RWBY: MRRN

VOLUME 1, CHAPTER 14: Eagle

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. All rights go to Rooster Teeth.

Math and Pyrrha had just boarded the transport that would take them to Vale. Even though there were very few people on board, the trip wasn't quiet for them as they were keeping a good conversation.

"So Forest was more of a father than a mentor to you?" Pyrrha asked, curious about his two mentors.

"He was," Math answered. "He taught me a lot when Glaucus was busy. In fact, it was he who helped me make my weapons, which I based off his own with some differences."

"Such as?" Pyrrha asked curiously.

"My firearm's a semi-automatic, his is an automatic," Math informed. "The transformations are different too; my sword simply retracts, his blade folds over and contains a second handle with a trigger."

"Is your fighting style also similar to his?" the Amazon asked.

"For the most part, but mine is more based on strength since I'm not very agile like you, Robin or Ruby," the swordsman informed again. "His is more over of a balance between strength and speed. He can hit hard and fast."

"He must've been a good teacher," Pyrrha suggested.

"They both were in their own ways," Math replied. "What about you? When did you start training?"

"I started when I was 11," Pyrrha started. "My mother was a Huntress before me and taught me the techniques she knew. She wielded a spear and hoplon shield like I do, but hers didn't transform into a xiphos like mine."

"Was your mother your only teacher?" Math asked.

"No, I had other teachers, but I didn't take to most of them," Pyrrha answered. "Since my family was wealthy, we could afford all the tutors we wanted, but we eventually stopped when I insisted on training with my parents. By the time I had entered Sanctum Academy, I had already exceeded their expectations."

"Then you went on to win the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row," the swordsman brought up. "You must've had a lot of friends during those years." The redhead's smile faded and she turned her head, concerning Math that he may've said something wrong.

"Pyrrha?" he asked as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"I didn't," she answered. "I…I didn't have any friends."

"What?" Math gasped. "But… you're kind, you're beautiful, you're strong, you're smart, you're fun to be around at times… how could anyone not want to be your friend?" The compliments made Pyrrha blush again, which she realized that she often did around the autistic swordsman. However, she cleared her face and looked back at him.

"I'm grateful for my accomplishments," she started. "However, everyone always assumed that because of them, I was too good for anyone. Everyone in Mistral would look at me like a celebrity, but…never as a true friend."

Math felt his heart sink for the girl he had was falling for. All this time, he had thought she had many friends during her time at Sanctum Academy, at Mistral. Up until now, he had no idea that, in reality, she didn't have any true friends, excluding her adoring fans. She had been alone like he had, but for different reasons; he felt like an idiot for not realizing.

"I… I'm so sorry, Pyrrha," Math spoke in hopes of comforting her. "I had no idea how lonely you felt."

"I used to…" She smiled at the leader of Team MRRN. "But not anymore. You had no idea who I was when we first met and I felt happy seeing you speak to me as a person rather than a celebrity. But when you told me about your past, I believed that out of the many people here at Beacon, you…would probably be one of those who understood me."

"Well, for different reasons," the swordsman pointed, "You felt lonely because people thought you were too good for them. I felt lonely because… people thought I wasn't good enough." He stopped when he felt a light weight on his shoulder. He looked to see Pyrrha resting her head on it, her eyes closed with a smile on her lips. Math may not be the best with people, but he knew immediately to shut up and smile as well.

He looked at her lips. They were a beautiful color of pink, curled into a smile. They looked very soft, almost like they were begging to be kissed. Math slowly moved his own lips-

"No." He stopped himself before his lips were anywhere near hers. He couldn't make a move on her without the fear of damaging their friendship. So until they reached the docks, Math just stayed the way he was as Pyrrha rested on his shoulder.

Once they landed, Math gently woke Pyrrha up and they walked off the ship. From here, it wasn't too far to the coffee joint Math had spoken about.

"How've you been doing with the others?" he asked Pyrrha. "Yang? Nora? Ruby? Ren?"

"I'm still getting used to Nora to be honest," she answered. "Nora is a very kind and outgoing person, but she's very hyperactive...sometimes, she can be a little too much. I just wish she'd stop eating everything in sight. The last time we tried to have pancakes for breakfast, she ate them all." Math chuckled.

"Sounds like Ruo," he brought up. "You'd be surprised by how much he eats. The last time pizza was served at lunch, he had six slices at one time. How do people like them manage to-?" He stopped, confusing Pyrrha. She followed his sight to see a rather large eagle perched on one of the lampposts, which she identified it as a Vacuo Golden Eagle.

"That eagle again?" the swordsman wondered, catching Pyrrha's attention.

"Have you seen that eagle before?" she asked the swordsman.

"Plenty of times," he answered. "It's very funny when you think about it because those types of eagles aren't native to Vale; they're only ever seen in Vacuo." He just looked at the bird and it looked back at him, only moving to adjust.

"Well, let's get moving," Math insisted. "It's just a little further down." The two kept walking down the sidewalk while Math kept looking at the bird. After exchanging a few more glances, it flew off the lamppost.

"Pyrrha Nikos?" a voice called, belonging to a young girl with her mother, probably no older than seven. She rushed over to the Amazon and handed her a piece of paper and pen.

"Can I have your autograph?" the girl asked. Pyrrha nodded her head and signed her name on the paper.

"Who's he?" the little girl asked, looking over at Mathdon. "Is he your boyfriend?" Both of their faces turned red.

"No, no, no, no!" the swordsman quickly denied. "We're just friends going to get coffee, that's all!"

"But if it's just the two of you, isn't that a date?" the little girl asked. Their faces got redder.

"Come on, sweetie," the mother said as she took the little girl's hand and led her down the direction that Math and Pyrrha had just come down.

"Bye, Pyrrha!" the girl shouted, waving her hand. The redhead smiled and returned the gesture. Math smiled, but didn't wave, knowing that the little girl was more interested in Pyrrha.

"Have fun with your boyfriend!" she spoke again. Both of them turned their heads away from each other to hide their blushes. In a few moments, they recollected themselves and continued onto the coffee joint. He held the door open for Pyrrha and let her enter first; he was a gentleman after all.

When they got there, Math was relieved to see that there was only one person in line so they wouldn't have to wait so long. He already knew what he wanted, but Pyrrha was examining the menu to see what she wanted.

"Do you mind if I get a breakfast sandwich?" she asked.

"Not at all," Math answered. "I've got it." He took out his wallet and then his Lien card. Once they got up to the register, they were greeted by a friendly looking lady who became excited at the sight of the Invincible Girl.

"Pyrrha Nikos!?" she gasped. She rushed to the back and came a few moments later with a coffee mug and a sharpie pen. The warrior took the mug, signed her name on it and returned it to her.

"How can I help you?" the barista asked, trying to contain her excitement for meeting Pyrrha Nikos.

"Do you know what you want?" Math asked Pyrrha.

"I do," she answered. The swordsman stood aside and gestured for Pyrrha to place her order.

"I'll have a Mistrali Strawberry tea with a spinach, feta and egg wrap, please," she ordered.

"I'll take a mocha Frappuccino, skim milk, and a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich," Math ordered after her. "This'll be together."

"Are you sure?" Pyrrha asked, not expecting Math to pay for her.

"I'm completely fine with it," the leader of Team MRRN replied.

"Your total is $18.58," the barista informed. Math presented his Lien card and gave it to the barista. After the payment was made, she gave the card back to him. The two students then walked over to a table and waited while their orders were being made.

"Math, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Pyrrha asked.

"What is it?" he replied. Pyrrha exhaled and looked solemnly at the young man she was slowly falling for.

"Have you told your teammates about your… condition?"

Math backed a little from her, turning his face away. To this day, he was still fearful of letting his teammates discovering the truth about his Asperger's, of how he really got into Beacon.

"I haven't," he reluctantly answered. Pyrrha slowly reached out her hand to him in any hopes of comforting him. She didn't just how truly hurt this warrior must be if he was still fearing others finding out.

"Math, it may help if you tell them," she insisted. "You told me and we're still friends."

"Because you're accepting," Math replied. "Not everyone at Beacon is. I know that there are people at Beacon who would accept me, but those who aren't…" He stopped.

"Are you afraid that… if you let more people know, you'll relive what happened at Aurum?" she asked. Math shook his head.

"Ozpin told me the day he gave me my application that people at Beacon wouldn't judge me the way Aurum did," he said. "Yet…How could he let people like Cardin and Gaspar into Beacon? In other words, people who would judge me."

Pyrrha wish she could give reassuring words to Math, but unfortunately, she couldn't find them. What he said was true; despite Ozpin's words, Beacon has plenty of people who would judge him the same way the ones at Aurum did. It was disheartening for Pyrrha to see Math, who was usual friendly and outgoing, so afraid of sharing one small secret.

"I don't know what it feels like to be judged for something beyond your control-"

"And I hope you never have to," Math interrupted. He sighed.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "Pyrrha, you don't know what it's like and I hope you never have to." The redhead opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off when the barista shouted "Order's ready!" The two of them got up and walked over to get their drinks and breakfast.

"Do you want to eat here or go back to the school?" Math asked. "I'm okay with either one."

"I'd honestly rather stay here," Pyrrha answered. They walked back over to where they had been previously sitting and sat down to enjoy their time together.

"Hey, Pyrrha," Math asked. "If you don't mind me asking, what made you come to Beacon rather than Haven?"

"I was hoping that less people would recognize me since I spent my training years in Mistral," the redhead answered. "That was naïve of me. The tournaments were broadcasted worldwide when I initially thought they were just done in Mistral."

"You came here because you thought you'd have a better chance of making friends here?" Math asked for clarification.

"Yes, and I did," Pyrrha smiled. "You, your teammates, my teammates, Team RWBY…I've made many good friends here. I'm very thankful for that."

"So am I," Math replied. He looked out the window and, to his surprise, saw the same golden eagle again. It was perched on a lamppost, but this time, it wasn't looking at the swordsman. Instead, it was looking off into the distance, towards… Beacon Academy. For the time being, Math decided to ignore it and get back to his time with Pyrrha.

"Did you hear Gaspar was suspended?" Math brought up, having relished in the news.

"Good riddance," Pyrrha replied. "Do you know what he was suspended for?"

"Attacking a member of his own team," Math informed. Pyrrha covered her mouth in shock and disgust.

"Robin and Jaune saw it happen," Math brought up. "Apparently, Gaspar blamed his teammate for him failing a test and attacked him when he was going to request a team transfer. I just don't understand why Ozpin doesn't just expel him; it's obvious by now he's not going to change."

"Well, maybe he will after he's been disciplined by his father," Pyrrha hoped. "I can't stand people like him."

"Then let's just enjoy this time without him," Math suggested. The redhead nodded her head in agreement.

They went on to discuss other things, including their studies at Beacon, their teammates and other things that had happened. All in all, their 'date' went rather smoothly. It was moments like this that reminded him why he fell in love with Pyrrha in the first place.

After eating, the two exited the coffee joint and went on their way back to the airship docks. Math looked up at one of the lampposts and, again, saw the same Vacuo Golden Eagle from before. It looked at him with its green eyes before flying off into the distance.

-0-

"That concludes our lecture for today," Professor Kura spoke as the clock hit 12:00 P.M. "Remember, we have a test coming up. I expect you to study everything you can. That'll be all for today." The students gathered their belongings and walked out the doors.

Alan decided to leave the classroom for now and go outside to enjoy the fresh air. His next class didn't start for two hours, so he was going to take the time to relieve himself of the confinement of the classroom.

"Professor Kura," Ozpin called as the professor walked out of the classroom building, accompanied by Goodwitch. "May we have a word with you?" Kura nodded his head and walked over to them, following them to the elevator to Ozpin's office.

"How've you been?" Kura asked the Headmaster and combat teacher.

"Doing well," Ozpin replied. "You?"

"Good," he answered. "I'm honestly very relieved to see Gaspar gone… even if it is temporary. What will be done if he comes back and he continues his behavior?"

"Then I'll do with him what I did with Team CRDL," Ozpin answered as they stepped into the office. "I'll expel him if I need to."

"Luckily, the investigation on the Dorado Mining Company is over," Goodwitch brought up. "Richard won't be opposed to us punishing him again should the need arise."

"So…I didn't catch on," Kura said. "Why was Team CRDL suspended?"

"On the Forever Fall trip over a month ago, Team CRDL had brought Rapier Wasps with them," Glynda started. "They were going to set Ms. Nikos up to be ambushed by them in retaliation for humiliating Cardin in Professor Oobleck's class." She heard her scroll go off and she opened it to see a text she had received from Oobleck.

"Doctor," she read. Glynda and Alan sighed in annoyance.

"So any other students that need shaping up?" Professor Kura asked.

"All of these students need shaping up," Ozpin bluntly responded. "However, one who's really caught my eye is Nasser Achdarr. Are you familiar with him?"

"Member of Team MRRN, knife user, foul mouth?" Kura asked. "I remember. He's barely passing my class and ignores whatever criticism I have for him."

"I spoke to him before," Ozpin brought up. "He knows what will happen if he doesn't change his ethics."

"I hope he does," Kura spoke. "So, what's going on? Has there been word from Qrow or Glaucus?"

"From Qrow, no," Ozpin replied. "However, Glaucus has recently informed us that the woman Goodwitch fought the night she met Ruby may be a pawn for Salem."

"The woman who was with Roman Torchwick?" Kura asked. "Why would Salem recruit someone like him?"

"Salem is a skilled manipulator," Ozpin informed. "She has always been one to use people as she sees fit. If Torchwick is working with this woman and she is associated to Salem, then she obviously has use for him."

"That doesn't explain the recent Dust robberies that Torchwick has committed," Kura brought up. "He's going around, stealing every bit of Dust he can get his hands on. What could he be using it for?"

"We can't rule anything out," Ozpin answered. "She has always been one to think, then strike."

"What about the assailants on the Fall Maiden?" Alan asked once more. "Does Qrow know anything about them that could help us identify them?"

"Qrow wasn't able to catch their faces, but he did say they were probably young adults," Goodwitch informed. "Possibly around fourth-year age."

"Then they could easily blend in as students, right?" Kura suggested. "All they'd need to do is forge transcripts and they'd be bona fide students at any of the Academies."

"Then we'll need to keep a close eye on our students, but we must do so subtlety," Ozpin replied. "We must remain careful. The assailant has half of Amber's power; if they do pose as students and they figure we're onto them, there's no telling what could happen."

"So for now, we just do nothing?" Kura asked.

"No," Ozpin firmly answered. "We must keep an eye out. There's no telling what Salem could be planning and until we have more information, we mustn't be so bold. For now, we must be patient."

Professor Kura nodded his head in acknowledgement. Without knowing the faces or names of the assailants, there was no telling where they could be. For all they know, they may be posing as students right now or had gone back to Salem. If they were outside of Beacon, it would have to be left to Qrow or Glaucus to track them.

"Does General Ironwood know yet?" Kura asked.

"He does," Glynda replied unenthusiastically. "He insisted on sending troops to locate them should they still be in Sanus."

"Luckily, I was able to talk him out of it," Ozpin brought up. "This type of situation requires patience, not military force."

"So, we're not anywhere close to discovering Salem's plans," Alan responded. "We're at a dead end."

"For now, the best course we can take right now is to gather more information before we make a move," Ozpin explained.

"Is that all?" Kura asked. "I need to have lunch before my next class starts."

"Of course," Ozpin answered. Kura walked over to the elevator, but before pushing the button, he turned back around.

"You should probably know," Alan spoke. "I spoke with Math earlier. When he was on a 'not-so-much-a-date' with Pyrrha Nikos, he told me that he saw a Vacuo Golden Eagle." He then pushed the button and entered the elevator, leaving the two other professors in silence.

"A Vacuo Golden Eagle…" Ozpin said to himself.

-0-

"So, that's how I was able to create this," Coco explained to Robin, showing him her briefcase that carried her gatling gun on her lap as they were sitting on a bench in the Beacon Courtyard. "It took a lot of work, but it came out very good in the end."

"Wow," Robin replied. "Beautiful, sassy, smart, intelligent… any guy would be lucky to date you." Normally, Coco would've brought up a comment relating to his flirting, but ever since the date at Monty's, they had become an unofficial couple, but she was wanting to go further with him.

"What about Velvet's weapon?" Robin asked. "Is there any way I can sneak a peek?"

"Not until she's finished it," Coco replied. "She's been working all semester on it. We don't want to show it before it's ready."

"In other words, she wants to give it a 'grand opening' of sorts," a voice spoke out from behind Coco. It was none other than Velvet, drinking bottled water.

"Hey, Velvet," Robin greeted. "How've you been?"

"I've been doing better," the bunny Faunus answered. "Ever since Cardin came back from his suspension, he's left me alone. I guess Professor Ozpin finally got through to him about his actions."

"That's great to hear," the archer responded.

"So, what are you two up to later today?" the Faunus member of Team CFVY asked.

"We're going into town to pick something up I ordered from Atlas," Coco answered. "It should be here by this evening. After that, we're going to get dinner at a Mistrali cuisine restaurant. The owner there is a friend of Robin's dad." Before the conversation could continue, Robin's scroll vibrated. He pulled it out and it read the name "Gwyn Kendrick."

"Oh, dang it," the archer sighed. "I forgot my mom needed to call me about something today."

"Go ahead," Coco replied. "I'll be right here waiting." Robin pecked Coco's cheek and walked off a little to speak with his mom.

"Are you sure about being with him?" Velvet asked. "You remember the night at Monty's?" Velvet was concerned about Coco ever since she heard about how their first date went horribly due to Dearg's actions.

"It hasn't happened since," Coco assured. "If I thought being with Robin was not a good idea, I wouldn't be with him."

"I know," Velvet replied. "You're my friend and I don't want to see you hurt because of something like that."

"I'll be fine," Coco assured again. "I appreciate you worrying about me, but I can take care of myself." Just then, Robin hung up his scroll and walked back over to the female members of Team CFVY.

"Did I interrupt anything?" Robin asked.

"No," Coco replied. "Velvet and I were just talking."

"I hope you two enjoy the rest of your day," Velvet departed. "I'll be in the library studying if you need me." She then walked away from them.

"Is everything all right with her?" Robin asked.

"She's still worried about what happened at Monty's," Coco answered.

"But it hasn't happened since," Robin brought up. "Ever since I pressed charges against him for that night, he's left me alone."

"Well, Velvet's always been a bit of a worrywart when it comes to me dating," Coco explained. "Several guys I've met in the past were… less than reputable."

"Is that she feels about me?" the archer asked.

"No, not like that," Coco replied. "She heard about what happened and worries that it may happen again. You should've seen Fox's reaction when he found out; he nearly went to get his tonfas."

"How did they fine out?" Robin asked. "Did you tell them?"

"Of course I did," Coco answered. "Your brother ruined my dress and the minute they saw it, they were all over me about what happened. I tried to tell them it was nothing to worry about, but they wouldn't buy it, so I told them."

"I know that feeling," Robin replied. "When I got back to the dorm that night, they saw my ruined shirt and I had to tell them."

"Well, that just shows how much they care about us," Coco pointed out.

"So, I'm curious; what did you order from Atlas?" Robin asked as the leader of Team CFVY got up from the bench and started walking with him.

"I ordered a new dress from the new Atlesian brand, Ange Bleu," Coco answered. "I've been keeping track of her trends for months. She recently released a new dress to the public, but the first 100 orders could get it for off. As a fellow lover of fashion trends, I managed to beat most of them to the punch."

"What does it look like?" Robin asked.

"Wait and I'll show you," Coco answered teasingly.