Jaune and Pyrrha separated as the Fall Maiden went between them. Coming back up, he gave her a look and she nodded. The two charged and tried to bash Cinder between their shields. She brought up a wall of fire that made the two back off quickly. The black-haired woman thrust her arms out, launching beams of fire at the two students. Pyrrha took it on Akouo, using her Semblance to launch herself forward before the fire got the steel too hot.
Jaune found himself curious as to why his old kite shield didn't feel like it was heating up before the beam suddenly stopped. Looking up, he saw that Pyrrha had closed in, and the woman in the red dress was using flames as both beams and claws for the second of activity afforded. He saw her grimace in annoyance as he joined the fray. Jaune and Pyrrha were a well-oiled machine in combat, her versatility in the open space accented by his rigid stance and sudden attacks, both with blade and invisible punches.
Those were what really got the woman annoyed. His Semblance had been polarity down in the Maiden's holding area, so what was attacking her?! Spinning, Cinder used more fire in a tower formation to knock them away. Glaring, the Fall Maiden summoned her old weapons, stopping the floating to go for what she was far more experienced in using. Breaking the bow into two blades, golden eyes still overflowing with power, she looked at them with hate. How dare they, how dare they force her to resort to less fantastic measures?! Unfortunately for them, she was adept at taking on two opponents at once.
The three were still for a few beats before a screech was heard. Looking to his right and her left, Jaune and Pyrrha saw the dragon Grimm coming straight for them. It was still dripping new Grimm for everyone on the ground to deal with. With a quick calculation, Jaune figured it would be on them in a few seconds. Glancing at the woman, and her weapon, an idea came to mind.
He might not be able to use the woman's own weapon against her right now, but he did have one very powerful weapon in mind that could distract the dragon. Pyrrha and Cinder watched in surprise as a golden framework version of a familiar gun-scythe planted itself into the floor.
With a louder by proximity screech, the dragon Grimm focused on the two shining things that weren't the flaming presence. The flaming one was between the shining ones, but it had dealt with worse situations before. It did not remember the last time pain had happened though, having slept so long. The dragon focused on the brightest one, from which came another sensation of pain. The flaming one moved to attack the brightest one. It did nothing to help, as the dragon roared in pain before turning away from the three atop the high ground.
Cinder snarled in rage. How, how, how, how, how, how, HOW?! This didn't make any sense! She tried to break through the Arc's defense, but his shield and sword were always blocking her swords. And they even damaged her weapons, making her even ang-she stomped her foot, making a firewall spring up behind her. It didn't help too much.
Jaune jumped back as Cinder started to get very angry, mixing the old and new abilities haphazardly. Most of the fire was sent at Pyrrha who kept to range. While any walls of fire merely slowed down the bullets to just annoyances, if it impacted onto her dress directly without anything to stop it the bullets didn't do much to the Fall Maiden's back. Or arms. Or anything, really. Why she was pulling up the walls... ah, right, still very angry.
Pyrrha watched over her scope as their opponent turned her swords to ash before reforming them into the bow from before. She turned, slinging a fiery wave that made Jaune stumble back as it hit his shield before she loosed a newly created arrow, colored the same as her bow, to fire at Pyrrha. Instead of trying to block it, Pyrrha leaned to a side. The arrow grazed her bare shoulder, not cutting skin thanks to her aura.
Cinder smirked hatefully for a second before flicking her hand. She gave one last shockwave to Jaune, knocking the blond onto his back as Pyrrha gasped in pain. She fell to a knee and looked at her leg. The arrow had redirected itself and was lodged in her heel, immobilizing her with pain and the inability to put any weight on that leg any more. The black-haired woman sauntered over to Pyrrha, shooting a couple more arrows to knock Milo and Akouo away. "It was unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours."
Nocking another arrow, Cinder smirked at Pyrrha who looked at her balefully. "But take comfort in knowing," she drew it back slowly. "That I will use it in ways you could have never imagined."
Jaune watched from his kneeling position. He started getting up. The hand holding the bowstring in place was releasing the arrow. With the gap between them, he could... he could...!
If only time would stop, Jaune could... why was everything muted? No, later. Right now, the arrow was right between the two women. Stand floating behind him, Jaune ran. He used his kite shield to destroy the arrow. The next second, Jaune was swinging his sword up at her face. Everything regained the bit of lost color.
Cinder managed to glare at Pyrrha with hatred before her eyes glassed over completely. Crumpling, the fire slinging woman was no more, body in one spot and head rolling to another.
Jaune watched as the body twitched a bit. He glances up at Pyrrha, who seemed a little in shock at the scene that just played out. Then she gasped as a familiar smokey light zoomed to her, enveloping the redhead in power without anyone else's aura mixed in.
Pyrrha slowly settled down from the surge of power and energy. She didn't instinctively know what to do with it, but after having seen it being used, she had some ideas. Green eyes slowly move from the night sky to blue ones, both confused and wanting some answers. "What just... happened?"
Before any answers could come, a roar broke the night. Looking to the source, they saw the dragon Grimm flying back towards them. Pyrrha looked at her hands, and clenched them before glaring at the giant flying gnat. ...okay, that style of thought was not one she'd be using, but it was probably appropriate if she could do this right. "Stay right here. I have an idea."
"Pyrrha, an army wouldn't be able to beat that thing. What're you...?" Jaune watched as his partner walks to the edge of the former office's area. Slowly she started to float, and he watched as she summoned a multitude of flames. It took a few seconds to get enough going, but Pyrrha unknowingly mimicked one of the last attacks Cinder had used on Ozpin by shooting a giant flame cannon at the dragon Grimm. It was in the middle of roaring again when it was split in two by the fiery beam.
On seeing the giant corpse burning and disintegrating on its way down, both had just one reaction. The events of the night caught up with them, and they collapsed. Pyrrha backwards thankfully, while Jaune fell on his front, away from the bloody puddle that was forming behind him.
