Thunder. Lightning.
Relentless rain.
She kneeled over him, shivering and sobbing and calling out his name. She shook him by the shoulders and kissed his cheeks, but his eyes continued to stare emptily at the sky.
The ground trembled. She felt something looming closer, and in the flashes of lightning she saw a shadow stretching over her, but she refused to look up. She only had eyes for him.
Suddenly, the clouds parted, a bright light tearing through the sky and flooding everything in white. She pressed herself atop him and closed her eyes, and heard an anguished shriek echo through the storm.
After that, she remembered nothing else.
JUNIPER
THE GHOST AND HIS VALKYRIE
Easing on the gas, Pyrrha pulled over to the right, taking her motorcycle from the concrete road to the grassy field beside it. She drove a bit farther, then stopped and took off her helmet, shaking her head to clear the hair from her eyes. Behind her, Jaune unwrapped his arms from around her waist and took off his own helmet, and she felt him gasp against the back of her neck.
"Woah," he said, getting off the bike. "Is that the house? I'd thought it'd be… smaller."
Pyrrha turned off the engine and got off, glancing towards where Jaune was staring. Her father's summer cabin was just as she remembered it, standing amidst the grass a short walk away from the road. Sturdy walls built from pine wood, two stories tall, with a roof slanted westward. The only thing that had changed were the windows, which were dusty from years of disuse.
Still, it felt like a whole lifetime had passed since last she'd been here.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune said, looking back at her. "You there?"
Pyrrha blinked. "Yes. Sorry. I was just thinking that it's been a long time since I last came here."
"How long exactly?" Jaune asked.
"I came to spend my twelfth birthday with my father," Pyrrha said. "We stayed a few days in the cabin. We went to the beach, and I got my favorite ice cream after every meal. Obviously, that wasn't allowed in Beacon."
"Well yeah, and you still allow yourself only one ice cream per week," Jaune said, grinning.
"Because moderation and self-control are the keys to a healthy lifestyle, Jaune," Pyrrha said. "I've told you this already."
"Yup, many times," Jaune said. "Anyway, sounds like you had a fun time here."
"I did," Pyrrha said. She decided not to mention that had been the last birthday she'd spent with her father, or with anyone who wasn't working directly with her at the time, for that matter – until she met Jaune and the others, of course.
"I wish my family had a summer house like this," Jaune said, pouting. "We didn't really do away-from-home vacations. My parents gave up on those after the fourth or fifth child, I think. Can't blame them – I mean, if they took their eyes off us for a minute, who could say we weren't going to trip and fall down a well, you know?"
Pyrrha chuckled. "I'm sure they had your best interests at heart," she said. "Here, take the keys and take a look inside while I park the bike."
She fished the keys to the house out of her bag and offered them to Jaune, and he took them eagerly.
"Are there any, like, traps I should know about before I walk inside?" he asked.
"Not unless my father has gotten really paranoid about intruders," Pyrrha said, and Jaune stared at her with a frown. Pyrrha grinned. "He hasn't, Jaune. You should be safe."
"Of course!" Jaune said, spinning the keys around his finger. "I was just joking. I'm a superhero, ain't no house trap killing me, no sir."
He gave her a smile, and jogged up to the front of the cabin, fiddling with the keys for a moment before he found the right one and went inside. Pyrrha put her helmet down on the seat and grabbed her bike by the handles, taking it around to the side of the house and parking it there.
The smell of salt and wet sand hit her nose, and she took a moment to take it in with her eyes closed. It was said smell was capable of triggering strong memories, and this one certainly did that for her. Except, just like with the sight of the house, these memories felt distant, more than they should have. Not just from a lifetime ago, but from another life altogether.
Pyrrha opened her eyes and shook her head, smiling to herself. What was she doing, having such… strange thoughts, when she was just starting the best vacation of her life with her most favorite person in the world? This wasn't the time to ponder about the past, but rather to enjoy the here and now.
She walked back around to the front and passed through the front door. The inside of the cabin hadn't changed either, still as spacious as she remembered it. There was a layer of dust everywhere, though, just like the windows, and Pyrrha had to stop herself from immediately searching for a broom to clean everything up with.
"Hey, I can see the sea from here!" Jaune said, gesturing her over to the sliding glass doors on the back of the cabin. "Would you look at that. Waves and everything. Is the water nice, do you think?"
"Around this time of year? It should be perfect," Pyrrha said.
"Good thing I brought my swimming trunks!" Jaune said, patting his trusty backpack. Pyrrha was always impressed by his ability to fit so many clothes and utensils in one single container, and in such a haphazard manner. Her travel bag wasn't large either, but that was because she knew how to pack efficiently.
"Well, I brought my swimwear as well, as I'm sure you'll be happy to know," Pyrrha said, and Jaune nodded earnestly. "We could go for a swim later, if you want."
"Heck yeah! But be warned, once you see my swimming form, you're gonna be so impressed," Jaune said. "Trust me, you've never seen someone dog-paddle quite like yours truly."
"Then I'll be sure to take notes!" Pyrrha said. "How about after dinner? We've got to prepare everything first."
"Sure. Speaking of," Jaune said, "what time is your dad gonna show up?"
Pyrrha looked at the front door. Funny that Jaune should ask that, as she had been thinking about the very same thing. Not at the moment, but the matter had been on her mind for pretty much the entire ride here.
"Pyr?" Jaune called. "You're drifting off again. Come back to me."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Pyrrha said. "I didn't mean to ignore you. I don't know why I'm so scatterbrained today."
"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure you're just tired from the travel or something," Jaune said. "But about your dad. I gotta know an estimate at least, or else he might show up and the food's gonna be all cold, and that'd be a bad first impression."
"That would be unfortunate," Pyrrha said. "He said he took a plane to Suisen, and that he had some business to take care of there first. It's a couple hours drive from there, so we can expect him at seven or eight o'clock."
"Okay. That gives me plenty of time to get everything just right," Jaune said, rubbing his hands together. "I took a look at the kitchen, everything's good, and we've already got the ingredients, so… No reason not to get straight to work, I guess."
He nodded and started walking towards the kitchen. Pyrrha stood for a moment, staring out at the sea, before she turned and grabbed Jaune by the wrist.
"Wait," she said, and Jaune turned to look at her with a furrowed brow. "Jaune, you… you know you don't have to go out of your way to make a special dinner for him, right? You don't have to impress him."
"You're right, I don't," Jaune said. "But… I kinda want to, even if I'm a bit scared of screwing up and ruining everything." He shrugged. "And it's not like I'm cooking just for him. This dinner's for us too."
"Hmm. I guess what I meant to say was…" Pyrrha said. "This is our vacation. It's just for us. And I know my father is excited to see me, and to meet you, but we can do that another time. So, if you want to, I can give him a call, and we'll reschedule?"
She took his hands and squeezed, looking him in the eyes, and his frown lessened somewhat.
"Look, Pyrrha, I'm not gonna pretend like the idea of meeting my girlfriend's dad doesn't make me wanna run off to fight a Grimm horde, but," Jaune said. "You had to meet my parents already. It's only fair I meet yours. Or just your dad, at least."
"But I enjoyed meeting your parents," Pyrrha said.
"My dad pretty much interrogated you to make sure you were a real person, and actually my girlfriend," Jaune said. "And Mom was really quick to start telling you about their wedding day. You'd think she has enough daughters already, especially after Saffron married Terra, but nope." He rubbed his forehead. "It was a bit disturbing, if I'm being honest. That woman has an obsession."
"She was just happy that we're dating," Pyrrha said. "I thought it was sweet."
"That's because you didn't hear the part about the future grandchildren," Jaune muttered, and Pyrrha tilted her head, sure she'd heard that wrong. "Moving on. Pyrrha, I'm okay with meeting your dad. And with impressing him with my Yang-cultivated cooking skills. You don't have to worry about that. And besides, we'll have the rest of the week entirely to ourselves after tonight, so it's no big deal."
Pyrrha sighed. Of course she didn't have to worry.
"You're right. I guess I'm a bit nervous," she said. "About you two meeting, I mean."
"What, you think I'm gonna embarrass you?" Jaune said.
"No, it's nothing like that," Pyrrha said. "It doesn't matter. Dinner will be great. He'll be very impressed with you, I'm sure of it."
"That's the goal," Jaune said. "But, you know what might help with that? Something you taught me - pre-battle planning! So, what can you tell me about your dad? What's he like?"
"Hmm. He's, well… my father," Pyrrha said. She looked around. "Anyway, if you're going to start things in the kitchen, I think I'll start cleaning up the place before he gets here. There's dust everywhere, and the house could use some fresh air. I'll take our bags to the bedroom upstairs while I'm at it. Are you going to need help?"
Jaune looked at her, and Pyrrha knew her attempt at changing topics hadn't gone unnoticed. They'd known each other for way too long for him to fall for her tricks so easily. And, admittedly, she was distracted, which only made her tells more obvious.
"No, I'll be fine for now. I might need another pair of hands later, but I'll call you then," Jaune said. "You go do your cleaning fairy routine."
"Cleaning fairy?" Pyrrha said, raising an eyebrow.
"I was going to go with goddess, but it felt like too much," Jaune said. "I know how you value modesty and all that jazz."
"Well, you can call me a goddess as much as you like, and I'll remain as modest as ever," Pyrrha said. "Not that I'd ever encourage you to do that, mind you."
Jaune nodded. "Okay. Saving that knowledge for later use."
He slipped his backpack off his shoulders and handed it to her. Pyrrha turned and walked towards the stairs to the second floor, but stopped to look over her shoulder as he called her name again.
"Hey, Pyr," Jaune said. "Happy one year?"
Pyrrha smiled.
"Happy one year, Jaune."
Nora walked down the hallway, humming to herself as she took in her surroundings. All in all, this criminal hideout wasn't too shabby, but it wasn't anything special either. She gave points for the blinking lights – very spooky – and the flower shop front – a timeless classic – but everything was way too clean, which didn't mesh with the overall vibe of the place. It showed that the person in charge didn't care enough to go the extra mile, which was a big shame.
"Hey! Quiet down before I make you!" The thug behind her poked the back of her neck with his pistol, pushing her forward. "And get a move on, will you? This isn't an amusement park."
"Coulda fooled me! Sorry, it's just that I love this part. I always get way too excited before the action begins, you know?" Nora said. "But I'll try to quiet down since you asked so nicely!" She looked back at the man. "So, how long have you been working here? Five, ten years? Or are you new?"
"I told you to quiet down," the thug said.
"Hey, I'm just trying to have a chat. I like to get to know people before I beat them up. That's, like, common courtesy or something!" Nora shrugged. "Is the reason you don't wanna talk because you're insecure about your position here? Maybe you're been here too long, and you're wondering if you're wasting your potential. Or maybe you're like an intern, and you're embarrassed 'cause you're kinda old, but that's okay, you can never be too old to get into a new field of work! Or maybe- oh is that the room you're taking me?"
"It is, yes!" the thug exclaimed. "Finally. Thank fuck."
"Hey, language, mister!" Nora said. "There's kids around here, you know."
The thug grunted and grabbed her by the back of her collar, shoving her through the doorway at the end of the hallway, which was really unnecessary. It's not like she hadn't quite literally walked into the building asking to be taken here. Why did criminals always have to make such a fuss about these things?
The boss' room was as unremarkable as the rest of the place. No windows anywhere, extravagant paintings on the walls, stacks upon stacks of lien on a table at the center. There was a single metal door which led to the back of the building, where the gang kept their more valuable loot, but Nora had known that way in advance. It was integral to the plan, after all.
The boss sat behind his desk, a burly middle-aged man with a mane of hair to rival a lion's. He looked up as she stumbled in, and raised an eyebrow at the thug still standing behind her. "The hell's this?"
"Girl just walked in, said she needed to talk to you," the thug said. "And also that, uh…"
"I'd really like to punch your teeth in if I get the chance!" Nora said, and smiled. "Which I will. After you hear my business proposal."
The boss looked at her with his mouth half-open, as if he didn't know whether to take her seriously or not. She got that look a lot. She wished she knew why.
"Well, then. I don't have any important work to do, and I could use a few laughs," the boss said, kicking back in his chair. "Please, do take a seat."
Nora walked over and plopped down on the chair on the other side of the desk. She looked around, taking in the guards standing on each corner of the room – one adult man, and three kids, two boys and a girl. They were packing some serious firepower, but she didn't care about that. Her smile tightened for a moment as she looked at the kids, before she turned to face the boss.
"So, what's this business proposal you have for me?" the boss asked.
"Well, it's nothing complicated, so don't worry about writing stuff down or anything," Nora said. "Here's the gist – I know you're a big shot crime lord around these parts. Robberies, extortion, kidnapping, all the usual nasties. And I know you're powerful because you've got a lot of people working for you, a lot of them just kids you pick off the street. Do you get where I'm going with this?"
"Let me guess," the boss chuckled, "you want to work for me."
"Nope. I want you to let go all the kids you've got working for you, and I want you to never get near another one again," Nora said. "In exchange, I won't hurt you so bad you won't be able to keep your droll inside your mouth. Deal?"
The boss stared at her for a moment, then leaned back and started laughing his lungs out. Nora sighed. Why did they never take her on her word?
"Oh, I've gotta give it you, that's good. That's goddamn hilarious." The boss wiped a tear from his eye. "You don't have a drop of fear in you, do you, kid?"
"Nope." Nora pursed her lips. "I sure don't."
"Yeah. Or maybe it's common sense that you're missing, who knows," the boss said, winding down. "Look, do you really think you're the first person who's come to me wanting to play hero? No, there was a long line of people before you who tried to scare me straight, and believe me, they were all much scarier than you."
"I wouldn't be so sure, mister."
The boss huffed, the humor leaving his face as he sat straight in his chair. "Look, kid. Your little act was very entertaining, so I'm gonna do you a favor and let you leave here without a scratch, which is more than I gave the idiots before you. Just take my advice and don't try this shit again, yeah?"
Nora looked at the kids standing guard again. They didn't even look her way, just staring forward like the good little underlings they'd been trained to be.
"Let's start again, because I just realized I forgot to introduce myself," Nora said, looking at the boss. "Actually, I didn't forget. I was just saving it for dramatic effect." She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk as she looked him in the eyes. "I'm the Valkyrie."
The boss blinked. "…is that supposed to mean something to me?"
"Yeah, it is! I said, I'm the freakin' Valkyrie!" Nora groaned. "Those freaking jerks, they couldn't even spread my name around like graceful losers! How am I supposed to build a reputation like this?" She threw her hands up. "Alright, fine. Maybe this will give you a clue."
She opened her left hand and concentrated for a moment. A tingle ran down her arm, until with a faint crackle, electric sparks sprouted from her skin and coursed around her fingers. She brought her hand down on the desk, and the boss jumped back, looking with wild eyes as sparks flew from the point of impact.
"You – you're the one who took down the Lazulis!" he said. "You? That was you?"
"Yep. And the Black Cobras, and the Owls, and one day I'm gonna take down the Malachite Spiders," Nora said. "But today, I'm settling for just you and your pals. And you better remember my name after I'm done with you, got it?"
The boss's chair clattered on the floor as he stood up, swiping his hand along the underside of his desk. He came up with a gun, aiming it at Nora's forehead, and she only had time to blink at it before he pulled the trigger.
Her head snapped back. The gunshot echoed throughout the room like thunder, and then a quiet noise followed – multiple clangs as the bullet fell between Nora's feet and bounced to a corner of the room. Blowing the hair out of her eyes, Nora slowly tilted her head forward, and looked the man in the eyes.
"Well, that was just rude," Nora said. "I just told you my name and you shot me for it? No wonder you're a criminal, what respectable company would employ someone with such bad manners?"
The boss pressed his back to the wall behind him, the smoking gun trembling in his hand. He looked around at his guards, who looked just as shocked as he did, and gestured fervently in her direction. "What are you idiots waiting for? Shoot her, shoot her dead!"
The guards raised their guns, but before they could shoot, the metal door on the back swung open, not forcefully, but almost gently dragging across the floor until it hit the wall. Not a soul lay beyond the doorway, just the hallway that stretched on further to the backrooms. Everyone in the room stared aghast, except for Nora, who couldn't help but smile knowingly at the vacant space before she tapped the desk to get the boss' attention again.
"I would take that as a warning, mister," she said. "You reallydon't wanna try and hurt me. It's not gonna end well for you, and trust me, that's beyond my power to stop that, 'kay? Not that I would want to, anyway."
She tilted her head as she stared at the boss, her eyes flashing blue for a split second as electricity coursed through her. He swore under his breath. "Just what kinda freak are you?"
"I'm so glad you asked!" Nora said. "You wouldn't happen to know the story of the valkyries, would ya?"
The boss squinted at her, torn between terror and confusion.
"Thought so," Nora said. "Lemme tell you about them. The valkyries-"
The sound of metal rattling interrupted her, and Nora looked to the right and saw the sole adult guard raising his gun towards her, seemingly recovered from the shock of what he'd seen. He put his finger on the trigger, glaring at her, and she smiled in return.
She loved this part.
The guard tensed, squeezing on the trigger, but stopped suddenly as the silhouette of a person appeared just beside him, there one instant, and gone the next. His gun went flying from his grasp, hitting a wall and falling harmlessly. He looked down at his now empty hands, then looked at her.
"What the f-"
The silhouette reappeared behind him, then vanished. His shout devolved into a moan as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he collapsed backwards, hitting the floor like a sack of potatoes.
"See? I warned ya," Nora said, and looked at the other guards. "Wow, wasn't that just the strangest thing, huh? It sure would be smart if you all skedaddled outta here before that happened to someone else…"
The kids looked at each other, then ran out of the room, dropping their guns behind them. Swearing, the boss ran after them, only for the silhouette to appear again and strike him in the chest. He reeled back and hit the wall, gasping for air.
"No, no, you're not leaving just yet. I've still gotta tell you my story, and you better pay attention, okay? I'm counting on you to get the word out," Nora said. "Alright, so, like I was saying – the valkyries were these awesome warrior women from old Mistralian folklore. They lived in the sky, and their job was to come down to Remnant every once in a while to escort the ghosts of dead warriors to a paradise where they could keep fighting for the rest of eternity – for glory or something weird like that."
A smoky smell filled the room. The boss sniffed at the air, and his face became pale as he looked towards the back door. He turned towards Nora and made to run past her, but she stood in his path and clenched her fists. Electricity coursed around her arms, her eyes taking on the slightest blue glow.
"That was the valkyries' job," she said. "Except sometimes a Valkyrie would come down to Remnant, find a warrior's soul, and she wouldn't take them up to heaven. They'd stay here, among the mortals, roaming the world together and punishing evildoers in the name of the innocent people they'd hurt."
The boss swallowed dry, his eyes widening with understanding. Nora chuckled.
"That's right. You're catching on. You're the evildoer, and I'm the valkyrie who's here to punish you. But that just leaves us with one question, doesn't it?" she said. "Just where the heck is my ghost?"
She waited a beat. Then another. A couple seconds turned into ten. The boss squirmed along the wall, but the more time that passed, the more confused he looked, rather than terrified.
"Come on, Ren! That was your cue!" Nora said. "You promised."
She heard a sigh beside her. Ren appeared, as if he'd always been there, his shoulders slumped from carrying a bulging suitcase in each hand.
"Behold and tremble. I am the fearsome warrior ghost," he said. "Ooooh. Repent."
The boss blinked twice, his jaw hanging open as he stared at the two of them.
"Repent!" Nora shouted, and thrust her arm out, shooting a bolt of electricity at him. He hit the wall hard, spasming madly for a few seconds, before he fell unconscious on the floor.
Nora walked over to the boss and poked his arm with her foot, happy to see he was limp as a noodle. She smiled, then hit herself in the forehead.
"Ah, crap! I forgot to warn him to stop recruiting kids or else we're gonna haunt him forever and blablabla-" Nora said. "I mean, I know I already told him once, but it can't hurt to reinforce the message, right?"
Ren looked at the unconscious man. "I think he got the message pretty clear, Nora."
"You think? I hope so, or else this was all for nothing," Nora said. "Anyway, did you do your thing in the back? Are all the material belongings this rascal holds dear to his heart burning in the flames of a giant bonfire?"
"It's a moderate fire. But yes." Ren held up the suitcases. "I grabbed the money, but it's not as much as we planned. I didn't want to leave you alone here too long."
"You didn't have to worry, I was all-the-way okay!" Nora said. She looked at the desk, and all the lien stacked on top of it. "Should we grab some of this to make up for it?"
"No time. We have to get out before the cops and the firefighters show up," Ren said.
"Aw, shucks. I was having so much fun, and it's over already," Nora said. "Hey, what if we woke up this guy and I taunted him a little? We've got time for that!"
Ren shook his head, and she sighed.
"Okay," Nora said, and offered him her hands. "Let's go."
He handed her one of the suitcases to hold, then took her free hand. She squeezed it, and felt a calm wash over her as they untethered from the world around them. She listened to his heartbeat – slow, distant – and smiled.
Maybe this had been over way too quick for her liking, but still… Another flawless job from the Valkyrie and the Ghost.
"Wow, Pyrrha. You really weren't kidding about your boyfriend's cooking," Mr. Nikos said, pushing his plate away from himself on the dinner table, and patted his belly. "You sure you're not a professional chef, Jaune? Could have fooled me."
Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. "I've only been cooking for a couple years, sir. And this is, like, my best meal, and it took hours for me to make it. You wouldn't like the other stuff that much, I'm sure."
"Well, there's only way to know. You're going to have to cook for us again so I can make a complete evaluation of your skills," Mr. Nikos said. "But not today. I'm going to burst if I have another bite."
"Me too," Pyrrha said, sitting beside him. She lay down her silverware and smiled at Jaune. "The dish was excellent, Jaune. All the hard work was definitely worth it."
"Thank you!" Jaune said. "Don't count on me making it again for at least a month, though, 'cause I'm exhausted."
"You know, Pyrrha, you really should get him to teach you a thing or two about cooking," Mr. Nikos said. "You can't have him cook for you the rest of your life."
"I've considered joining Yang's cooking lessons, but with Jaune and Weiss both learning from her, I think she's at capacity already," Pyrrha said. "Anyway, I wouldn't want to step on his toes. Jaune's really proud of his cooking."
"I just really enjoy having a thing I can do, you know?" Jaune said. "Pyrrha's got a hundred different areas she's an expert in. If I can just feed her delicious meals, that makes us even in my mind."
"You do you," Mr. Nikos said. "I'm sure she's not complaining. Right, sweetheart?"
He elbowed Pyrrha lightly, and she smiled at him and laughed. Jaune looked at the two of them, before he turned his eyes to his plate and forked what little remained of his food. The way Pyrrha smiled at her father, it wasn't in the same way she smiled at him or their teammates. It was certainly genuine, but… he felt like there was something lacking in it, he just didn't know quite what it was yet.
Jaune had been surprised when he'd finally met Mr. Nikos outside the house a couple hours ago. Without realizing it, Jaune had been picturing him as a super-athlete, and though Mr. Nikos still had some definition from his days as a Beacon agent, he was a full head shorter than his daughter, and he walked with a slight limp from his prosthetic right leg. He wore a thick pair of glasses he never took off, and his hair was brown, too – apparently Pyrrha had gotten her color from her mother, something she'd never told Jaune, but to be fair, he hadn't thought to ask either.
"This is going to be a lot of work to clean up," Pyrrha said, looking at the plates and pans stretched across the table. "Jaune, why don't I get a head start while you rest up?"
"I mean, I'm not gonna stop you from helping, but Pyrrha, your definition of a head start is usually doing all the work yourself," Jaune said.
"You can dry everything once I'm done," Pyrrha said. "I promise I'll let you do that part."
"I'd offer to help, but I'm afraid I've got to get back on the road and back to Suisen," Mr. Nikos said. "I've got a bunch of meetings there tomorrow, and I want to check in at the hotel before it's too late."
"Are you sure you won't stay overnight?" Pyrrha said. "Driving at this hour can be so dangerous, and we really don't mind you taking the guest room."
"Well, of course. It's my guest room, missy." Mr. Nikos chuckled. "But I'll be okay. I'm getting out of you kids' hairs as soon as possible. No one likes a party crasher."
He looked at Jaune and raised an eyebrow. Not knowing how to respond to that, Jaune elected to examine the prongs of his fork up close. Hmm, yes. Very interesting silverware. Impeccable craftsmanship.
"I'll be off, then," Mr. Nikos said, standing up. Pyrrha did the same, and started collecting the plates.
"You're not going to see him off?" Jaune asked, looking up at her.
Pyrrha paused for a moment, then looked at her father apologetically. "It's going to be a lot of washing."
"No worries, sweetheart," Mr. Nikos said. "Jaune can escort me."
Pyrrha went over to his side and kissed him on the cheek, then shuffled off to the kitchen. Jaune looked her way, worried about how fast she'd gone, but he figured it was something they could talk about later. He got up and joined Mr. Nikos, and they left through the front door. They walked over to his car, which he'd parked beside the house alongside Pyrrha's motorcycle.
"So," Mr. Nikos said, stopping beside the car and putting his hands in the pockets of his pants. "Was it as terrifying as you were expecting?"
Jaune blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Meeting your girlfriend's dad for the first time," Mr. Nikos said, smiling at his expression. "I went through that experience a few times myself in my time, and I remember it never got any less scary. I tried to make it easier on you, but I'm not sure it helped."
"Oh. No, it definitely helped, sir. I think?" Jaune said. "I liked meeting you. It was fun. And I'm glad you liked my food! I was worried you weren't going to."
"You know what they say, the fastest way into a man's heart is through his stomach. Very smart move from your part, Jaune," Mr. Nikos said. "And please, no sirs. Call me Peleus. Or Dad, if you want to, but maybe it's too soon for that."
"Definitely way too soon, sir," Jaune said. "I mean, uh… Peleus."
Mr. Nikos – Peleus – smiled at him and opened the car door. He leaned his elbow atop it and looked at Jaune.
"I like you, Jaune. Of course, who Pyrrha dates is entirely her choice, but I'm glad it's you," he said. "You're a good influence on her. I saw that tonight. The way she laughs, the stories she told… Even the language she uses. She's not the same girl she was a few years ago, that's for sure."
"That's… thank you," Jaune said. "She's been a good influence on me too, I think. She's definitely whipped me into shape!"
"I'm sure she has. But don't give her all the credit," Peleus said. "Being in love with someone can do wonders to a person. The way I see it, that's what makes human connections so special. But who we are without that special someone… That's more important than anything."
Jaune nodded. "I think I understand."
"You two are young," Peleus said. "Enjoy that time. Just don't lose sight of the future." He shook his head. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to get all wise on you. I know that can be annoying."
"That's okay, sir," Jaune said. "I appreciate the advice."
Peleus nodded and got inside the car, closing the door. Jaune stood beside it for a moment, before he leaned on the open window.
"Sir – Peleus, if you don't mind me asking," Jaune said. "Did something… Man, I don't know how to say this." He took a deep breath, considering his words. "I noticed Pyrrha acts a little… distant, towards you? And I don't think she's told me five things about you before today. Did something happen between you two?"
Peleus tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, looking past the windshield. The cricketing of insects surrounded them, broken occasionally by an ocean wave crashing on the beach not that far away.
"I suppose there's the fact that I sent her off to Beacon when she was seven years old," Peleus said.
"Oh. Yeah, I guess – I guess that was a thing that happened," Jaune said. "Was that… bad?"
"Bad? That is something I've been debating all my life," Peleus said. "But if you mean if she resents me for it? Well, I'm probably the least reliable person to be answering that question, but I don't think so. She liked growing up in Beacon. She liked the work she did. At least that's what she's told me in the past."
"Yeah, she's told me the same stuff," Jaune said. "And I don't know, it's hard to tell it with her sometimes, especially when it's personal stuff… But I don't think she was lying."
"You'll have to ask her yourself," Peleus said. "I won't lie and say I don't notice the same thing, Jaune. Pyrrha's been that way since… I don't even remember when things changed. But I've accepted that's just the way our relationship is now. And despite that, I still love that girl with all my heart."
Jaune nodded. He looked back at the house. There was one question he'd been dying to ask since he'd known he would be meeting Pyrrha's father – a question he'd been wondering about since he'd first met her, actually. Maybe it was a question best forgotten, though.
"You're wondering why, if I love her so much, I sent her away," Peleus said.
Jaune whipped his head around to look at him. "What? Are you psychic?"
"No. I've just been expecting you to ask about that all night long," Peleus said. "Tell me, Jaune. Do you believe in destiny?"
Jaune whistled. "That's a big question."
"It's an important one," Peleus said. He sat back and brought his right foot up onto the seat, and rolled back his pants to reveal the metal underneath it. "You know how I got this? Seventeen years ago, there was a big earthquake down south. It absolutely devastated a town not far from here, and I just so happened to be in the area. I was still an agent during that time, still married, Pyrrha had just turned four, and I had absolutely no business going anywhere near that mess. But I went and helped anyway."
He tapped his legs with his knuckles, smiling ruefully.
"There were a bunch of people trapped underneath a collapsed building. There was so much rubble stacked on top of them, they were going to need a whole team to get them out safely, and it needed to be done fast. So I volunteered to help," Peleus said. "We got everyone out safely, thankfully. But just as I'm getting the last woman out-" He brought his hand down on his thigh. "Bam. The whole thing came down in an instant, and I just managed to get out in time, except for my leg. It was… crushed. There was no saving it. So they had to amputate it."
"Damn," Jaune said. "I'm really sorry."
"It's alright. I've made my peace with it, but I was very bitter about it for a long, long time. I just couldn't understand why I was being punished for risking my own life to save others'," Peleus said. "But then I heard from that woman we saved, and she was so grateful that she was able to go back to her son and daughter. Three years later, the son graduated high school. Today he's a doctor, specialized in reconstructive surgery. And the daughter, last I heard she had just been accepted into her dream college. Business, I think."
"And if you hadn't been there, maybe none of that would have been possible," Jaune said. "You lost your leg, but you saved a life in return. Three lives, in a way. That's destiny?"
"Exactly," Peleus said. "And maybe it was destiny that Pyrrha was born special. That she was raised away from me, so she could help others. Maybe even so that, one day, she could meet you. And hasn't the whole world already been saved because of that?"
Jaune frowned. That was one way to see things. He wasn't sure he agreed, but he could see the wisdom in it.
"That's what I think, anyway. Maybe it's all nonsense I made up after the fact to make sense of the pain and the choices I've made," Peleus said. "But I don't regret sending Pyrrha away. She's become an amazing woman because of it, and she's happy. In the end, that's all that matters."
He turned on the engine, and Jaune backed away from the car.
"Now, I've really got to get going," Peleus said. "You be good to my daughter, you hear me?"
"Yes, sir, that's the plan!" Jaune said.
"Good." Peleus shrugged. "I'm cool, but I've still gotta do the tough dad routine. See you, Jaune. Tell Pyrrha I love her very much."
"Will do. Drive safely."
Jaune watched Peleus pull away from the house, then get on the road and drive away. He stayed outside for a moment, taking in the brisk night air, before he turned and walked back into the house.
In the kitchen, Pyrrha had already gotten through half the dirty dishes, and they were so clean he could see his own reflection in it. He knew he shouldn't be impressed, but he couldn't help but whistle anyway.
"Your dad's gone," he said, leaning on the counter beside her. "He says he loves you very much."
Pyrrha smiled in the middle of scrubbing a plate. "That's nice."
"He also said I need to be good to you, or else he'll bash my head in with a baseball bat," Jaune said.
Pyrrha stopped scrubbing for a second, a gasp escaping her lips, before she looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Well you don't have to worry about him. Just get him to meet your mom," she said. "She'll have him convinced we're engaged and expecting a child in no time."
If Jaune had been drinking anything, he would have spat it all over the floor. "Pyrrha! You can't say stuff like that, you'll give me a heart attack!"
"As a wise man once said, if you can't take it," Pyrrha said, "you shouldn't be dishing it out." She lifted the plate and shook it. "Get it? Because I'm-"
"-doing the dishes," Jaune said, scratching his forehead. "Wow, I really am some kind of influence on you. Not too sure it's the good kind."
Pyrrha grinned, evidently happy with her own joke.
"Hey, how about we leave the dishes for later?" Jaune said. "We should go to the beach. The water must be so nice right now!"
"Hmm… I don't know, Jaune," Pyrrha said, looking at the running water. "Didn't you say earlier that you were exhausted from making dinner?"
"Yes, but that's all the more reason for us to go for a swim! It'll be like physical therapy," Jaune said. "Especially if I can see my beautiful girlfriend in a bikini."
"You don't know that it's a bikini," Pyrrha said. "…Alright, fine. I suppose the dishes can wait until tomorrow. The crack of dawn." She paused. "As soon as I wake up."
Jaune shrugged. "I would expect nothing less."
Nora stepped out of the bathroom, the steam from the shower drifting from behind her into the motel room before it dissipated. She pulled her towel a little tighter around her chest, and sent a sly glance Ren's way. He was sitting at the one desk the motel supplied their room with, counting out the bills they'd swiped from the bad guys.
"Wow, that showersure was soothing to my sensitive skin," Nora said, dragging every vowel out. "Golly, it was justwhat I needed after such an exciting day. You know, all that pent-up energy just begging to be released."
She leaned on the wall, stretching her arms above her, and threw him another look, this time making sure to slowly blink and flutter her eyelashes. It was useless, of course, because he didn't so much as glance in her direction.
"The only problem was reaching my soft and unblemished back. My arms just aren't long enough, ya know? And it does need such a hard and thorough scrubbing," Nora said. "If only there was some way I could do it myself… or someone else could…"
Ren aligned a pile of Lien to make a neat stack and set it aside, and finally, finally, turned his head to face her. His eyes scanned her up and down, and Nora rose to the tip of her toes in excitement… before he turned back to the money and started counting it again.
"You're dripping on the carpet," he said.
Nora grit her teeth, raising her hands and curling her fingers in a strangling motion – which, obviously, he didn't see.
"Oh, something will be dripping alright, if you keep disrespecting me like that," she grumbled. "Fine! I'll put some clothes on. Not that you care either way."
She went over to her bag and pulled out her favorite white-and-pink t-shirt and shorts combo, and quickly threw them on. She rubbed her head with her towel to dry her hair a bit more, grinning at the electric sparks that flew from the static. When she was done, she tossed the towel aside and hopped over to Ren, putting her hands on his shoulders and leaning over him to look at the desk.
"So, how much did we score this time?" she asked.
"I haven't finished counting yet, but rough estimate, a little more over sixty thousand Lien," Ren said. "Like I said, I would have grabbed more, but I thought you were in trouble."
"And like I said, you don't ever have to be. Let's be real, I'm like a goddess of lightning and thunder. Or a queen. A goddess-queen!" Nora said. She bent down to kiss him on the cheek. "But it was very sweet of you, Renny-poo."
She walked over to the window, parting the blinders with her fingers to look out into the parking lot. There were a bunch of cars parked outside, but no more than she remembered when they'd checked in. And she couldn't see very far into the street, but there didn't appear to be any shifty persons sneaking about there either.
"Do you see anyone?" Ren said. "Police? Dumb goons looking for vengeance?"
"Nope. The coast is clear," Nora said, turning around. "So, have you started dividing the money yet?"
"I was going to finish counting it first, but you can start doing that if you want to," Ren said.
Nora grabbed a chair and sat down beside him, and started sliding the stacks Ren had already made over to her side of the desk.
"Okay, so, first. Three thousand for us so we don't starve to death," she said, setting aside one stack. "And then let's say we have sixty-thousand left. Five orphanages. So twelve thousand for each, then?"
"Yes, but don't forget to divide those again after that," Ren said. "We don't want to cause trouble by donating all the cash all at once. It brings the wrong kind of attention. I'd say, this much money… Divide it by four."
"Okay! Four donations of three thousand lien for each orphanage, then!" Nora said. "Hey, who would have thought. Math is fun. I should do this part of the operation more often."
"You only think that right now because this is very simple division with a bunch of zeroes added after every number," Ren said. "Otherwise, you'd say math is boring and impossible."
"It is boring and impossible," Nora said, "but it's fun when you do it with a friend!"
They continued their activity in silence, Ren counting the bills and arranging them in even amounts, while Nora took them and organized them for the donations they'd be making in the following weeks.
"Nora," Ren said as they got close to finishing, "do you ever think about what we're going to do after this is over?"
Nora looked at him, frowning. "What do you mean? When what is over?"
"This whole operation we do. Punishing crime lords, taking their money and giving it to people who actually need it. Probably the people they stole it from in the first place," Ren said. "This has got to end sometime, whether we want it or not."
"Has it gotta? I don't know, Ren, I think we could do this forever," Nora said. "Well, maybe not forever. Just until we're too old to move and we're put into retirement homes. Why, do you wanna stop?"
"No, it's just… I've been thinking about the effectiveness of it all," Ren said. "We can scare as many bad guys as we want, but I don't know if that's making any real difference in the long run."
"It makes a difference for the kids we're saving," Nora said. "Or are you saying we should just let them keep getting picked out by criminals on the streets?"
"No, that's not what I'm saying, Nora. We are doing good." Ren sighed. "I just wonder if we could be doing more."
"Maybe you've got a point. There's probably a way we could help even more. And I'm sure you're going to figure that out someday!" she said. "Me, I'm not a thinking-ahead gal. I'm a help-as-much-as-I-can-in-the-moment gal. So as long as I can be helping someone, I'll keep doing it." She crossed her arms. "I can't stand people who take advantage of kids like that. I swear, if I could stuff all those jerks in a big box and drop them in the ocean, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But not before punching each one of them in the face!"
Nora looked at him for approval, and he nodded silently. Ren felt the same way as her, she knew it. He just wasn't quite as enthusiastic about it as she was. Getting a rise out of Ren was very difficult. Actually, she couldn't remember the last time he'd raised his voice at anyone – and she knew she could be really annoying most of the time.
"You know, Ren, as long as we're talking about serious stuff…" Nora said, sliding a finger along the edge of the desk. "Next week is Kuroyuri Day. Fifteen years." She looked up at him, biting her lip. "Still feels like it happened just yesterday, doesn't it?"
Ren's shoulders dropped. "It really does."
"Yeah." Nora bowed her head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. I know you don't like talking about it."
"No, it's fine. I… was actually thinking about it earlier today," Ren said. "There's going to be an event in Suisen on the anniversary. A kind of memorial service, to pay tribute to everyone we lost that day." He paused. "I was thinking we could go."
Nora raised her head, her lips parted in surprise. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm okay with going if you want to, but… isn't it gonna be painful for you?"
"I think it's supposed to be painful," Ren said. "I'll be fine. I want to go."
"Okay, then we will! We take a bus there, it'll be cheap," Nora said. "And I'll be with you all the way, okay? So if you change your mind…"
"Thank you, Nora."
They worked for a couple more minutes until the last donation was arranged and secured in its envelope. Nora pushed her chair back and stood up, yawning for a good five seconds.
"Okay, I'm beat. Gonna go sleep now," Nora said. "Unless you want me to stay up with you?"
"No, it's fine," Ren said. "Just, one more thing, Nora. I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time now. Months, actually. I just didn't know how…"
Nora turned to him, her heart filling with hope once again.
"Valkyries," Ren said. "They're from Atlesian folklore, not Mistralian."
Nora stared at him, pouting.
"Sorry, I just thought you should know," Ren said. "Good night, Nora."
Nora sighed. "Good night, Ren."
The water was enjoyable. It was a little cold because of the hour, but they kept themselves warm by playing with each other. Apparently Pyrrha's training extended to underwater movement, because no matter how hard he tried, Jaune couldn't hope to catch her when she went under. And he was quickly reminded of how much of a competitive person she was when he splashed a little water on her face and got hit with a tsunami in retribution.
Eventually, however, the wind started to pick up, and no amount of movement was enough to stave off the cold it brought. They swam back to the beach, and sat on the sand side-by-side as they collected their breaths.
"See what a blast you can have when you stop being responsible for a minute?" Jaune said. "You should try doing that more often."
"I do that enough when I'm with you, you… bad influence you," Pyrrha said. "But I have to agree. That was fun."
She looked back at the house, her brow furrowing for just a moment, before she faced the ocean again and shook her head.
"What was that about?" Jaune asked.
"I was thinking about calling Ruby to check how they're handling work without us back home, but I'm sure they're doing just fine," Pyrrha said.
"You never take your mind off work, do you?" Jaune said, and she shrugged. "Well, at least you're better than Ruby in that way."
"Don't judge. She's just a very dedicated girl," Pyrrha said.
"I like dedicated girls," Jaune said, smirking. Then he saw the way Pyrrha looked at him, and cleared his throat. "I didn't mean that like I'm interested in Ruby – it's just that you're a very dedicated person and I like that about you – I'd never-"
"I know, Jaune." Pyrrha giggled. "I was just messing with you."
Jaune sighed. That's what he got for trying to be suave.
"Jaune, I'm really sorry," Pyrrha said. "I… haven't been entirely truthful with you lately."
Jaune looked at Pyrrha, surprised to find her hugging her legs while she stared at the ocean. He supposed with no one else nearby, she saw no reason to keep up her walls, but to see her vulnerable in that way wasn't something he was used to, even after all this time.
"Earlier today, when we were talking about my father. I wasn't all that worried about you meeting him," she said. "I think I was looking for an excuse for him not to come."
"Why? You don't like spending time with him?" Jaune said.
"No, it's not like that. I love him, but," Pyrrha said, "whenever we're together, I have this awful feeling of… guilt. I feel like I should love him more, and that I should miss him when he's gone. But I never do." She closed her eyes. "I'm starting to think there's something very wrong with me."
"Pyrrha, there's nothing wrong with you!" Jaune said. "You just grew up different. And it wasn't like you had any choice in it anyway. You were just a kid when they sent you to Beacon."
"But that's just the thing, Jaune! I'm not a kid anymore, and I look back at my life – I wonder about how I might be today if things had been different – and I don't even want that," Pyrrha said. "What kind of person doesn't want a normal life? You treasure your family so much, and Ruby and Yang go to visit their father all the time. Even Weiss makes a point of keeping contact with her family, and who could blame her if she didn't? And here I am, avoiding mine like they're poison."
Jaune tapped her hand and took it in his, squeezing it as he looked her in the eyes.
"Pyrrha, just because he's your father, doesn't mean you have to love him above everybody else. I mean, I love my parents and my sisters, but you know who I really consider my family?" he said. "It's you. And Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. That's who I can't picture my life without."
"You really mean that?" Pyrrha said.
"Yeah! We're a crazy family, but come on, I couldn't ask for a better one!" Jaune said. "So you see, you're not as different as you think you are. You just took a lot longer to find your family, and I'm really sorry about that. But you've got all of us now."
Pyrrha smiled. She moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder.
"I didn't grow up all alone," Pyrrha said. "There was Ozpin, at least. He was the closest thing to a father I had."
Jaune snorted. "Sorry. I'm just having a hard time picturing him as a father figure."
"He is a bit eccentric, I suppose. But he made me feel special. Important. And he always made sure I was happy," Pyrrha said. "If I'd wanted to leave Beacon at any time, I think he would have allowed me."
"He didn't even argue when you left to join the team," Jaune said.
"Right," Pyrrha said. "I miss him."
"Well, I don't know how easy it is to get a personal visit with the Director of Beacon, but maybe we can see him sometime," Jaune said.
"That would be great," Pyrrha said. "But after this week. This vacation is just for us."
Jaune had no problems with that.
He felt something drip on the tip of his nose, and looked up to find dark clouds blocking the stars and the moon. He noticed that the wind was even stronger than when they'd been in the water – had they talked so long that they missed all of that?
There was a flash of lightning, and suddenly rain came pouring down on them. Jaune jumped up with a scream, and Pyrrha scrambled up to her feet beside him.
"Woah! I didn't know there was going to be a storm tonight!" Jaune said.
"It happens from time to time," Pyrrha said. "Looks like it's going to be a bad one, too."
Thunder boomed from miles away, yet Jaune felt his chest rumble as if it had struck just next to them.
"We should probably get back inside," he said, starting to turn, but Pyrrha grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Pyrrha? What are you doing?"
"Being irresponsible."
She pulled him to her, then shoved him down on the sand. He looked up, swallowing dry as she towered over him.
"I have very mixed feelings about this," Jaune said.
Smirking, Pyrrha lowered herself until she was straddling his lap. She captured his lips in a kiss, and for a moment the sounds of the storm faded away around them, before she pulled back, and pressed her forehead against his.
"I love you."
"I… love you too. A lot," Jaune said. "…And suddenly my feelings are no longer mixed."
Pyrrha laughed, and they kissed again as the storm poured down on them.
Ren's eyes snapped open. The room flashed white, then back to darkness. The howling wind rattled the windows and pushed against the door, straining its hinges.
But it hadn't been the storm that had awakened him. Moving his head, he realized his mouth hurt from how he had been gritting his teeth, and the bed sheets were nearly torn under his hands – as if he had been gripping them in his sleep.
He glared at the ceiling.
Why? Why was he so angry?
Somehow, he managed to close his eyes, and on his next breath, he activated his Semblance. It was tougher than usual, but over the next few seconds, the noise of the storm became a little bearable, and he slowly felt himself become calmer.
It was then that he heard Nora's crying.
He jumped out of his bed and rushed over to hers, nearly losing hold of his Semblance in the process. He kneeled on the ground and reached out to the quivering form under the covers, laying his hand where he imagined her shoulder was.
After a moment, the shivering lessened, and a hand raised the sheets. Nora stared at him from under them, her eyes wide and red with tears.
"R-Ren," she said between gasps. "I'm scared."
Ren took her hand. She was scared? The storm, of course. But-
"I can't stop shaking." Nora sobbed. "Sleep with me?"
He climbed onto the bed and hugged her. She pressed her head against his chest, breathing in and out shakily. He drew on his Semblance, letting it wash over her as well as himself.
In the distance, thunder rumbled, but it reached them as but a faint aftershock. The rattling of the door and the windows faded away. Lightning came and went unnoticed.
After a few minutes, Nora fell asleep, and Ren soon followed.
"I told you this was a bad idea, but you never listen to me! Now look where you got us!" the boy yelled.
"Why should I listen to you, boy?!" his father yelled back. "I've been fishing since before you were even born! What do you know?"
"I know enough not to go out fishing in a freaking storm!"
"The weather lady said clear skies! Clear skies! How is that my fault if she doesn't know what she's talking-"
A wave struck the boat, nearly turning it over and dropping them into the trashing ocean.
"Enough chatting!" his father said. "Get paddling if you don't wanna drown!"
"I am paddling, old man!" the boy yelled, and turned the oar in his hands to get a better grip on it. "Worst birthday ever. I'm staying with Mom next year."
"I heard that!"
They paddled furiously, fighting the waves to move forward and keep the boat upright at the same time. The beach was not that far away, just a few minutes' paddling. If they could just keep up their strength, they would make it.
As they got close to the beach, the boat jumped a couple inches off the water, and landed back with a shudder.
"Dad?" the boy said. "I think something hit the boat."
"It was just the waves! Keep paddling!" his father yelled.
"But I didn't see any waves-"
Suddenly, the boat split between them, splinters flying everywhere. They fell in the water, the cold seeping into their bones.
The boy reached out for his father – but where was he? He looked around, and saw nothing in the murky expanses around him. Desperate, he turned himself around towards the surface, only to scream when he saw two red orbs staring him down from above.
He tried to swim away, but two clawed fingers stopped him in his tracks, burying into his chest before pulling back with a violent tug. Blood filled the water.
He closed his eyes, and the last thing he saw was a red glowing maw descending on him.
Happy New Year, everybody! IT'S JUNIPER TIME NOW. And yes, I did make Jaune and Pyrrha kiss in the rain in the first chapter, because that's my idea of romance. Sue me.
This will be an... interesting story. I don't think you'll see quite where it is going until we get there, that's for sure. It's going to be an exciting couple of months. I hope you enjoy the ride!
Thanks to Fell for beta-ing the story, and as always, thank you for reading.
-Zeroan