Ruby struck in a blur of red, blasting into the Ursa's chest, vaguely conscious of the armored warrior beside her as she lifted her weapon again and again, bringing it down each time in a blur of red steel. The Ursa roared, staggering back under the onslaught of scythe and spear, swiping blindly at the air.
It was almost a mercy to kill it, she thought distantly. It seemed that simply standing was taking its toll, the Grimm's collapsed chest killing it as a surely as their weapons. She wanted to maim it, to hurt it, to make it feel just a small part of the pain she felt in her chest. But she kept herself disciplined, each strike aiming to do maximum damage and kill the beast as swiftly as possible.
Eventually it fell, its once mighty roars reduced to pitiful whimpers and then silence, and she allowed herself to collapse to the ground, exhausted physically and drained emotionally. She watched, detached, as Pyrrha stumbled to her feet and made her way over to Yang.
Yang watched numbly as Pyrrha and Ruby fought in almost eerie synchronization, felling the Ursa without taking so much as a scratch. When the Grimm fell, she only felt dull acceptance instead of the grim satisfaction that she thought she would.
Pyrrha staggered over to her, and she managed a small, weak smile. "Hey P-money," she croaked, fighting to keep the smile on her face. "Good job on killing that thing."
Pyrrha looked at her, shaking, and Yang could see the moment when she snapped. "Why!" She yelled, eyes hidden from view by her bangs.
"Pyrrha, wha-" Yang started.
"Why did Jaune have to die?! If you had been stronger, or faster, or just a little bit smarter, he would be here right now! Why?!" She fell to her knees, tears dripping down her cheeks as her hands clenched into fists. "Why?" She whispered, anger draining from her body, leaving her a shell. "Why?"
Blake could almost see the venom in Pyrrha's voice as she yelled. Yang reeled back as though struck, color draining from her face.
"Pyrrha," she interjected softly, causing the girl to look up at her with red eyes. "It wasn't Yang's fault. It wasn't anyone's fault."
Pyrhha just looked at her, eyes dead. "Yes it is," she whispered, closing her eyes. "It's because of her Jaune is dead."
"No," Blake said weakly. "It's not."
Yang reached up and tugged on her arm, giving her a watery smile. "Thanks Blake… but… maybe it is my fault."
Weiss, as exhausted as she was, knew that she had to do something. She hauled herself to her feet, staggering to the tree Yang lay under. She put her hand on her shoulder, causing Yang to look at her in surprise.
"If it were your fault," she murmured, giving Yang's shoulder a gentle squeeze, "Then it would be my fault as well. If my glyphs were just a little stronger, or I had just a little more aura…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "If anyone is at fault, it's the Grimm," she said with conviction, directing her words at Pyrrha. "If you want to blame someone, blame them."
She glanced at Yang, who gave her a weak grin, mouthed "Thanks," and placed one hand on top of her own, giving it a light squeeze.
Pyrrha sat there numbly, heedless of the world around her, replaying the way Jaune fell over and over in her head. The way blood spurted from his back. The way his once brilliant eyes dimmed before closing one final time. The way his body lay on the ground, completely still.
She opened her eyes and looked at the sky. All she could feel was an emptiness that seemed as though it would never go away. "Sorry," she forced herself to mumble. "It wasn't anyone's fault." She didn't really care whose fault it was. Not anymore.
"Nora, use your semblance and hit Jaune with a jolt of electricity," Ren said, a hint of desperation in his voice
She recoiled, glaring at him. "What?! Why would you want me to do that?!"
"Just do it!" He roared in frustration.
She squeaked and laid her hands on Jaune's body, a spark of electricity jumping from her hands. Jaune's chest rose briefly before stopping once more. She took her hands off his chest as she stared in surprise.
"Again," he urged, and she nodded, an expression of extreme determination on her face. She laid her hands on his body, and Ren could see lightning arc between her fingers and his chest. Jaune took a deep, shuddering breath and coughed, flecks of blood flying from his mouth. Nora took her hands off his chest and looked at them in wonder.
"Oh thank god," He sighed in relief, tension leaving him as he slumped onto his back. "He's alive."
Nora stared at the rise and fall of Jaune's chest before mustering all of her relief and energy.
"Hey guys!" She yelled, cupping her hands to her mouth. "He's alive! Jaune's alive!"
Peter Port burst out of the trees, eyes immediately scanning the clearing for any sign of danger. Nothing but a slowly dissolving Ursa. He filed the fact that someone had slain a Century class Grimm in the back of his mind, immediately looking for his students.
They weren't difficult to find, huddled around…
He whipped out his scroll and pressed a button. "We have a student in critical condition," he said urgently before the person on the other end could respond. "Get a medical team over here now." He closed the scroll with a flick of his wrist before closing his eyes. Clasping his hands briefly, he sent up a prayer to whoever might be listening that the medical team would arrive in time.
