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'The Corner Cafe' was one of those rare gems of a shop; small and nestled comfortably at the edge of downtown Vale, it enjoyed steady business from those who knew where to get a good cup of coffee.
As well as some who simply wanted to… vanish for a little while.
When you walk in, the first thing you're greeted by is the baritone voice of the barista, followed closely after by the fragrance of fresh coffee grounds, the clinking of countless mugs and silverware all around the dining area, and friendly chatter of patrons who rarely, if ever, felt the need to raise their voices.
There was also music. Smooth jazz flowed from the speakers in each corner, the notes dancing through the room with a swaying rhythm that made people rock back and forth, most without even noticing. She could easily envision a group of musicians tapping out a melody on an old piano, plucking out notes on a faded bass, and blowing sweet harmonies from a polished saxophone; and in her mind they were loving every second of it.
That's the thing about people with true talent – you can usually feel the love bursting out of whatever it is they do. You can just tell that it's the thing that makes their lives complete. Whether it was the music on the speakers or the coffee in her cup, there was passion all around her.
Pyrrha Nikos had that kind of passion once, a long time ago.
That passion began to fade the moment she saw her own face plastered across a box of suger-laden kid's cereal. She used to love the spotlight, but… not so much now. Not when she'd become more of a symbol than a person.
The red-haired teenager sat back in her seat, smiling as she imagined those jazz players banging out tune after tune, unable to maintain a placid attitude as she waited. And that in and of itself was exceedingly rare, especially when she was out and about like this – everyone who was anyone had heard of the 'Invincible Girl' of Mistral, and most of them wanted either an autograph, a selfie, or some other thing they came up with on the spot (and she'd seen some real oddballs). Not today, though. Today she was incognito.
"Here you are, miss," the waitress said as she placed a steaming mug of brown goodness on the table. "Can I get you anything else?"
"No, thank you," Pyrrha smiled from behind a large pair of sunglasses. The ballcap she had her ragged ponytail tucked up into would likely make for a suspicious ensemble, but on a day like today it wasn't totally out of place. Vale was in the middle of a heat wave, the sun blazing down day after day, and most everyone who needed to go outside was wearing some form of sun protection.
The waitress (bearing the nametag of "Amy," she noted) smiled and left her alone in her corner booth. Pyrrha took note of the rest of the cafe, wondering if the dinner crowd was soon to arrive, as she started blowing over her mug to cool it down. Her old, well-worn t-shirt proudly displayed a dozen food stains, a simple doodle of a cat and a dog smiling together and a frayed collar, but she didn't care. She had her legs encased in a pair of equally old cargo pants (earning her a few second looks in this heat), but that also didn't bother her. These clothes were chosen for comfort and anonymity. No one would look twice at a girl her age who looked like she just rolled out of bed and came in for a cappuccino.
Again… incognito.
Satisfied her drink was cool enough, Pyrrha took a sip. The jazz music faded as the caffeine worked its magic, and a wave of goosebumps made its way down her back as the next song picked up. This was the good stuff, in every conceivable way.
Ren made good coffee, but even his stuff couldn't hold a candle to what a professional barista could do. Maybe he and Jaune could get jobs here once team JNPR reached their third year? She could only hope. Hell, if Pyrrha herself wasn't world famous, she'd already have applied. As it stood, a presence like hers would boost the popularity of the cafe to levels nobody wanted, herself least of all. They'd never keep up.
She sighed again, took another sip, then closed her eyes and resigned herself to watching the jazz players in her mind. They really looked like they were having a wonderful time.
About half an hour later, a quiet voice pulled her attention back to reality. Amy the Waitress was speaking to another customer in a hushed tone and pointing around them to the… oddly crowded dining area. Wow, when did it get this full?
…And who in the world drank her cappuccino when she wasn't looking?
The waitress pointed to Pyrrha and they made their way over. As the pair approached her table, Pyrrha started to stand up – she was clearly finished and just taking up valuable table space now – but the stranger held up a hand.
"No need to leave – why don't I join you instead?"
Pyrrha knew the voice, but didn't immediately place the face. It was another teenage girl like herself, but draped in an old button-up shirt that was 3 sizes too big, a faded pair of pajama bottoms, a wide hat and a similar pair of sunglasses to her own. Beyond the voice and the pale skin, Pyrrha was at a loss.
"We, uh… we are out of tables, unfortunately…" Amy the Waitress said with a heavy tone of apology. "I've been trying to get Danny to apply for outdoor seating with some umbrellas, but-"
Pyrrha cut her off. "No, It's fine. I don't mind sharing a table. And besides… I'd kinda like another drink."
She sat back down as the newcomer took the opposite seat, ordered another cappuccino and tried not to squirm. The stranger ordered a regular black coffee with 3 sugars and no cream (though she specified a rather exotic blend). Amy took their order and left them in an awkward silence.
Did this girl recognize her? Was she about to become the center of attention here, in the one place she desperately wanted to avoid causing a scene? 'The Corner Cafe' was one of the few places in all of the kingdom where Pyrrha had found a safe haven, and she wanted to keep it that way.
As the jazz music faded into the next track, a perfectly-timed rumble of thunder punctuated the silence. Pyrrha blinked as she noticed the day growing dim outside.
"There's a bit of rain coming," the stranger said. "Nothing major, but at least it'll help cool things down."
"I hope so," Pyrrha replied. "So, um… have we met? You seem familiar."
The girl paused, stared at her from behind the shades, then sighed. "Either you are far less observant than I gave you credit for… or Ruby was right and this outfit really does make me unrecognizable. I'm not sure which is worse."
The sunglasses came off, revealing a pair of ice-blue eyes set in a permanent glare. One of those eyes bore a jagged scar. And only now did Pyrrha notice the white eyebrows.
"Weiss?"
"Pyrrha."
"How did you-"
Weiss pointed to the top of her head. "You should really find a way to hide that hair of yours. Take it from me… lots of people notice a head of hair like mine, and yours is even more obvious. Tucking it all into this hat wasn't easy, but it seems to work."
"I have yet to find a large enough hat," Pyrrha sighed as she adjusted her ballcap. "But at least takes the attention off my face."
"I've seen some odd Mistralian outfits in a few magazines. Some of them had the model's head wrapped in what looked like a towel or something."
"I've heard of those, but never actually seen them. Turbans, I think they were called."
"Might be worth looking into."
"Or I could just get it cut. I have been considering that for a while."
"Hmm…" Weiss crossed her arms as she studied Pyrrha in the dim light. "It would have some practical benefits, but do you really think you could let go of all that hair? I mean, it's part of who you are…"
Pyrrha frowned. "If you're talking about my 'professional' image-"
"Bah!" Weiss waved a hand dismissively. "Right now I couldn't care less about all that."
Pyrrha sat back as the conversation came to a lull. There was something… different about the Schnee heiress today. Something… that felt familiar. "You're taking a break too, huh?"
"What was your first clue?" Weiss sighed as she replaced her sunglasses, though the light from outside was getting dimmer by the minute. Soon their respective eyewear would render them blind while inside. "I may not have the level of fame that you do, but my last name carries a bit more weight. Some days I just need to get out from under it."
"Considering how you act in public, I would never have guessed you felt this way. You always seem so proud of your name."
"I am, I am… but there's a difference between being proud of something and being expected to live up to it."
There was really nothing Pyrrha could say to that. Weiss' words seemed targeted directly at her. Neither girl said anything else until after Amy the Waitress delivered their drinks. Pyrrha commenced blowing over her drink as Weiss immediately took a sip of her own. And she didn't even flinch.
"Isn't it still hot?"
"Slightly, but… there's nothing quite like that first sip. Haaah… worth it."
"Tell me about it. Some mornings are impossible for me without Ren's coffee. I found out last week that he actually grinds his own beans."
"… … …You're implying there's another way to do it?"
"Well… most people use coffee that's pre-ground."
"Do most people eat food that's already been pre-chewed?"
"Bleh. At least I didn't mention anything about the 'instant' coffee Jaune tried to make yesterday-"
"Blasphemy! Never speak such heresy to me again, vile woman!"
Pyrrha had to choke out a laugh at that, which got Weiss chuckling as well. The two incognito companions drank their beverages in peace, eventually taking off both pairs of sunglasses once the weather finally broke.
Raindrops began a pitter-patter of noise across the large window at the front of the cafe, forming a number of miniature rivers as they merged and ran down to street level. Dozens of umbrellas bloomed like flowers out on the street, along with various bags and purses for those who weren't prepared for the sudden shower.
"Finally," Weiss sighed.
"Indeed," Pyrrha nodded.
Silence fell upon the cafe as the music shifted to the next track, a slow and somber tune that almost seemed sad by comparison. Perfectly fitting with the rain.
As Weiss absently fingered the edge of her mug, clearly thinking deep thoughts, Pyrrha took a moment to wonder what this girl might've been going through before now. She wasn't fully informed of the Schnee family's global situation like some people, but she could tell that Weiss had been raised well. The girl always carried herself with a level of decorum and pride that made Pyrrha think of actual royalty.
Though it wasn't always that evident; during their first meeting, Weiss was clearly trying to get herself into an advantageous position by getting the 'Invincible Girl' as her partner. It was a smart move, but obvious to one who knew what to look for – Weiss wanted to partner with Pyrrha the Symbol, not Pyrrha the Person. Everyone saw her as that in the beginning, students and teachers alike.
Everyone but Jaune…
"Stop thinking about that idiot. It's creepy."
Pyrrha blinked as Weiss' gaze met her own. "How did you-"
"Every time you think about Jaune, you get the stupidest grin on your face. Everyone knows it when they see it, even Ruby!"
The surface of the table was suddenly very, very interesting to look at. And it kept Pyrrha from focusing too much on her blazing hot face.
"Honestly, why don't you just tell him how you really feel? Most of us are tired of the back-and-forth between you guys, and I would like nothing more than to NOT worry about future serenades." Weiss slurped the last of her coffee as she laid it out.
The heat from Pyrrha's face was fading as she looked back up. "You really don't like him, do you? Even though he was crazy about you for the first several months?"
"He was only interested in my name."
"Do you really believe that? After knowing him for this long?"
"…"
"Jaune isn't the kind of guy who only goes after fame and recognition. He clearly saw how pretty you are and-"
"That's no excuse," Weiss rubbed the bridge of her nose. "And I think you're giving him too much credit. If all he went after was looks, HE would be chasing YOU… not the other way around."
"But I'm not-"
"Ah-ba-ba-ba-" Weiss held out a finger to silence her. "Don't you dare put yourself down in front of me. I won't hear it."
"Sorry…"
"And stop apologizing all the time. Take some pride in yourself."
"Sorry…"
Pyrrha finally finished her drink as she noticed the dining area had all but emptied out. The sky outside was still dark, but behind the clouds was an evening sky quickly dwindling to night.
"Guess we'd better get back."
"You know… this was pretty nice. And I like this place."
"Me, too. Nice atmosphere, no worries about how I look to other people, no worries. It's just… comfortable."
"We should do this more often."
"I usually come out here every Thursday afternoon. Jaune has us doing drills on Wednesdays and Doctor Oobleck has extra classes on Fridays."
"Thursday works for me. My extra classes are Monday and Friday, and Ruby has us doing drills Tuesday and Wednesday. Weekends are for 'team building.'" Weiss gave a visible shudder at that last part.
Pyrrha chuckled. "I guess it's a date."
Weiss coughed into her fist, and Pyrrha could see a hint of a blush. "Let's… not go that far."
"Sorry…"
"If you're really sorry, you can pay for my drink. I didn't bring my card."
"Fine… if you agree to pay for both of us next time."
"…Deal."
"See you at school?"
"Of course. And… let's keep this between us. I don't want to think of what would happen to my Personal Quiet Time if Ruby or Yang found out about this place."
"Same here. I pity the coffee shop that ends up on Nora's radar."
Weiss left with a slight smile on her face, pulling a small umbrella from somewhere on her person (seriously, where was she hiding that? Must've had a bag under her shirt). Pyrrha watched her go, also smiling and relishing a warm sense of contentment in her chest.
When she first arrived at Beacon, Pyrrha had no real friends. After the initiation, Pyrrha had a handful of acquaintances and one crush who was about as clueless as anyone she'd ever met… but that was part of his charm. Now… now she felt like she'd made a real friend. And she hoped Weiss felt the same way.
It was a good feeling.
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