CVFY, who, save for Velvet, shot him piercing looks as they passed one another. The Faunus herself managed a sad smile and a wave.

Arriving at their designated landing pad, team JNPR, minus the P, set their bags down, sitting on the low wall that ringed the area. Around them, Bullheads landed and took flight, picking up students, as sky buses delivered yet more to the city of Vale below, where further transports awaited them. Below them, at the terminus of the pathway that meandered down the cliff face, ferries took yet more students away.
"Phew!" Jaune said, sliding off his armor and Hoodie as the sun beat down "a scorcher today, no mistake."
"You're telling me" Ren said, fanning himself with his hand as he unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Nora smiled at her companions.

"You guys should try skirts! They're light and airy, perfect for this kinda weather!" she said, leaning back and kicking her legs into the air. Ren and Jaune looked at one another.
"Thanks, but…I think once was enough for me" Jaune replied.
"Suit yourself!" Nora said, as she crossed her legs and sidled up next to Ren. Both were hoping they'd still be able to make the most out of this summer, even if Pyrrha's absence was a downer.

from the direction of the dorms, they suddenly heard something of a ruckus, and some cheers echoed over the distance as a figure appeared, walking towards the three. Behind it, Coco regarded the figure with an approving air, as she slid her sunglasses down her nose for a better look. Velvet clapped approvingly, and even Yatsu and Fox seemed impressed.
team JNR looked up from their position, Jaune standing in surprise at the sight that approached the trio, it's heels clicking on the concrete, a small travel bag slung over its shoulder.

Instead of her armor, Pyrrha wore a tight red turtleneck and skinny blue jeans, completed with her familiar brown high-heeled boots and her ever-present bronze headband. Jaune cocked an eyebrow at her change in attire: if not her uniform, her armor was typically Pyrrha's first choice for dress.

"It's not exactly the most comfortable thing to travel in…and Mistral weather reports indicate a cold front." Pyrrha said when he mentioned it to her. Jaune looked her over again, and couldn't hide a slight redness in his cheeks. While it was by no means as revealing as her under-armor, it was…fetching, all the same. The shirt was a few shades darker than her hair, and the jeans clung to her athletic legs all the way down where they disappeared into her boots.
"It looks…nice." Jaune smiled, causing Pyrrha to blush. Nora seemed to be looking at the pair expectantly, and even Ren kept an eye on the two.

Their thoughts were cut off however, as a Bullhead landed on the pad at the same moment their Scrolls beeped. Looking up, the number on the craft's side matched the one in the text he had received, and Jaune sighed.
"That's my ride." He said, turning back to Pyrrha, who seemed to be trying not to tear up. She hastily wiped at her eyes, trying not to let her growing despair show. She'd been having so much fun, and now…
Behind them, Nora and Ren stood and stepped over to the pair.
"We'll see you in the Autumn" Ren said, placing a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder while Nora wrapped her in a tight hug. The tall redhead returned it with a smile.
"See you then" she managed to say, before turning her attention back to Jaune.

Picking up their bags and walked towards the transport, Nora grabbing Jaune's bag for him, she and Ren cast a look back at the pair as they climbed aboard their ship.

Pyrrha played with her hands, trying to think of what to say.
"Well...good by-" she began, but Jaune shook his head. She looked at him in surprise.
"Don't say that…it implies permanence." He said, smiling supportively
"Say "see you later."

Pyrrha couldn't help but smile at that, and she nodded.
"See you later." She repeated, before looking down at her hands, unsure of what to say next. She bit her lower lip, trying to think of something meaningful, but no words would come. A rustling sound caught her attention.
She looked up, only to see Jaune holding out his familiar Hoodie towards her. His white T-shirt flapped against his torso as the breeze caught it, briefly highlighting developing muscles.
"Here" he said "If there's a cold front coming in, you might need it."
Pyrrha stared at the familiar garment, her eyes going between it and Jaune as she reached out and took it. the familiar sensation of the material seemed to…dull the sadness that had been growing in her chest: she was genuinely touched.
"I'll be wanting it back" Jaune said with a smile, which Pyrrha decided to interpret as him assuring they would meet again. She smiled at him, while Nora's words came back to her mind.

Just let it come naturally….
Naturally…

she took a deep breath and tried to speak.
"Jaune, I-"

Pyrrha was cut off, gasping in surprise as Jaune suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug. She felt his thin but tight muscles through the material of his shirt, the smell of his cheap body spray…his hayseed hair…

"If you ever need to talk" he said into her ear "You've got my Scroll number."
Pyrrha, too stunned by the suddenness of the act to do anything more than nod, managed to feebly return the hug, her face a portrait of shock as the scent of Jaune's hair filled her nostrils and she felt his breath on her neck. He finally released her, and for some reason she had to fight back the urge to reach out and pull him back into the embrace. Jaune reached into his pocket, pulling out a slightly rumpled piece of paper.

"And…if you manage to get away…." Jaune said, handing the paper to Pyrrha "We'll be here all summer."

Pyrrha looked down at the paper as it unfolded in her hand. On it were a street address and a series of hastily scribbled coordinates, along with the words "My Place" in Jaune's handwriting.
Pyrrha looked back up at Jaune, her expression surprised, but he was already gone.

She couldn't help but smile as she saw him scrambling after his transport, which was already taking off, as Nora and Ren leaned out the door, frantically waving. As Jaune leapt for the door, she subtly raised a hand, latching her semblance onto his belt buckles and lifting him the last crucial inches to Ren's outstretched grip. For a moment, she held him up, out of fear of him pulling Ren out of the vessel, but Nora reached out and dragged the pair inside, waving vigorously at Pyrrha as the two boys caught their breath.

As the transport began to accelerate away, Jaune looked up and met her eyes. Her jade green orbs locked onto his sky blue ones, and for a moment time seemed to stop. Across the distance separating them, everything seemed to vanish. The wind caught her ponytail, blowing it to one side and catching the sunlight. Her headband shone in the bright light of the early summer sun, and her eyes sparkled like emeralds.

Her hand still outstretched towards him, the other with the note held to her chest, Jaune saw her mouth move, but whatever she said was drowned in the roar of the Bullhead's jets. In the next moment, the vessel's doors closed and it raced away, quickly leaving the redhead far behind. Jaune watched her until she became a speck on the background of the massive academy, and even then he kept his eyes on that spot long after they were out of sight of the school.
"Weird." Ren said, as he and Nora each took a seat in one of the vessel's fold-away chairs, their bags secured below them.

"What?" Jaune said as he stood up from the floor, finding a seat himself. His heartbeat was racing, and he put a hand on his head at the sudden light-headedness as he tried to calm himself down. That wasn't just from the run, that was….
Ren continued speaking as Jaune oriented himself in his chair.
"I've become rather adept at lip-reading in my life, Jaune. I saw Pyrrha just then, and…it's weird."
"weird how?"
Ren looked directly at Jaune, his face more serious than normal, even for him. When he finally spoke, it sent chills down all three of the student's spines.

"I could have sworn she said "help me."