The support for the last chapter was HUGE and I am so grateful for you handsome people! I had to change this story to an M rating due to last chapter's naughtiness, but if I get enough people telling me otherwise, I'll change it back to T. Now, I know many of you are waiting for the sweet WhiteRose, and it IS coming very soon, but for now, while we have Pyrrha, let's savor some Arkos, da? Enjoy!
Not only was it the early morning sun that awoke Jaune Arc from his deep slumber, but it was also the faint sound of the shower running in the bathroom of JNPR's motel room. Jaune blinked rapidly, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on the bed, removing the sleep from the very corners of them. He wore a simple blue shirt and red shorts in bed to make up for the coldness of the night. To his left, Nora and Ren shared a bed, with Ren lying flat on his back and Nora directly on top of him, twirling his long hair in her hands as she slept.
Jaune distinctly remembered Pyrrha took a bed with him last night whilst Thetis rented another room. However, the space next to the blonde was completely empty, with the sheets flipped over. That must mean she woke up some time ago… Jaune's mind focused on the sounds of the running shower, and his eyes suddenly widened at the realization. That must mean Pyrrha is the one in there…
Jaune wiped his face with his hand. It's barely been twelve hours since Pyrrha came back to me… And I can't help but feel our reunion was underwhelming. I didn't even say a single word! That was the one opportunity I had to actually do something… And I stuffed it all up! I hope Pyrrha wasn't disappointed…
Thetis said she'd be repurchasing Pyrrha's weapons and headgear again today, so Jaune didn't have to worry about doing it himself, which means he had a day with him and Pyrrha alone. Nora and Ren wouldn't interrupt, hopefully. Still, he didn't even know what to do. There wasn't really much to do early morning in Mistral… We could go see Ruby and all that, if she hasn't done so already. No, she would have already… Argh, Jaune, you suck at this romance stuff!
Soon enough, Jaune heard the shower cut and the curtains be undrawn. Before the blonde had time to react, Pyrrha stepped out of the bathroom door, wearing a towel around her slender form, covering her chest down to her ankles. She caught Jaune's stare, and simply smiled at him. "Hello, Jaune!"
"Pyrrha, get some clothes on!" Jaune awkwardly stuttered out as he turned his head away from the red haired beauty. Pyrrha slightly blushed at those words, before returning the first words that always came to mind.
"I'm sorry!" She said in her usual tone, and those two words were enough to send a blast of nostalgia and warm feelings directly to Jaune's very core. He was so glad to have her back…
"Is this good, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, and Jaune slowly turned his head to face her. She was in casual attire, wearing a simple red shirt and some black shorts, which is something Jaune never thought he'd see Pyrrha in. Then again, no matter what Pyrrha was in, she always looked absolutely stunning.
"You're… Beautiful…" Jaune gasped out accidentally. Immediately, a blush came upon both of their cheeks, and Jaune quickly corrected himself. "I mean, good! You look, uh… Good!" He laughed. Pyrrha slightly giggled, before giving those familiar sweet eyes and smiled to Jaune.
"Thank you, Jaune." She appreciated. Jaune then noticed her hair had yet to be done into its familiar ponytail, so it waved care-free behind her back, and by God, she looked gorgeous. She certainly did have the beauty of a Goddess. Pyrrha took a seat next to Jaune on the bed, and Jaune did the first thing that came to mind, which was sling an arm around her shoulders, holding her close to his side.
"It's still hard to believe you're finally back…" Jaune whispered. Pyrrha leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and smiling as she took in his warmth.
"I'm just glad we're finally back together, Jaune. I can't imagine the amount of pain you went through when you learnt about what happened to me." Pyrrha solemnly spoke. Something Jaune didn't know was how utterly guilty Pyrrha had felt the whole time they were separated. She knew about her mom's semblance, but Jaune didn't. Jaune thought he'd lost the person he cared most about for good. Pyrrha took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Jaune…"
"Sorry for what?" Jaune responded. Pyrrha looked down at her feet, before parting herself away from Jaune. She got up on her knees, facing the blonde, before finally going off on the emotions she had been building up for a while. I've been bottling these up for a while… Telling my mom wouldn't have been enough. Jaune deserves to hear these words from me…
"For all the pain I caused you!" Pyrrha cried. Jaune's eyes widened at the sudden outburst. "I won't even begin to imagine how much suffering you went through… How much suffering I put you through. I know you've been through grief these last couple of months, Jaune. And I know it's all my fault."
As Pyrrha said those words, Jaune noticed her eyes slowly started to go glassy as tears filled them. "Jaune… I'm so sorry…" A single sob came out at those words. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for all the hurt I gave to you. For all the sadness you went through over my sake… I'm sorry for all the- Oh!"
Before Pyrrha could finish that sentence, Jaune had already wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close to himself. Her eyes widened at the sudden gesture, and she noticed Jaune was hugging her tighter than he normally would. "Pyrrha… I don't ever want to hear you say those words again… I don't blame you for a single thing I did or felt in the last months… I don't hate you in the slightest. What kind of monster would I be to hate someone like you? You're my partner, Pyrrha. We stick together."
Those words coming from Jaune's lips quenched all the utter shame and guilt Pyrrha had experienced the last couple of months. Her lips slightly wobbled, and a few tears ran down her cheeks as she returned the hug, burying her face into his shoulder. "Thank you, Jaune…"
Their hearts were connected in a way like no other. It was as if, from birth, they were chosen to be together, and were to never separate until the end of time. "Sorry about that… I've just been building it up for a while. I get emotional when I overthink things, sometimes." Pyrrha slightly laughed, wiping the tears away from her eyes as she separated from Jaune. However, the blonde still kept his hands on her shoulders, opening his mouth to say something, but no sound came out.
"Pyrrha…" He hoarsely croaked out. Pyrrha tilted her head at the man.
"Yes, Jaune?" She asked. Ever so badly, Jaune wanted to kiss Pyrrha. Wanted to taste her lips like they did back at Beacon. He wanted to shout his love for her and wanted to be with her. But he couldn't, he simply couldn't. Not yet, anyway. Not after the moment they just had.
"I…" Jaune stuttered out. That was accidental. It was as if his thought of 'I love you' tried to escape his lips, but were quickly cut. He was one third of his way into finally saying the words, but he couldn't. He took a deep breath. I mean, it's not like she doesn't already know. Still… I just want to kiss her. Jaune quickly changed his thoughts, saying something entirely different. "Have you… Gone in to see Ruby yet?"
That's weird. He struggled a lot to say just that? Pyrrha decided to answer the question instead of asking more. "Well, yes, I have. Talked to Ruby and Blake yesterday. Let's just say I had a little… Run in with Yang, too."
Jaune nodded, smiling as he looked up at Pyrrha. In a bedroom with Nora and Ren too far away, Jaune didn't exactly feel the most comfortable talking to Pyrrha here, not nearly as much kissing her. "Pyrrha… You reckon we could take a walk to some place nearby here? I saw it yesterday and… I think you'd like it. And maybe when you get your weapons, we can… Train there? Pick up where we left off?" Jaune asked.
Pyrrha smiled at the blonde, and nodded. "I think that would be lovely, Jaune. Let me just fix up my hair a bit first. It's… Kind of a mess." Pyrrha slightly giggled, before getting off the bed and walking back to the bathroom. Jaune breathed out, looking towards the window with a smile on his face. Pyrrha's gonna love this place… I know it.
He slung his legs over the side of the bed, and walked over to his closet, grabbing his shirt and jeans, which would seem familiar to Pyrrha. Maybe when we get there, we can finally… Dammit, Jaune. You're focusing too much on a simple kiss, like it's the most important thing ever. I should just be happy she's alive… I feel so selfish.
However, as soon as Jaune started looking for his Pumpkin Pete hoodie, he found it to be missing. He raised an eyebrow as he started shuffling through his clothes department. There's no way I could've lost it, I put it right there!
"Pyrrha, do you know where my Pumpkin Pete hoodie is?" Jaune asked. Pyrrha soon leaned out of the bathroom, holding the familiar jacket in her hands. Jaune's entire body dropped as Pyrrha slightly grinned.
"You mean this?" Pyrrha asked, to which Jaune nodded. "I think I'll be keeping it for a while, if you don't mind. It's really fuzzy and warm…"
"Pyrrha? Please?" Jaune pleaded. Pyrrha tapped a finger to her chin, looking up at the ceiling, humming for about ten seconds. She then simply smirked towards Jaune.
"Nope." She said, before leaning back into the bathroom.
"Oh, come on!" Jaune cried, to which Pyrrha laughed at.
"Sorry! But I really like it!" She called out from the bathroom. Jaune chuckled, scratching the back of his blonde hair.
Even after all this time, Pyrrha, you haven't changed one bit.
The sunlight burst through the window and shined upon Yang and Blake, who were in each other's arms and completely naked, a sheet covering them. Blake awoke to the light first, and Yang not too long after. Soon enough, their eyes met, Yang's purple eyes met Blake's darker ones, and the blonde raised a hand, slightly stroking Blake's cheek. "Heya." Yang croaked to a smiling Blake, who rolled on top of the blonde girl, their breasts now pushed up against one another, their bare skin making full contact.
"So how do you feel after last night?" Blake asked, to which Yang giggled, running a hand through Blake's long, black hair.
"Utterly satisfied, but also utterly tired." She croaked out, before pulling Blake down for a quick kiss. "So are we a thing now or what?"
"I think Bumblebee is officially a couple now, yes." Blake smiled as she touched noses with Yang. The blonde's hand travelled up Blake's hair towards her cat ears, and she started petting, Blake closing her eyes and leaning towards the hand.
"I hope I didn't hurt you too bad with our fight last night." Yang said with a worried tone. Blake rubbed at her throat, but shook her head.
"I'm okay. The only thing that hurts is my head from this hangover." Blake tightly closed her eyes as the painful throbs came in. Yang laughed, herself being used to hangovers and building immunity to them, it was quite cute to see her girlfriend in the state she hadn't even heard of for a long while.
"Drink some water and grab a shower. That's what everyone else says, but I'm no expert on hangovers myself." Yang said. Blake kissed Yang one last time, before rolling off the blonde and walking towards the bathroom. Yang rolled over to catch a glimpse of Blake's beautiful, curvy butt, and simply whistled in pleasure.
"I like that Bellabooty." She grinned, and Blake blushed, quickly closing the door to the bathroom so that Yang couldn't embarrass her further. She put her hands behind her head and stared out the window to her right.
Obviously, our relationship isn't perfect yet. I don't know if I can fully depend on her to not run away again if a situation like Adam happens again. Nor do I expect her to involve me in her White Fang plans. Yang heard the shower start to run, and she'd have liked to join Blake in the warmness, but she knew people with hangovers were in no mood for social interaction. She simply got up and put some underwear on herself and a lousy yellow shirt.
But for now, I'd say our relationship is good. We're girlfriends now, that's all I ever wanted back in Beacon, and I guess I should be happy. I know she is. Yang went over to the kitchen to male breakfast. She looked towards the bathroom where the shower was running, a worried expression upon her face.
All I need to hope for now… Is that Neo won't put an end to this all with a swing of her blade.
Jaune and Pyrrha exited through the North Walls of the city and into the forest, both wearing rather casual attire since they didn't expect many enemies to be roaming. Still, Jaune had his sword and shield in case of any trouble. The day was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky and the sun beaming and heating the world.
A dirt path led through the forest, and Pyrrha was quite curious as to where Jaune was taking her. Apparently, Jaune and his team had found it whilst they were out on a Grimm hunt. Pyrrha was tempted to ask, but she knew Jaune wouldn't answer, so she remained silent, letting the sounds of nature be the only thing that came to their ears.
All in all, it was an odd mix of beautiful sounds and an awkward silence. Gotta break this, gotta break this, this is weird, this is weird… Jaune looked towards Pyrrha, and spoke.
"So… Where have you been these last months? Were you and Thetis looking for us the whole time?" Jaune broke the silence. Pyrrha was very much appreciative of the gesture, and she chuckled.
"Not exactly. The first thing mom did was train me some more to prevent what happened to me from ever happening again. She can't bring back the same person twice, so if I were to die again…" Pyrrha went silent for some time, before smiling and trying to lighten the tone. "Well, she just wants to prevent any harm from coming our way."
"She seems amazing. You're lucky to have a mom like that." Jaune smiled back to the red haired girl. He soon knew that they were approaching their location quickly, and he prepared to see the look on Pyrrha's face when she saw what was up ahead. In the meantime, Jaune kept the conversation going with another question. "So, where was your father in all of this?"
Pyrrha's eyes immediately widened at the word, and she slowly looked down at the dirt floor. "My… father?"
"Is… Is it touchy?" Jaune asked, to which Pyrrha stayed silent at. "H-Hey, the place is right here! Look!" He placed a hand on her shoulder. Pyrrha looked up, and she felt her jaw drop.
Before them was a large grass field, the long green sticking out of it was swaying with the wind. The field led to a steep hill, where at the bottom was a wooden shed and a small paddock, obviously indicating a part of a farm that used to be here. There was a tree near the slope of the hill, and Jaune led Pyrrha to there. The view from that location was beautiful, the sunlight beaming down on them but not burning anything due to the shade of the tree. The city of Mistral was in the distance, just on the horizon. The sun was still rising in the distance, separating the night from day.
"Jaune… This is stunning! Thank you for taking me all the way out here! This field is perfect for training! As soon as mom gets my weapons ready, we'll jump right back to it!" Pyrrha smiled. Jaune scratched the back of his head, chuckling.
"I-It's nothing. I've been following your training videos whilst you were gone, so… I hope I'm better than before!" He said. Pyrrha giggled, sitting down and leaning against the tree overlooking the hill, Jaune resting his back against the tree and sliding down next to her.
"When I first saw this place… This is exactly what I wanted. To sit here next to you. I thought it was impossible, but now…" Jaune slowly slid his hand over, placing it upon Pyrrha's. She returned the gesture, squeezing it back in return and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad to have you back, Pyrrha. More than you can believe."
"I know I've said this before… But I missed you, Jaune. Thank you for waiting for me." She replied. As she said those words, the sound of an airship echoed throughout the forest in the distance, and the duo turned around to see an Atlas Airship making its way to Mistral, right over the top of them. Pyrrha wrapped her other arm over Jaune's chest in a quick response of protection, but the ship was harmless.
Little to their knowledge, that ship contained a very pissed off Winter who was in the mood for a good scolding of a dusty crow.
"Pyrrha… Your arm…" Jaune pointed out, and Pyrrha looked to see what she was doing. She quickly took her arm away from Jaune, looking away as if she wasn't doing anything at all. Jaune looked to the red haired warrior, and the urge to kiss her arose yet again. He slowly started reaching out a hand to place on her cheek, but she soon interrupted the process.
"You were asking earlier about my father, yes?" Pyrrha said. Jaune quickly hid his hand, and nodded.
"Y-Yeah. You don't have to share-"
"No. It's okay. I think you deserve to know." Pyrrha sighed. She looked towards the sunrise, the city in the distance, the ongoing Atlas Airship. "My mother was the best person I had in my childhood. She taught me everything I knew. My father… My father wanted me to be perfect. I had to be the best at everything; I had to win all the tournaments… I was his way to getting him the glory and fame. He would do anything to make me his trophy daughter." Pyrrha closed her eyes as the memories flooded back and she unraveled her story.
"Sometimes… he'd even go to extreme measures."
Seven years ago…
The twelve year old Pyrrha Nikos' feet skid against the ground as she blocked the strike from the front with her shield. Before her was her trainer, Hector, who carried two swords, one for each hand. The swords also tilted down to form into full auto SMG's, and as he knocked Pyrrha back, he flung his sword down and started firing upon the girl.
Pyrrha was due to attend a combat school next year, Sanctum Academy, before moving to Beacon if she were to graduate. Ever since she was seven, she had been training with her parents and her trainer. Her mother, Thetis, taught her attack and how to use her weapon, whilst Hector fought her and improved her defense and maneuverability. Her father, Peleus, was there to make Pyrrha understand that she was going to be the best Huntress out there.
She had to be the best.
Thetis and Peleus watched as Pyrrha used her shield to block the bullets. The Nikos family kept a small arena outside their house in Mistral, and that's where Pyrrha trained. Although Thetis was supportive, she praised her ups, and gave fair criticism to her shortcomings. She didn't treat her like a spoilt kid, but she wasn't horrible. Pyrrha called her the 'Perfect Mother', and really, she was. Peleus sought to point out every single little wrong thing Pyrrha did, and even make up something she did wrong. He believed that this way, Pyrrha was always striving towards a goal, but in Pyrrha's mind, this just made her feel like the worst.
For this short sparring session, Pyrrha was doing quite well. It was a mere few months until she was shipped off to Sanctum, so she was doing the best she ever could, and it was showing. Thetis smiled as Pyrrha expertly pushed forward as she blocked the shots, before using her polarity to grab a few bullets out of the air and shoot them right back. As Hector went to block this, Pyrrha went on the attack, swiping at Hector three times, before swinging up and launching him into the air. She jumped up, and threw her shield, shooting him back down into the ground.
"Done!" Thetis called out once she noticed Hector's Aura was low, and Pyrrha hit the ground, grabbing her shield and smiling to herself. "Good job, Pyrrha! Like I said, in the air, your opponents have a disadvantage when they're not expecting it. Hit them with everything you've got up there. You did excellent, sweetie."
"Thanks, mom." Pyrrha smiled. Hector got up, cracking his neck and loosening his body.
"That did a number on me, kid. Nice." He grunted out in his deep, gruff voice. "Pel, I think she's good for the night. I'm not sure how long I can go on, myself."
"Am I in an entirely different dimension to you two?" Peleus shouted, scaring Thetis and Hector. Pyrrha's eyebrows narrowed as her worried expression came into full effect. "You were to lucky to even keep your weapon in your hand. The grip you had on it was pathetic! In a real fight, you'd lose it instantly and be killed!"
"But, dad, my semblance-"
"Silence!" Peleus suddenly screamed, jolting Pyrrha. "Hector, you will give her another round, and I want it perfect this time. And Pyrrha, how many times do I have to remind you? Don't get friendly with your opponent. In a tournament, all your opponents want you on the ground, bleeding. They aren't friendly. So you shouldn't be either. You should be a force to be reckoned with, and something they all fear."
"Peleus, you're being too harsh. Pyrrha is exhausted and Hector can't go on much longer, you know how Pyrrha gets when Hector is weak. She holds back because she doesn't want to kill him." Thetis argued, but a single glare from Peleus was enough to silence the woman. Peleus was strong, Thetis knew his power and what he would do if he got angry.
"Go again." Peleus commanded. Hector sighed, giving a sorry expression to Pyrrha, to which she returned. No… No, I won't let him control me. This is my life. He's not my master.
Pyrrha dropped her weapons, standing her ground. "No." he said in a wavering voice. Peleus froze, looking back at Pyrrha.
"What did you say?" He spoke in a low voice, trying to scare Pyrrha, but failing.
"I said I'm done for the night. I'm not fighting Hector. I don't care what you say. His Aura is low and I don't want to hurt him. I'm going to do some fitness training in my room." Pyrrha argued. She started walking towards her door, but Peleus held out a hand, stopping her.
"You aren't going anywhere until I'm satisfied, young lady. We'll be up all night if we have to." Peleus said. Pyrrha looked at the hand in front of her, and growled, trying to move it out of the way.
"Get away from me!" Pyrrha screamed.
Pyrrha was cut off as Peleus raised the hand, then suddenly struck down, smacking Pyrrha across the cheek with the back of his hand. She let out a cry of pain as she hit the floor, and Thetis immediately went to stop Peleus. Hector went over to the dazed Pyrrha, who rubbed her head.
"What is wrong with you?! That's your daughter!" Thetis screamed at Peleus. Peleus threw Thetis off him, and walked back inside.
"That's no daughter of mine. Unless she's perfect, she's nothing." He said as he slammed the door to the house, locking it and his family outside. Thetis ran over to her daughter, helping her up to her feet.
"Pyrrha, are you alright?! I'm so sorry he did that!" Thetis said, but Pyrrha shook her head.
"I'll be fine. All I can do is prove him wrong when the tournaments roll around. He wants me to be the best, so I'll show him." Pyrrha spoke in a determined voice. Thetis and Hector looked to each other, worried. Pyrrha sighed. "Look at me. I sound just like him."
"Pyrrha…" Hector sighed. The young girl held back tears as she looked towards the house where her father had locked them out. She wanted to scream at him, but she only knew he'd get satisfaction out of it. She sighed.
"Let's just… Go back to Hector's for the night. I'll talk to your dad tomorrow." Thetis said, to which both Pyrrha and Hector nodded. They walked away from the arena and into the neighborhood, on their way to Hector's house. Pyrrha looked back to her own house, a determined gaze in her eyes.
I want to shout at you… I want to tell you I'll be perfect… But I know saying those things will make you think you've done something right. You haven't. You never will. Peleus, I'm going to become a Huntress and protect the world. If I can save people, that's all that matters.
I don't care about perfection. I care about protection.
Three years later…
"Good luck out there!"
Fifteen year old Pyrrha Nikos got her last kneepad on, her armor now fully on and her mind fully ready. She was in the preparation room, where the door before her led to the arena where she would be fighting her third Mistral Region Tournament.
The crowd outside was insane, as word had gone around that Pyrrha had won the last two years of this tournament, and people were betting if she was going to win a third. She grabbed her weapons, smiling to her mom. "Thanks for coming out here to see me… Where's dad?"
"He and I got special seats close to the arena. You might see us, but don't keep a lookout. Focus on your opponent." Thetis advised, to which Pyrrha nodded. She heard the announcement calling her name, and the crowd started going wild. Pyrrha sighed, giving her mother one last hug. "Go get 'em."
As Pyrrha started to walk towards the bright light, Thetis took the elevator back to her seat next to Peleus, who wore a full suit and tie. It didn't go well with his bald head and bushy beard, and to be frank, Thetis had put him in the outfit, but she was happy he did nonetheless. "Aren't you excited to see your daughter in action? She's won the last two years, y'know?"
"Yup. I heard. Let's just see if they were deserved or the opponent was a fluke." Peleus grunted, to which Thetis' expression dropped, and she sat in her seat, looking onto the arena. The crowd must've been tens of thousands; even people from other kingdoms came to spectate.
"I thought you'd be happy." Thetis whispered, but Peleus didn't respond. She decided to just ignore her husband, looking out onto the arena as her similar looking daughter walked on.
The crowd whistled and cheered as Pyrrha Nikos entered and stepped onto the circular center of the stage. Once Pyrrha's opponent arrived, the stage would go up into the air and if any contender were to fall off, they would be disqualified. Pyrrha turned around, looking at the huge crowd before her, and she couldn't help but feel tiny under all the stares.
"And now, her opponent. This is the boy's first time in a Grand Final, but he has shown much promise throughout the entire tournament, even managing to beat Arslan Altan, who was last year's runner-up. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for Jared Annach!" The announcer shouted as the door on the other end of the arena started to open up.
In previous years, Pyrrha's opponents had been cocky, arrogant or too afraid to speak to her, and she expected much the same here. On the other end, a fifteen year old boy stepped out, with a nicely tuned face, curly brown hair, fit body and wearing a basic grey shirt and cargo pants. Obviously, he had opted to go for more speed than defense in his armor. Even though it looked casual, every hunter and huntress had some form of protection in their clothing, and Jared was no different. His was just well hidden.
He sported a simple crossbow behind his back, and if what Pyrrha studied was true, he supported multiple dust arrows for different types of shooting, ranging from fire to ice to electricity to gravity. A long bayonet also shot out the front for any close quarters combat.
Jared and Pyrrha made eye contact finally, and Pyrrha simply kept a straight face. Normally, she'd expect her opponent to make a cocky grin or just do nothing at all, but this time, Jared did something different. He smiled.
Pyrrha remembered her father's words. "In a tournament, all your opponents want you on the ground, bleeding. They aren't friendly." Pyrrha had taken those words to heart, and as the circular arena started to rise, Jared spoke.
"Hey!" He called out, and Pyrrha didn't say anything back, choosing to ignore whatever smartass remark he might make. But there was no remark to be found. Instead, Jared put out a thumbs-up. "Good luck!"
Pyrrha's eyes widened at the surprisingly kind remarks, and she struggled to find words to return. "Th-Thank you! Good luck to you, too!"
He's… Being nice to me? He's not afraid of me or anything? Pyrrha already knew her father was cursing her out for being kind to an opponent, but she couldn't care less. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Pyrrha Nikos versus Jared Annach! This should be a battle for the ages, folks!"
Jared retrieved his crossbow from the back, and Pyrrha shifted her weapons. Jared made a smile towards Pyrrha, and she returned it, slightly chuckling. "Three…"
Judging from his stance, Jared was preparing to fire his ranged attacks first, and Pyrrha readied her shield. "Two…"
Jared chose his first bolt to be one of electricity, and he pulled the second trigger, selecting that choice. The second trigger cycled throughout all Dust bolts, making for quick selection. The crossbow was also self-loading, so no annoying delays came between shots. "One…"
Pyrrha's heartrate picked up increasingly, and so did Jared's. After all, he was facing two time champion Pyrrha Nikos. At the end of the day however, winning or losing wasn't the biggest concern to him. The fact he was fighting Pyrrha was enough for him to be satisfied with himself.
"Begin!"
As expected, Jared took the first shot, and Pyrrha started charging forward, blocking the bolt with her shield. Jared cycled through to gravity, and took aim. He waited until Pyrrha was close, before firing, launching the red haired girl back. As she kept her balance, Jared summoned the blade from the tip of the crossbow, and charged forward. Pyrrha only just blocked the swipe from above with her shield, and the two were locked.
Jared released his push, and started swiping from side to side, pushing forward. Pyrrha started moving back, flipping onto her hands then her feet in a cycle as Jared kept swiping from the sides. Pyrrha used both her feet to kick Jared up in the air, and she jumped up, charging towards him. Jared quickly recovered, firing his gravity shot at Pyrrha, shooting her back towards to the ground and launching him away to the other end of the arena.
As Jared nodded, he looked up, grinning. "Nice! They weren't exaggerating when they said you were the best of the best!"
"You're doing pretty well, yourself!" Pyrrha returned the friendly gesture. These kind remarks, the niceness of her opponent, all of them were infuriating her father but making this to be the best fight of Pyrrha's life.
Jared cycled to fire bolts, and shot at the ground around Pyrrha, forcing her to move away. Jared summoned his bayonet again, and the two finally engaged in their first hand-to-hand. Jared swung from the right, and Pyrrha blocked with her shield, before going on the attack herself. She launched a flurry of attacks with her spear from side to side and even from above, and Jared quickly maneuvered his crossbow's blade to block the swings, but they were getting increasingly difficult to block.
Pyrrha eventually bought her rifle into the combo, randomly switching to it at points, and some of the shots were hitting Jared, lowering his Aura. He needed to back out of there. He swung his blade to face Pyrrha in an attempt to fire a gravity shot, but Pyrrha used her polarity to control the blade and swing it further, putting Jared off balance. She swung a hard hit with her spear, shooting Jared away and lowering his Aura dramatically.
The boy hit the ground back first, but quickly rolled back up. He looked up to see his Aura was in the yellow, meaning he had to take cautious action as to how he fought Pyrrha. The red haired girl started firing shots from her rifle, and Jared moved his crossbow's blade around, block the shots with the iron blade.
He suddenly fired an ice shot at Pyrrha's rifle, freezing it. He launched himself at her, before returning the flurry of strikes from his blade. Try as she might, Pyrrha did take a few hits from his vicious combo, and she held out her shield. Jared made the mistake of jumping against the shield to try and launch her back, but she fired a blast from the shield, putting him off balance and at a great distance, nearly off the arena.
Both the fighter's got the same idea at the same time, and as Pyrrha started firing from her rifle, Jared started firing fire shots at her. The two started to run in a circle around the arena, both dodging and firing at each other, until Jared suddenly fired a fire shot in front of Pyrrha. She had to instantly stop herself, and only just managed to see Jared launch a kick from the side. She instantly used her arm to block the shot, Jared's shin meeting the armor plating of her arm.
Jared immediately took the opportunity to fire a gravity shot and launch Pyrrha off the stage, and it succeeded, Pyrrha flew off, but she put her feet against the back of her shield and fired it, launching herself at Jared. She started spinning, and Jared raised his blade up as Pyrrha struck from above, her blade clashing loudly against his, sending a shockwave throughout the entire arena.
"My word, this is absolutely amazing! This has to be the best fight Mistral has seen in the last twenty-eight years! Astonishing efforts from both Pyrrha and Jared. Jared's Aura is looking rather dangerous though, a mere twenty left. Pyrrha's remains in thirty-five. As soon as any of their aura goes below sixteen and into the red, they have lost." The announcer called out. Jared fired another gravity shot, launching himself back into the middle of the stage. Pyrrha charged at him, swiping from the side, and instantly, the two vanished.
"W-Where did they go?" Thetis cried, but the announcer answered.
"Ladies and gentleman, you are witnessing history! For the first time ever, the fight is going at such a speed that you can't even see it! You can catch glimpses of them if you look closely." As the announcer said that, the audience narrowed their eyes.
Sure enough, in short bursts, Pyrrha and Jared were clashing blades at a random spot on the arena, before disappearing yet again. Sometimes, they were even in the air, near the audience! The sounds of shots fired, blades clashing and battle grunts and cries were the only clues the audience had to what the heck was going on.
Finally, they came to a halt on the center of the arena, Jared's blade connected with Pyrrha's, both of them puffing and panting for air.
"J-Jared… This is amazing!" Pyrrha gushed. Jared slightly chuckled, trying to move his blade at the grinning Pyrrha to get an advantage. Sure enough, she suddenly spun, sticking out an elbow and smashing it into Jared's stomach, launching him back and lowering his aura to sixteen.
She then threw her shield, and Jared couldn't get time to react as he looked up and was suddenly hit in the stomach with the shield, lowering is aura to ten and launching him off the arena. The crowd went insane and Pyrrha couldn't hear the announcers, but she wasn't filled with joy and victorious feelings over a third year in a row of winning.
She was utterly worried for Jared.
"Jared!" She cried out as she jumped off the arena and ran over to the boy, still coughing from the winding. She dropped her weapons, kneeling down next to him and slowly helping him up. "Breathe slowly, okay? It'll come back."
Jared started chuckling, a few coughs coming in, but it seemed he wasn't seriously injured. "I'm sorry I did that to you. I don't know what went through my head. I should've just gone a bit easier." Pyrrha apologized, an utter sense of guilt flowing through her. Jared placed a hand upon Pyrrha's shoulder.
"What are you apologizing for? That was the best fight I've had in my life! It was an honor to battle against you." He smiled. Pyrrha looked up, returning the gesture, helping him to his feet.
"And thank you for being an amazing opponent. I'm glad you were the one to make it along with me, Jared." She smiled. Pyrrha looked up to see Thetis running towards her, but no Peleus in sight. "Where's dad?" Pyrrha asked.
"He left. Something about being the worst fight he's seen… Don't worry about it, you know your father." Thetis smiled. Jared raised an eyebrow and looked over to Pyrrha, who still had an arm over his back.
"Your old man's a tough guy, huh?" He asked.
"That's putting it lightly. Don't concern yourself with him; he doesn't like anything I do." Pyrrha said. Jared wanted to ask more, but he knew privacy was something to be respected, so he stopped barging.
"You two! That was the best fight I've ever seen!" Thetis cheered. Both Pyrrha and Jared chuckled, looking at each for a short while, before looking up at the crowd. It seemed as though everyone wanted to talk with them.
"Think it's time we clear off?" Pyrrha asked, to which Jared nodded.
"You said it."
Pyrrha kept an arm wrapped around Jared's back as she carried him to the preparation room. Pyrrha still couldn't get the smile off her face, not only satisfied that her father was leaving her alone, not only satisfied that her mother was happy, not only satisfied that she had thought well…
But satisfied that she had a fight against the most amazing opponent ever.
That night, Pyrrha rested in her dorm room alone, the sounds of small parties outside. She had been invited to a few, but understandably, she was exhausted. She hadn't of seen Jared since they were separated outside the arena, and she wondered if she'd see him again. Sanctum was such a large place.
She turned in her bed, facing the wall. Her weapons and armor were leaning on the wall next to her, and she wore a loose red shirt that covered her down to her thighs. She couldn't get the amazing fight out of her mind. The speed she went at, the blades clashing, the gravity… It was all so exciting. She wasn't sure if she'd get a fight like that ever again.
Suddenly, a knock sounded at her door, and she sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She hoped it wasn't any crazy fans; she'd kept the door locked for that reason. She walked over to the door, unlocking it and opening it to come face-to-face with her opponent, Jared.
"Hey." He greeted, and a smile immediately erupted on her face.
"H-Hello again!" She said, but soon realized she hadn't said hello the first time, making that hello again really awkward and possibly ruining any chance of friendship she'd ever have with Jared and anyone ever-
"So, how are ya doing? You must be exhausted." Jared returned. Sometimes, Pyrrha wondered if she had anxiety issues.
"More than you can believe. That was such a great fight. Thank you again for it." She smiled. Jared scratched the back of his head, chuckling.
"It was nothing, I was just doing my best. I'll be out of your hair in a sec, I just want to congratulate you. You earned that win." He said. Pyrrha's eyes widened at the words. He's… Congratulating me? No one's ever done that, they think I'm too good for them…
"U-Um…" Pyrrha struggled to find words to say. "Congratulations to you too for making it that far, Jared."
"Thanks." He chuckled. He clapped his hands. "Right, I'll be on my way. Just thought I'd pop by and say that. Sorry if I woke you."
"It's not a problem." She said as Jared started to walk away, waving back at her. "Thank you for everything, Jared! I owe you one!"
"Oh, you don't owe me anything. It's fine." Jared returned. He smiled back at Pyrrha. "See ya, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha watched as Jared walked off, a deep, deep smile on her face. She wanted to run after him, but she doubted she had the energy to run a few inches. She started to think as she closed her door, flopping back first onto her bed.
Maybe… Maybe I can meet up with him again tomorrow.
Present Day…
"Before you ask, no, he didn't become my boyfriend. But he and I were friends for our time at Sanctum. Unfortunately, when I moved to Beacon, he chose to go to Haven, so we went our separate ways. I tried to find him at the Vytal Festival, but I had no such luck." Pyrrha sighed as she looked up at the beaming sun. "I hope he's okay."
"If he can fight you and land a few hits, I'm sure he'll be just fine." Jaune said. "But, Pyrrha… Why did you tell me about him? You started off with just your father."
"I guess it's because, well…" Pyrrha squeezed Jaune's hand some more. "Part of the reason I like you so much… Is because I see some of him in you. He didn't treat me like I was above him or a goddess. He treated me… Like a normal human being. You two will get along when we get to Haven."
"Pyrrha…" Jaune whispered. "Are you telling me you only like me because I remind you of an old friend?"
"N-No! I swear that's not it!" Pyrrha panicked, but Jaune laughed.
"I'm teasing you. I look forward to meeting him." Jaune smiled. Pyrrha and Jaune's eyes met under the tree, and their smiles finally stopped. They just kept their gaze locked with one another. That piece inside of Jaune was still screaming at him to kiss her. If there was ever a time to do it…
Jaune started inching his face towards Pyrrha's, and she knew what was coming. She started to close her eyes and cup his cheek with her hand, their lips slowly coming, about to finally meet after months of waiting. They dreamt of this moment for months, and now, it was finally going to become a reality…
"You two lovebirds!" A sudden voice jolted Jaune and Pyrrha, and they immediately separated from each other and turned around to see Thetis, panting.
"M-Mom? What is it?" Pyrrha asked, standing up. Thetis chuckled, placing a hand on her hip.
"I've got two pieces of good news. One, your weapon and headgear are ready to go at the weapon's smith in the town, Pyrrha." Thetis smiled, and Pyrrha felt anticipation start to arise. "The second piece of good news… You're gonna love this. You know your Weiss friend?"
"Y-yeah?" Jaune asked. Thetis looked behind her, closed her eyes, and spoke.
"She's woken up."
REVIEW RESPONSES:
KingofBlacks: Indeed, this is my first lemon, and I'm super glad you enjoyed it! Hehehe, I have a tendency to fool my audience… It amuses me. THE WHITEROSE SHIP SHALL SET FULL SPEED AHEAD IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! And with Heavy Cannons, too!
GrnDrgnzrd: Indeed, my good friend is a SnowBird thing and they gon' love the next chapter, as I hope you will too!
KnightSpark & Tamatoa: Due to your reviews and a bit of trouble I got in, I have thus changed the fic to an M rating. Thank you for your advice!
Darkgaurdian: Ahh, the good ol' Banana Split ship of Neo and Yang. May it happen in this story? Stayed tuned and find out!
Kyrogue23: I mean, sex has got to mean the bet is raised to a hundred lien, right? XD
Zanatoz: Ah, do not worry, I didn't forget that important detail! Weiss will return next chapter! GET HYPED!
RWBYGuy2015: Eh, in my view, there are two types of writers. Long ones, and short ones, and I am the latter, so sorry for the rushed bits. Glad you liked nonetheless!
Omega09: Your idea is frickin amazing, believe me, but I struggle to find a place to put it in the fic, since Grimm aren't going to be a problem for the rest of the fic. Just Neo. If I do find an opportunity, I will use that idea for sure!
TheHuntress77: I'M SORRY, I KNOW IT'S FILTH, FORGIVE ME. It's fine, I don't care that ya skipped, as long as you caught the precious Bumblebee fluff. WHITEROSE SHALL SET SAIL NEXT CHAPTER! HAPHAPHAP!
BlackenedFlame157: I can safely say you're the bestest person ever and I want to give you candy and chocolate! WHITEROSE IS COMING! PREPARE THE SHIP TO SET SAAAAAAIL!
Legendofzeldafan100: I'm a quick writer, so sorry for the rushed bits. I'm super happy you liked it anyways, you're awesome!
JordanPhoenix: Eh, I've always been faster than you in every way ever. Aaaaand I just realized that made me sound bad, I should stop talking XD Couldn't resist an AA reference in there, me being trash for that series and all. I did base the resurrection of the story of Achilles so I'm glad you liked it and the chapter! You da best