Alright. No big deal. Just…. first day jitters, that's all….
Athena gulped down her nervousness as the Bullhead flew towards its destination. Sure she was facing her first day as a huntress in training at the esteemed Beacon Academy, but it could be worse! She could have been like her dad and vomited all over Aunt Yang's shoes. Still, her nerves were fried. She really wished her parents were here.
They're going to be there already, idiot! she chided herself mentally
The bullhead roared as it finished its descent and dinged to notify the students that they had arrived. Taking a deep breath she stepped out of the bullhead with her things. A strong gust of wind waved her hair around, blond tipped strands wrapping into her face and mouth. Ugh she thought as she spat them out. With a sigh she marched forwards towards the courtyard.
Athena shut her eyes as she walked, thinking back on why she wanted to be a huntress in the first place. To be like mom and dad. To help people! To save people!
She felt her fear ebbing, remembering exactly why she wanted to be here in the first place boosted her confidence. Of course she probably shouldn't have closed her eyes to do so. With a thud she hit the ground and looked up. Soft blue eyes saw white, almost silver hair. Looking down at her was the angry face of a rather rich looking girl. She was holding briefcases that had some vials of dust spilled out.
Rising from her downed position she sheepishly began to apologize. "S-sorry I didn't see you I-"
"You what? Had your eyes shut?!" the other girl erupted. Athena nodded, sadly affirming the fact. "Gods, you really had your eyes closed?!"
Athena shifted her feet around in pure nervousness. "I really am sorry!"
The other girl face palmed and continued ranting at her. "Do you know what this is? This is Schnee Dust Company dust! The finest of the finest!"
Athena pulled at her neck before she spoke again. "Wait, Schnee?... Like Auntie Weiss?" Before the girl had a chance to continue she paused. Wait…. she knew this person! It had been a while but she definitely lemw this person!
"Athena?!"
"Summer?!"
The two of them shouted simultaneously before profusely apologizing to one another. The two might have stayed locked in their apologetic duel if not for the timely arrival of a third person, a boy with dark hair and bright lilac eyes, along with a pair of ears on his head. They were a strike contrast to Athena's ombré blond ripped hair or Summer's white and red streaked locks.
With a smirk he whistled for their attention which was almost instantly provided. Standing before the two girls was Jian Xiao-Long Belladonna. He was standing proud and steadfast as the two looked anywhere but towards him. He looked so incredibly amused at his friends before breaking into a laugh. The tension evaporated as the three pulled each other into a big hug.
"It's great to see you guys again!" Summer said, practically squealing with delight. Athena felt the same way. It was good to have friends, family even, by her side at Beacon. It made it all a little less scary.
"The feeling is likewise girls. Come on, Rea is waiting in the main hall!" Jian led them towards the place all the students were meant to be. As they walked, Athena again bumped into someone else, this time with her eyes open. She cursed herself for being such a clutz. Mom said she inherited it from dad.
"So..sorry!" She stuttered as the other girl looked at her. She was damn intimidating.
"Watch where you're going!" was all she said before walking off. "Yare Yare dawa…" She said under her breath.
Athena sighed while Summer patted her back. "There there. Mom says your dad was worse at your age.."
She groaned at the thought of Aunt Ruby and her dad back at Beacon. It must have been a disaster! Still, they did make for good stories.
Inside the hall was a wide array of students, faunus and human alike. In the distance Athena could see Rea Ren-Valkyrie waving them over. They enthusiastically approached their friend and began speaking to one another. Catching up, talking about cute boys and girls in Summer and Rea's case. Their chatter was cut off as a hushed whisper spread across the entire hall. One thought echoed throughout them all, and it was the electrifying notion of the headmistress arriving. And she did arrive.
Even in her age, she was immaculate. Her shoulders defined, her body toned. Despite showing the wear of motherhood, she wore it well. Her circlet remained as golden as it was in her youth. Red hair flowed down in a ponytail as Headmistress Arc-Nikos gazed upon the future Hunters and Huntresses of Remnant. Salem was gone, but the Grimm remained. The world still needed heroes.
"Good afternoon, everyone" she began. All eyes fell upon her. All eyes fell upon her. "I know why you are all here. Because the world requires those that will take up the call and become Huntsmen and Huntresses. But for now, you are merely children with thoughts of being heroes."
Athena swore she saw her mother's gaze rest upon her before she continued. "Here, we will teach you to be more than idealized heroes upon pedestals. We will teach you to be true to your own destinies and to become better people first and foremost. That is all."
Just like that she was gone, the Deputy Headmaster informing all the students that initiation began tomorrow morning and to get some rest. Athena took the time to set up her Pumpkin Pete bedroll (courteously of her father) and shut her eyes, preparing for the morning.
"How do you think I did?" Pyrrha asked as she opened the door to her office. The short haired blond man followed behind her. He locked the door behind him as he entered.
"Wellll I think you got less students this year. Definitely saw a lot more confused faces last time." Pyrrha gave her husband a faux pout before laughing. The Headmistress of Beacon Academy had always enjoyed playing the same trick on each year of new students. It was something she had inherited from predecessor Ozpin.
"Though you did get one girl," Jaune pointed out. He had seen their daughter practically melt before the gaze of her mother. Pyrrha sighed.
"I still don't know Jaune… I know she trained hard but… do you think?..."
Jaune sensed his wife and her doubt. Like always he swooped in to act as her rock, as she was for him. Coming up behind her, he nuzzled her neck and showered it with soft, slow kisses that caused her to lightly moan before he wrapped his arms around her, resting on her stomach. Jaune Arc knew the best ways to comfort his wife. "We did all we could as parents. Gods know we know the dangers of the pedestal or the harm of trying to live up to one's family…"
Pyrrha tried to protest. She knew Jaune was right. They'd done their best as parents and Athena had made her choice. "Still…. I'm afraid for her. Her mother is the Headmistress, the Invincible Girl, her father the knight with the Invincible Semblance."
Pyrrha leaned into her husband's strong, firm arms. His arms always comforted her. He always comforted her. Her loyal knight. "It's going to be ok Pyr…. we just have to do our job…. both as professors and parents…"
Pyrrha took a deep breath as she felt Jaune gently kiss her neck more and more, his hands roaming across her belly. "You're right. You're right." Jaune grinned as he practically felt her resolve harden. She spun around in his arms and looked up at him before pressing a kiss to his lips. "We have a big day ahead of tomorrow.
Let's get some sleep…. after we have some fun?"
Jaune smirked as his wife led him to their shared school bedroom.
Athena continued her breathing exercises as she walked out towards the staging area for initiation. Countless students in their gear, with their weapons out and about. She shuffled with her own slingshot by her side, utterly terrified. Athena knew what was coming. She'd have to come up with a landing strategy just like mom and dad told her. She tried to cool her nerves by remembering the fact her father had to be saved by her mother back when they were at Beacon. She always wondered what they were like back then. They didn't talk too much about their time at Beacon, but when they did she always loved imagining.
Her dorky, heroic father and her courageous, kind mother.
And here I am. Not even close to being like them… she thought before sighing. Eventually she found her place among the rest of the initiates. Her mother and father were out and about with other professors. The Headmistress began to speak to them all, explaining their initiation process. Athena knew it all of course. How she found her partner. How teams were formed.
Looking around she could see her friends, and her family. She also saw the girl she had bumped into the other day. Taking a closer look at her she could see that she was very tall and very toned.
But there was very little time to get a good look at anyone else. Before she knew it, she felt herself being flung into the air with a scream. Oh gods oh gods oh gods! she panicked as she flew through the air.
Meanwhile, her parents watched as their students and their daughter were flung into the air. Of course, they were all safe. Nobody had ever died during initiation because of Jaune. His Semblance simply couldn't allow it. Ever since he discovered how Gold Experience Requiem worked, he'd use it to prevent many accidents.
Pyrrha thanked her lucky stars for a husband that could free her hair of all that paperwork.
Athena however, had by now come to her senses and was aiming to find where to land. Her eyes looked and looked for an opportunity to land. Finally, she found it. In a flash she raised her arm and activated her semblance. "Tusk, Act 3!" she shouted as one of her fingernails shot at an angle towards one of the many trees in Forever Fall forest. As soon as it connected, she felt herself being pulled into the rotation, moving it down the tree and ultimately climbing out of it when she reached the ground.
Athena looked up and locked eyes with the girl reaching the ground, her left arm unraveling into string that slowed her descent. She watched as the string rolled back up and reformed into her arm.
It was the girl she'd bumped into. The tall, powerful girl from initiation. Athena gulped. This was her partner. The other girl was dumbstruck as well, groaning and simply saying "Yare Yare Dawa."
Picking herself up, Athena came up to her and nervously greeted the girl. "Uh… I guess we're partners…. names Athena. Athena Arc-Nikos."
The girl raised a brow as she learned this was the daughter of the Headmistress and one of the professors. She rolled her eyes as she gave her own greeting.
"Kujo. Jolyne Kujo."
So her team had thus formed. Jolyne however was the leader. Athena thanked her parents for that blessing. She'd heard so many team leader horror stories from her dad already. Their dorm room was cozy though I was nothing like home. She knew her parents had a bedroom at Beacon made once they heard Athena was enrolling there.
Her partner however, was a different, mixed story. Jolyne Kujo was aggressive. Brash. She had a foul mouth but a good heart. Fiercely loyal but always a pain. She loved playing pranks with her semblance, Stone Free, and loved telling stories about Auntie Yang. Turns out her father and Yang were close friends. But Athena couldn't complain. Jolyne wasn't so bad. None of her teammates were. Summer and Jian were partners and part of her team as well, so she has family alongside her odd, new friend Jolyne.
Classes weren't so bad either. Professor Winchester was probably her favorite. She loved how he taught history, a subject both her parents were not too fond of in their youth. He offered real life testament to how racism against the faunus was in his youth, having reformed later in his life and had formed a non-profit organization with Velvet Scarlatina as well. She loved redemption stories like that.
Other classes were alright as well. Professor Hill taught political science and government. Professor Schnee, the brother not the sister, taught economics and old Professor Port still taught Grimm Studies. The classes she dreaded however were Combat Classes and….
Semblance Studies.
Her father taught both of those classes. Professor Jaune Arc-Nikos, while being her father, turned out to be a rather strict professor. He did not tolerate missing deadlines, gave constant homework and was merciless with his exams. Truly a different man from the father that stayed up hours when she was a baby, who sang her lullaby after lullaby alongside her mother and was the sweetest man you ever knew.
Athena dreaded his classes the most. And today she was in for it. It was Friday. Two classes remained before the weekend. Sweet sweet freedom. Of course, with her luck, she had Semblance Studies and then Combat Class one after the other.
As she sat down, she gulped as Professor Arc-Nikos walked in. He walked over to the blackboard, wrote some things down and then turned to the class. Athena cringed however when she saw the small contingent of female fans of her father, teenagers who apparently had a "dad crush" on Professor Arc-Nikos. It was almost enough to make her gag.
Plus, none of those hussies could ever match mom.
"Good afternoon class, I'll be collecting your papers on Semblance Awakening Theory at once. Once I'm done I'd like you all to open your textbooks and please turn to chapter seven, page 235. We'll begin where we left off regarding theoretical Semblance altering and evolution."
Athena nervously pulled out her paper. Her partner Jolyne slid hers, in that terrible handwriting of hers, towards her dad. Athena cringed as she looked at her slightly crumpled paper and tried to flatten it out before the professor arrived. Looking up she saw her dad waiting. Like a deer in headlights she quickly put it in his hands.
Jaune just looked at her and slightly winked. Yes he was a strict professor, but he was always putty in her hands.
"I'll get these all graded by Sunday. Alright. Now, last time we discussed how semblances were drawn out. Now we will begin our discussion on theoretical concepts, namely Semblance evolution. While all semblances are believed to be firmly static, research has indicated that semblances can and have evolved in various ways. Different applications being discovered are considered as evolutions though some semblances have truly changed entirely."
Athena listened as her father expertly discussed Semblance theory with them. As she took notes, she marveled at how her father once struggled to find his own semblance, and was now one of the leading minds in theoretical semblance research.
"Professor Arc-Nikos?"
Athena looked up as Coco Adel Jr broke her out of her trance with her voice. "Yes Ms. Adel?" her father replied.
"Didn't your Semblance evolve? Not to pry or anything but we all really would like to know if the gossip is true."
Jaune sighed and leaned against his desk. "Alright well, it is true, my Semblance has…. evolved, in the past. But the method in which it did so was extraordinary. A method I can't really explain to you all." A hushed murmuring went out between the students. All the rumors and gossip they'd heard was confirmed. The unknown and all powerful semblance of Professor Arc-Nikos was real, and it came through a way impossible to ever be repeated. It was the teenage gossipers dream.
Before more questions could be asked, the bell had rang. Athena was suddenly bombarded with new homework assignments, before being rushed out to combat class.
There, she was faced with an ever harder side of her father. Her dad wanted to bring out the best in his students, especially those who hadn't discovered their semblances yet.
"Alright class!" Jaune said loudly and quieted down his students. "Today's going to be pretttty easy. Just pick a partner and spar for a bit, before coming up to the arena for a match. You can pick anyone."
The students usually paired with their friends or anyone who was left. The best fighters often paired up too. Summer Rose-Schnee was always a dauntless choice, the second coming of the Invincible Girl it was said.
Athena herself was paired up with Jian, Auntie Yang's son and her friend. Her partner Jolyne was paired with Rea.
Jian's weapons were intricate nunchucks, inspired by one of his mothers best friends, Sun Wukong. It's ranged aspect was an electrical whip like Ilia Amitola's, another friend of the family.
"Hey" Jian said, breaking the silence as the two warmed up. Athena nervously held her own weapon. Her slingshot-Sword was more of a secondary weapon, but her parents had trained her well enough in using it.
"Hmm?" Athena said in return. Jian was swinging his weapons around in the air gracefully. Everyone else's weapons had always made her feel inferior, despite knowing her semblance most certainly outclassed all of theirs.
"You seem kinda out of it?" Jian put his hand on her shoulder worryingly. He had noticed something was off back in Semblance studies.
Athena shook her head. These were her problems, and she wouldn't dare burden them on her friends and teammates. "It's nothing. Just… tired."
Jian didn't buy it. He was always able to tell when something was wrong. "Athena…" his voice was stern but kind.
"It's dad… and mom….. I just…. I don't know how to explain it. It's just…. they're them and I'm me…. Everyone knows that I'm their kid. They're all gonna be looking at me. I know dad has to be impartial, but his classes… he's so unlike himself."
Jian seemed to understand perfectly however. His moms were famous too. All those that defeated Salem were. "Yea…. I get that. When my moms are at some conference or something they get so much more serious. It's like a whole other side of them. Except for when Yang is with Professor Kujo. He's so serious yet she's so lax…. though she did tell me they were friends from when she was younger." Jian shrugged.
Athena nodded and exhaled, having held her breath in as Jian spoke. "I guess we all have legacies to look up to…."
Her eyes moved over to Summer. "Her more than anyone I think" Jian said what they were both thinking.
Summer Rose-Schnee was daughter of Ruby Rose, the silver eyed warrior and of Weiss Schnee, President of the Schnee Dust Company. Much like her own mother, Summer was being touted as the second Invincible Girl.
Athena nodded as their talking was broken by her father. "All right! First ones up, Jolyne Kujo and Summer Rose-Schnee! Come up to the arena and prepare to fight! You'll go until one's aura goes into the red!" Jaune explained as the two girls took their positions. Jolyne winked at Athena. She replied with a thumbs up. Summer may have been as close as family but Jolyne was her partner.
"On your marks…. Begin!" Jaune shouted as the two girls ran towards each other.
Summer's weapon was a spear rifle, much like the Headmistress once used herself. Jolyne however had no weapon, much like her own father. Gunshots rang out and a hail of bullets flew towards Jolyne. She dodged a few but for some reason it seemed simply like they were going right through her!
But Athena knew well before everyone else what was going on. She was smirking as her partner activated her semblance. "Stone Free!" Jolyne shouted, her body unraveling into string. Each time a bullet would have struck her, she unraveled herself and let it pass through harmlessly. It took Summer by surprise who tried to stab at Jolyne. But she was still unraveling, making a tripwire to tangle her foe up. Summer fell and Jolyne wrapped herself back up before unleashing a devastating barrage of fists from her semblance.
"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!" Stone Free shouted alongside its master as Summer was beaten to a pulp. The Second Invincible Girl looked beaten in mere moments. "ORA!" Jolyne shouted as Summer's aura fell to red and she crashed against the arena glass. Stone Free dissipated as Jolyne walked off and Professor Arc-Nikos declared her the winner. Jolyne strolled off towards her partner.
Athena had a silly grin on her face. All her troubles seemed to have vanished after having watched Jolyne perform so well. "That was amazing! I've never seen anyone so fast!" Athena gushed as Jolyne shrugged.
"I just did what my dad taught me."
Athena nodded. Jolyne didn't really talk much about her dad, but from what she heard it was much different than her own.
Suddenly she was feeling a lot less anxious about her own father.
The Forever Fall Forest was teeming with activity. First year students were collecting sap diligently. Many others were using the opportunity to lounge about and catch up with friends. Athena however wasn't having such a good time.
After a few weeks of Beacon she was starting to get into a rhythm. Dads classes weren't as intimidating, mom wasn't just their indomitable headmistress anymore. Things seemed fine.
Of course, until Harvey Marigold entered her life. The son of Henry Marigold, the less heroic and famous Marigold, was as vapid and shallow as his father. But while his father was stupid but harmless, Harvey was anything but. He was a bully by every definition of the word. Honestly he made a young Cardin Winchester look like a saint.
And Athena was currently his target. She was ridiculed for so many things. Her slingshot. Her hair color. But worst of all, her parents. He mocked her parents so much, always out of earshot of them of course. How she got into Beacon because of 'mommy and daddy' pulling strings. He would insult her by insulting them. Digging up old dirt about how dad had a thing for Auntie Weiss and was "cheating" on her mom with her. It was honestly just gross. Or maybe when he came up with all those mean words about how mom was too good for her dad. She hated that the most. Her dad was the nicest person she knew and mom loved him!
Athena never told her parents about the bullying. She didn't even tell her teammates. Jolyne had a sense of what was going on and Jian almost certainly knew. His Semblance 'Hustle Bones' let him know about imbalances. Imbalance in the weather, in emotion, in voice. That's how he always knew.
But for now she was just holding herself by her team, just distant enough to stay alone but close enough to not raise suspicion. For everyone but Jian of course.
"Hey" he told her as he made his way to the troubled girl. Athena didn't respond and only frowned before turning away. "I know that face. You make that face when you either A, see your parents making out, or B, somethings up."
Athena couldn't help but giggle and make a fake gagging look. It was a sleepover when it happened. She had stumbled upon mom and dad really making out that night! It was horrifying!
"Can't get anything by you, huh?" Athena sighed and turned to face her friend.
"Nope!" Jian told her, popping her P's like Aunt Ruby liked to do. He smiled and put a hand on Athena's shoulder. They were like family, so she let her. "What's on your mind?" Jian asked, beckoning her to open up.
No running away from this one Athena figured before sighing once more. She pushed herself off the tree she was leaning on and began to speak. "It's Harvey. He's been making life miserable for me for a while now! I can't do anything about it! He's… he's a real asshole!"
Jian looked a bit confused. Athena was having bully problems? With her semblance? With her parents? That didn't make sense.
"And no, I can't tell mom and dad because it'll just make everything worse! What will everyone say if the Headmistress or one of the head professors do something? Harvey and everyone like him would make things even worse. They'd say I'd cried to my mom and dad… like I always do!"
Athena felt a soft wetness at her eyes and awkwardly wiped them away as Jian listened to his friend and teammate pour out to him. "Well, they're your parents but they're also teachers and you're one of their students. They don't tolerate bullying. It wouldn't be any different than any other student" Jian tried carefully explaining, but Athena simply gave a frustrated sigh and shoved his hand off her shoulder.
"You don't get it! If it was anyone else it would be ok, but it's me! Athena Giovanna Arc-Nikos!" She said in a sad, exasperated tone. She couldn't do anything. It wasn't fair. But she couldn't. He'd never understand!
"The daughter of the Invincible Girl and the man with the most powerful Semblance on Remnant! If I can't show people I'm not defined by them, then what am I?"
Jian reached his hand out but had it brushed away as Athena stormed off. "Athena, wait!" he called to her but she was already gone. He slapped a hand to his forehead and settled on getting back to his partner. They still had an assignment to finish.
I hope she'll calm down… and find a solution to this mess.
Meanwhile, Athena had rushed off to higher ground. She needed to be alone for a little bit. Up on one of the near ridges. The breeze from the city reached all the way up to Beacon, and it was no different here. The trees were rustling and many leaves fell to the ground because of it.
Athena liked the paradoxical silence of wind. When she was younger she loved how windy nights sounded when she was in bed. That was a long time ago though. The teenage girl was broken from her thoughts when she heard the sound of several voices talking.
She raised a brow and decided to tail whomever was speaking. Following them revealed that it was Harvey and his team. Athena scowled when she saw them standing by the ledge of the ridge. From her vantage point she could see that it overlooked much of the forest and was practically above her team. One of his teammates had several jars of the sticky, sweet sap they were tasked with collecting.
There was also a container that only gods knew what was in it. Whatever they were up to, it was definitely no good. Are you gonna stay the scared kid hiding behind mom and dad or will you be strong! Like the Invincible Girl's daughter is meant to be! she said to herself, trying to get herself to act.
Finally, she began storming towards Harvey. She had a terribly angry look to her face.
"Look who it is fellas" the team leader said with a cocky grin. His teammates turned to face her with those disgusting, leering looks of theirs as if they'd never seen a woman before.
"What do you want Harvey?" Athena shot back with crossed arms. She took a breath and stood up, trying to be brave. Dad has bullies as a teen too! I can stand up to them!
"Nothing from you. Though, it's pretty nice you're here. Best seats in the house."
She raised her eyebrows in confusion. What exactly were the bullies planning? They were looking down to where her own team was. Harvey motioned here towards his team and the jars of sap they had. It clicked with Athena.
The buzzing noise from the little box that had was clear. The wasps. Just like dad told me.
One of Harvey's teammates must have been one of the kids of an unrepentant member of Team CRDL. Maybe Dove's kids. She didn't know. "I won't let you do that" Athena said firmly, though she was filled with fear.
"Oh yea? You and your little slingshot? You can't do anything but run off to mom and dad! Your partner is a real bitch you know. We'll see her after this knock down a peg or two. Stay outta this if you know what's good for you!"
His two teammates with the jars were aiming for their targets. The third was carefully managing the wasps. They figured she wouldn't act, her being the scared girl she was. One of them was aiming directly at Jolyne Cujoh.
But they were wrong. She was Athena Giovanna Arc-Nikos. Daughter of Jaune Giorno Arc-Nikos. Daughter of Pyrrha Arc-Nikos. The Unbeatable Semblance, the Knight with his champions heart and the Invincible Girl, the Champion with a loving knight.
She wouldn't let these bullies hurt her friends. Hurt her partner. Hurt Jolyne. Her aura was flaming pink. Harvey turned back to her as soon as she did so and looked both amused and confused. They really didn't know much about her semblance but they all knew that her weapon was just pathetic!
"I warned you Athena! Mommy and daddy aren't here to protect you!" Harvey yelled as he pulled out his axe-shotgun. Athena breathed in. Her attack was already done.
Bursting from the ground by Harvey's other teammates were spinning fingernails, sent by Tusk through the dimensional holes of Act 2. They spun and smashed through the jars of sap like bullets and sent their contents flying through the air and onto the would be assailants. "Nyo-ho!" she giggled as she used Act 3 to shoot more nail bullets into the ground to move herself through the dimensional holes away from him.
His teammates had abandoned him by now, the wasps swarming to sting them, leaving only him to face down Athena. Furious and humiliated by how fast Athena had beaten his team with just her semblance alone, as well as being covered in sticky sap, made him run red with rage.
"I'll… I'll…." he shuddered in anger.
"You'll do what?" Athena questioned, sticking a hand to her ear facetiously. She felt a rush of victory run through her. Before she seemed incapable of facing her bully, but their threat of hurting her teammates, her partner, kicked her into overdrive.
Guess she had a lot of her father in her.
Athena could hear the sounds of students rushing to get a professor, as she could now see her teammates coming to the ridge she was on due to the commotion. She turned to them and smiled and waved. Her aura still burned bright pink. Her eyes turned back to Harvey, who was still burning with fury.
"I'll make you pay for this bitch!" he screamed as he charged at her. Athena jumped into the air and shouted "Tusk Act 4!"
She knew she was forbidden to use it against people but she was just too angry. No one threatened her partner. The visage of her Semblance began forming around her when they heard the roar.
Creeping up on Harvey was a furious Ursa Major. Hot air blew from its nostrils and all over the sticky, sap covered boy who had fallen to the ground in terror. His weapon slipped from his hands without even attempting to fight back.
Athena froze. She didn't know what to do at first. Think! Think!...
She sprung into action without wasting a moment longer. Deep in her very soul was the desire to protect others, no matter who they were. Just like her mother and father. Just like Jaune and Pyrrha Arc-Nikos taught her to do.
Athena lurched into the air, moving forward with grace and strength together. "Act 4!" she commanded and her semblance struck. Coming forth from her pink aura was Tusk Act 4.
"Chyuuumiiii!" it cried out as it unleashed barrage of punches against the Ursa Major. "ORA! ORA ORA ORA ORA!" it repeated and then finished its attack. The Ursa Major was on the ground as Harvey scrambled away from it.
"Don't touch it" Athena sharply warned as she pulled the scared boy back. The Ursa Major was trapped in the infinite rotation, it's body broken apart and infinitely spinning, each individual atom spinning until there would be nothing left. It crossed dimensional planes and walls and there was no escape, escape for a counter-rotational shot from Act 4.
Harvey looked dumbstruck. He thought he was dead but his enemy, his target of bullying, had saved him. "Why….?" was all he managed to say in the end before Professor Arc-Nikos arrived
"Harvey Marigold! Athena Arc-Nikos!" a voice cried out, first with the harsh tension of a professor and then secondly with that of a distressed father. Jaune ran past her teammates and to the students.
He looked over his daughter at once. "Gods, are you ok Athena? Are you safe?" His voice was filled with worry and anxiety, some.
Athena nodded and motioned over to Harvey. Jaune understood after seeing the sticky sap over the boy before smiling at his daughter and rising. "Mr. Marigold. Get yourself to the school nurse. See if you're alright and then report at once to the Deputy Headmistress's office."
Harvey gulped, looked as if he was going to contest it but backed down. Shamefully he began heading back towards Beacon. Utterly defeated.
"As for you," Jaune said as he turned to Athena. "Come with me."
Back at Beacon, Athena fidgeted in the Headmistress's office. Harvey has long been chewed out by the one and only Deputy Headmistress Weiss Schnee. Disciplinary action was taken against the boy and his teammates. Aunty Weis often described to her wife and friends at RWBY-JNPR get-togethers that such things were her method of letting off some steam.
Poor kids she thought before reminding herself about what Harvey and his friends were going to do to her friends. Except maybe this time. You got them good aunty Weiss!
"Hello again" came from a familiar voice. It was Pyrrha.
"Mom?" Athena said with a jolt before straightening up in her seat. She tried to look the most presentable student she could be as her mother came in, her father behind her, into the office from the elevator.
"Athena…. please. I'm your mom, not your boss…" Pyrrha sighed as she pulled some seats with her semblance to sit beside her daughter. Jaune did the same on the other side of her. Both her parents looked at her with love and worry.
"We wanted to tell you that we're sorry" her dad explained. "Sorry for… being so distant. More than our job requires us to be." He looked to his wife who nodded her agreement as she ran a gentle loving hand through Athena's hair. Both Pyrrha and Jaune hugged her closely.
Athena didn't cry but felt like it. She loved crawling up between her parents' beds at night when she was younger. The feeling of protection and love she felt when she was between them, being hugged, was the greatest. She sighed contentedly and let them continue. "And we wish we weren't. We just thought… well maybe you didn't want us to burden you."
Athena spoke up now with confusion and surprise in her voice. "Burden? Guys… you're my parents. Sure sometimes you're goofy like that one time during Summer's thirteenth birthday but…. you're never a burden."
Jaune and Pyrrha looked at her and she felt the soft kiss of her mother on her forehead. She kissed both of them on the cheek. "We just felt that you might have not wanted to be reminded or feel like you had to live up to well…. the pedestal so many people put your father and I."
Athena rolled her eyes but they kept going. She thought her parents were being silly. No matter what they did during the Salem War, nor what semblances they might have, they were still her loving parents first and foremost. "We were scared you might too." Jaune finished for his wife.
Athena decided to answer them by standing up and making them stand to. She pulled the two of them together in a massive hug. "I love you guys. You're my mom and dad. Always, always, always."
Jaune and Pyrrha were taken aback at first but quickly smiled and returned her hug tightly. Their beautiful family. Husband and wife looked at one another, still hugging their daughter.
"We did a pretty good job, didn't we?" Jaune whispered to her.
Pyrrha, smiling brightly at her husband, agreed. "Yes…. we did. And we did it together.."
"Together," Jaune affirmed, voice filled with love. Even in their darkest hours the red strings of fate held their eternal love together. Unending. Eternal love that bore beautiful fruit, their child Athena.
Jaune leaned in to kiss Pyrrha deeply. The pair kissed for a while and deeply too, which eventually caused an "EWWWW! Mom! Dad! Stopppp!" From Athena that caused the family to break into laughter. Pyrrha then kissed Jaune one more time before the three giggled again as the family decided to spend the rest of the day together.
Jaune and Pyrrha took a look at the Headmistress's office, where years ago they almost met their fate. But that was so long ago.
They were here. With their daughter. As a family.
Their eternal love, unbroken and only strengthened with its third member.
Forever.
Fin
And that my friends, after roughly a half year of writing, is the epilogue and ending to Skipping Through Beacon. It was long. It was hard in many places and many places I wanted to quit. I did quit. Numerous times. Quit the fic and quit fanfiction. Form burnout, distractions, school and other writing. I even came out as demisexual biromantic recently, which was very stressful.
But I finished it. And I'm not quitting fanfic either.
With this monster out of the way, I can focus on other stories, mainly Hero.
I want to thank all of you who have read, commented, favorited and followed. It makes doing all this worth it. Thank you for sticking with it until the end. More will follow from me in the coming weeks.
Please stay safe out there. Wear a mask.
Please leave a review in the comments!
See you next time.
OnlyTheResults