A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the dance! Here we are, winding down to the end of Volume 2.
Here is where I also shill myself awkwardly, since I realized that I've somehow miraculously amassed a ton of followers on this story (way more than my others, at least) for some wild reason:
If you're reading this work simply because you like Pyrrha/RWBY, then awesome! I hope you continue to enjoy it :D However, if you're interested in reading more of my work, then feel free to check out my other stories! I've posted ~50 works on here (wowie that's actually kind of wild to think about) for quite a few fandoms, albeit mostly Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy/NieR/RWBY. I also do take requests at times, so if that's something you're interested in seeing/participating in, I'm always looking for a challenging prompt (within my own fandoms, of course) to tackle. It would be amazing to see y'all engaging in my other works as well!
And now, let the first mission commence. Let me know what you think of this chapter!
Laws of Attraction
The festivities had left a general sense of giddiness and peace over the campus. Although everyone had to get up early for the mandatory team-based field training exercise, no one was in any hurry to end the festivities of Sunday night. Thankfully, Ren was there with a stern look to coax their team back home.
"You do know we have midterms coming up, right? We have to do well during this field trip, and make sure everyone gets back in one piece, otherwise we won't qualify for the festival," Ren reminded everyone as they left the ballroom by the end of the night. "It is our first real mission, after all."
With an arm looped through Pyrrha's, Nora raised an eager hand. "Don't worry, Ren! We'll qualify. We've got you, and me, and Pyrrha after all!"
Jaune pouted, affronted. "What about me?" he cried, indignant.
She pointed finger-guns at him playfully. "And Jaune!"
The blond rolled his eyes, but he didn't lose his good-natured grin, nor did he pull away from where his arm was looped through Pyrrha's other arm.
"You'll be fine, Jaune," Pyrrha soothed the boy. "You've been studying so hard this term- we'll make sure you do really well."
Blue eyes creased, thankful. "Thanks, Pyrrha."
She beamed back at him, delighting in the warmth that lit up her side wherever they touched. The night had ended spectacularly; she knew that she would be thinking of how much fun she had had that evening for a long, long time.
The next morning, they all assembled in their combat gear in the locker room, backpacks set with essentials and weapons at the ready. Breakfast had been a flurry of activity, as every single first-year student had to report at the same time to select their assignments. Departures varied based on the activities, but the missions were anywhere from a few days to a week in length including travel time, so it would be quite the adventure.
Over the intercom, Professor Goodwitch's voice rang throughout the school. "Would all first-year students please report to the amphitheatre?"
With an eager grin, the four of them made their way to the large space, leaving their luggage by the sidelines and forming up as a team in the standing audience space. Soon, Team RWBY joined them, taking their places in front of JNPR. "You okay, Jaune?" Ruby asked worriedly.
Pyrrha glanced over at the boy in question, frowning worriedly when she saw just how green was his pallor. "I'll be fine, Ruby," he smiled uneasily back at her, assuaging absolutely no one of their concerns. "It's just- our first mission, that's all."
"You're all looking confident," Nora giggled. "How come you four aren't nervous?"
The four girls in front of them trades knowing glances. "We… may have had some adventures of our own. You know," Blake murmured. A pleased glow entered Pyrrha's chest as she realized just how much better Blake looked- she was well-rested, without the dark circles that had been accompanying her for weeks. The girl seemed back to her reserved, but ready state.
"That's fair," Pyrrha laughed quietly. "You'll be fine together."
Ruby smiled wide and turned to the front of the room.
More students flooded in around them, the different uniforms of each Huntsmen academy standing out as the exchange students stood together with their peers, their curious and excited chatter filling the air. Before they could continue their conversation, Professor Goodwitch called their attention to the stage. "Quiet! Quiet please. Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin." Once everyone's eyes had turned to her and the noise had settled down, she walked off the stage, leaving behind a quiet Professor Ozpin in her wake. Pyrrha raised a brow. He wasn't holding his signature Beacon coffee cup today- instead, his free hand merely gripped his other wrist, leaning onto the cane he held out before him.
The man took a deep breath before beginning at last. The room dimmed, a spotlight highlighting the man, giving his presence a much greater impact. Sagely, he started slow, each word punctuated by a heavy weight that rang through the suddenly deathly-silent amphitheatre. "Today we stand together, united. Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four Kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for." The man closed his eyes, shaking his head in disappointment as he reflected upon the past.
"As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither were the generations to come. And it was a trend that is held to this very day. We encourage individuality, expressionism, and unity through diversity." He paused, taking in the stillness of the room after a moment as a sign to continue.
"As I have said, today we stand together, united. But this bond cannot exist without effort. Which is why today, while the rest of the world celebrates peace, Huntsmen and Huntresses will work to uphold it. As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress on a mission." Holo-screens began scrolling upwards around the sides of the standing area. "Some of you may be taken out of the Kingdom for several days. Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best." With that, he cast one final, resigned look at the students before turning stage left and walking away to subdued applause. His words hung in the air, and for a few moments, everyone was spellbound, unsure of how to break the hush settled over them all. Finally, the crowd collectively sighed, releasing the tension. It allowed everyone to break into their teams, excitement filling the air once more as each group headed to the screens.
As Team JNPR ambled over to the closest mission screen, Jaune asked, "Is it too much to ask that we choose something nice and easy? Something around here, perhaps? No? No takers?" If the boy had been green earlier, he looked positively neon now.
Pyrrha laid a reassuring hand upon Jaune's arm. "I don't have a preference," she admitted, "but I think it might be nice for us to do something with more hands-on work, since… since we don't have as much experience working together in battle." The unspoken thought of "since you don't have as much experience" lingered in the air.
Nora shrugged, nonchalant. "I don't mind either way. Let's just do something fun!" she chirped, eagerly scrolling through missions.
Surprisingly, it was Ren who spoke up. Gently pushing Nora aside, he scrolled through the options slowly, analyzing each of the choices before them.
Pyrrha stepped forward, looking into Ren's thoughtful expression. "Is there anything that you want to do?" asked the redhead.
Ren nodded. "I'm looking for a more remote station. Maybe a peacekeeping effort in a rural area."
Nora's eyes widened imperceptibly, and then she leapt into the air. "Small towns! Find a small town, Ren!" Her grin was so wide, eyes sparkling so bright that it almost burned.
Her quiet partner nodded in understanding, and Pyrrha couldn't help but take a step back towards Jaune. It felt like she was intruding on something private, looking at the two smile knowingly at one another. "Do you have any idea why they want that sort of mission?" Pyrrha whispered.
Jaune, looking visibly relieved that they weren't aiming to go to a battlefront, shook his head. "No clue," he replied curiously. And yet, as the two of them traded glances, they both reached an unspoken conclusion- it didn't feel right to ask why the two childhood friends wanted this sort of mission, so they would wait until they explained themselves. It felt like the right thing to do.
Finally, Nora and Ren found a posting in a small village just outside Vale's borders. Their task would be to shadow a Huntsman who was acting as the sheriff of the town. Lately, there had been potential Grimm in the area, as cattle had been attacked and some other animals were missing- however, those acts could also possibly be done by the local wildlife acting out, so the call for help had been made less urgently than if the Grimm presence was confirmed.
Ren's eyes were uncharacteristically bright as he selected the mission. Thankfully, as he punched in their team name, the code was accepted as a first-year posting and they were assigned their departure time: the following morning. Pyrrha crossed her arms, less than happy with that result. While that meant they had a day to prepare, it also meant that they would potentially come back later from their mission, and since exams were the following week, losing that time to recuperate and study wouldn't be good for anyone.
"Ah, yes. Mr. Arc, I see your team has selected a mission."
They all turned in surprise to see Professor Ozpin, coffee once again in hand, watching them carefully. Pyrrha instantly bristled, just a little bit. Just as usual, his eyes started off as impassive, peering down at them through his circular lenses. She could never read this man, and it made her uncomfortable.
"Uh- yes sir!" Jaune replied sheepishly. "We're shadowing someone on the eastern border."
The man's eyes flicked to the screen, then to the tablet he held in hand. His eyes scanned the mission they pointed out, and after a moment, he looked back at the four students, warmth and wry happiness in his gaze. "I'm assuming this was your choice, Mr. Ren? Miss Valkyrie?"
The two in question nodded meekly at the headmaster's question, and Pyrrha's curiosity was only piqued further. How in the world would Professor Ozpin be able to tell who chose that specific mission for their team?
She had no time to ask, as the man simply bowed his head. "Mr. Arc, Miss Nikos. Make sure you look out for these two. I don't want them getting into any trouble." When the blond boy spluttered in response, Professor Ozpin laughed. "You have a day to prepare. Go back to your rooms and rest. The travel period for you will be a little longer than for most assignments, so you'll need to be ready." With that, he strolled away, heading over to another team.
Before he left, however, he turned back for one final word with Pyrrha. "Miss Nikos," he called.
She straightened up. "Yes, sir?"
He smiled, although some of the warmth had been lost, only to be replaced with concern. "Thank you for representing Beacon so well on Friday," he murmured. "I've heard nothing but great things. Good work."
She nodded in thanks, and the man was off.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Jaune turned on Nora and Ren, his previous silent agreement with Pyrrha forgotten in an instant. "So, spill! Why did you choose this mission, and why did Professor Ozpin not even look surprised?"
Nora and Ren shared a mischievous grin. "Not telling," Nora winked, skipping off to the door.
"Hey guys, wait!" Jaune cried, jogging after them. Laughing lightly, Pyrrha followed.
Outside, the four of them saw Team RWBY already strolling down Main Avenue towards the docks. "Ooh, are they heading out already?" Nora giggled. "Let's find out what their mission is!"
"We should wish them luck," Ren added, so the four headed after their friends. On the way, Pyrrha saw Team CFVY talking to a few students who had come out to greet them- the second-years had finally returned from their mission as a group, it seemed. Velvet noticed Pyrrha out of the corner of her eye and gave the redhead a small wave, catching the attention of the rest of the Faunus' team. To Pyrrha's surprise, they all turned to give her a smile before heading back to the dormitories with their bags.
Pyrrha smiled as they continued walking. There was a certain pride in knowing that even though she had beaten Coco and Fox in front of their juniors, they still respected her, and they still treated her with kindness as if she was any other underclassmen. It was sweet of them.
And they approached Team RWBY, they heard Ruby announce half-heartedly, "Well, alright, then! Looks like we're going to save the world with Doctor Oooobleck- okay yeah when you say it out loud it sounds worse." She hunched over, upset.
Nora gasped. "Save the world?" RWBY spun around, surprised to see them at the edge of the docks to say goodbye. Nora continued dramatically, "You're going on world-saving missions without us? I'm hurt... sad! Maybe a little hungry? That last one's not your fault, though, Ren," she added that last bit vehemently, glaring at her partner. Pyrrha chuckled- Ren hadn't made her extra snacks that morning, since they had needed to be on time for the assembly, and Nora was clearly still embittered. Ren simply crossed his arms and looked away, nose turned up defiantly in the air.
Jaune commented, "Sounds exciting. Where ya going?"
"Oh, just outside the kingdom," said Ruby.
Nora brightened up. "Hey! So are we!"
Pyrrha explained, "Ren and Nora wanted to shadow the sheriff of a nearby village."
Four sets of eyes turned to Ren, and the boy stated, "We set out tomorrow."
Suddenly, a familiar voice jumped in and announced, "Then you can party with us tonight!" The two teams turned to look at Neptune and Sun, who had run up to join them. Neptune babbled on, "We're shadowing a crime specialist. All inner-city detective stuff." Smugly, he added, "We get junior badges."
Pyrrha had to bite back a laugh as Jaune fawned over the two boys, adoration shining in his eyes at the prospect of being a junior detective. And, unexpectedly, he wasn't ignoring or rejecting Neptune. Instead, he seemed just as receptive of the blue-haired boy as he was to Sun. Pyrrha didn't know what had caused this change, but she certainly was proud to see it.
Sun stated, "We normally go to the city with you guys, which means stuff's always exploding and junk, so we thought this might be a better way to check out the kingdom when it's, you know... normal."
Under her breath, Nora mumbled, "Noodle nights aren't that explode-y."
Ruby chuckled. "Well-"
Professor Oobleck popped out from the bay of the airship which was parked and ready at the docks, waiting for the girls. "Four minutes, ladies!" he interjected, then disappeared back inside.
The group stared at each other, unsure of where his interruption left them. Finally, the younger girl tossed out an awkward thumbs up. "Well, uh... Wish us luck!" And with that, the group disbanded, and Team JNPR joined up with Team SSSN to head to the dining hall for lunch.
Over lunch- which was much rowdier than usual, since Scarlet and Sage had decided to join them as well, for once- Jaune paused, glaring at another table. Picking up on his animosity, she turned in her seat, only to find Team CRDL glaring back at her darkly. "Should I be concerned?" Pyrrha asked lowly.
A few months earlier, Jaune would've frozen at the sight. However, after everything that had happened ever since the start of the year, the blond had toughened up. He sent another piercing glance their way until CRDL picked up their trays and headed out. "No, Pyrrha," he murmured. "It should be good."
"Good. Now eat your vegetables. You can't eat only chicken tenders forever," she teased, the tension easing in an instant as Jaune groaned and pushed around his broccoli with a pout.
As many of the teams departed the same time as Team RWBY, classes for the remainder of the week had been cancelled. That left the group more than enough time to pack for their upcoming journey. Nora and Ren could barely contain their excitement as the day progressed. While for Nora, that was expected, it truly baffled Pyrrha to see how eager Ren was to take the journey underway.
"Is there any reason you wanted to go to this particular village?" she asked after dinner that evening, as gently as she could. She didn't want to pry, but the curiosity was killing her.
Ren smiled, a fire burning in his eyes that she hadn't ever really seen before. "Not this particular village, but we've always wanted to go somewhere like it."
Nora chimed in, "It's sort of a practice run for something we want to do when we're finally full-fledged Huntsmen and Huntresses!" The two of them shared a sweet look, but that was all the detail Pyrrha knew she was going to get.
Sighing, she patted Nora's shoulder. "Well, whatever that thing is, I'd be honoured if I could help in any way I can when the day comes," she said.
The orange-haired girl's eyes widened, and soon Pyrrha was crushed in a tight hug, the arms almost choking her. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Pyrrha! That means so much!"
"We'd be honoured," Ren laughed.
Unlike those two, unfortunately, Jaune was still skittish at the idea of actually coming face to face with more Grimm. He kept packing and repacking his bag, scared that he would forget something. Pyrrha eventually sat with him. "Hey, Jaune. Feeling okay about tomorrow?"
"No," the boy sighed glumly. "We haven't faced Grimm in so long, Pyrrha. What if- what if I freeze? What if I mess up?"
She bumped her shoulder into his gently, a flutter appearing in her stomach from the contact. Ever since the dance, he had been more comfortable being close to Pyrrha, and it was a gift she was not going to waste. "It's okay, Jaune," she murmured. "Didn't you take out an Ursa by yourself? Haven't you improved immensely over the last few months since then?"
He groaned. "I suppose," he said, but his heart wasn't in it.
She ruffled his unruly hair, then rested it on his shoulder. "Go to bed," she commanded lightly. "We'll get some sleep, and tomorrow we'll be ready to go. Trust me."
Jaune's searching gaze seemed to find what he was looking for, and his concern melted, just a little bit. "Thanks, Pyrrha." He grabbed her hand resting on his shoulder and squeezed in gratefully.
She squeezed back. "Goodnight." And with that, they trailed apart, and soon the four of them were tucked in, ready to take on whatever awaited them tomorrow.