Another chapter done! There was some issues with the last chapter (I'm not exactly sure what happened), so if you didn't read, it's still there. This probably could have been out sooner, but I got Fire Emblem: Awakening recently and it's a very fun, very... time consuming game. The next chapter may take longer as well because I've got some extra hours from work this week plus some New Years get togethers I have to attend, but the progress report on my profile is still active.
So we're coming to a close on the story soon, and it will continue, but think of the chapters after Pyrrha and Jaune get together as bonus chapters and not a continuation of the actual story. I may even throw in some Weiss/Ruby and Blake/Sun stories if people want that, but Pyrrha/Jaune will remain the focus. Again, they will not be as frequent because I'd like to try another story.
So here is chapter 21. Enjoy!
It was once again momorning And teams JNPR and RWBY made the cafeteria. Ever since the previous night, Pyrrha had not stopped Apologizing and it was bebeginning to ware out Jayne.
"I promise it will never happen again," Pyrrha exclaimed, still finding trouble looking the knight in the eye.
"I know," Jaune sighed.
""I didn't even think it would be that powerful," Pyrrha continued.
"I know," Jaune repeated.
"Not that I ever planned-"
"To use it on me," Jaune finished her sentenced as he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Pyrrha, I forgive you. You can stop apologizing."
"Right, I'm sor- er, understood." Pyrrha meekly smiled.
Jaune smiled back as he started to walk again.
"Aw, you two got through your first lover's spat," Yang stepped in front of the duo. "And now you get to have make up sex!"
Pyrrha blushed, but smiled as she stared at her feet. Jaune slapped his forehead. "Can you please not say stuff like that so loud? There are other people within earshot."
"Relax Vomit Boy, everyone already thinks you two are going out," Yang rolled her eyes and continued to walk.
"They do?" Both Pyrrha and Jaune asked.
"Of they do. You two aren't exactly subtle," Yang responded.
"And coming from Yang, that means something," Blake added with a smirk.
The brawler stuck her tongue out at her teammate before grinning back at the other blonde. "And after Cardin went around telling everyone that you two were in a closet together combined with the fact that there was an investigation for that love dust stuff, there are plenty of rumors going around about what you were doing."
"But you said-" Jaune began to reply with a complaint.
"I didn't start any of them, but you know how teenagers can be," Yang interrupted.
"But you did listen to all of them," Weiss interjected.
"Only because Jaune wouldn't tell me what did happen!" Yang defended.
"You really need to get a boyfriend," Nora giggled.
Yang frowned as she turned to the Valkyrie, but ginned as she eyed Ren. "Well if your willing to lend yours for a night..."
Nora posessively grabbed on to Ren's arm. "Don't even think about it!"
"I'm just kidding," Yang laughed.
"You better be, or leg breaking will only be the beginning of my wrath," Nora glared at Yang, causing the girl to pause her mirth and reconsider her next choice of words.
"Nora, play nice," Ren sighed, but lightly smiled.
"OK," Nora returned to her regular cheery self as she squeezed Ren's arm.
The group finally arrived at the cafeteria and got their breakfast. As they ate, Jaune tried to focus more on what the students at the other tables were saying. As he feared, what Yang had said was correct and he could he whispers about his relationship. Things like "Hey, did you hear that the Pyrrha Nikos is going out with the leader of her team?" and "Man, that Arc guy is lucky. I wonder what they were doing in that closet, but what really stood were comments like "She could do better". Even after breakfast and during classes, Jaune heard many people, some not even trying to keep it away from him, judge him and his hunter capabilities, or lack of. Despite improving immensely, the blonde boy knew that he was leagues behind the other students at Beacon.
To make matters worse, they had combat practise that morning and Jaune was forced into a match with a more talented hunter. Within a minute, Jaune had lost without even landing a scratch on his opponent. Most of the class expected him to loose, but his performance today was pitiful, even for him. As the young Arc walked back to his team, he heard more snickers and whispers. "Wow, he's actually getting worse," he could hear one girl whisper.
"What do you expect. He doesn't even need to try while he's got Nikos to protect him out on the field," another student responded.
Shoulders slumped, Jaune trudged to where his friends were.
"Jaune, all you alright? You didn't seem to put all your effort into that one," Pyrrha asked when he arrived.
"Oh, um," Jaune chuckled nervously, "I'm just a little tired."
With that, Jaune turned around to watch the next match. "OK, I'm sure you will do better next time," the knight could hear Pyrrha say, but his eyes widened when he felt a firm slap to his rear end. With a yelp, Jaune grabbed his assaulted bottom and gave Pyrrha a questioning look. Pyrrha blushed deeply, pointing to Yang while stuttering out a response. "N-no! It was her! I wouldn't do something like that... well, not in public at least."
Jaune glared at Yang, who looked away and tried to smile nonchalantly.
The rest of the class passed by and lunch proceeded normally, but Jaune couldn't forgot or ignore the other student's words. In his mind, Jaune reinforced his belief that he was not suitable for Pyrrha and decided he would act as soon as classes were over. When they were, team JNPR went back to their room to get started on their homework. Jaune, having conceived his plan earlier, tapped Nora on the shoulder to get her attention. "Yes, fearless leader!" Nora giggled as she spun on her heel.
"Hey, I'd thought you'd like to know that there is a pancake eating contest for couples in the cafeteria," Jaune responded.
Ren gave Jaune a suspicious look. "I didn't hear anything like that."
Nora, who starred slack-jawed at Jaune, snapped out of her daze and grabbed her boyfriend. "OH MY GOSH! WE HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT!"
"Gah, Nora, wait!" Ren shouted as he was dragged out of the room.
"So what was with the lie?" Pyrrha asked, stretching as she sat on her bed.
"Well, I wanted to be alone with you," Jaune sighed.
Pyrrha smirked. "Oh really?"
"Not for anything like that," Jaune sighed. "I'm officially asking you to stop, uh, you know, trying to... woo me."
Pyrrha rolled her eyes. "But how else am I going to get you to break through your insecurities?"
"You don't. You can do better and I think you should start trying."
"Well Jaune, I disagree and I'm not giving up."
Jaune took a deep breath. "I didn't want to do this, but as leader of team JNPR, I am banning relationships between team members."
"What about Ren and Nora?" Pyrrha quircked her eyebrow.
"They're exceptions. They're mature enough to handle it properly." Jaune replied.
He added when Pyrrha gave him an unconvinced look, "Ren's mature enough... for the both of them."
Pyrrha stood up and walked over to her leader. "And you expect me to just listen to that hogwash?"
"It's an order," Jaune stood his ground.
"That's an abuse of power!" Pyrrha argued. "Why are you being so stubborn!?"
"I'm not stubborn. I'm sorry, but my mind is made up," Jaune folded his arms.
Pyrrha looked like she was struggling to find a response, but she gave up and threw her arms up in the air. "This is dumb. I'm going to go train. I'll be back when you gain some sense."
With that, the Spartan left the room, slamming the door behind her. Jaune collapsed on his bed, letting out his breath. Of course he felt bad, but he knew that a terrible hunter like himslf would only hold her back. He could only remain there for a moment, however, for their was a sudden banging on his door. "Jaune! You get out here right now!"
Jaune identified the voice as Ruby's and judging from the tone of her voice, she was angry. Knowing he'd be in more trouble if he didn't answer the door, he walked over and opened the door. Behind it, Ruby stood with her cheeks puffed out and her hands on her hips. "What did you do?"
"What do you mean?" Jaune tried to remain casual.
"You know what I mean! Pyrrha's really upset because you did something."
Jaune coughed and looked away. "I may have... used my leader authority to ban Pyrrha from dating me."
Ruby's face was one of shock until she returned to her angry glare and punched Jaune in the stomach, sending the boy across the room and onto the ground. "Damn, she's strong..." Jaune muttered as he clutched his stomach.
Ruby marched over to him and picked him up by the collar. "Do you know how stupid that is? She cares a lot about you and you just act like a big dumb... STUPID FACE!"
Despite how adorable she was right now, Jaune remembered how lethal the scythe wielder could be and decided to defuse her. "Have any of you tried to see things my way? The best I can do with my skills is get her killed while fighting Grimm. She deserves better."
"You're the only one who thinks that! Everyone else thinks you're a great guy!" Ruby responded.
"Yeah, well some of the other students-"
"Who cares about them? They don't know you! We know you! Pyrrha knows you and that's why she loves you!"
"L-loves?"
Ruby slapped her forehead. "Of course she does! It's not some stupid crush."
Jaune thought over Ruby's words and sighed. "I guess she does deserve more of a say. I don't agree with you, but I can at least makes things better. Do you know where she went?"
Ruby, happy with Jaune's descision, calmed down and smiled. "She said she was going to the Emerald Forest to hunt some Beowolves."
"Alright, I go catch up to her," Jaune said as he grabbed his weapon.
Meanwhile, Pyrrha stomped through the forest, striking a fatal blow to the occasional Beowolf before searching for the next. All the way, she grumbled about Jaune and how he was stubborn. Unfortunately, she was so distracted by her anger, that she didn't realize that she had left Beacon's designated training zone and wondered deep into the woods. She kept this up for a couple hours until she grew tired and rested against a tree. It was at this time that she noticed her mistake. "Crap. I should've been watching where I was going. There's the cliff, but it'll take some time before I can get there," the Spartan muttered to herself. "I just hope no Grimm-"
A loud screech cut off Pyrrha's monologue. She looked up and saw a Nevermore circling the sky. The huntress spotted a thick canopy that could provide her cover and started to sprint towards it, however, she was stopped by a series of deadly giant feathers. Knowing that the angle of the feathers didn't match with the location she knew the Nevermore was in, she looked back to the sky and discovered that a second one was closing in on her position. She dodged out of the way from another feather, but a second came and clipped her leg, causing her to cry out in pain.
Back on the cliff side where the initiation was held, Jaune scanned the forest, wondering how he was going to find his teammate. He heard a laud screech and spotted to Nevermores in the distance. Startled, but knowing he was safe near the school, Jaune continued to search out Pyrrha, that is, until he then heard a faint cry of pain. He looked back at the Nevermores, seeing that they were attacking the area underneath. There's no way that she would leave the safe zone, but what if it is her? Jaune was growing worried. Something told him Pyrrha was in trouble. Going out on a limb, he tried to focus his aura like Pyrrha had taught him. It was faint, but Jaune could definitely tell that it was Pyrrha over there and he knew that he would only be able to detect her at this distance if she was using her aura for battle. Now panicking, Jaune desperately tried to think of a way to help her. Going back to the school for help would take to long. He had to go into the forest after her. He was glad he brought his equipment and changed into his armor before coming here, but he still had no way of reaching her quickly. He looked around for inspiration until he saw the line of metal pads. The ones that could launch him across the forest.
It's predictable! It's cliché! But you know you want to read it.