The Cunning Challenge of r/RWBYPrompts is a bi-monthly event in which writers offer ourselves up to be challenged! People give us prompts and we write short stories for them, much like Writing Prompt Wednesday. This was the story I wrote for the first Cunning Challenge.

The prompt was "Jaune Dies AU: Just prior to the battle with the Nuckelavee, Pyrrha confronts Ruby about her insecurities, and/or vice versa" given to me by SmallJon.

Pyrrha walked slowly through the streets of Kuroyuri back to where Ruby was sitting beside her uncle.

"I'm sorry, I didn't find anything," she said as the younger girl looked up at her. Ruby nodded and turned back to Qrow's barely unconscious body. His bandages, which had been changed just an hour ago, were already stained purple. Pyrrha had never realized that there were Faunus with such lethal poison as Tyrian's. For it to have this effect on a person with Aura was almost unthinkable. If an antidote wasn't found soon…

Pyrrha's thoughts were interrupted by the distant howl of a Beowolf. Pyrrha flinched at the noise. She knew that it was far away, but that was small comfort with Ren and Nora alone somewhere out there.

"You're worried about them?" mumbled Ruby, as if reading the older girl's mind.

"They're strong, and they have each other," Pyrrha replied softly. "Against Grimm, I think they have even more experience than I do. Still, it's hard to not worry after… everything."

Ruby stood and walked over to the older girl.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Pyrrha turned to her with a surprised expression on her face. Ruby continued before Pyrrha could answer. "I never should have dragged you all into this. This is all my fault."

"That's not true," the older girl answered hurriedly. "You didn't drag any of us into this, we chose to come. And besides, it's my fault that-"

"Don't," interrupted Ruby, her face suddenly steeling a bit. "I've told you a hundred times, none of this is your fault."

Pyrrha gestured to Qrow. "How can you say that after everything he told you? If I had just taken the Maiden's power right away, then I could have stopped all of it. I could have saved Penny and…" She still had trouble saying his name.

"You said the same thing at the campfire," Ruby pointed out. "And you remember what Qrow said?"

"We weren't going to let you take the power right away," Qrow had told her. "You weren't just risking your life; you were risking your identity, your soul. There was no way you were getting in that pod without taking some time to consider it."

"I remember," answered Pyrrha. "But maybe he should have-"

"If they pressured you into the transfer and then something bad had happened," interrupted Ruby. "I don't think I could have forgiven them. Not even Qrow. And Jaune would have been even angrier."

Pyrrha flinched at the sound of his name, but at the same time she was grateful for the reminder of how much he had cared about her.

Ruby stepped closer to her friend and placed a hand on her arm.

"I miss Jaune all the time, but that doesn't mean that I'd trade you for him. I don't blame you for what happened to him, or to Penny, or anything else. It was Cinder's fault, and trying to take any of the blame yourself just makes her less guilty."

Pyrrha wiped her eyes of the tears that were starting to form there. She looked at Ruby and did her best to smile.

"Then, can you promise not to blame yourself for this?" she asked, gesturing to Qrow.

Ruby's face fell as she glanced back at her uncle. "Well, I convinced you to come along."

"Yes," agreed Pyrrha. "And I'm glad you did." Ruby looked back at her in surprise. Pyrrha sighed and glanced at her feet. "I was ready to give up. I've never given up on anything, but after Beacon and… Jaune… I didn't know how to keep going.

"When I heard that you were going to Haven like this, I almost couldn't believe it. That you were still going to keep fighting after everything you'd lost, it inspired me. It inspired all of us not to give up."

The two girls embraced each other for a moment before separating and returning to check on Qrow. Both felt a bit stronger than they had before.

Stop by r/RWBYPrompts if you want to see more such writing. And be sure to check out SmallJon, or Aetheling as he's known here, to see just one of the other fantastic writers we get over on reddit.