Chapter 10: The Tragedy of Expectation and the Beauty in Failure
Beta: Voltegeist
Cold sweat dribbled down Jaune's head, sliding past the cheek and collarbone. He was all too aware of its journey, that maybe somehow it would help to keep him calm. Instead it was an enemy, a cruel reminder of why he felt such unease. Pyrrha smiled at him, and to anyone outside of their friend group, that probably wasn't a big deal. How could they know what that smile really meant?
They saw the lens, the shadow on the wall. An armored maiden with a golden face that represented everything aspiring Huntsmen and Huntress should be. But underneath, where the rose-tinted glasses were removed… a warrior starved for a challenge awaited.
His instincts screamed to run, and not a bone in his body disagreed. But how far would he get? Fighting off Arslan and Yang would have been hard enough already, but Pyrrha's appearance dwindled any percentage of success to zero. Somehow the world was silent, the cheers of the crowd dulled in his ears. Blue eyes flicked around nervously, gauging opponents, old and new. What options did he have? Jaune warred with the question, as all potential help he could get was either gone or down for the count.
'You need a plan. Think, damn it!'
Jaune took a cautious step back. And barely took another before Pyrrha dashed past the others. A ragged breath was forced out of him as Pyrrha nailed him in the stomach. Jaune keeled instinctively, allowing Pyrrha's boot to flip him onto his back. Shit, how long had that lasted? A second? And already he was down, wishing it was over. He barely had the chance to move before Pyrrha forced him back down with her foot, holding him there.
Jaune's heart raced as Yang's semblance brimmed to life, sure Pyrrha would be forced to back away. Instead, Pyrrha foresaw Yang's swing and drove a foot into her stomach. She sidestepped Arslan's punch just in time to duck Yang's. And then it was a dance. Dodge. Block. Kick back. Counter. Flames fluttered around them, flying off Yang's hair and Arslan's fists. And yet none of it touched Pyrrha, granted only a graze past her ivory skin.
Pyrrha swept Jaune off his feet before he could escape, effortlessly switching her attention from him to them. Any time he tried to run, she stopped him. And any time they got too close, Pyrrha punished them. Was this her plan?
If it was, it was infuriating!
Yang yelped as an elbow caught her nose, Pyrrha not even needing to look. That same hand took her collar and threw her into Arslan, allowing champion to follow up. Arslan staggered to her feet, and that was as far as she got. Her head bobbed as a fist met it, then Pyrrha spun past her right swing and earned a counter. Arslan keeled over, a foot greeted her chin accordingly. Jaune took that chance to run, but again, as impossible as it should have been, Pyrrha jumped in his way.
"Get your ass back here!" Arslan roared.
Pyrrha stepped aside so explosion hit the ground and forced Jaune to shield his eyes. A backhand ensured he kissed he floor, while Yang took the bait of Pyrrha's lowered guard. She crossed her up, fists itching to catch her jaw. Block for block, the girls traded, until a mistake left Pyrrha wide open. The meaty blow that followed grounded the redhead.
Only for her to kick back up a second later.
Jaune's heart quaked in his chest. Did Pyrrha even feel that? That was a punch from Yang. Yet Pyrrha took it and rose back up as if it had never touched her. Yang paid the price for hesitance with two blows to the face. Pulling her back, Pyrrha kneed her in the stomach again and again, winning an puff of breath with each. An explosion saw to Pyrrha tumbling away, then quick to punish Arslan for it.
Catching his rise, Pyrrha rolled off his back. She made Jaune kiss the dirt again before whipping around to block Arslan. The beast went to work, swiping away Arslan's palms and completely ignoring the heat Jaune was so used to flinching against. Yang dominated Pyrrha in raw strength, but Pyrrha ensured those hits rarely landed.
Hand to hand was Yang's and Arslan's specialty, where the pride of their combat skills was rooted. But Pyrrha handedly took that from them, no words needed be said to remind them of who they challenged. And so too did it remind Jaune.
Like a dying bulb, Yang's hair lost its glow as Pyrrha finished her off. In a flash, she flipped the girl over her shoulder, and with an audible smack, Yang hit the ground, stirred, and didn't move again. Arslan was a mad dog by now, not even thinking anymore. Just swinging and swinging and swinging, desperate to get a hit in. The girl wheezed weakly, on her hands and knees as she struggled for breath.
The explosions had stopped, and Jaune could only assume it was because she couldn't use them anymore. It was almost hard to watch, to see the girl constantly at her, trying and trying to get past the obstacle in the way of her success.
Was he not doing the same himself?
Pyrrha stopped Arslan's palm. The latter's arm trembling freely as spit dribbled off her lip. She was all out of steam, while Pyrrha stood uncontested. Still the strongest. Still the best.
She said something that Jaune couldn't make out, and for a moment, it looked like Pyrrha would respond. A part of Jaune wanted her to, as if that would shed light on the bitterness festered between them. Instead, she moved Arslan's hand aside and let gravity do the rest. Hungry eyes were on him right then.
And Jaune shivered.
"He can't win this..."
Fox could say that again, and again, and a million more times after if that's what it took. Velvet's hands trembled as she held them to her chest, hoping those words could reach her pupil. He had to be running on fumes, while Pyrrha had torn through dozens of enemies and now Yang and Arslan with barely a scratch. Pyrrha was on another level, and Jaune had been pushed to the absolute limit. He had nothing left. It was time for him to stop. And yet something convinced her that Jaune wouldn't hear that. That she could tell him to his face and he'd still fight anyway. It was madness. Pure insanity.
Yet she banked on a small hope that somehow Jaune had a plan. Her eyes squeezed shut, terrified to watch. But then they'd pop back open, knowing she couldn't look away when he was pushing so hard.
Like she'd used to.
~Not Dead Yet~
'You have to give up.'
Pyrrha's mere body language convinced him of it. Promised him that there was no chance he'd get through the round victorious. There was no reason otherwise for her to eliminate the rest of the competition. Pyrrha didn't rush to stop him from getting up, but then, why would she? She knew that it didn't matter anymore.
Was she reading him now? Did she know what he would do? Jaune's feet didn't move, promised that Pyrrha would know exactly when and where they'd go. Jaune stepped back again as Pyrrha drew closer, legs threatening to buckle. Even if fighting was the only option, it wasn't what he favored - not when Yang and Arslan looked like dead bodies behind Pyrrha's advancing grin.
"Are you afraid of me?" she asked.
"Of course," Jaune answered shakily, "You've set a high bar."
"That's the consequence of winning all the time," Pyrrha said, almost forlorn in admitting it, "Suddenly there is a standard. An expectation to live up to. It's not possible for me to lose, they say. As silly a thought as it is, for a time I even believed it. But then you flew over my head… and I couldn't stand for it."
"So now you want to crush me?"
"I do."
Jaune sighed, yet couldn't resist a grin. "Good. Then you'd better not hold back."
It didn't surprise him at all to catch a smile, one brimming with a joy long forgotten. "That is what I want to hear. Show me a good time, partner."
Time…?
Jaune didn't know how it started. Didn't know who swung first or who took the defensive. Each swing erased the memory of the previous, and all Jaune could see was red hair flying alongside fists. The arena had gone, replaced with slate - the cold scent of night and sweat, and the rooftop where he and his partner always trained. His punch was too slow, allowing Pyrrha to stun him with a jab to the face. She kicked him down, opening the chance to steal the headband.
Jaune pulled that arm down, crawling on top to pin her down. Perhaps it was poetic justice that Pyrrha headbutted him, using that chance to reverse their positioning. She knew better than to be too close though, from this range he couldn't strike back.
'How about some dirt in your eye?'
The girl shrieked, blinded as she tried to retreat. Jaune pulled her back, scoring a solid blow to her jaw that put her on her knees. "Hahahaha..." The girl giggled. Giggled. That laughter got her standing, the tempo of their fight escalating in turn, "You continue to surprise me, Jaune."
"It's a talent." Jaune warded off a hit before countering. But each counter was countered, and even then those counters were countered again. It was an endless flux, Jaune giving way inch by inch as Pyrrha's eager assault held strong. And then, something gave. Jaune's defenses lowered for an instant, which was all Pyrrha needed.
His punch brushed Pyrrha's hair, while hers dislodged some spit. She saw his kick before he made it, stepping aside so he hit air. And again spit flew, Jaune's face ceaselessly barraged. Could he even feel them now? Or was the pain so great that it had become unfathomable?
Jaune's world danced, the cold floor against his cheek as a blurry figure approached. Heartbeats were like keys jingling against the bars of cell. He could only hear his haggard breaths, even colors faded away and the world plunged into a darkness he was all too ready to accept…
'It's okay to give up. It's okay to stop.' Why defy the expectation? He'd made it pretty far, and there was still the third round. Giving up here didn't mean anything in the long run.
And then he felt it. The anger when Arslan and Weiss were so quick to dismiss him. The pain and struggle of pushing his body and aura as far as he could, overjoyed at every little milestone he crossed. Velvet patting him on the back, pushing him to try again. Coco and the others cheering for him in the crowd. How could he disappoint them?
A faded hand reached for his forehead, Jaune tempted to lean in. He could just rest if he did. If he just handed it over, he could finally put his worries down. He didn't have to think about what was impossible or not.
And then, weakly, his hand rose to stop her. Gripping the fingers as tightly as he could. Vigor shot through a defiant snarl as Jaune pushed her back, getting to his feet as he glared at her. He'd said it before. Repeated it to himself every night before bed so he remembered why he got up again. Why he would continue to get up. And for some reason he wanted, no, needed, to remind his partner once more…
"I. Will. Win."
Like a crashing wave, something burst within him. A weird surge, like an electric current ignited his muscles for just an instant. He caught Pyrrha's swing and instantly winded back his own. Instinctively, Pyrrha raised her arm to her midriff, the perfect place to choose between her face and stomach. She could react more quick enough to defend either, and was one of the first things she'd ever taught him. Jaune grabbed that arm, smirking at Pyrrha's gasp. Then launched her overhead, knowing Pyrrha, she'd land on her feet to make a counterattack.
Jaune jumped right at her, Pyrrha had lowered herself to the ground, letting his attack miss entirely. "Those are words, Jaune. Show me how it is you'll defeat me." she said as she charged.
Pyrrha was a non-committal fighter, she poked and prodded until she could properly see her opponents habits. Only then did she take risks, do things she usually wouldn't. She was a calculator, a fighter grounded in logic and equation. So how did one overcome someone who understood the most optimal options in battle? Who knew the ins and outs of high level combat that no novice could ever understand?
Pyrrha would expect him to attack, run, or defend. She'd taught him that in a spot like this, anyone properly trained would consider those the best options. But those 'properly trained' people stayed inside a box of what they knew worked. Few explored the possibility of a back door, and that, if nothing else, was a weakness.
He couldn't fight anymore, that was for certain. At best he had one swing left. But if his plan worked, then it was all he needed. Jaune held out both hands before his pursuer. And as he expected, Pyrrha looked ready to react. Sweat on the brow and a hope against the odds, Jaune ticked off the final moments before shouting...
"Time out!"
Pyrrha skidded to a stop, expression puzzled. And for a moment, Jaune hedged a grin.
His jaw cracked, a splatter of spit and blood as the world span. His head rang when he hit the ground, and were he not so weary, his eyes would have been wide. Something slipped off his forehead, and Pyrrha said two damning words that demolished any sense of hope. "Nice try."
Like a crack of lightning, the horn blared. The spirit of the crowd returned, practically shaking the arena. "My word!" exclaimed Professor Port, "Bart, are my aged eyes failing me? Is what I'm seeing this day the truth? Could I possibly be imagining!?"
"No you are not, my friend. It was looking so perfectly in Mister Arc's favor, but Miss Nikos has proved to be one step ahead. Slaying every foe that has stood in her way! Ladies and Gentleman, your winner for round 2, Pyrrha Nikos!"
The haze of cheers and cries had a resounding effect, like a great singing chorus. And Jaune couldn't fathom that idea that it wasn't in his favor. He touched his forehead, praying that it wasn't real, that he hadn't come this close just to fail. But it was true, he'd lost. He had nothing now. Not even a red headband. It burned inside. He grinded his teeth as Pyrrha stood before him, untouched. Unfazed. Undefeated.
Jaune buried his face in his hands.
~Not Dead Yet~
Velvet rushed around the corner, pardoning herself as a stretcher brought a student through. The infirmary was surprisingly not as full as she thought. Its patients primarily being those that lasted the longest in the round. Unfortunately that meant her apprentice but well, was he really going to get through the day without an ass kicking?
The main event was over for the day, the arena was already clearing out after Glynda made her closing announcements. With haste, Velvet made her way here, looking through the rooms so find Jaune. To her right, she saw Arslan sitting on a bed with her teammates and a nurse around her. They looked to be consoling her, while the girl herself was too lost in her own thoughts to respond.
'Remember to thank Pyrrha.' Velvet grinned victoriously.
Ruby was in another, fast asleep as her teammates watched over her. They caught her gaze with a tiny wave, and she approached the beside to look over the girl. "People are calling her the 'One-hit Wonder'."
"Not sure if we should consider that a good or bad thing," Yang chuckled, "Crazy kid, I never expected her to pull something like this."
"I'm guessing she got the Dust idea from you, Weiss. It pays to have a teammate proficient at it."
Weiss nodded. "I admit, she surprised me… but in a good way." Then the smile fell and she looked up at Velvet, "Is that why you train Jaune?"
Velvet paused. It wasn't as if they were keeping it secret or anything but still, how did she know? "Maybe. Why?"
"Merely satisfying my curiosity," Weiss shrugged, " It explains a lot; your team cheering, his sudden improvement..."
"All I did was train him. I'm not brave or crazy enough to pull the stunts he did. It was always there. You probably just didn't want to see it."
Velvet expected her to be angry. Insulted if nothing else. But Weiss's eyes lowered, contemplative like she was stuck on a math problem. Why the sudden change in attitude? "He said something to me, during our fight…"
Velvet was sure a lot of things were being said down there. Much of it likely not very sportsmanlike, but the fact that Weiss looked perturbed by something Jaune said? That was at least worth hearing out. "What was it?"
The girl sighed. "He… nothing. Never mind. It's a silly question."
"But -" Velvet cut herself off, just staring at the girl as she retreated into her own thoughts. Strange. What was it that Jaune could have said that had Weiss so bothered?
But with a shrug, she put it aside - questions for another day. As luck would have it, her destination was just another door down. Jaune was alone just sitting on his bed with bandages on his arms and cheek. He stared out the window, where the sunlight grew red and orange as the day slipped away. He looked so tranquil, swept away by his own dream-like world.
Velvet Scarlatina was not the kind of woman to waste such an opportunity. Why, the very nature of the world demanded it of her. She leapt onto him, pinning him down with a cheeky grin. "Hey."
"Hey…"
"That's a boring response. You know, you can go to hell for being a fun killer."
"Really? I guess I'll see you there then."
"Cut it out. I'm supposed to be the one with the quippy retorts, okay?" Velvet scooted off, letting him sit back up, "How do you feel?"
"Like a wrung-out towel."
"Not a bad analogy, but since you burned through your aura, I can see why. Doesn't look like you're used to it."
Jaune scratched his head. "I've always had a lot. It would get low, but I've never been nearly empty before."
"Well in an ideal battle, you should never be at zero. Take this as a lesson, over usage is bad, no matter how dire the stakes. You have to learn to be more conservative."
"I know."
"You can't rely on your aura to protect you and empower you consistently over a long time. Even if you have a large aura, you will deplete it quickly. And you'll end up in the same situation - "
"I know, Vel!" Velvet flinched, and by contrast Jaune's eyes softened before he turned away, "Sorry..."
"It's fine. I get it, you're angry."
"I'm not -
She gave him a look, one that he was forced to accept. Even if he could deny it, it didn't change anything. He didn't say anything more, just turning back to the window as if ashamed to even look at her. And with that, Velvet continued. "I wanted you to give up, you know. I thought it was over after Pyrrha arrived - I was right but still. Coco is calling me a hypocrite for scolding you."
"A hypocrite?"
"Mm-hmm," Velvet moved to sit beside him, "The weak kids are always the ones everyone ignores. Or bully. I was shy for a while, and that lack of confidence translated into my combat skills. I'd hesitate, I'd reconsider, and then I'd lose. The stubborn brat back then never wanted to listen despite trying to hard to change. For a timid kid, I was an angry little brat."
Velvet nudged his shoulder. "You did it faster than me though. Look at you now, you were so meek two weeks ago. Now you're in there giving everyone a run for their money."
"I still lost..."
"I know. You tried so hard, and then Pyrrha comes in and steals it away. You might not be angry at her, but you do know who you are angry with." The boy's sigh all but agreed, "That's how the others felt when they lost to you. A little salt is good, keeps your blood boiling. Internalize it, learn from it. Understand? As it stands now, you're on your last legs."
The rules truly did not favor those who didn't explore the extent of their options. Goodwitch revealed that the headbands had recognition devices sewn into them tied to their database. Ensuring they knew who last had their hands on it. Pyrrha was the last to have gold. And Jaune had not touched a red, not even once.
Which made him a gray, and put him completely out of the top 16. And with the final event being the day after tomorrow…
"Don't remind me."
"Oh contare, I'm going to remind you endlessly," Velvet chuckled, "This'll be your last shot. Its top sixteen tomorrow or this is as far as you'll go."
She tensed as Jaune's fists tightened. It gave her no pleasure to anger him, but she needed to ensure he hadn't lost confidence. "You lost this one, there is nothing we can do about that. We just have to move forward, okay? I've got your back."
Jaune was quiet for a moment, Velvet about to speak up before he finally did. "I wanted to beat her."
"Pyrrha?"
"I thought I could do it, for a moment I thought I'd finally win against her," Jaune admit with a sad chuckle, "If I won, then it would be undeniable that I got better. But instead, I feel like I'm back at square one. I felt so small against her…"
That was the effect of someone on Pyrrha's level. Unfortunately Pyrrha held a monopoly on the power struggle between the first years. She was a dominant wall that few have scratched, but none have punctured.
"Even if I do get into the tournament, how am I supposed to win against that? You saw what she could do. She crushed Arslan and Yang at their own game, it even looked like she was bored. If they couldn't win, how can I?"
Velvet wanted to give him an answer, but not even she knew what to say. Instead she settled for taking Jaune's hand, rubbing his palm with her thumb. "Sorry, the dojo doesn't have an answer for that."
~Not Dead Yet~
Late night was the perfect company for Arslan. Relaxed, unassuming, uncaring. All things Arslan wished she could feel right now.
Since the preliminaries concluded, everything seemed to just fly by. In the infirmary one minute, in her dorm the next. Her teammates were the there the whole way - Bolin killing her ears with reminders to not push too hard. Reese shoving her into the bathroom, determined to get the sweat off of her. Idiots. They didn't need to be all over her like that… even if it was a welcome distraction.
But as considerate as they were, they hadn't given her any time alone. So she took to the courtyard the moment they went to sleep. Arslan's hands rested in her palm, and she couldn't help but stare at them as she remembered all the times she'd hurt them in training. All the victories she'd gotten with them.
They'd carried her so far, though not on their own. Through the combination of her will and hands, she found the means to get better. Stronger. Faster. Smarter. Every day, it felt like was reaching a milestone. And that path would surely take her to where she wanted to be, to the title she so hungrily craved.
But no. Not anymore. That path she'd walked for so long was nothing but a lie. And illusion she put all her hopes into.
"Sup."
Arslan ignored him. Of course he'd noticed her leave, he usually did. Nadir sat on the other side of the bench, knowing all too well she wouldn't appreciate the proximity. He was a dummy for being so considerate of someone like her.
"What are you doing out here?'
"Fresh air. Reese got gassy."
Total bullshit. Well, at least the first part. But his face remained rigid anyway, as if he thought he could get away with it. He wasn't wrong either - Arslan didn't have the patience to challenge him.
The world provided an ambience - at times a breath from Nadir to break the melody - but otherwise, nature saw fit to keep the symphony alive. The seconds were minutes, at times even hours. Arslan's thoughts refused to be clear, anxiously waiting for her partner to say something. "I know you're lying, you came out here to check up on me. Go on. Ask your dumb question."
"Don't know what you're talking about."
The girl bit her lip, turning away from him with a grunt. Asshole. Acting like he knew, like he understood everything that she felt. She knew his game, he was waiting for her to talk, for her to initiate. Well, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Hadn't she lost enough self-respect for one day? How insensitive could he be!?
Like teetering at the edge of a cliff, the air felt uneasy. She expected something to happen, for someone to finally push her off the tipping point. Instead, it felt like Nadir just held her there. Letting gravity and stability war over control of her body. Why didn't he just ask?
Arslan sighed. "I guess all that practice was for nothing, huh?"
"You think so?"
"The results prove it. Even Scarlet says you guys wasted your time on me."
"And you believe him?"
"I don't know..."
"Only you can know," Nadir turned to her, hardened eyes unwavering against hers, "All we can do is support you, Ars, you decide if all that work was for nothing."
"Oh, I decide it, huh? Well, that totally relieves my worries," Arslan's threw her arms in the air, " Wanna know what I've decided? I'm a fucking failure!"
Nadir crossed his arms, and for a moment only her toiled breaths filled the silence. "Fourth in the Obstacle Course out of over eighty entrants? That's not even close to bad. Yeah, the second round could have gone better, but you were one of the main ones to last till the end. That's an accomplishment all by itself."
"But now I have to win the third round or I won't make it into the tournament," Arslan said, "I was so close both times, but in the end I still fell short. What was it all for then? Why did I go through all that training, all that work, just get left in the dust?"
Nadir scooted closer, a warm hand taking hold of hers. "I get it, you're upset. It's okay to be. But don't let that drag you down, you need to focus on getting through the third round."
"What's the point?" Arslan snapped, fists clenched as she stood, "I'll never win against Pyrrha! You saw what happened. I was nothing to her. She walked all over me! Scarlet was right," then those fists loosened, shoulders slumping in defeat, "And back then, so was Pyrrha."
Nadir's eyes softened as she faced him, offering not a single word. He had nothing to say? Fine, then she'd keep going.
"I thought I could do it! I thought it was my time! But the gap has only gotten wider, it pisses me off so much!" Arslan stomped on the ground, then again, and again and again. Hoping that if she did it enough, it would finally shatter.
But no, the ground stayed the same. The sky stayed the same. The wind still blew, the trees rustled with it and the crickets sang their songs. Pyrrha would advance through the tournament as she always did. So would Yang, Weiss… even Jaune.
The guy she'd never given a thought to, stomped on and proved her clear superiority over, had swept the rug right from under her. He'd gotten so much better somehow, and despite their difference in skill, his refusal to back down was rewarded. He was bursting far ahead of her...
While she was utterly left behind.
"Is that why you're crying, because you feel like you always need to win?" Nadir finally spoke, standing to face her.
Arslan opened her mouth to tell him he was wrong. But she only got halfway, the words caught in her throat and she could only look at the ground. Her partner sighed, and it was that which made her brace herself for telling off she'd come to expect from him.
"You're strong, Arslan. You're crazy strong," Nadir said, "I've seen you demolish entire teams by yourself, anyone who has ever faced you has never wanted to do it again. And just when I think you can't get any better, you somehow prove me wrong. Don't you realize how amazing that is?"
Arslan couldn't answer. Unsure of how to respond. They were nice things to say and all, but they didn't prove anything. Not when compared to Pyrrha.
"But you know who else is amazing? Jaune, Ruby, Weiss, Yang… and yeah, Pyrrha too. They're all incredible! Didn't you see everything they did in there? How can you not respect that?"
Respect it? They were her enemies, she was supposed to crush them, wasn't she? She looked up at her partner, swallowing as his angry eyes bore into her. "Arslan, I've been with you through it all. I've seen it. I know damn well why work so hard, but who is to say that everyone else doesn't want to prove themselves as badly as you do? Jaune fought harder than I've ever seen anyone. And all you do is belittle him. Are you that much of an asshole?"
A knot formed in her throat. She felt naked - exposed and unable to shield herself. Nadir's fists shook as if he wanted to hit her, knock sense into her. And she couldn't help but feel like these were things he wanted to say before but always held back.
Nadir pressed a finger against her chest, a vehemency in his voice that ensured Arslan listened, "You don't know how to treat people. You do the same thing those kids in school did to you. Well, karma is a bitch, isn't it?"
"I-I didn't… thats not…" Arslan wanted to deny it. Believe that it couldn't be true. But as she recalled every encounter she had with Jaune and a few others, it quickly tore down any defense she could have.
"Grow up, Arslan. Change your attitude, because people aren't your stepping stones. Everyone is aiming for same spot you are. And if you can't respect them, you will stay behind them."
A gentle touch on her shoulder, which then pulled her into his arms and refused to let go. "You can do it, you can win this whole stupid tournament. But you need to do it in a better way than you are now."
And then he released her, their eyes meeting once last time before turned to leave. "Get through the third round, and think about what I said, because I won't tell you what you should do anymore. You'll have to figure it out. And if you don't, then maybe you don't deserve to win."
And then he was gone, footsteps leaving her in the brisk cold. The wind still blew, the sky was still dark and crickets still sang. Nothing had changed, except now Nadir's words rolled in her head on rewind, time drifting by as she looked for the answer he refused to give.
The girl lied on the bench, eyes drifting as she looked at her bandaged hand. "What am I supposed to do…?"
For weeks I'd warred with choosing between Jaune winning this round or not since there are great pros and cons for both. Ultimately, him losing this one feels the best and makes the most sense.
I realize that Arslan has been heavily disliked, which I'm glad about but its more that she's been boring and one-note. It was all build up to this chapter so I hope that going forward, those that didn't like her can give her another chance. Now that she's been called out, does Arslan have what it takes to change her ways and be worthy of standing on the same stage as her peers?
I also know that some dislike Jaune's friends for their treatment of him. That's my fault, since my idea for that scene in chapter 7 was a bit romanticized. However, it is something that will be elaborated on pretty soon.
Jaune has proved to be potential wrench in their victory. It natural, and not wrong, to take that seriously. They are friends at the end of the day. But in the ring, they must treat each other as obstacles they must overcome. Their treatment of each other in the tournament isn't a representation of how they actually feel about each other, with a few exceptions, such as Weiss and Arslan.
Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.
ISA