A/N: Get ready for some bedtime stories from your favourite Drunkle!Qrow. I know much of this info was cut out of the show, but that's simply because the audience had already seen Pyrrha learning about it. I think it's important to show how Nora processes the info presented to her in her own time, which is why I've added to this scene.

Did I tear up a little writing this? I don't know. You can't prove anything.

Let me know what you think!

What We Call Home

With a groan, Qrow's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fainted. Lying on the ground, his own red Aura didn't spark back to life.

Immediately, Jaune sprinted back to where they had abandoned their packs. "I'll get the first aid kit!" he hollered back.

Meanwhile, Ren had rushed forward, using the unconscious man's hand to staunch the open wound. "Ruby, scout ahead in the trees. Go the opposite way Tyrian ran to. We need to get out of here, and we need a safe place to bring him."

Nearing tears, the younger sniffed hard and complied, flying off in a swirl of rose petals.

"I'll grab the stretcher," Nora murmured, squeezing Ren's shoulder quickly before rushing to meet Jaune halfway, the boy's arms laden with all of their belongings.

As Jaune spread out the first aid kit, handing Ren gauze pads and triangular bandages as needed, Nora set up the collapsible stretcher from their kit. Ren had insisted on taking it. She was grateful now that they had listened.

By the time the wound was tied up and Ruby had returned, bearing news of a nearby campground, Qrow's eyes finally reopened. The man grunted, rubbing his head and sitting up. Upon doing so, his Aura flashed red, finally kick-starting and going to work on mending his injury. "You kids…" he mumbled foggily, blinking at them all. "Don't look so down. I just… wasn't expecting to fight so much."

Rather than replying, Ruby just threw her arms around her uncle's neck, trembling as tears fell silently from her eyes. Nora could see the understanding in Qrow's eyes, and the man carefully shifted to pull his niece halfway into his lap, letting the girl cry on his shoulder while he stroked her hair. "Hey, kiddo," he soothed, voice hoarse and weary, "you can't cry. I jumped in to save you, you should be cheering for me instead."

But the girl continued to sob and shake in his arms, and after a moment, he looked up at the other three who watched the exchange in relief. "Thanks," he murmured. "Shall we go?"

Finally, Ruby pulled herself away from him, wiping her puffy eyes tiredly. "Uncle, I found a place down the road we can camp in," she hiccupped. "Let's get you some rest."

"Sounds good," he smiled, ruffling her hair.

Jaune offered, "We can carry you on the stretcher. You should rest until-"

But Qrow waved off his concern. "Kid, don't worry 'bout me. I'll be fine. Let's get you all somewhere safe, though."

So, Nora collapsed the stretcher again, packing it away forlornly. Let's hope we never have to use it. Jaune and Ren helped Qrow totter up to his feet, the man stumbling almost drunkenly as he regained his wits about him. Once he was upright again, though, he sighed, reached down, and retrieved his blade with ease. "Can't forget Harbinger," he muttered, collapsing his blade and tucking it into its hook on his belt.

The walk out of town was as brisk as Qrow could manage with the wound still paining him. Although no one complained, the collective sigh of relief that passed throughout the group was audible once they were finally free of the town- escaping Oniyuri's walls was like being released from captivity. Something about the town was unnerving, stifling.

The clearing Ruby had found was well-hidden amongst the trees, protected by a wall of rocks on one side, so they hastened to make camp there for the night. Once the fire was going and the bedrolls were laid out, a pot of simple stew simmering on fire, Qrow gestured for them all to sit down on the logs they had dragged in to act as seats. They ate in silence once the food was ready, questions unspoken lingering in the air. The sun set throughout this, still hidden behind blankets of clouds above the thick canopy, plunging them into darkness with only the fire to light their campsite.

The only sound that persisted throughout was the sound of Qrow uncapping his flask, sipping, recapping it, and sighing. Over, and over, and over again, Nora twitched every time.

Once everything was cleaned and put away, Nora took her place next to Ren, sitting on the log farthest from Qrow, watching the older man uneasily. Ruby sat on the left-hand log, while Jaune was on the right. The four of them stared at the man, awaiting his speech.

Now that the battle was finished, the immediate threats taken care of, Nora's mind returned to where it had been right before the fight had escalated. There were too many questions in her mind, and it took all of her energy to stifle down the urge to just jump up and grab the man by the collar, shaking him until he explained exactly what his lineage was. With the firelight dancing on his face, casting shadows darkly across his pale visage, she'd admit it easily- she didn't feel comfortable with him.

Not while his name was Branwen.

She needed answers.

"This… isn't going to be an easy story," the man admitted, unaware of her own dilemma and mistrust. "But you've come this far, and you should know the truth about where you're going, what you're fighting for, and why we need to do it."

Nora traded worried looks with Ren. What is he talking about? she asked with her eyes.

He shook his head. I don't know.

But she had no choice but to listen. There would be time for questions about his origins later. For now, there were other questions that needed answering, more pressing ones which affected all of them, not just Ren and Nora- who was that who attacked them, and why was Qrow following them?

Taking a swig from the flask he withdrew from his blazer, the man sighed, hunching over. "I asked you kids a question, right? About fairy tales?"

"Uncle Qrow, what does that-" Ruby attempted to ask, but Qrow held out a hand, cutting her off.

"Save your questions, Ruby," he directed wearily. "This is gonna be long enough. At the end, I'll answer anything you still don't know."

"…okay." She sighed and crossed her legs on the log, waiting for him to begin.

The man ran his fingers through his hair. "You all know The Story of the Seasons?"

Everyone nodded slowly- it was a common childhood tale, after all- but Qrow didn't continue.

Finally, Ren spoke up. "An old hermit is visited by four traveling sisters." Qrow waved for him to continue, so Ren took a deep breath and continued, reciting the story from memory. "The first understands his reclusive nature and urges him to use his time in solitude to reflect and meditate. The second brings him fruits and flowers, tending to his crops and revitalizing his garden. The third warms the man's heart, convincing him to step outside and embrace the world around him. And the fourth and final sister begs him to look at all that he has, and be thankful.

"In return for their kindness, the man grants the maidens incredible powers, so that they may continue to help others all over the world. They graciously accept, and promise to share their gifts with the people of Remnant until the end of days. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall; the four maidens."

Taking another swig, Qrow chuckled humourlessly. "Well. That's the story. Thanks for listening."

Jaune blinked at him. "I'm sorry, what?"

The man shrugged. "The story's true, kids. The four Maidens- they're real. They hold the strongest power in the world in their hands- magic. They don't need Dust."

Ruby groaned. "Uncle Qrow, this isn't funny-"

"And I'm not laughing," he cut in, effectively silencing her. "I'm serious. This sounds crazy, I know, but my job is to protect the world- and not just from the Grimm." He sighed. "How the hell did Oz always say it?"

Clearing his throat, he straightened up, adopting a softer manner reminiscent of their former headmaster. "The Maidens have existed for thousands of years. But much like in nature, the seasons change. No two summers are alike. When a Maiden dies, her power leaves her body and seeks out a new host, ensuring that the seasons are never lost, and that no individual can hold on to that power forever." He coughed, then frowned. "Glynda's better at explaining that bit. Shit."

"Wait, Glynda's involved?" Jaune cried.

"And Ozpin, too?" Ren asked.

"And the other headmasters, and a few others like myself. The circle wasn't very big, 'cause Oz was pretty selective, so you can trust those involved." His eyes darkened in thought. "Mostly."

"So, you said the powers leave the Maidens," Nora muttered. "How?"

"There's a bunch of rules," the man said dismissively. "They used to say that was passed on only to young women who were important to the Maidens. We've since figured out it's all a little more complicated than that. But our organization has worked for many years to protect the Maidens, and prevent those with ill intentions from getting a hold of their powers."

He sighed for the umpteenth time that night, deflating a little. "But we let the Fall Maiden fall into the wrong hands during the battle for Beacon. And now, we've gotta do whatever it takes to ensure that Salem doesn't get her hands on them."

"Salem?"

Qrow nodded sagely. "Believe it or not, there's someone who's behind all of this."

Everyone was quiet. The fire crackled between them, sparks alighting in the air. Nora felt her eyes settle on one, tracing its arc through the sky. It was just so much to take in- how in the world could they ensure that such incredible powers were given to the right people? How did anyone even manage to find the 'right people'? How could one person be responsible for all of the suffering they had experienced throughout their time at, and after, Beacon?

How could any of this be real?

But then, horror washed over her.

She had known someone who would be strong enough to handle all of that power.

Please... please don't be true.

Before she could second-guess herself, Nora whispered idly, "Pyrrha was strong enough to be a Maiden, wasn't she?"

Qrow didn't respond to her broken query, although Ren's stricken face proved he had heard it, too. And Ren couldn't say a word to retaliate. He knew it was true.

Qrow sat back, taking another swig from his flask. "Really? No questions?"

Jaune spluttered, "Of course we have questions. This is just... a lot to take in." He hunched over, brow furrowed as he stared into the flames.

The man sighed yet again. "Sure, of course."

Ruby offered, "Okay. Let's… just make sure we get it so far." Turning to Qrow again, she said, "So these... Maidens... They're powerful fighters that don't need Dust to use magic."

"Yeah."

Nora asked, "And there are four of them?"

"Yup. Always."

Ren clarified, "Which means that, whenever one of them dies, the power transfers to someone- a female- that they cared about?"

"Whoever was in their thoughts last. Important distinction," Qrow pressed. "Best option is someone we can trust. Regardless, their souls become combined, in a way."

How it the world do souls become combined? Nora shuddered at the thought. Why would you want to combine your soul with someone else? Wouldn't you… lose who you are?

"And that's what you were trying to do to Pyrrha... the night the tower fell." Jaune finally tore his eyes away from the campfire, hands gripping his knees so tightly Nora was sure that even with his plentiful Aura, they'd bruise. "You were trying to turn her into one of them."

Suddenly, it all clicked. Horrified, Nora turned to look at Ren. He had had the same epiphany.

The vault Jaune was talking about in Patch- the one under the school. The other girl who was there, who Cinder killed. She was the Maiden. And Ozpin tried to get Pyrrha to be the next one.

…Pyrrha was going to lose her soul?

While Nora reeled from this realization, Qrow continued, "The previous Fall Maiden, Amber, had been attacked. She was young, inexperienced. And her assailant, who we now know as Cinder, somehow managed to steal some of her power, but not all of it. We were afraid that if we didn't do something, the rest would go to her as well."

Nora's eyes widened as she saw the sheer bitterness on Jaune's face, his entire expression twisted into one accusatory look of hatred. "So you forced it on Pyrrha," he muttered lowly.

Immediately, Qrow straightened up. "We didn't force anything," he insisted. "We explained the situation and gave her a choice, and she chose. You were there, you heard her."

At that, a myriad of emotions flitted across his face, until he simply could hang his head in shame. Nora watched him, shocked. You saw her say yes? She was okay with this? How?! But judging by how lost Jaune looked, he couldn't understand the truth, either. The blond swung his legs over the back of the log he had been sitting upon, walking a few metres away, taking a moment to cool down.

Nora debated on following him, but was distracted by Ruby. The younger girl murmured, "That guy, Tyrian - why was he after me?"

Yet again, the man sighed, and Nora's eyebrow twitched. I swear to god, if he sighs like that one more time…

Qrow gestured towards Ruby with his flask after collecting his thoughts. "Well, you definitely painted a target on your back with what you did at Beacon. I told you having silver eyes is a rare trait. And the fact that you're someone that was able to use them seems to have upset some very powerful people.

"Not many people know about the silver eyes." There was a sort of fondness in his smile as he said those words. Nora didn't understand it. "Those that do aren't very happy that one has surfaced. That's why I've been keeping an eye on you in order to make sure you were safe." The man waved towards Nora and Ren, and she bristled instinctively, narrowing her eyes. He frowned, then looked over to Jaune, who had stopped at the edge of the clearing, trying to calm himself down. "All of you."

Ruby asserted, "Well, then, why not just travel with us? It seems like that would've been way easier."

Without turning back to look at them, Jaune filled in the answer for Qrow. "He was using you as bait."

Almost with a smile on his face, Qrow shook his head. "Look, I wouldn't put it like that, it- it's complicated."

Jaune spun on his heel, clearly done with this whole explanation. "What is all of this? Ruby's being hunted, the schools are being attacked, all for what? What is the point of all of this? Will you just tell us what's going on?!"

The older man simply stared at him for a moment, then slouched over once again. Another sigh slipped past his lips, and Nora sprang to her feet, ready to clock him- she was so sick of hearing him act like he was the one hurting from all of this!- but Ren grabbed her hand and pulled her back down, shaking his head. She glowered, but complied- then relaxed, the boy muting her anger with his Semblance. "We need to know," Ren mouthed. She sighed, hanging her head for a moment, then settled down once more.

Qrow nodded towards Jaune. "Would you sit down? You're stressin' me out, kid."

Angrily, Jaune complied, taking a seat once more and crossing his arms. Qrow moved to take another drink, then paused, second-guessing himself. Then, he placed the flask down without drinking, murmuring thoughtfully, "Not many people are super religious these days." He capped it. "This world's been around for a long time, long enough that people have created dozens of gods. But if you believe Ozpin, two of them are actually real."

Nora paused, watching Qrow carefully. There was something in his eyes that lit up every single time he spoke of Professor Ozpin, something… warm. Something hopeful.

She frowned. Professor Ozpin was dead. Why was he still so happy to talk about the man? Why did he sound as if Professor Ozpin wasn't even gone?

But Qrow continued on despite her confusion. "They were two brothers. The older sibling, the god of light, found joy in creating forces of life. Meanwhile, the younger brother, the god of darkness, spent his time creating forces of destruction. As you can imagine, they both had pretty different ideas about how things should go. The older one would spend his days creating water, plants, wildlife. And at night, his brother would wake to see all the things that the elder had made and become disgusted.

"To counteract his brother's creations, the god of darkness brought drought, fire, famine, all that he could do to rid Remnant of life." He paused, a wry smile on his lips. "But life always returned. So one night, the younger brother went and made something- something that shared his innate desire to destroy anything and everything."

Quietly, Ruby guessed, "The creatures of Grimm."

He pointed at her, almost proud. "You guessed it. The older brother had finally had enough. Knowing that their feud couldn't last like this forever, he proposed that they make one final creation... together, something that they could both be proud of. Their… masterpiece. The younger brother agreed.

"This last great creation would be given the power to both create and destroy. It would be given the gift of knowledge, so that it could learn about itself and the world around it. And most importantly, it would be given the power to choose, to have free will to take everything it had learned and decide which path to follow- the path of light or the path of darkness." He leaned back, a little self-satisfied. Nora wanted to kick the smirk off his face. "And that is how Humanity came to be."

Ren frowned, clearly trying to connect the dots to no avail. "But... what does that have to do with us?"

Qrow grinned wolfishly. "Well, that's the kicker. See, the four gifts to mankind- knowledge, creation, destruction and choice- aren't just metaphorical. Each of them exists in a physical form, left behind by the gods before they abandoned Remnant, and each of them is extraordinarily powerful. If someone were to collect all four, they'd be able to change the world. That's exactly what the enemy wants.

"The Huntsman Academies were created to train generations of Humanity's protectors, but they also serve another purpose- guarding the Relics. When Ozpin's predecessor founded the schools, he built them around the Relics to act as a fortress. Not only would they be easier to defend, but they would constantly be surrounded by trained warriors. The hope was that hiding the Relics would keep mankind from using them against itself... and, of course, keeping them out of her reach." He paused. "So yeah, there's that."

"Her," Ruby mumbled. "You mean Salem?"

"That's right. Not much is known about her, and quite frankly, that's not what matters. What matters right now is that she wants the Relics, and if she gets them, it's not going to end well."

Jaune clenched his jaw. Speaking through tight lips, he spat out, "Alright. So, let's say we believe all this. There really is this crazy evil being behind these attacks, not just some thugs trying to become powerful. Why doesn't the world know? Why isn't Atlas going after them? Or Mistral?"

Nora joined in. "And why aren't we in more of a hurry to get to Haven? Shouldn't we be getting them a message?" She wilted, the possibilities before them chilling her to the very core. "What if they're next?"

Qrow caught her eye and nodded slightly, and she grimaced in return at how calm he was in comparison. "The headmaster over there saw what happened to Beacon. He's not dumb. He'll be on his guard. Besides, it takes time to mobilize forces like that. Do you really think they planned out that attack on Beacon overnight?" He was almost smiling by this point, but no one else was laughing.

How could he smile, thinking about the attack that had robbed them of their home and friends?

Pointing to Jaune, Qrow continued, "And to answer your question, it's the same reason we keep quiet about the Maidens. If the whole world knew about the Relics, about Salem, there would be chaos. We'd have another Great War on our hands, and this time, you'd have to fight."

Nora's breath caught in pain, seeing how Jaune bitterly looked away. Don't mock him for his fighting. Please. He's trying. He's hurting.

Qrow leaned back. "Look, I had the same questions, too. But ol' Ozpin would always put his foot down." That warmth was back. "'We can't cause a panic.' Heh, can't tell you how many times I've heard that." The man reached down and retrieved his flask once more. "Salem's smart. She works from the shadows, using others to get what she wants, so that when it comes time to place the blame, we can only point at each other."

Taking a hearty swig, he let his head loll back, staring up at the canopy. Nora's eyes followed his. Sometime during this whole discussion, the clouds which had covered the sky had dissipated, leaving a starry, moonlight night. "She's trying to divide us- humanity. And so far she's done a pretty damn good job."

"Alright," Ruby murmured, "so what should we do?"

Everyone looked to Qrow, awaiting his response. And, once again, the man simply chuckled and shrugged. "I don't really know."

Nora looked over to Ren, worried upon seeing the same expression of bewilderment and nervousness on his face. What was even the point of all this?

The man pressed onwards, though. "Ozpin has put a lot of trust in the headmasters. Like I said, the schools are an important part of stopping Salem. Atlas is going to be on high alert after the last attack, and Vacuo is- well, Vacuo. It'll be hard to hire thieves and scoundrels to fight against other thieves and scoundrels. Take that, add in the fact that Cinder and her crew claim to be from Haven, and I think it's likely the next target. So," and he sighed again, and Ren's arm shot out and forcibly held Nora in place so she wouldn't lash out, "we're on our way to the headmaster. Haven't heard from him in a while, even before the attack. I'm hoping he has the answers."

With that, he stood, grabbing his injured side with his right hand. With a groan, he commented, "Alright, I think it's time you kids got some sleep."

No one responded for almost a minute. Qrow didn't move, either.

"Uncle Qrow?" Ruby's voice was tiny, barely audible over the crackling of the fire.

"Yeah?"

Ruby stood, eyes narrowed in thought. "This is a lot to take in, and it all sounds crazy, but... I'm willing to do whatever I can to help because I trust you." She clasped her hands in front of her chest, silvery eyes shining with unshed tears in the moonlight. "But why couldn't you trust me? Why couldn't you just travel with us, instead of this secrecy, and, and-"

"Look, this has nothing to do with trust," Qrow interjected. He looked defeated as he reached up, grabbing the back of his neck, unsure of what to say. "I- it's a long story, okay?"

Nora almost scoffed. "Seriously?" She rolled her eyes, leaning forward, not even bothering to hide her annoyance. "Now you're tired of telling us stories?"

Seeing her steely expression, Qrow wilted, looking into the fire for a long, contemplative moment.

When at last he was ready to speak, Qrow murmured, "Did you know that crows are a sign of bad luck? Old superstition, but it's how I got my name."

Then, he knelt down, picking up a stick to shift the logs and embers in the pit. Looking at him like that, Nora almost felt bad for her animosity- he looked so small all of a sudden.

Did… did I ask something I really shouldn't have?

After a moment, though, she shook her head. No. They deserved answers.

Qrow continued, "See, some people can absorb electricity and some people can burst into rose petals… and some people are just born unlucky. My Semblance isn't like most- it's not exactly something I do."

Nora leaned back, inching closer to Ren. She could feel him tensing up as well, awaiting an explanation from the older man.

"It's always there, whether I like it or not. I bring misfortune." He chuckled bitterly, dryly. With an almost manic grin, he added, "I guess you could call me a bad luck charm. Comes in real handy when I'm fighting an enemy, but it makes it a little hard on friends." He glanced over to Ruby, and suddenly, guilt crashed down on his expression. "…and family."

And Ruby's face just fell in the most heartbreaking way that Nora's eyes began to water for the girl. We… we went too far. We shouldn't have asked him that.

Not when Qrow looked like he was about to break after that confession. Not when Ruby looked close to falling over. Standing up straight, Qrow winced, clutching his right side once more.

Jaune was having none of it, clearly. "Well, you are just a real bundle of help, aren't you?"

Oh, not now, Jaune. While his anger was wholly justified- god, how she wanted to wring the truth from the man's throat rather than dance around the truth like this, she wanted to take Magnhild in hand and make Qrow talk- Ruby was breaking watching her uncle like this. Nora didn't want to hurt her if they could help it. Ruby was already so heartbroken. She didn't deserve to watch her hero crumble like this.

But Qrow merely dropped his gaze to the ground. "…Yeah." With that, he began to stumble out of their campsite.

"Where are you going?" Ren called.

"Taking a walk."

Ruby frowned, bitterness quickly replacing her shock. "There's nothing else you want to tell us?"

Suddenly, Qrow's head snapped up to look into the darkness. Nora squinted, but she couldn't see what he was looking at. Whatever it was, it quickly lost his interest, and he continued walking away slowly. "Not tonight," he replied at last.

When he finally left the clearing, though, the log which Qrow had been pushing back into the center of the fire managed to, by some odd stroke of luck, pop in just the right way so that it rolled right out of the fire. Nora's eyes widened, looking back up at the retreating man's back. He wasn't lying. It's misfortune. His Semblance is actually bad luck.

They were silent for a moment, trying desperately to process this new information.

"So, what- are Huntsmen just… human meat shields for the Relics in case Salem ever breaks through?" Jaune asked suddenly.

"You… you're not wrong," Ren muttered, standing up. He shuffled over to Qrow's side of the fire, using an unlit branch to coax the burning log back into their fire pit. "But, Jaune- are you sure that Pyrrha was asked to be one of the Maidens?"

Jaune hung his head in his hands, not responding for a long time.

While he thought about it, Qrow's final confession finally washed over Ruby. Nora quickly walked over to the girl, wrapping her up in a hug before the younger collapsed to her knees. She gently lowered Ruby to the ground so she could lean back against the log numbly.

"I always wondered why Uncle Qrow never stayed at home too long," she whispered. "I always wondered. But this… misfortune? How is that even fair?" She looked up with glassy eyes at Nora, and the orange-haired girl could only press her lips together in a line, unsure of what to say. "He- he's never been able to stay at home in case he hurt us, Nora. That's… how lonely has Uncle Qrow been? I never knew, I- I-" She paused, sucking in a shaky breath. "I was really mean to him just now, wasn't I?"

Suddenly, a low, keening sob slipped through Jaune's throat, stealing away Nora's attention. The blond finally seemed to come to life, falling down onto his knees, leaning back against his own log. Ren was next to him in a heartbeat, a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Jaune," Ren soothed, "talk to us. What happened? What do you know?"

Through long, drawn-out breaths, Jaune mumbled through his hands, still covering his face, "Pyrrha asked me whether she should… should 'save the world' if it meant giving up… 'herself'."

Nora almost leapt to her feet. "What?!" she cried. "When was that?!"

"During the Vytal Festival!" the blond moaned, voice hitching. "Before the finals round."

Nora's mind flashed back to the Vytal Festival Tournament, racing through her memories. The finals round? That had been the day after the doubles round- that had been the day of the Fall.

And then, Nora remembered.

Her hands slipped to cover her mouth, and she fell back onto her bottom, pushing herself back until she was leaning against the log. Ren looked up at her, startled beyond compare- instantly, the boy was by her side. Jaune and Ruby, on the other hand, were so wrapped up in their own painful realizations that they never even noticed.

But Ren was by her side. "Nora, what is it?!" he asked desperately, alarmed.

A part of her felt immense guilt, seeing the concern on his face. This was why she didn't like showing her sadness. This was why she wanted to stay strong, no matter what.

She didn't want to see that expression of fear, the one that Ren had always worn for years after they escaped Kuroyuri, ever again.

But now, she couldn't stop it, her mind fixated on one evening, months earlier. The night of their doubles match, after Pyrrha had returned from Professor Ozpin's office, she had found Pyrrha in the middle of the night, sobbing her heart out on the dormitory roof. The redhead had been barefoot, in thin pyjamas, shivering and crying and clutching her weapons to her heart with such desperation and grief that Nora had spent the night holding her best friend and crying with her, too.

That was the night she was given the choice, wasn't it?

She had often wondered what had happened that night. But now, knowing the truth- knowing that Pyrrha had been granted an ultimatum, to either accomplish her dream and potentially lose everything that made her Pyrrha, or feel as if she had let the world down irrevocably- knowing it didn't make anything better.

Because Pyrrha had tried to save the world, and she hadn't been able to. And yet, she had still given everything up to fight Cinder. Now, knowing how unfair the fight between Cinder- a Maiden- and Pyrrha was, it just made it sting all the more.

Why did Pyrrha have to die?

She didn't know anymore.

Ren didn't protest when Nora cried on his shoulder for a little while that night, just venting out feelings which had long been buried deep within. He didn't mind. He was trying not to cry, too.