A/N: Happy Easter if you celebrate it! Hopefully folks can see this...WOULD YOU KINDLY READ THIS NOTE? Else, you might be confused. Wouldn't want that, would we?

As ever, I live for reviews and feedback; yours are the reason this story continues. It keeps me going in these crazy times. So by all means! Speak up! No review is too short or too small!

Sorry for vanishing. Finale broke me, and broke me HARD T_T

Now for a few quick questions:

Q: Pyrrha's fallen for Naruto, hasn't she?

A: Oh yes, she's fallen hard. Think of things from her perspective; not only did Naruto NOT balk at her fame, but he openly encouraged her to do what she wanted. He's awakened something in her...and its gonna be fun to write.

Of course, we'll see more of Naruto's P.O.V. as well -and others!- but Pyrrha really does steal the show!

Q: Are there going to be other pairings in this story.

A: Ayup! Take Jaune for instance. I had to pair him with someone, because in all honesty, I felt bad about stealing Pyrrha from him.

Be sure to keep those votes coming in your reviews! Wouldn't want the story to stall, would you?

Q: Don't mess with the teams! Please! Have mercy!

A: *zips lips* Can't speak to team formations before they're made. Sorry.

Well, I've kept you long enough. You came here for a story, didn't you? Don't mind the rambling of sickly man.

As ever, I own no quotes. references, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one! Hope you enjoy!

"Look, I'll be blunt. You need to be more selfish, Pyrrha."

"You say that, but a Nikos shouldn't-

"I ain't talkin' to a Nikos. I'm talking to you. Pyrrha. My best friend. My partner."

~The Point of No Return.

Just Be Selfish

"Happy Birthday, Pyrrha!"

There was just something about surprise parties that made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Truly, it was a feeling beyond compare. Pyrrha certainly thought so. She'd never been the recipient of one before. Back home such festivities were tame at the best. Father had never been one for frivolity, claiming such time was better spent training. Mother...wasn't around, and she held no siblings to speak of. Before this, birthdays had ever been a lonely affair.

Try telling that to Minato.

She certainly hadn't expected this!

Pyrrha felt her face flame to match her hair. "I...you...what is this...?!"

"I thought that would be obvious. Surprised?" Naruto laughed as he slung an arm around her shoulders. "I had to keep you out of the house all day for them to set this up. Happy fifteenth birthday!"

Ostensibly, Pyrrha knew she should smile. That she should bow and smile and thank everyone involved in this madness. Instead her legs betrayed her. Every muscle in her body locked up, leaving her unable to cross the threshold. In the end, Naruto had to frog march her through the door and force her to sit at the table. Even then she couldn't quite bring herself to react coherently.

Her eyes widened, taking in the glorious sprawl before her.

Green eyes widened as a chorus of happy voices greeted her and Naruto, rising like a roaring tide. It sounded like he'd stuffed half the Leaf Gym into their home. Colorful streamers lay scattered about, with a sea of green and red and bronze balloons stretching toward the ceiling as far as the eye could see. And below that, a swarm of familiar faces she knew all too well.

Everyone was here.

There was Ruby near the end of the table, pleased as punch. Yang had an arm around her as she tousled her sister's hair. And of course one couldn't forget the rest. Coco tilted her shades down just a hair as she pumped a fist into the air, the older girl's dark eyes dancing with thinly veiled mirth. She winked and mouthed two words. Good luck.

Pyrrha sputtered and looked away as their resident brunette sashayed away. If Coco was here, doubt the Malachite sisters were lurking about somewhere too, cheeky devils that they were-ah. A flicker of red and white in the crowd caught her eye. There. Naruto...had made more friends than she cared to admit. Why were almost all of them girls?

The thought stung a little.

From here she could see Cardin lounging near the couch with Dove and Sky; sure enough the big brute saw them and flashed a cheery wave in Naruto's direction. The blond returned it. Why he got on with those three she'd never understand. Supposedly they'd gotten a bit nice since he'd thrashed them in the ring, but Pyrrha just didn't see it.

At least Jaune was nice.

A bit weak perhaps, but he made up for that with singular enthusiasm and a rare determination to improve. In another life, she might have fallen for him.

When the cake came, Pyrrha was almost grateful for the distraction.

She gazed longingly at the confectionery treat, but moreso at the candles upon than anything else.

Uncle Obito lad it out for her, made some silly comment and tousled her hair, but she barely heard him.

Fifteen.

She was still gangling in some ways but she became more sure footed with each passing day. She'd begun to fill out in...other ways; so much so that Aunt Rin had promised to take her out for new armor soon. Still! Fifteen! Where had all the time gone?!

Surrounded by friends and family Pyrrha suddenly felt alone, as though caught in a waking dream.

Sometimes she wondered if she was a coward; that by not stating her intentions to Naruto outright she was sparing herself as much as she was him. They couldn't dance around this forever. She knew it. So did he. In two years, they would attend Beacon. After that came the rest of their lives. And then...?

It terrified her.

She couldn't imagine a life without Naruto now.

Lover was a powerful thing, but that made it dangerous. For if love was powerful, then it was also a weakness. But it was one she couldn't do without. To simply cut Naruto -much less his family!- out of her life now was impossible; for he had woven himself into the very fabric of her life. To root him out now would destroy her...and quite possibly him.

"What's your wish?" he asked her suddenly.

Pyrrha already had it. She was just too afraid to seize it.

She couldn't ask for anything more. Her inner demons wouldn't let her.

The champion blew out the candles and tried to loose herself int he chaos that followed.

(.0.0.0.)

Pyrrha dreaded the passing of time, for she knew what was coming.

Yet she found herself unable to act all the same.

Three months became six. Then nine. Now twelve. Her sixteenth birthday came and went. She clung to her happy life, desperate to preserve what she had even as it slipped away from her.

Beacon crept every closer, the distant specter of her future growing nearer every day.

And she still couldn't tell him.

She wanted to, she longed to, she NEEDED to, but every time she tried, her nerve failed her. And so a coward she remained. She wanted to change.

And one day?

The gods heard her prayers.

No. Not the gods. He answered them.

(.0.0.0.)

Naruto wasn't a brave person.

Oh, he could walk the walk and talk the talk with the best of them, but at the end of the day he was something of a coward. He admitted it freely. He wasn't proud of said cowardice and tried not to be, make no mistake, but he simply wasn't as fearless as he let others believe. He was strong when Pyrrha was weak, because he had to be. Brave when she wasn't, bold when she couldn't be. The reverse also applied of course. They knew one another well enough by now to shore up their weaknesses.

They completed one another.

He knew when something bothered her, and the same was true of her.

Which was why he knew when they crossed blades in the gym one afternoon; felt the hesitation in her sword. Blue eyes widened. Her arm was trembling. Pyrrha never trembled. Not in a fight. Never in the gym. No matter what she might be feeling, she never let her feelings get in the way of a good fight. Not anymore.

So why now? Naruto frowned at it and ducked a clumsy swipe. "Something's bothering you."

Parry. Whirl. Riposte.

"No." Her smile fractured a bit as he completed his combo and forced her back a step. Then two. Now three. "I'm fine."

"You're not."

Her sword snapped into a spear then thrust at his legs, forcing him to disengage and leap away lest he be swept off his feet.

"You're lying."

The fracture became a break.

Something tightened in her expression and she missed her chance to pursue. Naruto didn't. His gauntlet barked a fiery dust round point blank, forcing her to hunker down behind her shield. Pyrrha was often like that in life too, always hiding behind something. Always concealing how she really felt. He hated it. She shouldn't have to hide her true self from others in public. The Pyrrha he knew wouldn't stand for this wishy-washy behavior. If he left an opening, she'd punish him for it. Not...whatever this was!

"Stop that!" he snapped, cocking his arm. "You'll never win a fight if you run and hide!"

Jade orbs narrowed. "I'm not hiding!"

"Could've fooled me!"

His fist smashed down on her shield with sound and aplomb, leaving a fist-dented impression in its wake. Pyrrha skidded back. Once again, she failed to attack. An irritated Naruto gave chase instead and sure enough, that bulwark came up again. He wasn't having it. Clenched knuckles crashed down and whaled on her guard, hammering blow after blow against her defense until it buckled and she dropped to a knee. Wasted and gasping for air, she tried to stand and failed.

"Look, I'll be blunt." he scowled down at her. "You need to be more selfish, Pyrrha."

She looked away with a scowl. "You say that, but a Nikos shouldn't-

"Nope." He reached out and flicked her forehead, cutting her short. "That's your father talking. I ain't talkin' to a Nikos." when she opened her mouth to protest he flicked her again. "I'm talking to Pyrrha. My best friend. My partner. Have you seen her?" He cocked his head like a curious fox. "She's gone missing. Wanna help me find her?"

Her shoulders tensed, but she didn't rise to the bait.

Hard way it was, then.

Naruto shook his head and ripped LightBringer -his gauntlet!- from his arm. A flick of his wrist cast it down to the mat with a harsh thud. Pyrrha balked. He didn't stop there. Firm thumbs hooked into the straps of his light armor and cast that down too. Piece by piece it fell away, leaving him vulnerable once more. Exposed. Aura or not, if she hit him now, it would hurt.

And still she blinked at him. "What're you doing?"

"Knocking this nonsense out of you." His fists came up and he took on a boxing stance. "Now come at me."

"Now?!" There it was again. That damn hesitation. The fear that he needed to root out once and for all. "With my weapon?! I'll hurt you!"

"Life hurts, Pyrrha." he began to bounce in place, bounding from foot to foot until his legs became little more than a blur. "You can either roll over and take, it or you can fight back." That was the way of the world. Family was all well and good, but there was a time when you had to take a stand for something. "C'mon." he spread his arms. "Come at me. I'll annihilate all that fear and hesitation."

The ghost of a smile crossed her pale face. "I don't deserve you."

He grinned right back. "If anything I don't deserve you."

She chucked her armor and weapons aside. Silence filled the gym. Others were watching. Neither paid any heed to it.

"I'm not the best when it comes to unarmed combat," she confessed. "What if I make a fool of myself?"

"Neither am I! That's what makes it exciting. 'Sides, we can be fools together." he began to circle her, forcing her gaze to follow him lest she lose. "Everyone says your weapons are your life. And they are. But your body is a temple. Take care of it." he flicked a jab at her face and she jerked back like a skittish hare. "Protect it." another punch; she managed to block this one. "Learn to fight with a weapon if you like, but learn to carry on without one. You never know when you might have to."

She winced. "I'm really no good at this-

Naruto moved in again.

Clenched knuckles cut across Pyrrha's right cheek, opening a thin cut there as she performed a narrow dodge. She hit the mat in a tumble and he stomped down after her, driving an elbow into her ribs. Her knee cracked off against his shin, but he grunted and kicked her away. It felt cruel. He hated it. It was necessary.

"That's not the Pyrrha I want to see!" He snarled at her as she clamored upright. "Show my the Pyrrha who knocked me on my ass! Gimme my partner back-

Her head snapped up with a wary cry, nailing him in the chin. Naruto and bit his tongue, grunted in surprise, stumbled back, then wiped a thin line of blood from his jaw. Pride -not in himself- sparked to life in his chest, a smile racing hot on it heels. He thumbed the blood away, turned his head and spat on the mat.

"Thatta girl. Now clench your teeth."

A lone tear rolled down her left cheek. "Sure thing, partner."

He darted in and this time she matched him. They collided in a maelstrom of violence; fists swinging, legs pumping.

"We've got Beacon in a year!" He roared, catching her fist to smash his forehead against hers. "We gotta be ready! For anything!"

Naruto grunted in surprise as a gloved fist crunched into his nose. His teeth clicked together with a harsh crack as his feet left the floor. Stars burst before his vision. Couldn't find unarmed his ass! Pyrrha could punch with the best of them! For a terrible moment he found himself airborne, unable to do anything other than twist his body against the blow he knew was coming.

He didn't wait long; Pyrrha whirled and smashed a spinning kick his left side. Aura cracked sullenly. His entire body twisted.

The blond accepted the worthy hit for what it was and fell into a controlled tumble that drove him back against a wall. Anyone else would've been knocked out. He only struck it feet first and stuck there, blatantly defying gravity. Wrapped knuckles punched the wall as he bent his knees, bones bending ominously. Pyrrha's already pale face turned positively pallid.

"Hey!" she cried! "No fair! You're using chakra!"

A shit-eating grin tore across his face. "All's fair in love and war!"

His entire body creaked like a human spring; one that rocketed forward a heartbeat later.

Pyrrha got her arms up time and weathered the tackle like a champion, sliding back only a little. Not so the grab that followed. His arms locked around her waist -trying to ignore the wonderful way her body fit against his- and wrenched backward in a powerful slam. Her face crashed into the mat. Long legs scissored up to strike him in the chest the chin again, forcing him to release her or risk further injury. He fell back to the mat, catching her by the ankle as he went. She joined him on the floor with a gasp. her by the ankle and flung

Across the way, Minato whistled. "That's my boy!"

Heat crept up Naruto's neck as he sprang upright. "Damnit, dad! Not the time!"

Pyrrha struck while he was distracted. How dishonorable. He loved it. He swayed out of the way of rabbit punch that followed, took a grazing bow to his ear. His count proved as swift as it was vicious. He rammed a body shot into her ribs. The redhead yelped in genuine pain, doubling over to clutch at her side. Pity nearly stayed Naruto's hand. No. She'd never learn if he went easy on her. Instinct overpowered him. So he struck again. Breath burst from her lungs, leaving her to recoil with a yelp.

"Ow! Who taught you to fight like that!?"

"Uncle Obito." bandaged knuckles came in again, forcing her to fall back as he pressed her with jab after jab. "Dad's a nice guy, just like Uncle Kakashi and Aunt Rin, but sometimes you gotta fight cheap if you wanna win. Case in point! SMASH!"

She tensed against his shout and tried to protect her weakened ribs. As planned. Naruto changed course at the last, turning a body shot into a rousing roundhouse. Battered knuckles crunched against her face twisting her head to one side, much as she'd done to him only a few minutes prior. She rocked back on her heels and stumbled away, cradling her face.

For the first time, Pyrra swore. "Shit! That hurt!"

"Ha!" Naruto crowed. "Finally got you to curse!" Triumph burned through him like a great flame. "You should do it more often!"

Her eyes flashed with something akin to triumph...mingling with something else. She caught his fist when he swooped in again. His world upended as flipped him over his shoulder. His arm popped once, causing him to cry out in surprise pain as his back struck the mat. Her knee crashed down on his chest, pinning him where he lay with her body.

"Okay, okay!" he tapped the mat with his free hand. "I give!"

Pyrrha gasped and let go of him immediately, hands flying to her face. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be!" A lough laugh tore out of him. "You beat me fair and square. This is your win." he pushed down and forced the joint back in. "Well done. See? Nothing wrong with being a little selfish." Her shoulders stiffened, and for an entirely different reason. Heedless of the landmine he'd just trod upon, Naruto beamed up at her. "I like it when you get greedy."

She murmurred something. "Selfish...?"

"Uh...Pyr? You okay there?"

Pyrrha dove at him.

Rather, she saw weakness and like the trained warrior she was, capitalized on it. She moved her knee and leaned forward atop him, all but straddling him with her hips. Naruto stiffened. Perhaps had he seen her thoughts, he would've realized what he'd just unleashed; the switch he'd flipped. He'd told her to stop worrying what others thought of her. He'd all but beaten it into her skull. At her core, Pyrrha Nikos wasn't a good person. Well, she was, but she wasn't that good; not as much as others believed her to be. Really, he had no one to blame for this but himself.

She bent down, forehead hovering less than an inch from his. Red hair spilled down, tickling his nose.

"You're right." when she spoke, her words startled him. "Maybe...maybe I should be selfish."

Green eyes met blue. Naruto's breath hitched in his chest, heart hammering.

She leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

A/N: READ! THIS! PLEASE!

Beacon's coming soon, sooner than you think.

At this risk of spoiling things, I need a response here, or the story will stall. Seriously! Team names are a right bitch to sort out, so I need to see your votes in reviews here. We've had several votes since this was last updated and in that time, the pairing been narrowed down to these three:

First we have Team N.P.M.M. (Napalm) Which would consist of Naruto, Pyrrha, Miltia, and Melanie. Yes, the Malachite Twins. Preeetty sure this is the most popular option.

Second, is Team W.P.Y.N. (Weapon) Which could consist of Weiss, Pyrrha, Yang and Naruto.

The third and final option is hardly sent in stone Team P.N.C.C. (Punch) which would consist of Pyrrha, Naruto, Cinder and Cardin. Or any character with a "C" really, Ciel, Carmine. Coco (went to Beacon late) that sort of thing.

Alternatively, I'm open to suggestions if someone tries to blend these names.

Those are your choices. VOTE in your reviews -For this and the pairing!- pretty please. Once more! We're STILL waiting on reviews/votes before the pairing is finalized. At this point, I've got enough drafts written that I can swap things in and out pretty seamlessly, but I'd like to hear what everyone thinks before I commit. Remember! It won't be a big pairing regardless, but I literally NEED your feedback here, lest the story stall.

As ever, read the previews before you review, please.

So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the preview.

SUR~PRI~SE~!

(Preview)

"To Beaco! Awaaaay!"

"Hello, daughter."

"Father." Pyrrha lifted her chin in naked defiance. "Do you still have a pacemaker?"

...yes?"

"Good. Then I can kill you without even touching you."

Naruto crashed backward with a howl of uproarious laughter. "That's my girl!"

Ozpin smiled. "Its wonderful to finally meet you in person, Minato."

"Never let me go."

"What kind of spar are we talkin' about? Full contact? Team vs teams?"

Glynda smiled. It terrified him. "All of the above."

"Your team will face...lets see...Jaune's team will do."

The other blond groaned. "Oh, come on!"

Pyrrha beamed. "Not sorry."

"Ohhh! So you're Salem's latest pawn. Pity. Rin killed the last one."

Their weapon passed right through him.

"Bad choice." Obito shook his head. "Congrats. Now I have to kill you. Nothing personal. Can't have you messin' about with my nephew...

Sharingan eyes flashed.

...so die, would you kindly?"

R&R~!