A/N: Aaaaand we're back! Quick turnaround on this one, and a special thanks to Harmonious Arkos Sloth for their help in preparing this chapter. Along with being gracious enough to save my hide, Sloth is also a writer here on FFN: check em out!
thank you for reading, and please enjoy chapter twenty!
When Ruby and Yang finally broke their group out of the bustle of Patchwork, onto the long pier, Pyrrha nearly burst into laughter.
A pierside park. They had brought them to a fair, just like back in Beacon.
"Welcome, to Patchwork Park!" Yang declared, waving grandly to the entrance. Stalls and tents lined the wide avenue, and she could see a collection of rides running along the edge all the way to the pier's terminus. The smell of saltwater mixed with fair food, which was altogether not a pleasant thing, but plenty of laughter could be heard amongst the bustle of people and the whirring of machines. Most of the rest of her party was giddy, smells aside, and the whole group moved in, determined to enjoy another day in Patch.
"There's normally beach access, too, but it's probably too cold for that now." Yang added. The brisk cool of autumn had not yet turned to winter's chill, but the water certainly would be. Yang bumped Blake towards a gap in the rail, and their faunus friend looked as if she was planning on dragging Yang with her into the icy depths, if the vice-grip on Yang's empty sleeve was any indicator.
Pyrrha didn't miss how Blake winced at the action of grabbing that sleeve, once reflex had faded.
"ARCADE!" Bellowed Nora. Pyrrha knew what was coming, it had happened more than once in Vale, and she took a deep breath. Said breath was promptly forced out as Nora took hold of all of JNPR in a sweeping grab, hauling all three of them with her towards the arcade tent. In her bouncing jostle, Pyrrha could make out their sister team giving pursuit. Or trying to, Yang and Ruby were struggling to move, bent over laughing.
Deposited inside the hall, JNPR were greeted by flaring lights and blaring machines, lined in rows throughout. Nora stepped forth, their leader in this place. "Alright, ladies, let's do this!"
"Hey!" Ren and Jaune objected in sequence. Nora ignored them, of course, her eyes sweeping the floor. It fell on the Whack-a-Grimm, though she only took a single step before all three of her teammates piled onto her.
"Nora, I'm giving you an order: no Whack-a-Grimm." Jaune commanded their tiny teammate.
"His ordering voice is the same as his father's." Nora looked as if Jaune had ordered her to burn down the arcade, but she accepted the command nonetheless.
"We'll stop on the way back to the cabin, you can play it then." Jaune offered, lessening the blow.
"Deal!" Nora crushed Jaune's hand in a shake, turning away from the machine as the four of them rose from their pile in time for RWBY to arrive.
"Huh, you guys haven't been banned yet: that's an improvement." Ruby chuckled.
"None of that!" Jaune chided. "Alright, we got a lot in here, what do you guys wa-"
"Dance pad." Ren interjected, pointing towards the giant machine several rows down, calmly striding away from the group of seven. Jaune, his brief authority in tatters, watched him go.
"Alright, we're doing dance pads!" He took Pyrrha by the hand and followed after Ren, leaving the others to take up the rear.
Ren had already taken one of the two positions, and Pyrrha just managed to get Jaune up there rather than herself. The two boys stood ready on stage, while the girls gathered 'round. The two exchanged those cryptic looks & shrugs all boys seem to know, and Ren set the game to competitive.
"Go Ren!" Nora cried.
"You can do it, Jaune!" She fired back.
"Jaune's screwed." Yang stage whispered to Blake. Pyrrha knew Jaune was a good dancer, but it was still Ren in his natural habitat. An idea struck her, one just in line with her partner.
"Jaune?" She asked, stepping up to the rail. Jaune moved off his pad, leaning over to her. She stretched up, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "For luck." She stepped back down to rejoin her friends, but Jaune looked as if he was going to float onto the ceiling. She had seen her little stunt pulled a hundred times in movies or books, and though she had always thought it silly, the way Jaune carried himself had her thinking differently.
"I got this, Pyrrha." He said with absolute confidence.
No amount of subsequent tickets or ridiculous prizes from the arcade could quite patch the raw wound of his utter defeat. Ren hadn't just beaten him, he hadn't just won. He had demolished him. Utterly, totally crushed him. A recording of their match would probably be rated unsafe for unsupervised children, it was that bad.
The gang had moved out of the arcade since, and they had slowly separated into the crowd. Ruby, Yang, and Nora, with Ren and Blake as hostages, had been dragged off to this ride or that stall, and soon Jaune and Pyrrha found themselves alone together in the park.
"Well, I'm not complaining, that's for sure. I'll take any alone time." Jaune looked around at the thronging crowd. "Well, whatever counts as alone time." Getting some time away from his family and team had been a little hard in tight-knit Bar. In Patch, though, they were just a pair of kids enjoying their day, especially with Pyrrha's "disguise". At the moment, that involved a pleasure he'd missed out on back at Beacon.
Getting Pyrrha to eat ridiculously unhealthy fair food.
"I still don't know why you would fry ice cream." She said warily, looking at the dish they'd been served.
"Come on, Pyrrha, it's part of the fun!" He cut free a piece, popped it into his mouth, and made pleasant noises. "See? Try it, please?" He cut free another piece, holding it up to her. Pyrrha had a sweet tooth, yes, but she didn't immediately jump into the crazy stuff. Leaving her alone with a chocolate cake was a different story, though.
Pyrrha eventually caved, and took a bite from the spoon: her eyes went wide at the weird taste. "Oh my god…"
"I know!" They promptly demolished the bowl.
It was when they were eating the coffee-flavored cotton candy that Pyrrha spotted a booth she could not ignore. She took hold of him and dragged him towards it excitedly. The deep shooting gallery had a series of air rifles lined up along the front, cans stacked in the back, and stuffed animals all along the walls. The man by the booth smile at him, gesturing grandly.
"Well, here to win a prize for the lady, young man?" He asked with a laugh. "Or maybe, it's the other way around?" Pyrrha smirked and the vendor smiled with her when she took up one of the rifles.
"The latter." Pyrrha confirmed, in a pleasant tone. The man accepted her proffered lien and stepped back.
"Five shots to knock down a stack: the bigger the pyramid, the better the prize." The man probably expected Pyrrha to shoot for one of the smaller piles, then move her way back if she succeeded.
But he didn't know Pyrrha.
Pyrrha settled down on one knee, using the counter as well as her arms to still the weapon, even though she certainly didn't need the help. Her breathing slowed momentarily, and Jaune had time to notice the beginnings of consternation on the vendor's face before the rifle let out five staccato shots.
The four furthest pyramids collapsed in a clatter of cans.
Pyrrha hopped to her feet, weapon held triumphantly above her head, while the man looked down the gallery glumly. "Could've mentioned you were a huntress, miss." He grumbled. Pyrrha locked up at that, suddenly self-conscious of defeating a game made for civilians.
"I'm sorry, do you have another range for Huntresses?" She asked with genuine worry. The man waved a hand, moving over towards the rows of prizes.
"Usually give them less shots, but it's not much different from a marksman or a soldier coming along. You don't look the part, is all." Jaune felt rather proud at that, and Pyrrha preened: her disguise had been their work.
Let her hair down, throw on the classic ballcap, borrow Yang's shades, and Pyrrha didn't look anything like her normal self. Just a girl out on a clear Fall day.
"Never underestimate shades and a cap…"
"And which one would our fine huntress like?" The man questioned.
"May I have that one, please?" Pyrrha pointed to the back row, and Jaune soon found himself carrying about a massive stuffed goliath. It was so comically oversized, Pyrrha had to lead him by the hand half the time. It was the second-best gift she'd ever given him.
Yang and Blake eventually collected the two of them, and the four managed to find their way into a mirror maze. The two pairs immediately split up: Yang was convinced you always go right, but he remembered it was always go left. Blake and Pyrrha just watched as the two argued until Blake took it upon herself to solve the problem and walk away.
Yang hesitated, clearly not wanting to give up. She shook a finger at him: "We're not done here, Jaune. See you guys outside!" She sprinted off after Blake, and he and his partner made to go, but Yang's voice came down her hall.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't, Pyrrha!" They were both left blushing at that, Jaune fighting the urge to hide behind the stuffed animal. A few minutes of following the wall, Jaune managed to work up the nerve to talk again.
"Ya know…" He coughed awkwardly, and Pyrrha giggled a bit at his flustered state. "I'm sure they would understand if we got lost." She plucked the Goliath out of his hands, setting it down in a corner before dropping onto the cushion.
"I think I could use a few minutes rest, Jaune." She purred, feeling rather daring.
Ruby had rejoined her team when the two of them eventually got out of the maze, unaware of the knowing grin Yang sent their way. "We're gonna try the rollercoaster, come on!" Jaune felt his flushed skin go a tad green.
"Uh, Ruby, that may not be the best idea for me." Ruby looked lost for a few seconds, then slapped her head.
"Oh, duh! Sorry Jaune, I forgot about that. Have you seen Ren and Nora?"
"They're likely wherever Nora can get the most stuffed animals." Pyrrha speculated.
"Quantity over quality, huh? Well, Jaune looks happy with his." He shuffled the behemoth in his hands, chuckling a little. Yang leaned forward conspiratorially, and Jaune knew everyone was about to hear something they'd regret. "How about you, Cereal Girl? Jaune's goliath big enough for you?"
Ruby grabbed Yang by the collar before speeding off in a burst of red. Jaune buried his face in the toy to groan loudly, wanting nothing more to crawl into a hole and die, but not before he saw Pyrrha turn a painful red, darker than her own hair. He prayed that if he kept his head hidden long enough, maybe he'd wake up back in Bar, all of this just a bad dream Somewhere back in the real world, he heard an uncomfortable Blake talking.
"I'm really sorry about that, Pyrrha. She's just been bottling all the puns and innuendo up, I think we've created a monster."
"It's alright!" Pyrrha stammered in a panicked titter, clearly not alright. He could practically feel the heat from Pyrrha's blush emanating from her.
"We'll try and find you two later, okay?"
"Kill me, please." He groaned.
Nora had lost her patience and returned to the arcade without them, so Ren was forced to escort her home when security asked her to leave. Yang and Ruby had joined a hot dog eating contest, leaving Blake to walk the overstuffed sisters back home. Ruby didn't even make it to the trash can, sadly, but they were kind enough to relieve Jaune of his gift.
She and Jaune were still enjoying their time at the fair, however, moving from stall to stall as evening moved on. At the moment, they were splitting an obscenely large sundae, enjoying the view of sunset by the sea. He offered her a bite of chocolate ice cream and fudge, which she graciously accepted.
"Have you booked our passage into Vale yet?" She asked, swallowing her bite. Jaune hummed a committal.
"Day after tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to the ride, though. Can't we take a car for once?" She floated a spoonful up to him, interrupting his frown. "Thanks."
"Not a problem, dear." He grinned at the name, and she smiled back. The cocoa-flavored heaven was a delightful meal, after all the ridiculous sweets they had tried: they weren't bad, usually, but they were more for the experience for flavor. She floated up another bite to him, ignoring the spectators her little show of semblance had drawn. "What are our plans for Vale, anyway?"
Jaune looked away, focusing on the landscape. "We tell the professor, then help with Vale and Beacon. You're strong Pyrrha, really strong." She flushed a little at that, but knew it was truth and not flattery. "I mean, I don't think we'll just walk into Beacon the next day, but we can help! We're better off than we were when we left. Vale needs us."
"Plus, there's our delivery for RWBY." She reminded him, and Jaune flinched a little.
"You don't think you could handle that for me, Pyr?" The honest fear in his voice was too much, and she let out a rich laugh.
"Oh, I'm sure that won't be too bad, Jaune. Besides, we still have to deal with family." Pyrrha wasn't sure if she was pleased or concerned about Jaune meeting her mother again, but in his new role. She could be a tad overbearing.
Jaune, unaware of her internal struggles, laughed a bit. "How about you take care of the letter, and I'll do everything else?" Jaune offered another bite, which she happily accepted. "I'll even throw in a massage, please." She patted his cheek.
"I'm sure it will turn out fine." She managed to slide the bowl to safety before Jaune's forehead landed in it, the blond mop instead dropping onto the tabletop.
Jaune's stomach was already protesting, but he knew he had to do this. He had to repress that sick feeling, for Pyrrha's sake. The line crawled forward again, and the couple stepped up to the front; their destination unnerved him to his very bones, but he had to do this, for her.
How could they go to a pierside park and not try the Ferris Wheel?
The old man operating the ride took one look at their joined hands, and scowled at them. Jaune didn't have to guess if he'd been asked to "stop it at the top" today: he probably heard it a couple dozen time every day since the beginning of time. Wisely, Jaune kept his mouth shut, and instead stepped into he and Pyr's shared car.
She'd asked if he'd be alright of course, Pyrrha was always watching out for her friends, but he couldn't let her miss out on one of the classics. Looking over to her, Pyrrha was watching the nearly-vanished sun starry-eyed, and as their car rumbled into motion, she scooted close, resting her head on his shoulder.
It would have been the perfect moment, if his stomach wasn't trying to crawl out of his throat.
The ride slowly rose up, and Pyrrha wrapped her arms around his waist; Jaune stretched his own behind Pyrrha, and tried to ignore the pressure her hands were causing. "This has been a lovely day." She hummed contently into his shoulder.
"Yeah…" He forced through thick lips. His stomach was roiling, he could feel occasional surges of bile. "Stay strong, Jaune, keep it together."
The car rocked slightly as it leveled out, and his partner scooted closer. "You don't think everyone would mind if we were a little late getting back, do you? I'm not sure I want tonight to end yet…" A pleased warmth shuddered through Jaune, which actually combined horrifically with his nausea.
"I… I think they'd get it." The funnel cake wanted out, he could feel it.
"Jaune?" He looked down to Pyrrha, to see her resting against him, face turned up to his and very close. She pressed a hand on his chest, and leaned closer. Jaune's breath hitched.
Pyrrha's nose flared.
"Jaune." The hand, once lying lightly on his heart, pushed back with not a little force. "Jaune, are you well?" Her voice had gone dangerous.
"'M fine." He mumbled, unable to meet her eyes in the growing dark. Pyrrha's free hand took an uncompromising grip on his chin, forcing his face towards her studying eyes. Jaune felt his guilt mingle with sickness as Pyrrha watched him.
"Jaune!" She hissed indignantly. "You said the ride was too gentle to bother you."
"Ferris Wheel's a classic, you couldn't miss out." He mumbled, leaning away from her and towards the seaward edge.
"And you vomiting would be good for the mood?" She accused.
"…She has a point." A corner of his mind agreed. Before he could make a counter, Pyrrha let out a quiet huff, settling a hand on the rail of their car, and closed her eyes.
"Pyr?" He asked worriedly.
"Hush." She replied, her face growing sterner. That's when Jaune noticed the growing black aura around her hand. Jaune's eyes widened in realization, but before he could speak, the black light flowed from her fingertips, speeding across the metal frame of the ride. The black light flared just as their car crested the top, and the machine slowed. Metal groaned for a moment, and the ride stopped entirely.
"Pyrrha." He groaned through clenched teeth.
"Just until your stomach settles. Honestly, Jaune, your wellbeing is more important to me than a ride." She sounded more than a little mad at him. He wanted to complain, but he was too busy reveling in his eased stomach. Pyrrha's hand was still wrapped around the railing, so he instead inched closer to her.
"I'm sorry, Pyrrha. I didn't want to get in the way." In a move he learned from Ruby and his little sisters, he turned on the puppy eyes. Pyrrha kept her eyes focused on the rail, watching her semblance, but he could see her eyes dart to him more than once. "I just wanted to make sure you had a good night." He slid closer, resting his head on her shoulder. He could feel her relax.
"Just promise me you won't do it again." She said sternly, free hand playing with his hair.
"Promise, Arc's honor." He rested a hand on her knee for support, and pushed towards her. She giggled at his forwardness, and their lips met happily. He felt her other hand wrap around him, and he turned to get into a more comfortable position. He let out a surprised squeak when he felt a tongue slide across his lips, but he wasn't about to say no.
Her hands gripped in his hair, his own slid down smooth skin, Pyrrha leaned back as he moved forward. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and feel Pyrrha's under his palms. To his infinite torture, she pulled back.
"Mmm, Jaune." The concern in her voice stopped him, despite his own wishes. He looked to her, noticing her eyes focused below them. "Why are we not moving?"
Jaune stared at her in confusion. "Your sembl-" then he noticed the telltale black glow was gone from the metal of the Ferris Wheel.
The crackle of a megaphone sounded below. "Sorry folks, we've got an electrical error! Engine's on the fritz, but we'll have you down in a jiffy!"
Pyrrha stiffened at the words, and she hissed over the edge, loud enough only for him to hear.
"I'm sorry!"