Shortly after abruptly leaving behind Ruby and her friends, Celise shoved her way through the crowds of students in a frantic pace. She didn't even take the time to apologize to the students she knocked over as at that moment, they didn't exist to her. Even the soldiers who tried to stop her were either pushed aside or simply stepped out of the way, all while she ignored their commands for her to stop.
Only one thing currently pervaded her mind: Fear.
She tried her best to make it to the classrooms before the teachers closed them for the night and in the heat of the moment, seeming to have forgetten which classes were which and who the professors of each class were in her rush.
Then she remembered that each class had nameplates stating whose class it was and she quickly read each name: Professor Port, 'Doctor' Oobleck, Professor Peach, Professor Goodwitch then finally, Professor Ossea.
Celise, finding the classroom and upon seeing that the door was closed, reached for the handle. Feeling it budge underneath her hand, only then did she swing it open.
"Ossea!" Celise shrieked and despite Ossea's almost robotic and unnatural persona, jumped before quickly turning away from the chalkboard.
"Celise?" Ossea barely managed to ask as they felt Clise suddenly grab on to him, almost knocking them both over and causing Ossea to drop his eraser to the floor. Ossea then braced himself against his desk and Celise embraced them tightly.
"He's… here! He's… here!" Celise said frantically in between gulps of breath, as if she had just fled from the devil itself.
Ossea placed his hands on Celise's shoulders and gently pushed a panicked Celise away before they asked, "Who?"
"Ash…! Ash is here!" Celise continued as she struggled to breath, as if uttering the name choked the breath out of her.
"Calm down, Celise," Ossea said as they guided Celise to the stairs leading down the lecture hall and sat her down and knelt in front of her. "There is no way that Ash would be in Vale."
"But HAVC saw him!" Celise countered as she began to hug her legs and hide her face, only allowing her eyes to peer over her knees at Ossea.
"Saw him?" Ossea asked. "In Vale?"
"No," Celise said, her voice muffled as she continued to hug her legs. "They saw him in Mt. Glenn when they went to look for Ruby and her team."
"Are you sure that it was Ash?" Ossea asked.
"They… they described him perfectly," Celise said with a shudder. "His burnt clothes and down to that ungodly stench."
"Strange," Ossea said as they placed a hand on their chin. "If that was true, then why weren't we warned?"
"Because I thought it necessary to not tell either of you."
With a start, both Ossea and Celise looked up at the lecture halls entrance to see General Ironwood staring down at them, flanked by two security personnel.
"Not that I would worry…" Ossea said as they stood up to address Ironwood. "But why would you think it not necessary to tell us?"
"Yeah, we used to work under Ash and we gave you all the info we could" Celise snapped. "You don't know what kind of man he is! The things he's made us do and let's not mention what he does to deserters! You and Ozpin promised to protect us if we cooperated with you!"
"It is precisely for that reason that I chose to withhold that information," Ironwood answered as he then dismissed his security detail and with a nod, they both left Ironwood and Ossea alone.
"He's after us, isn't he?" Celise asked with a shivered whisper.
"No," Ossea replied, not taking his eyes off Ironwood.
"I have no reason to believe he's after either of you," Ironwood likewise replied. "At least not yet. From what HAVC and RWBY told us, I suspect he was simply leading the Grimm through the old railway and into Vale. This tactic shouldn't come as a surprise to either of you."
"Indeed," Ossea replied. "He always used the Grimm in his operations. Manipulated their nature."
"I know how he works!" Celise snapped. "But why is he here?"
"That is what I want to know as well," Ironwood asked as he began to descend the stairs towards the Ossea and Celise. "I would like to know, of all people, why he would be working with the White Fang? This is not within Ash's profile as he only does what he wants to do as long as it helps Umbra. Why would he help a third party like the White Fang?"
Even Celise was curious as to the answer and turned to Ossea who simply looked back at her. They attempt to start but hesitate initially, and finally began to answer General Ironwood.
"I don't know," Ossea finally said. "He had so many that worked under him to which he would reveal only specific information about his plans to each member. His work with the White Fang was not one of the plans he shared with me."
"No, instead your plans were to infiltrate the Huntsmen Academies…" Ironwood said as he glared at Ossea.
"Yes," Ossea as he likewise glared.
"So what?! You here to interrogate us again?" Celise hissed. "You think we had something to do with this?"
"No," Ironwood said. "I am genuinely curious as to why he would work with the White Fang, considering his and Umbra's end goal."
"Ash…" Ossea began, "Had a very interesting outlook on the world… One where his actions were his way of passing judgment through those he had come into contact with."
Ossea turned away to think a moment. "He… has this mental tick, a sort-of… propensity for manipulating people to do his bidding. Bending their very nature against themselves and feeding off of that to strengthen himself... or rather, strengthen his beliefs. His resolve."
"So, you are saying that the reason why he would work with the White Fang is to prove a point?" Ironwood attempted to reiterate.
"No, that would just a bonus," Ossea replied. "All I can gather from this is that he is just manipulating the White Fang. For what purpose, I don't know."
"In any case, their attack on Vale has failed," Ironwood affirmed. "Once I heard that Ash was possibly involved, I sent a team to search through Mt. Glenn and they have turned up nothing."
"The fact your men did not turn up dead is evidence enough that he is no longer in Mt. Glenn, General," Ossea responded.
"Which could mean he is in Vale," Celise said in a hushed voice and as her breathing becoming ragged once more.
"Do not worry, Ms. Bloom, I have men stationed at every corner of Vale," Ironwood assured. "If he was in Vale, we would have found him by now."
"Ossea, what is Ash's goal?" Celise whispered as she looked up at Ossea then back at Ironwood.
"I promise I will tell you another time," Ossea replied with a whisper while keeping his gaze on Ironwood.
"Hmm," Ironwood simply hummed as he looked down at Ossea but then turned leave. "In the future, Ms. Bloom, please let one of my staff know that you need to see Ossea immediately. Running in the halls is a hazard to yourself and other students, and puts some of my men on edge."
"I'm sorry," Celise said quietly.
Without a word, Ironwood left the lecture hall and closed the door behind him.
"He doesn't trust us," Celise said.
"I know," Ossea replied.
"I don't blame him," Celise said. "I did some bad things."
"None of which are your fault," Ossea assured her.
"Please, Ossea, promise me that we are safe here," Celise pleaded.
"As long as I am here, Celise, I promise you will be safe," Ossea said with a nod. "Please forgive me, Celise. I introduced you to this life but I promise you that as long as I am here, I will get you out."
0-RWBY-0
Yang stared at the ceiling, wondering what was going on, while the rest of her team slept soundly. With her Scroll clutched tightly in her hand, she was anxiously waiting for a reply as she messaged Celise. Just to check in case she missed the vibrations from her Scroll, Yang brought it up and turned it on, the light blindingly bright light caused her to wince.
Once her eyes had adjusted, she read over the messages once more…
HEY GIRL, U OK
Yang checked the timestamp and it was over a couple hours ago.
CELISE PLZ. RBY IS WORRIED… she typed.
Yang let out a quiet sigh as she lowered her Scroll once again, letting it rest over her abdomen. Despite being in her dorm with her teammates and her sister, she still felt alone as she was the only one awake. As a result, she was left alone with her thoughts which she hated even more, as her thoughts reverted to the night with her mother and the feeling of helplessness as she turned her back on Yang once more.
All she wanted was answers, answers she now knew she would never get and simply knowing that angered her. Her lilac eyes slowly turned red as she gripped her Scroll…
Yang then looked over at her sister who was sleeping but then noticed that she appeared restless as her makeshift bunk, which was held up with rope and a pulley, swung gently as she tossed and turned. She stared at her sister a while and remembered back when she would comfort her sister back home when she was younger.
When her own mother left, and Ruby, her sister, was born, Yang was jealous at the attention that Ruby would be getting; however, upon seeing her younger sister for the first time, she promised to be the best sister in the world to her.
The thought brought a smile on her face but it quickly disappeared as she began to recount all the good times she and her sister shared together.
And the bad.
Back when-
Suddenly, Yang's Scroll suddenly shook her hand which almost made Yang jump out of her bed. She quickly brought it up with both hands and looked at the screen once more.
HEY YANG. YEAH, I AM FINE.
Yang let out a sigh of relief… but she just had to make sure, for Ruby's sake.
U SURE? U LOOKED A LITTLE FREAKED OUT
…
YEAH, I JUST REALIZED I HAD FORGOTTEN TO TURN IN AN ASSIGNMENT FOR PROFESSOR OSSEA. SO, I HAD TO GET TO THEIR CLASS BEFORE IT CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT.
Yang paused a moment as she thought of a response.
U COULD HAVE JUST TOLD US THAT U KNOW :P
…
YEAH, SORRY, I JUST SUDDENLY REMEMBERED AND HAD TO GO QUICK.
Yang rolled her eyes and shook her head.
OK BUT U SHOULD EXPLAIN THAT TO RBY WHEN U HAVE THE CHANCE
…
I WILL. ONCE AGAIN, IM SORRY. GOOD NIGHT, YANG.
GNIGHT CELISE
With that, Yang clicked a button on her Scroll and the screen went dark. She turned to her side and reached for her nightstand right below her bed and placed the Scroll on top of it but then her eyes fell on Ruby once more.
She would be happy to hear that everything is fine with Celise and that there was nothing to worry about after all. However, she watched as Ruby continued to toss and turn in her bed and now, she began to murmur in her sleep.
Yang sighed and quietly began to crawl off her bed but it was easier said than done. She was on the top of her own makeshift bunk bed, with Blake as her bunkmate, and she had to be careful to shimmy herself off.
She quietly rolled off the bed and landed on her feet with a thump and crouched as she froze and quickly surveyed the room, making sure nobody heard her. Luckily, Blake was a heavy sleeper and didn't hear a thing, despite her cat ears, and Weiss simply tossed on her bed but otherwise didn't appear to have been troubled.
Yang quietly began to stand up and tip-toed towards her sister and crossed both of her arms on Ruby's bed. This sight reminded her of when she used to do the same thing for her back home, when Ruby complained of bad dreams or scary noises outside her window. How Yang would then come to her bed and sit next to her until she fell asleep.
It had been years since she last had to do that and Yang even missed it but something felt off about tonight. She could hear Ruby groan in her sleep and she couldn't tell if she was talking or not. Yang even slowed her breathing as she tried to listen and once more, she heard Ruby groan something.
It felt strange to Yang as Ruby never talked in her sleep before or perhaps, she simply didn't notice, despite having shared rooms back home.
"Mmm…" Ruby muttered, her brows furrowed and she seemed to hug an imaginary person in her sleep, which worried Yang and made her inch her head closer to try and hear her better.
"M-mom…"
With that, Yang felt a pain in her heart, as if someone had just driven a stake through her. Of course, it would be about Yang's second mother, and Ruby's biological mother, Summer.
Yang remember back when they got the news from General Ironwood, who was a captain then, that Summer had died during a mission. How Ironwood had been in Vale to attend a joint training exercise when they received a distress call. However, when they arrived it was too late and all they found was a survivor: a young boy and Summer's dead body.
Her father, Tai, went almost catatonic at the news of his wife's death, leaving only Yang and a young Ruby to take care of themselves. Of course, their Uncle Qrow took a break from his teaching career at Signal to help take care of them but Yang did help too.
Yang looked over at Ruby once more who was now gripping at her blanket tightly. She often wondered if Ruby was just too young to really realize what had happened and even now hoped that was indeed the case. Whenever she asked about her, Yang would simply ease her into it without going too far into detail.
Getting to this point was hard for Yang. She had to grow up faster than all the other children around her for the sake of her father and sister. Yang remembered that, for a while, she was bitter at Summer but as she got older, she grew and so did her understanding for Summer and Summer's line of work.
Especially after reading to Ruby as a child all the stories of famous Huntsmen in the past and legends. Of heroes who bravely fought the monsters that plague their world.
In time, Yang came to admire Summer for her sacrifice and remembered the words she used to describe her to Blake.
A super-mom. Someone who balanced her work as a Huntress and a mother.
However, the reality dawned on her that, just like her, Ruby too has lost a mother and Yang didn't want her to feel alone or abandoned. Instead, she tried to her best to be a mother figure to Ruby and she really did try her best.
However, seeing Ruby at this moment, she now wondered if she had failed…
Yang and brought her hand up to Ruby and began to pet her as she slept. She can already see it in her expression that was she was now calmed and relaxed.
Yang let out a sigh once more as she rested her head next to Ruby's and decided to stand by her; petting her, until she was finally blissfully asleep.
0-RWBY-0
Pyrrha took in a deep breath as she rose from her bed and took a moment to look around her dorm room, at her teammates. As was the norm every morning, she was the earliest to rise while the rest of her team was fast asleep. She took a moment to examine Jaune as he slept in a onesie, the sight of which always amused her, and was one of the many things she liked about him.
Then her eyes fell on Ren and Nora, their beds pushed together and while they both started the night in their own beds, Nora would always find a way to snuggle up next to him.
As per her normal morning-routine, Pyrrha carefully got out of bed and knelt down in front of it. Under it, were drawers that she opened and pulled out a two-piece set of gym clothes, to which she quietly changed into. After putting on some socks, she quietly tip-toed towards the door, with pair of shoes in hand and her duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She then carefully opened it and slowly closed it shut after leaving her dorm.
Now that she was finally out of earshot of her team, she slipped into her shoes and began to make her way to Beacon's gym. However, with the addition of Ironwood's new security policies, she had to now report to where she was headed to the nearest security officer. Especially outside of classroom hours.
"Hello Ms. Nikos," an officer said as he noticed her presence. "Where are you off to this early in the morning?"
"Hello, sir, I am just headed to the gym," Pyrrha said with a beaming smile as she reached into her bag and presented her school ID.
"Thank you," the officer said as he checked the ID before he passed it back to her. "Sorry for the trouble, we already know who you are but I am still required to check your ID."
"It is alright," Pyrrha said with a chuckle as she took her ID back. "I appreciate the diligence."
"Thank you and have a nice day, Ms. Nikos. Big fan, by the way," the officer concluded with a nod and Pyrrha simply continued on with a smile.
While she understands the other students' complaints about Ironwood's policies, that they were unnecessary, Pyrrha didn't mind. She likewise understood that it was just a matter of showing security for the citizens of Vale. To her, it was just a minor inconvenience and it would only last as long as the Vytal Festival.
She was not going to let something as small as a security check ruin the rest of her day.
Once she made it to the gym, she noticed that others had beaten her to it and have already begun their exercises. To her surprise, CRDL was in the corner lifting weights in pairs, one lifting and one spotting them. They noticed her immediately but did not utter a word, instead they nodded once, and returned to their reps.
This was one of many things she began to notice about that team. While they started out rough and almost antagonistic at the beginning of the year, after their fight with Haiiden and Zed, and their mission, their attitudes changed. Their arrogance was replaced with what she guessed was reservation and perhaps even humility.
She likewise greeted them with a nod and she began to debate in her head on how to start her exercises, until she finally decided on cardio. She picked the nearest treadmill in between two others, then pulled out a water bottle from her bag before stepped on the treadmill, and started with a nice but brisk pace. She paced herself and her breathing, making sure to take in breaths in tandem with her steps.
As the gym became more populated, Pyrrha curiously looked over at CRDL once more and noticed a peculiar sight. Joining them, were members of team CNBR: Celise, Nadira and Byeli. Pyrrha blinked a few times, believing her mind was playing tricks on her but then her mouth dropped open as she saw CRDL and the three members of CNBR greet one another.
They even paired together and took turns on the weights, with Nadira pairing with Dove, and Celise with Cardin. Byeli on the other hand, trading in her kimono for a skirt and top, practicing flips and twirls on the balance beam.
Russel migrated over to the pommel horse, while Lark sat down at the dumbbells. While she couldn't hear them from where she was at, Pyrrha noticed that they were conversing with one another in an almost friendly manner.
"Hey Pyrrha!"
So shocked at what she was witnessing, Pyrrha almost forgot that she was running and tripped upon being startled at the utterance of her name. However, quick reflexes allowed her to regain balance and she simply resumed her pace.
"Oof," Pyrrha huffed as she quickly matched her breathing with her steps once more and turned to see Yang, grinning to her. "Oh, hello Yang."
"Never thought I would get the drop on you like that," Yang said as she joined Pyrrha on an adjacent treadmill and quickly matched her speed.
"To be honest, Yang, I am really curious…" Pyrrha said as she looked back at the corner with Teams CRDL and CNBR.
"Oh? What's on your mind?" Yang asked and looked over towards the corner as well.
"Don't get me wrong but have you ever seen CRDL with any other team? Let alone, one with another Faunus?" Pyrrha asked.
"Oh, CNBR and CRDL?" Yang said as she noticed the two teams. "Yeah, Celise said that during their missions, Professor Port and Professor Peach decided to do a joint mission. So, they got put together."
"And it went well?" Pyrrha asked.
"Judging from however much she told me," Yang said with a shrug. "Said that Byeli asked to train together after their mission had finished."
"And they said yes?" Pyrrha asked despite the answer being in front of her. However, once she managed to comprehend it, a smile grew on her face.
"I guess so," Yang replied. "Is that a problem?"
"Not at all!" An elated Pyrrha replied as she turned her head to address Yang. "Despite their initial impressions at the start of the year, I am glad to see them doing better and be more accepting to others."
"Yeah, I guess being the school jerks finally got to them," Yang quipped.
"Could have been a lot worse," Pyrrha countered.
"Could have been a lot better too," Yang said with a grin.
"Better late than never," Pyrrha concluded.
"Okay, you got me there," Yang said with a shrug.
Pyrrha chuckled and continued jogging, occasionally taking a few sips of her water, but still didn't break a sweat.
"We finally meet again, Pyrrha Nikos."
Pyrrha and Yang turned their heads to see the newcomer, only for Pyrrha to recognize him as a fellow contestant from the tournaments back in Mistral.
"Oh, hello again Gregor. It has been a while," Pyrrha said, as Gregor "Mountain Glenn" stalked around the treadmills to her right. For a boy his age, he was taller and more muscle-bound and his footsteps made the floor shake. In addition to his large stature, he was abnormally hairy as a result of his gorilla-Faunus heritage; allowing him to grow a full beard before the other boys.
Pyrrha could see in the corner that Byeli was now hiding behind Celise.
"I was surprised to hear that you wouldn't be attending Haven Academy. May I ask why?" Gregor asked while he glared at Pyrrha. "Or perhaps we both already know the answer."
"And what is that?" Yang said answered first, with a huff.
"Fear," Gregor replied as he dropped his bag onto the floor, staring solely at Pyrrha, who simply continued to jog at a comfortable pace. "Why else?"
"Wow, you really are full of yourself," Yang said as she narrowed her eyes at him, and despite him being far taller than her, she began to size him up. "I bet I can take you on."
"With luck, you may just get your wish in the tournament," Gregor replied with a snort as he glared at Yang from the corner of his eye. "Or maybe that would make you unlucky."
"I am not afraid, Gregor," Pyrrha replied with a genuine smile. "I weighed my options between Haven and Beacon, and I thought Beacon had more to offer and teach me. How to better improve myself in terms of combat, as well as mindset."
"Ha," Gregor replied simply before he then smirked as he placed his hands on his hips. "Haven has a prestigious reputation. What does Beacon offer that Haven doesn't already?"
"Perhaps it's not just the reputation I am looking for, Gregor," Pyrrha simply replied.
Gregor simply didn't respond but rather, thumped his chest with his fist a couple times before he turned away and began some preliminary exercises in the form of squats.
"What's with him?" Yang asked.
"Its just how he is, Yang," Pyrrha dismissed. "Don't dwell on it too much."
"I don't like the high-and-mighty attitude," Yang said as she puffed her cheeks as she pouted but then paused and bust out laughing.
"You thought high and remarked on his height, huh?" Pyrrha asked.
"What, too easy?" Yang asked as she caught her breath.
"It is, I think you can do better," Pyrrha chuckled.
"I guess I need to work on my material," Yang replied and turned off the treadmill and stepped off. "Now, what else should we work on? I have some time to kill before I need to meet up with my team."
"Nice segue," Pyrrha said as she likewise dismounted, but instead she simply hopped off, using the momentum of the treadmill to propel her backwards. "I have to meet up with my team soon as well. Was hoping to do a quick run as a warmup for the day but I also didn't expect you to be here as well."
"Going so soon?" Yang asked as she grabbed a towel and patted her forehead. "You sure this is your workout? You didn't even break a sweat."
"I do most of my workouts at the end of the day, Yang," Pyrrha replied.
"Well, don't let me keep you then," Yang answered. "At least freshen up before you go."
"I prefer my own room, Yang," Pyrrha said as she began to blush.
The locker rooms were gender-separated and while most of the girls showered in their shorts and tops, the same can't be said of Celise who was known to be a bit… braver than most.
"Eh, fair enough," Yang said with a shrug. "Say hello to Jaune and the others for me."
"Will do, send my regards to Ruby and the girls as well," Pyrrha said before she turned and left.
Just like that, Pyrrha was back to her normal every day routine and yet, something did feel off. Gregor's words stuck with her for some reason and as she made her way back to her dorm, the thought only bothered her more. Like an itch that she can't scratch.
She dwelt on it so much, that she hadn't noticed that she had already made it back to her room. She didn't even remember how she got there or how long.
She looked at the door handle, hesitant to reach for it but after taking a deep breath, she grabbed the handle and opened the door. As she entered, she noticed Ren had made his bed, all while Nora's was left messy, as if she had just gotten out of it; despite her having changed into her usual, every-day clothes and her being her usual energetic self.
"Hey Pyrrha!" Nora greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning, Nora," Pyrrha said with a warm smile.
"Just came back from the gym?" Nora asked.
"Indeed," Pyrrha replied as she placed her duffle bag onto the floor beside her bed and bent forward as she started to tidy the sheets.
"One of these days we should go together," Nora said as she then jumped on Pyrrha's bed and sat cross-legged.
Pyrrha stood up straight and placed her hands on her hips.
"That wouldn't be a bad idea, Nora, but you sleep so late and I don't want to wake you…" Pyrrha said, apologetically.
"Don't you also go later, in the evening?" Nora asked.
"I do," Pyrrha said as she nodded. "But you eat so much that you can't move and just go to bed."
"We can always go sooner, when it's not so close to supper," Nora pleaded.
"Nora, this is the most optimal schedule we all have," Ren chimed in. "We do our homework after classes and then we each go our separate ways to do our own chores. Pyrrha just happens to know how to manage her time well."
"But…" Nora began but then stopped herself and crossed her arms, her cheeks puffed as she began to pout.
"I can't force you, Nora," Pyrrha said. "You have to be the one to make the choice to come with me."
Nora sat quietly and turned away with a loud 'hmph'. Pyrrha simply chuckled and patted her on the shoulder.
"I'm sure you want to show off how much you can bench, Nora," Pyrrha continued as she patted Nora on the shoulder and guided her off the bed. "Where is Jaune by the way?"
"It was his turn to make breakfast this morning," Ren said as he began to set up a table in the middle of the dorm room, placing a portable stove on top of it. "He just went to get some ingredients from the kitchen."
"I love his cooking," Pyrrha said excitedly. "Years of cooking for his younger sisters really made him an excellent chef… but don't get me wrong, Ren! I love your cooking as well!"
"No offense taken, Pyrrha, I get it," Ren said as he simply waved his hand. "I'm not as sharp considering when you cook for someone whose tastes don't go past just pancakes every morning."
"But your pancakes are the best!" Nora said as she hugged Ren tightly, and pressed her cheek against his.
Pyrrha chuckled once more which died down to a hum as she made her bed. Once she was done, she grabbed a change of clothes and turned towards the bathroom.
"Well, while Jaune is out, I will take this time to freshen up then," Pyrrha said as she stepped towards the bathroom.
"Take your time," Ren replied as he likewise performed his morning chores all while Nora began to talk his ear off with her little factoids.
Pyrrha closed the door and locked it behind her as she continued her normal morning routine. Despite being within the comfort of her team and dorm, she still felt embarrassed to dress down from her already revealing gym clothes and opted to shower with them on. She had many pairs of the same outfit, so she was able to swap in between them whenever she wanted.
She placed her clothes onto the counter and stepped over to the shower and twisted on a knob, allowing water to flow from the showerhead. She reached her hand under the water, gauging its temperature all while tweaking the handles controlling it.
Once it was at its perfect temperature, she stepped on and allowed the water to splash over her face. One of the few times during the day where she was allowed some privacy, outside of prying eyes of those who watch her very closely.
However, its time like this where privacy to her was not so desirable. Like the water washing over her face and body, so too did it allow her to clear her mind. It was then that she realized what it was that truly bothered her after her time at the gym: it was the words of Gregor.
"What does Beacon offer that Haven doesn't already?"
For a while she thought she knew that. She didn't want to attend Haven, fearing that her reputation would afford her special privileges just as it had during her normal everyday life. Everyone was always nicer to her.
Of course, there were some, like Professor Goodwitch that expected nothing but the best from her. However, when she would meet those expectations, the praise felt empty.
A fighter from birth, Pyrrha quickly rose the ranks of every weight division and bracket in Mistral's many tournaments and shows. Eventually, champion of every one.
While her stage name was: The Invincible Girl; she was also referred to as: The Ideal Huntress, by many. It was one name that made her want to become a Huntress in the first place.
Something to finally give meaning to her life.
However, now that she was finally able to achieve her dream of making it to Beacon, it still felt hollow.
Pyrrha felt a heavy sensation in her chest, which made her notice that she was now staring down at the drain, her hands pressed against the wall for support.
She shook herself awake, realizing that dwelling on such things was not good for her psyche. She then took a deep breath and practiced her mindfulness, clearing her mind and focusing on only her breathing.
The felt the heave and ho of her chest as she breathed in long inhales, and let out long exhales. Any thoughts that popped up into her mind she would examine for just a moment before expelling them, and focusing on her breathing once more.
The heaviness she felt was now gone, her mind calmed and she realized that she had lost track of time.
Not wanting to miss Jaune's breakfast, she started to wash herself, starting with her hair and moving downwards, undressing herself.
Once she was done, quickly reached for towel and wrapped it around herself as she stepped out; she then began to wring out her gym clothes in the shower and hung them to dry. She then remembered that today was laundry day and that it was Nora's turn to take out everyone's laundry to the school's cleaners.
She approached the mirror and began to work on her hair, slowly blow-drying it before she began to shape into her ponytail. She then patted her skin dry and finally began to change into her usual attire.
The thoughts began to return slowly but due to her calm, she instead began to examine them once more; she remembered the assignment that was given to the other students from Teams HAVC and RWBY while they were on their missions.
Where they were asked why they wanted to become Huntsmen and Huntresses.
JNPR were just about to go on their own mission before the sirens began to blare, signaling the breach in Vale's square. She wondered if perhaps they were about to be asked the same exact question and for a moment, she felt a little ashamed.
Mostly because it gave her the opportunity to think about it a little more and she didn't want to think that the breach was a good thing. Instead, she decided to think that meeting Gregor today was a blessing in disguise. It made her think about her own motivations and now she would have the moment to rationalize them properly.
Time passed quickly as everything became a blur as she pondered. Once she had finally come to again, she was already ready, from the tiara on her head, the jewelry that she adorns on the side of her head, down to the tassel on her hip.
She was ready to face the day again, to take on any challenges in front of her and she would greet them with a smile on her face.
She turned for the door and opened it slowly, peeking into the dorm room to see her teammates already sitting at the table in the middle of their dorm room. Nora was digging into her breakfast all while Ren slowly paced himself.
Meanwhile, Jaune was just finishing another plate of eggs and sausages but then froze as he noticed Pyrrha.
"Oh, good morning, Pyrrha," Jaune said as he did a double between the plate in his hands and Pyrrha, before offering it to her. "I was just finishing your breakfast, if you want to give it a try. Decided to add some herbs this time to the eggs and was hoping that you would give your opinion."
At first, Pyrrha just stood, speechless. She stared at Jaune, and for a moment her troubles seemed non-existent. He was one of the first people in her life that treated her like a normal person, and not just a celebrity.
After what felt like minutes, Pyrrha blinked, and suddenly she felt it was if she had awakened a second time. This time, to see Jaune smiling up at her expectedly, and she couldn't help but beam in return.
"I would love to, Jaune," Pyrrha said finally as she sat down next to him while he laid down the plate in front of her.
She stared at the plate for a moment. Perhaps she didn't really think about her reasons for coming to Beacon properly and perhaps she should have just stayed in Mistral and attended Haven.
However, when she took the moment to then look at her teammates, first starting with Nora talked to Ren loudly, her cheeks puffing out as she stuffed her mouth. Ren quietly and stoically listened, none of them noticing them Pyrrha examining them.
"Pyrrha, you okay?" She heard and finally she looked at Jaune once more.
"I am fine, Jaune," Pyrrha said happily as she then reached for a fork.
It was then she realized that despite her doubts, despite not truly knowing why she wanted to become a Huntress, one thing was for sure: she did not regret coming here.