Author's Note: Well, I felt really bad about it taking so long to get the last chapter posted, that I ironed this one out in a four days! It came really easily, probably because I've been wanting to write this portion of the story for about as long as I've wanted to write the Faunus-reveal arc with Adam and what not. More notes at the bottom, to address some few inevitable questions!
Edit: Now beta'd!
Sibyl had seen a lot of different fighting styles in his day. From bumbling hollows who were hardly trained in a previous life, to the knights of Berenike and Black Knights who wandered all around Lordran. That's not even mentioning the legends he had faced, like Ornstein and Artorias. Among all of them, he had never seen anyone fight quite like Pyrrha.
She was simply incredible, so much so he wasn't entirely sure he'd actually be able to beat her. At the very least, if the two were to fight, their battle would push him to use his entire arsenal. Maybe that was why Glynda refused to match the two up… actually, now that he thought about it, it might be precisely because of that.
Well, anyways: Sibyl considered himself a battering ram. He was strong, had fortitude to spare, and more than enough firepower to knock down anyone in his way – literally. His movements were mechanical and powerful, every attack thrown with force and precision. It was a style well-proven to be very effective, but it wasn't elegant. It was nothing like what he was watching, which he could only liken to a deadly dance.
Flips, one-handed handstands which turned into spiraling somersaults, among other things, all combined to give Pyrrha agility and flexibility which would have anyone flush with envy. It actually made him a bit miffed; if anyone was entitled to be the Chosen Undead, it was her. She was strong-hearted, more than able in combat, and had a muscular, chiseled beauty which would have had Gwynevere herself take a second glance. If she had been the Chosen Undead, her mission would have ended in two days, and not continue to trudge on seemingly forever, as his did.
Sibyl released a long, heavy sigh of admiration. She was special, and he quite liked her. He'd been able to admit that to himself for a long time, but to say it to her? It was a daunting task, right up there with facing Manus. Still, as he leaned against the railings in front of him, he continued to stare intently. Just then, she slid around an attack, leapt forward over her foe's back and threw her shield, which hit the boy she'd just jumped over inthe back and deflected to slam into the chest of the one who sought to ambush her from behind.
"Incredible," he whispered. And truly, she was. The boys she fought against were no slouches either; not to say they were good,or that he would have had trouble with them, but they were good enough. Better than a few armed hollows, but less than one silver knight.
It was hard to believe he was the only one standing to watch her move and fight. The others stayed seated, even the closest of his friends. Jaune almost looked bored… gah, what a fool. He was becoming better with his sword and shield, thanks to Pyrrha and himself overseeing his training, but the blonde was a far cry from 'good', and should have been watching with a closer eye.
As Cardin and his team found themselves all on the ground, breathing hard and unable to continue, Glynda called the match. Sibyl clapped in appreciation, uncaring he was the only one to do so. Pyrrha took the praise Glynda gave her with a smile and a humble thanks.
Then, the glasses-wearing blonde took to the stand, "Now, I know that's an intimidating act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match. Any volunteers?"
No one spoke for a few moments, and as Glynda opened her mouth to speak more, perhaps to pick a student herself, however unwilling, she was interrupted.
"I'll do it," a silver-haired fellow called out, raising a hand. Glynda nodded in appreciation, looking at her Scroll and adjusting a few things. "Mercury, was it? Excellent, I'll find you an opponent…"
"Actually," the boy cut in, "I wanna' fight her," he explained, pointing at Pyrrha with an outstretched finger. The girl looked decidedly confused, so Sibyl took the opportunity to interject with a booming laugh. He walked up to Mercury and grabbed him on the shoulder in an unfriendly manner, squeezing tightly.
"No, I think not. We shall fight. Pyrrha had her turn to make a fine showing – and she did – so let us make our own impression, hmm?"
The boy looked like he wanted to say something, but when Sibyl squeezed harder, he relented. "Y-Yeah, sure!"
As he let go of his shoulder, Sibyl gave a small glare before vaulting over the railing, landing in a crouch. He had his preferred gear ready today, having suspected Glynda might call him to fight. Covering his body was a knight set native to Astora, a silent homage to his first comrade. His head was bare; the only thing he had covering was an eyepatch and a mask, pulled up to cover his lower face. The mask did a remarkable job hiding the veins of his infection, and with the eyepatch, none could tell anything. At his hip was a sheathe, and within it was a long katana, the Laito, which he had found on the walkways of Blight Town so long ago.
Taking his position near the middle of the arena, he waited until Mercury was in the correct position to drop into a ready stance, one hand resting on the handle of his blade. His opponent settled into a rough boxer's stance, similar to what he'd seen Andre do. Still, his arms looked weak and unmuscular; it had to be a feint.
As was customary, they were to begin whenever they felt ready. And Sibyl? He was ready. Channeling a brief bout of pyromancy, he slammed it into his chest, casting Power Within and feeling his soul begin to drain – albeit temporarily. A moment thereafter, his senses seemed to sharpen, and as his eyes glanced forward, he blinked, because Mercury's hair was pink for some reason.
It must have been a trick of the light, because when he looked again, it had returned to its silver gleam.
Mercury had taken his hesitance as a sign to charge, and as Sibyl finished his enchantment, he drew his blade quickly and blocked a kick meant for his head; his opponent shifted his weight, throwing a counter kick which was blocked with Sibyl's own armguard.
Ramming his shoulder forward, Mercury was launched back quite some ways. Sibyl did not let up, instead charging with his blade held high but pointed straight. As he got closer, he slashed diagonally, quickly being forced to bring it back to deflect a strike. The undead stepped back, leaning back to avoid a kick before being made to roll further backwards, avoiding the heel which was meant for his throat.
As he came out of his roll, he spun and held his free hand forward, palm open. Mercury had decided to try and press him out of his roll, but hadn't accounted, or expected, a Great Combustion cast to launch him backwards. As the silver-haired teen adjusted himself in midair, Sibyl grabbed the throwing knife at his waist and tossed it.
Mercury caught it by the handles when the blade was mere inches from his face, sneering, before tossing it back with just as much force and accuracy. Taking an easy step aside, Sibyl charged forward once again, this time with his blade held low and pointed behind his body, just inches from the ground. As he got within striking distance, he slashed upwards diagonally, which only served to rip some of Mercury's clothes. Not wasting a moment, Sibyl turned his wrist and brought his blade striking horizontally at his foe's chest.
The strike was blocked with the teen's foot. Sibyl, wasting no time, stepped forward and kicked out Mercury's other foot, sending the teen stumbling backwards onto the ground. Conjuring a fireball while Mercury was still off-balance, he tossed it.
His opponent twisted back up to his feet, managing to avoid the worst of the explosion with only some singed hair to show for his trouble.
Sibyl barely had time to blink before Mercury was upon him, striking with rapid series of kicks that the undead did his damn best to parry or block. The assault showed no time of ending soon, though what kicks did make it through Sibyl's guard only clattered against his chest plate. Grunting as two combination attacks made him stumble, Sibyl received a solid blow to his head which sent him crashing a bit back onto the ground.
Of course, he was not without a plan. When his hand touched the ground, pillars of flame shot up all around him; Mercury was caught unaware, and sent flying up into the air, slamming with a sickening thud on the ground. Sibyl had pounced atop of him before he could recover, pinning him and keeping his blade inches from his neck.
It had been a brief bout, but the undead was able to admit Mercury was good. Not good enough, but the boy was good. As Glynda called the match, Sibyl rose back to his feet, offering a hand for his opponent to take. He did it begrudgingly, though the teen did smirk when he finally got back to his feet. "You're not too bad. Was hoping to take on the invincible girl… but that was fun."
Sibyl smacked him on the back, pausing to crack his own neck briefly. "And to you as well. I thought you a mindless boaster, but perhaps you'd be able to give Pyrrha a decent battle. Still, better to do that when she hasn't just fought in a bout, hmm?"
The silver-haired teen nodded, and Glynda sounded off with a few words of congratulations and advice for the both of them. It wasn't too long until the two had separated, and Sibyl returned to the stands with his friends.
"Excellent fight, Sibyl," Weiss greeted, messing with her hair for some reason, "that hooligan was a bit better than I expected."
The undead nodded in agreement, rubbing his head where he'd been struck. The man's legs struck like metal, or, more literally, he had hidden some armor on beneath those pants of his. He had been impressive, and Sibyl was reminded everyone in this world was a very battle-ready combatant.
Well, it was hardly any matter. He was quite good as well. Their bout was over, and the Chosen Undead had enjoyed it.
"Do not forget," Glynda's voice sounded off, "the dance is this weekend, but on Monday, you all will get your first mission. I will accept no excuses, understood?"
The class sounded off with a few murmurs of "Yes, ma'am," but Sibyl just tilted his head.
They were having a dance this weekend? Like, a… ball, with music and well-dressed attire? He certainly hoped he wasn't going to be forced to go, although… his eyes drifted to Pyrrha, and he lost himself for a few moments imagining her in a nice dress.
Perhaps there was something of interest to be had in this dance.
As team RWBY and the rest of the class filtered out of the arena, he followed along, lost in his own thoughts. Weiss stayed walking by his side, decidedly quiet. Things had been so crazy lately, it was somewhat odd to be getting back into a normal routine. He half expected a damn Grimm Dragon to fly through the ceiling and try roasting him alive.
It might have even been fun to deal with, though without Gough to ground the dragon, he might have a decidedly bad time.
Before he could think anymore, he found Sun walking alongside him.
"Hey, Sibyl!" The monkey Faunus greeted happily, before leaning in closer, "I'm thinking about asking Blake to that dance… you think I've got a shot?"
The undead rubbed his chin, giving his eccentric friend a long look. "I would say so."
Weiss opened her mouth to say something, but promptly closed it, instead looking away. Sun laughed and smiled confidently, slabbing Sibyl on his shoulder cauldron before skipping off ahead to catch up to Blake.
"A dance, hmm?" Sibyl wondered aloud, turning to Weiss. "I've never been to one. Only really heard about them second-hand, mostly from Logan, and he never talked about them in an excited way."
Weiss stuttered in her steps for only a moment, and he raised a brow before shaking it off.
"They're… pleasant. Me and Yang have been planning this one, actually, since team CFVY's away mission has lasted longer than expected. Of course, most people don't go to a dance alone – usually they go in couples," she explained patiently, and the undead nodded along. It made enough sense; most dances he'd heard of required two people.
"A romantic endeavor, then. Well, I doubt that's any place for me, but I will certainly go to see the fine planning you and Yang undoubtedly put in," he explained, and it was true enough. Sure, a small part of him thought of asking Pyrrha, but why would she choose him? She would have boys falling over themselves to get her to go; why choose a scar-riddled undead?
"It'll certainly be nice," Weiss mentioned as she and Sibyl got closer to the rest of their group.
There was a certain underlying tone in her voice, but Sibyl failed to unearth the reason for it, no matter how hard he rocked his mind.
Sibyl got to watch as Sun asked Blake to accompany him to the dance, and he smiled lightly.
Of course, then Blake spoke. "I don't know, Sun. We… we need to keep investigating the White Fang. I don't think we have time to enjoy some dance," she explained, her voice grave.
Blake was needlessly stressed, and he was a bit unsure as to why. Maybe it was because he was used to being stressed, and he had finally learned rushing things helped no one, but Sibyl felt it was his responsibility to step in and resolved this matter. Blake deserved to enjoy her life a bit, after all which had happened.
"Blake, I feel it prudent to say, we've investigated all we can.I understand the need to be proactive, but sometimes, simply the knowledge that something will happen can be enough. We will remain vigilant, and when signs point to them making their move, we will all strike, together and as a unit."
He came in beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder and giving a soft smile. "So, stop with this needless stress. If not, I'll be forced to tell Glynda to match me and you up in combat class, so I can beat it out of you."
Blake stared at the ground for a moment, reaching up and running a hand through her hair before nodding, giving him a soft smile.
"You're right. Of course, you're right – we've done a lot to slow them down… one weekend to enjoy ourselves won't hurt, right?"
The undead nodded. "Exactly that."
Sun slowly walked forward again, a hopeful look in his eyes. "So…?" Blake shook her head, giving a small smile before speaking.
"I'd be happy to, Sun."
The Faunus nearly whooped in joy before realizing his date was right in front of him. Instead, he coughed, speaking so fast Sibyl could hardly understand what he said, before rushing off around the corner to the arena.
"She said yes, dude!" Sun nearly yelled, presumably to Neptune, and Sibyl palmed his face, though it was hard to stop his smirk from forming. They all needed this stress relief, and he was glad Blake had seen it so. Besides, Sun was a fine fellow, though he might need to be a bit firm with him on just what he was allowed to do on this date with Blake.
Whistling loudly, Sibyl waited a few moments before Sif came rushing at max speed towards them, skidding to a stop just in front. The undead turned to the rest of his group, seeing their odd looks. "Me and Sif are going to train some, I'll see you all tonight, presumably."
"So, how did your bout go?" Cinder asked, leaning back on her bed while Chester sat aside her.
Mercury briefly put the comic book he was reading down, blowing some air up into his face. "Well, Chester wasn't lying. Sibyl's good. Really good. I'd been hoping to fight that 'Pyrrha' girl, mostly because we already know a lot about the undead, but yeah. I got caught up in that pyromancy near the end of the fight, and while he was good with that katana, I can tell it's not what he usually uses."
Chester chuckled, figuring he ought to explain a few things, "He has something of an eccentricity for trying every single weapon he comes across. Unfortunately, when times get tough, he falls back to his personal favorites."
Cinder slowly reached over with one hand, resting it on his thigh. She enjoyed having the undead around, but if he ever jeopardized their plans, he knew punishment would be coming. "Emerald, did you test your Semblance on him during the fight?"
The girl in question nodded. "Yeah. It was nothing major, but it worked."
"Excellent," Chester declared, sitting up a bit straighter on her bed. "I'd worried he might have something to stop it from working, but it seems we're in the clear."
Emerald opened her mouth to say something but chose to close it at the last second
Cinder felt herself glower; the girl, while useful, could be decidedly irritating. "Emerald, if you have something to say, speak."
"O-Of course, Cinder. Well, I was just wondering… why are we waiting to send him away? Why not just do it now?"
"Because the undead isn't an idiot," Chester explained, bored. Cinder didn't like allowing people to talk on her behalf, but she'd allow it this time. Chester was their resident expert on all things Lordran-related. "If just after I've arrived, he discovers his friends only became friends thanks to Ozpin, he'll be suspicious. Oh, he'd believe it, but things wouldn't add up just right in that deranged head of his. We need him to settle down, get comfortable. Why, I've seen the way that 'Schnee' girl looks at him; we might be able to use that to hurt him the most and drive him off."
"Man, I hate waiting," Mercury muttered, laying back onto the ground and grabbing his comic book.
Cinder didn't disagree, but patience was important for what they had planned. Overthrowing the powers which be, including the so-called Queen of the Grimm, took time. And that time was almost upon them.
Right, well, Sibyl had lied. He and Sif had not been going off to train. Well, they had been planning on it, somewhat, but then Sibyl's mind just kept racing with the possibilities. He felt somewhat bad about it, but the past was in the past – there was no use in worrying about it. So, now he was left pacing in the courtyard, Sif sitting patiently nearby.
"I just… it's me, Sif! I am a damned undead, my body is marred with scars, and my list of atrocities number in the uncountable." The undead sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And she's… she's incredible. Fierce, strong, powerful… kind and gentle, too."
Losing his steam, Sibyl sat down next to the fountain, resting his hands on his knees.
"And, if I truly intend to return to Lordran, it would be selfish to try and start anything, wouldn't it?" He sat up a bit straighter, turning to glance at the wolf. "Perhaps I'm not even feeling anything true – maybe I'm simply looking for an excuse to not return to Lordran. Every passing day, my resolve weakens, dear friend. And I wonder… what if I did stay?"
It was a curious question. He could envision a life here; sure, he would never be… up to snuff, technologically speaking, with the others, but he had his own qualities which translated well to this world, most notably being his combat prowess and magics. He'd even stopped thinking of Lordran as his home, with good reason. What was a home without family? And his family in Lordran… they were long gone.
But he had found a new family here. A family who didn't understand everything, sure, but they tried. From Glynda to Ruby, they all made him smile. They cared for him, and he for them. Maybe… maybe Lordran wasn't the answer anymore.
He could save children and families from separation for a hundred years if he cast himself into the Flame, but what about the thereafter? Whereas, if he stayed here, spread his knowledge, he could maybe even stop the Grimm entirely! Especially since they were rooted in the Abyss, and he had long ago sworn to fight that corrupting darkness wherever he found it.
Gods, his head hurt. Things had been so much easier when his only worry was the next demon he had to kill. Sif rested his head in Sibyl's lap, and the undead gave him a few firm pets. It helped sooth his mind, the absent motion.
"Perhaps I will ask her tonight. I'll… force myself in on her training session with Jaune, and once the blonde boy departs, it'll be my opportunity. I best not squander it," he declared, standing up with a stretch.
Yang was bored, which was a bit odd, because she was planning a dance for the entire school. But it was night time now, and her and Weiss had been sorta'–but-not-really arguing all day about decorations and whatnot. They agreed, disagreed, yada-yada, and finally, night had come, so she retired to her room. Tomorrow, they'd do most of the actual setting-up, and then that night, the dance would begin.
There wasn't much use in staying up any later tonight.
Of course, Blake and Ruby were already asleep by the time she got back to her room. And she was glad for that – Blake needed to get some damn sleep. It was a good thing the cat Faunus listened to Sibyl, because otherwise Yang would have been forced to drag her away and give her a separate talk. Ruby… well, suffice to say, if Blake hadn't been talked into going to the dance, Ruby would have been a complete mess, too.
Sometimes, Yang felt her sister took the whole 'team leader' thing a bit too seriously, but it was also endearing to see her sister cared so much.
She still wasn't sure why Sibyl had run off so quickly after his fight with that 'Mercury' kid. She'd been thinking of asking him to the dance, honestly. He was pretty good looking, and always a fun guy to be around when he wasn't, ya' know, getting captured by the White Fang and going crazy. It was hard to say how she felt about him; she wasn't in love or some nonsense like that, but she liked being around him. That had to amount for something, right?
If nothing else, it would be a fun little fling. Yang wasn't really ready to settle in with someone anyways, but a good night wasn't out of the question. As a yawn escaped the blonde vixen's lips, the door to their room jiggled, and in walked Weiss. The Schnee heiress blinked upon seeing Yang awake, quickly wiping something away at her eyes.
That set off the first alarm bell in Yang's head, and she immediately sat up straight. "Weiss, you okay?" She questioned, walking closer to the rich girl.
Weiss tried to wave her off, but when she realized it wasn't going to work, the Schnee slumped.
"Not really," Weiss conceded, voice forlorn as she glanced around the room at their sleeping partners. "Yang, you're… you might be able to help, but I don't want to wake up the others."
Nodding, Yang followed the heiress outside the door, closing it behind them before turning to her sister's partner more seriously. "So, what's up, Weiss? Did someone make you cry, because whoever it is, I'll break thei-"
"No, no! Nothing like that," Weiss insisted, stopping the brawler before she could really get going. "It's… the dance," she mentioned, rubbing at the back of her hand. A fairly common nervous tick for her, but why? They were just planning a school danc-
Yang only just stopped herself from telling the Heiress to stop worrying about it, because her mind registered it might not be about the damn decorations.
This might be a code red: this might be about a boy.
"You're… you're prettier than me," Weiss admitted, looking down ashamed. Yang blinked at that claim, because it was completely off basis. Weiss was beautiful! Absolutely stunning, in that sort of royal-way. "You've got more… there," the Schnee gestured roughly to her chest, "and you definitely have more experience with guys than I do. The only people who were ever interested in me were suitors, boys after my last name, not after me."
Shit. This was serious; Weiss was really opening up. It wasn't something the blonde had exactly expected,given her and Weiss, while getting along, weren't the closest. Still, if Weiss was going to open up, then Yang would do her best to channel her inner-big-sister. "Weiss, listen, you're beautiful. Who cares you're a bit on the smaller side? And any boy who comes chasing after you for your lastname, just point me at them. I'll make sure they never come for you again."
Weiss smiled timidly but shook her head. "Thank you, but it's not like that. Well, the dance, it's this weekend. And… there's someone I've had my eyes set on, but I can hardly get his attention." Yang grit her teeth – what absolute idiot was ignoring someone like Weiss? "And there's someone else he keeps staring at… and I wonder, how can I compete with that?"
Yang closed her eyes, thinking on what to say for a few seconds. There was a lot on her mind; first off, no one should have Weiss doubting if she could compete with them. The girl was stunning, good in a fight, and intelligent. Weiss should never doubt herself.
She could have said so aloud, but Yang wanted to settle this a bit more… personally. "…can you just tell me who it is? It might make this easier," Yang asked, internally ready to figure out whatever boy it was which had Weiss such a mess, pin him to a wall, and make him piss himself.
The white-haired beauty took a long breath, struggling with what she was about to say before finally spitting it out in one quick breath. "It's Sibyl," she declared, and Yang blinked. Had she just said Sibyl? "It's Sibyl, God, it's Sibyl!" Weiss exclaimed, beginning to pace back and forth.
"It's… Fireball?" Yang wondered aloud, her previous plan on pinning him to a wall going out the window. He would not take kindly to that, and secondly, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to actually do so.
Weiss nodded, pausing briefly in her rapid steps to gather her thoughts. "Yes, yes. It's… it's not like I was attracted to him when I first met him; he was pleasant to talk to, but not much else. But, Yang, the more and more time I spend around him, as he taught me and Glynda, I just… he's incredible!" The girl sighed, playing with the hem of her skirt.
Yang's eyes widened. Weiss was acting like some fourteen-year-old who was head-over-heels for someone. It was so unlike the Ice Queen the blonde almost wondered if she was dreaming. Of course, if anyone would be able to break that cold exterior and leave Weiss a mess like this, it was definitely Fireball.
"He's so patient," Weiss explained, her hands gesturing as she sought to get her point across, "so… so unlike my father and family. He's warm and kind, and I'm so… unused to that. It was pleasant, when he'd congratulate me for managing a simple Soul Arrow. When he hugged me in joy when I got Homing Soulmass down so quickly… I hadn't been hugged in years,Yang! Years!"
That was depressing, but Yang kept the thought to herself.
Weiss took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I kept lying to myself, writing him off, but when I inadvertently got him captured by the Fang, when I wasn't sure if he'd ever wake up," she whispered, hugging herself, "I realized I like Sibyl. He makes me feel safe; he makes me laugh, and he just… he's Sibyl."
That was definitely one way to describe Fireball.
Slumping, Weiss finally met Yang's eyes. "But he likes Pyrrha. I see it in the way he stares at her, and he hardly gives me a second glance! And I can hardly blame him – Pyrrha's wonderful. Too wonderful."
The girl stilled, not saying anything more for a few moments. "And of course, I have Jaune falling over himself to try and get with me. He just won't take a hint, and I… I don't know what to do."
Yeah, well… Weiss wasn't the only one. But Yang was going to do her best to create a happy couple.
"Alright, now let me explain a few things about Fireball…"
Sibyl watched as Pyrrha deflected a swing of the blonde's blade before going down, kicking out Jaune's legs and leaving him flat on the ground. "Keep a firmer stance," the undead instructed, not quite liking just how easily the boy had his feet get kicked out from under him. Pyrrha was left laughing as Jaune was butt on the floor, and the girl walked forward and offering a hand.
"Well done. Your swordplay has improved immensely," Pyrrha congratulated as Jaune got back to his feet, the boy taking time to dust himself off.
"Well, couldn't have done it without ya'."
Sibyl rolled his eyes at that, but it was no less true. Jaune would truly be a helpless case without Pyrrha's fine instructing hand. Sibyl being here was mostly a formality, anyways, though he had helped Pyrrha to take less of the 'doting mother'approach and more the role of a peer-slash-teacher.
"So, are you ready to move on to Aura?" The redhead questioned, eager to keep helping her partner. A kind gesture, for sure.
Jaune looked away, moving to rub the back of his head. "I was actually thinking… maybe we just skip Aura tonight. Why don't we go, uh, jog or something?"
"I know you get frustrated, but you must keep trying," Pyrrha insisted, beckoning the boy to keep training on his Aura. Sibyl almost interrupted, mostly just wanting the boy to go so he could speak with the redhead, but it didn't work out. "We'll discover your Semblance any day now. I'm sure of it."
"That's… that's not it. It's dumb, really-" Jaune tried to speak, but Pyrrha moved forward, tapping the boy on his breastplate.
"Jaune, you know you can tell me," she informed, and Sibyl couldn't help but feel like he was intruding.
So, he turned away, staring out to the city in the distance with an inquisitive gaze He overheard some of the conversation between the two partners, but he did his best to respectfully tune it out. It was something about Weiss and the dance; given Jaune's infatuation with his student, he pieced things together well enough without having to listen in.
Eventually, the blonde boy dismissed himself, and Sibyl said nothing as Pyrrha wandered over to him, standing beside him and looking out towards the city.
"Sibyl," Pyrrha began, voice far too sad at the moment, "can I ask you something?"
He turned his head, nodding politely. Pyrrha was quick to continue, "I… I don't know how to get Jaune's attention," it came out in a whisper, but he could hear the hurt in it. Not that he understood why immediately – could she not just ask for it? He was her partner, after all.
"He's so obsessed with Weiss, I feel like he can't see what's directly in front of him!"
Sibyl raised a brow, opening his mouth to say something, but eventually pausing. His mind was connecting the dots, albeit slowly.
Eventually, he spoke words he dreaded to hear coming from his own mouth. "Pyrrha, do you… like Jaune?"
The red-head's face briefly matched her hair, but she nodded, staring at him with her emerald green eyes.
"I do. I've liked him for a long time, but he's so… dense! He sees himself as so weak, acts like I'm out of his league when we're partners!" The girl sighed, losing her brief bout of anger.
Sibyl felt his will steel over. No, he steeled himself.
Pyrrha liked Jaune. What else should he have been expecting? And yet, here he was, left with a perfect opportunity. The chance to pounce upon vulnerable feelings, to let Pyrrha know she wasbeautiful, that she was kind, and strong, and so many different things he'd have trouble listing them all. He could tell her that now, ask her to the dance. She might even say yes.
But it was clear her thoughts weren't on him, and she did not deserve to settle for a second-place prize like himself. And so, Sibyl did what he'd done since he first left the Asylum. He presented himself as the Chosen Undead, a young man of unwavering confidence and wisdom. He stood up straighter and showed himself as a young man without problems.
"Pyrrha, you are beautiful, strong, and wise. Jaune… he is dense, weak, and still a boy. You cannot sit here, waiting for him to take the first step. Jaune hardly knows how to swing a sword, much less approach a woman." Sibyl paused, turning to her. "And you are a fine woman. A champion of Mistral,no? So, tell me, Pyrrha. Why do you stand here before me? Why aren't you fighting the most important battle you will ever fight? Why are you waiting for such a battle to come to you?"
"But Jaune, he likes Weiss-"
Sibyl held up a hand, stopping the redhead before she could utter any more words.
"Jaune does not like Weiss. He hardly knows Weiss." That's an interesting parallel with himself and Pyrrha, now that he thought about it. The undead chuckled softly, doing so to mask his own pain. "Jaune does like you, however. As a team leader, as a friend, and I'm sure, once you reveal your true feelings, he will like you as something more."
Pyrrha smiled, but there was still doubt in her eyes. "You… you really think so?"
He nodded resolutely, and as Pyrrha stepped forward to give him a hug, he bit his lip.
"Thank you, Sibyl. You're as fine a friend as anyone could ask for," she declared, standing up a bit straighter. She stood like the champion she was, not some meek little girl. And as she walked off, swagger back in her step and determination in her eyes, Sibyl turned his gaze back to the city.
She missed Sibyl wincing in pain at the word 'friend', fortunately or unfortunately.
It was times like these he wondered just how old he was. Time flowed oddly in Lordran, for sure, but sometimes, his mind felt as if he were eighty. Perhaps it was all the souls he had absorbed… or maybe he had simply been made to grow up.
Well, it hardly mattered. Sibyl pulled himself onto the railing, sitting down with a sigh. He conjured a flame in his hand, and together, they remained there until the sun rose.
The dance would begin in a few hours, and that meant a few things. Firstly, it meant Yang was wearing a rocking dress, and every pair of eyes were going to be following her around tonight. Hopefully they didn't stare too long at her rear or chest, because then it might get a bit violent. Secondly, it meant that all the couples were being established, and soon enough, they'd all be on the floor and dancing together.
All the couples, except for one.And that was why Yang was roaming around the campus, trying, and mostly failing, to find Sibyl. Because after the pep-talk she had given Weiss last night, mostly about how Sibyl was a guy and he was also not very good with people, so interacting with women may as well have been a different language to him, Weiss had been all perked up and ready to speak with him.
Sure, a girl asking a guy to a dance was a bit unorthodox, but so was the idea of Sibyl and Weiss getting together. Though, the more she thought about it, the more she came to like it. It made her ashamed that she'd almost been ready to ask Sibyl to the dance on a whim. Weiss was over here, stressing like a mad-woman, meanwhile Yang was shrugging and thinking about the best eye-candy she would have been able to get for the night.
She was left feeling really glad Sibyl had run off when he did earlier, otherwise he probably would have accepted her question, and Weiss would have been left a complete mess. Unfortunately, Weiss might be left as a complete mess if she couldn't find Sibyl! And Yang was going to have to be at the dance, soon, to sign people in…
Dang it! "Still haven't found him?" Weiss questioned softly. She was dressed in her own beautiful white dress, and ooh,Yang could hardly wait to see her and Sibyl dancing later that same night! They were going to look so good together…
"Yang?" Blake questioned, Sun by her side and looking like the happiest guy in the world, "Still looking for Sibyl?"
The blonde nodded in annoyance.
Sun tilted his head, scratching his chin in confusion. "Don't you have, like, a built-in Sibyl-tracker with your fire?"
Yang rolled her eyes, prepared to dismiss Sun because of course she wouldn't have missed something as obvious as that – butthen she realized that yes, she did have a built-in Sibyl tracker. Palming her face while simultaneously holding up her other hand, she quickly conjured a flame while Blake laughed at her. Face red, Yang did her best to tune out the taunting, and blinked upon seeing where her flame was being pulled to.
It was pointing towards the arena. It would be just like Sibyl, too, to be fighting on a night like tonight. Turning towards Weiss, Yang gave a wink. "Well, looks like he's in the arena. Go get 'em, beautiful!"
Weiss blushed, messing with her own hair.
Blake raised an eyebrow, looking between Yang and Weiss for a few moments. "Weiss… you're going to ask Sibyl to the dance?"
The Schnee heiress did her best to give a dignified nod, but her face was flushed red like a tomato.
"Hell, yeah! Sibyl totally deserves someone as hot as you-" Sun grimaced in pain as Blake elbowed him in the abdomen, "objectively speaking, though you're not really my type. I prefer grouchy black-haired girls."
Sun's eyes glanced down to the girl by his side, and when Blake gave a small smirk, Sun realized he was in the clear. Yang rolled her eyes – Monkey Boy had a lot to learn, but who better to teach him then Blake?
Weiss dismissed herself from the group, setting off to find the oaf of an undead she'd be calling her date later tonight.
Yang followed Weiss for a bit, just until they were out of hearing distance of the others. The Schnee heiress froze, turning back with worry in her face. "What if he says no, Yang? What if he-"
The blonde stopped her before she could say any other stupid nonsense. "He's going to say yes, Weiss. I guarantee it."
Taking a deep breath, Weiss nodded and flashed a tentative smile before setting off on her own.
Yang watched like a proud mama-bear. Man, she was good.
Weiss walked slowly through the arena, trying to keep her own heartbeat down as the sound of fighting continued to get louder and louder. Eventually, she reached the upper stands, and as she gazed down below, she furrowed her brows.
Sibyl and Sif were fighting, but the former was bare-chested and had his eyepatch removed. If anyone else had walked in here, they would have been left with a lot of questions. But she had walked in here, so it didn't matter. Besides, it wasn't… entirely unpleasant to look at. Sibyl, yes, he had a great many scars, but they told a lot of stories, and he was definitely in shape.
He had a longsword in one hand and a shield in the other, and as Sif charged at him again, swinging his sword as he leapt, Sibyl redirected the blow with his own blade while trying to slam his shield into Sif; the wolf was quick, however, and pounced backwards, leaving Sibyl's shield only hitting the ground below.
The undead charged, striking rapidly as he got in range of Sif, but only managing to get one glancing blow. At one point, he overextended on an overhead swing, and Sif pounced forward, pinning him beneath his grip and ending the fight there.
It was very… unlike Sibyl. He was more controlled when he fought, but that last swing had been a wild one. As Sif removed himself from atop Sibyl and the undead shook his head, getting back to his feet and readying for another round, Weiss cleared her throat.
She hadn't cleared it very loudly, but it felt as if the noise was deafening.
Sibyl, upon glancing over his shoulder and seeing her, had his eyes widen. "W-Weiss? Sorry, let me get a shirt back on-"
Weiss held up a hand, stopping him from scrambling to get dressed. "It's fine. I don't mind." And really, she didn't. Yang had been disgusted by his scars, but she was more interested in them. Just like the one permanently etched on her face, each scar was a lesson, a memory. And Sibyl… he clearly had learnt a lot.
Sibyl paused, only to shrug lightly and unsurely. "Well, if you're positive," he conceded, and Weiss nodded, carefully leaping over the railing and down into the arena with both her teacher and his wolf. Sibyl finally got a good look at her, scanning her from top to bottom before meeting her eyes. "You look quite beautiful," Sibyl complimented, awkwardly.
Weiss smiled at the words, but things went silent for a few moments after.
Eventually, Weiss spoke. "I thought you were going to the dance," she half-questioned.
Sibyl shook his head and scoffed at the words. "I had a revelation, as it were," the undead explained, sheathing his blade. "These… things, they're not for me. Parties, people, relationships," he uttered the last word in a whisper, and Weiss felt her heart tighten, "it's all just… not for me. I can admire them, sure, even seek them out, but at the end of the day, look at me.
"I am a second-place prize at best. The dance above, it is meant for couples. I'd hardly feel right going there alone, and… who'd ask me?" The boy sighed, tracing a vein of the Abyss across his face. His other hand tightened into a fist, and Weiss couldn't help but frown.
"…I'd sought to ask Pyrrha, but she sees me only as a friend. Infatuated with that Jaune fellow, as it were. I'm just glad I was able to guide those two together, at least. It's best for everyone if I simply stay here, training my sword arm. Best not to sully a nice party with eye-patches and scars," he gritted out, turning to Sif and preparing to unsheathe his blade again.
Weiss frowned, not used to what she was hearing. It was like when she'd seen him lying in that bed, tubes connected to him and keeping him alive. Sibyl was supposed to be confident and strong, not self-doubting and weak.
"Is that really what you think?"
It hurt to push him on the matter, but perhaps he'd change his mind by the end of the night.
"It's the reality of the situation. It hardly matters what I think."
Weiss sighed, shaking her head.
Before Sibyl and Sif went to clash again, she spoke. "Stop, turn around, and close your eyes."
Sibyl hesitated for only a moment, but he did sheathe his blade and turn around. His eyes shut, and a small smirk tugged at his lips. "About to make another promise, are you?"
Well, she was going to, in a way. Still, as Sibyl stood there quietly and patiently, Weiss approached. Sif sat off to the side, watching with a tilted head. It nearly made her giggle, but she tried to stay focused. Eventually, she was inches from Sibyl. She put a hand to his chest, feeling the sweat covering his whole body. Her hand retracted, but a finger stayed connected to his chest, and began tracing a scar running up to his collarbone. Her hand slowly drifted up further, until she was touching his face.
She traced the lines of darkness on his face for a few moments, and even found herself staring at the splotch of Abyss covering one of them. As she traced one vein from his eye down to the base of his lip, she took a deep breath.
'This is it.'
Sibyl was standing there, still and confused, but his eyes still hadn't opened. Slowly, Weiss moved her hand around to grab at the back of his neck, pulling him down just a little bit so his face was level with hers. And finally, she inched her face forward. Eventually, their lips met, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Sibyl had opened his eyes, and Weiss might have laughed at seeing just how comically wide they were. But she paid no mind to that, because she was too busy focusing on the feel of his lip. Sweat still poured from him, but somehow, it didn't bother her. His lips, they were a bit dry, but not so much that it was unpleasant. With their faces so close together, she couldn't help but smell and take in that distinctively ashy aroma of his. It mixed in with the sweat and dirt covering his body, the result not something unpleasant to her nose.
It smelled sexy, to be honest. Had she really just thought that? Well, it seemed she had.
After a few moments of staring, Weiss decided to force the kiss further – and, thankfully, Sibyl didn't resist. Weiss, well, she'd never really kissed before, and she was inclined to think Sibyl hadn't either. It was a messy thing, but it felt so right and good. She wasn't sure if she should probe with her tongue or not, but eventually she did, and oh, she was glad she did.
He returned it as best he could, which was with more passion than precision, but that was fine. It was everything she dreamt of,and yes, she had dreamt of it. Not enough to trigger any more… instinctive reactions, but certainly enough to leave her smiling and looking idiotic every morning since she first realized her attraction to him.
Her body melted into his, and strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer and protecting her. She barely noticed it these days, but Sibyl was tall. Tall and strong, with bulging muscles everywhere, but not so much so that it was unsightly.
Eventually, though, Weiss felt the need to breathe, and so she slowly removed Sibyl's lips from her own. Her heart was pounding in her chest so loudly it was the only thing she could hear, outside of their mutual panting.
Sibyl… he looked so adorably confused. It was an expression she was unused to seeing on his face, but it was cute. He slowly reached up a hand, touching his lips as if in disbelief. He shook his head, regarding her as if she was insane. "Weiss?" He questioned, blinking a few times.
"…Yes?"
Sibyl opened his mouth to say something but struggled to actually say anything. Eventually, he settled for something not all that eloquent but very sweet. "That was… pleasant."
She smiled lightly, and he did the same. He just kept staring at her, eventually smirking lightly and laughing. She quickly joined in – his laughter was just infectious.
When their combined laughter finally ended, she spoke. "Would you like to accompany me to the dance tonight?"
Sibyl stood up a bit straighter – Weiss sent an admiring glance at his chest as he did so – and nodded. "It would be an honor," he declared, walking closer and offering an arm for her to wrap around. She did so, resting her head on his bare shoulder and not caring about the sticky sweat.
"Now, before we go to the dance, we need to get you dressed in something else."
Sibyl nodded at Weiss's words, smirking as he glanced down at her.
"Luckily, Coco bought me some sort of ballroom-wear when we last went into town. I had insisted against it, but perhaps she knew better than I did, hmm?"
Weiss wasn't too sure what to think as they began the somewhat long trek to his dorm, but when Sibyl untangled their arms and wrapped it around her side, Weiss decided tonight wasn't a night for thinking. It was a night to enjoy.
The Chosen Undead was in a bit of a shock at the moment, and he doubted it would wear off anytime soon. She had kissed him. Weiss had kissed him! And, not only that, it was the single greatest thing he had the pleasure of enduring. Her lips were so soft, and she smelt like some fine perfume that undoubtedly only she could afford. It had been when he'd pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her that the undead had realized just how small and beautiful Weiss was.
And now, as he was dressed in a grey-suit, complete with a tie which, somehow, matched the tint of his curly hair, a tie which Weiss had been forced to fasten, the two approached the doors of the dance. Their stop at the dorms had been a long one, because Weiss had covered his abyssal veins with makeup. He'd hardly been able to believe it, finding the black vein of darkness that ran to his lip covered up completely. He'd made sure to give Weiss more than a few kisses upon seeing himself in the mirror... ahh, it had been a pleasant time. Somehow, her lips had gotten even more creamy from the time of their walk to the arena and back to-
Weiss, still draped around his arm, cleared her throat, and the undead realized he's been reminiscing about good time when a good time was literally within his grasp. Blushing lightly, Sibyl stood very conflicted. Sif followed behind them, looking every bit as dignified as the two of them. He had a sheathe on his back, fastened by some belts that went around his torso and body. Sibyl had designed it himself relatively recently.
Still, Sif and Weiss weren't the only two looking good. Weiss had refastened his eyepatch, and, truth be told, Sibyl thought he looked good. Not as good as Weiss did, obviously, but the knight would be thanking Coco next time he saw her. Finally, they stood in front of the door. Sibyl opened it, walking in right alongside Weiss.
And of course, Yang was the first person to greet them. Her eyes took them in, and an instant later, she was jumping up and down, cheering. "Ooh, you two look so beautiful together!"
It was enough to cause a bit of a commotion, and a few dancers in the background glanced their way. Sibyl shrunk under the multiple gazes, feeling a bit out of his element.
Yang had left her place behind the podium, walking up to Weiss and Sibyl and examining them more closely. "Sooo," she began, staring at Weiss before her gaze turning to Sibyl, "is she a good kisser?"
"Yang-" Weiss tried to hiss, but Sibyl laughed while his face flushed red.
"Quite," was his simple answer, one which caused Yang to laugh even harder while Weiss turned redder, somehow. God, it felt good to say that. Weiss was a good kisser, and she had kissed him. Him! Sibyl of Lordran!
As Yang continued to fuss over Weiss and himself, the undead allowed himself a moment to calm. Eventually, he had enough of listening to the blonde tease his date, and he dismissed the two of themselves with a firm word.
"Thank you," Weiss said, her face losing some of its red hue, "It's… it's not that I don't appreciate Yang compliments, but I would like to enjoy the night a bit more peacefully."
Sibyl nodded, and as the two made their way across the ball-room, he spotted his many different friends. Blake stood nearby with Sun and Neptune, conversing and laughing. He spotted Ren and Nora, the latter dancing a bit too enthusiastically in his opinion. And eventually, he spotted Ruby, who seemed to spot them at precisely the same moment-
And, using her Semblance, she flew across the room. Of course, it seemed she was wearing heels, and about half way across, she began to stumble. Sibyl barely managed to grab her by the arm before her face slammed into the ground, pulling her up to her feet.
"T-Thanks, Sibyl," she greeted, shaking off her dizziness before quickly turning to Weiss, "I have no idea how you fight in these stupid things!"
The young leader gestured to her shoes, and Sibyl raised a brow. Yes, now that he thought about it, Weiss did fight in heels. How in Gwyn's good name did she manage that?
"But who cares about that! You two are together? I didn't know that! When did this happen, why wasn't I told- I'm team leader, Weiss! I'm supposed to know these things!"
The girl, she was talking quickly again, and what Ruby started talking quickly, damn near nothing could stop her-
"And you!" She pointed at him, marching forward and slamming a finger into his chest, "you better not make Weiss upset! Or I'll… I'll beat you up!"
Weiss had the good nature to palm her face, hoping maybe Ruby would get the point and stop embarrassing herself, but Sibyl chuckled, reaching out with a hand to rub the top of Ruby's head.
"Oh, if I do anything to upset Weiss, I don't think you'll be the one beating me black and blue. She's quite capable of it herself, after all," Sibyl observed, glancing at his date with a side-eyed smile.
The Schnee Heiress nodded, turning her nose up a bit. Now that he noticed it, her acting all… prissy was quite cute.
Ruby nodded, happy her point as team leader had been made quite clearly. "Well, so long as you know… ooh, I'm so happy for you two! Weiss, does this mean you'll stop being mean all the time?"
The girl in question stomped her foot, glaring at Ruby.
Taking the hint, Ruby laughed softly, glancing back and forth before excusing herself to go talk to Jaune. Sibyl watched her go with a smile, only to blink when Sif trotted along after her. Well, it seemed those two had created something of a bond. That was good.
"I'm sorry about her, Sibyl, but… you know how Ruby is," Weiss both explained and apologized, but Sibyl brushed it off.
"There is nothing to apologize for. I wish they might have a bit more faith in me, but it is nice to know that they care so deeply." Weiss nodded, and slowly, she moved in front of Sibyl, offering a hand and beckoning him to the dance floor.
The undead sighed, scratching at his head. "I'm… I'm not a very good dancer-"
Weiss had moved back forward, pressing a finger against his lips to silence him.
"Then I'll teach you. What was it I said so long ago... even the Schnee Heiress should be able to lower herself to the role of a simple guide?" she wondered, lowering her hand again for him to take. And, well… who was he to say no?
Sibyl had finally found a moment to untangle himself from his date – and no, it was not by choice. Another song had come on and Yang had forcefully grabbed Weiss from his grip, given him a wink, and said "You're not going back on your word, Weiss!"
With that, the two had been off. And, well, now he was here, standing along the walls and watching as Weiss and Yang danced. The latter was getting quite rowdy, but that was just like pyromancers, he supposed. Sibyl leaned his head back, sighing.
He felt like a fool for having ignored Weiss prior to his kiss… but he could be rather oblivious with these things. Well, all that mattered tonight was making sure she had a good time. Things after, like his return to Lordran, what they were, all of that could wait. Tonight was meant to be a good time, and he was going to make sure it remained such.
"Sibyl!" The voice of Pyrrha sounded from his side. He turned to greet her with a smile, and this time, as he glanced upon her, he felt no lingering thoughts. She was beautiful, yes, but he had a different beauty now. She crashed into him with a hug, thanking him profusely.
Jaune was trailing behind her, looking both happy and awkward.
"You were right," Pyrrha explained, tearing herself off him.
Sibyl allowed himself a small chuckle and a sip of his drink. "Well, of course I was." The two laughed together, and as Jaune finally approached more closely, Sibyl slapped him on the back. He nearly stumbled forward, but the undead paid it no mind. "Glad to see you made a good choice, friend." It was the first time he'd referred to Jaune as a friend, but the boy was a friend, dense and annoying or not.
"Y-Yeah. Thanks. You and Weiss, you two looked really good out there, ya' know."
It was an attempt to bridge a gap of communication which had existed ever since that one night in the hall, ever so long ago. This time, Sibyl would allow it.
"I hardly knows what she sees in me, but who am I to doubt her?" As idler conversation flickered by, Sibyl felt his eyes light up at who he spotted across the room. Yes, while Weiss had only just taught him how to dance, he was not about to let his wayward teacher and student off without one.
Bustling through the crowd, he cleared his throat as Glynda chatted on to Ozpin. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling upon seeing just who it was. "Headmaster, I'm afraid I need to take my student for a dance."
Glynda rolled her eyes, but the smile remained all the same.
"Oh, by all means," Ozpin conceded, taking a step back.
Offering his hand, Glynda took it gracefully.
"You and Weiss looked quite good together," she began as they reached the dance floor, eliciting a nod from Sibyl.
"I feel she's the one carrying us in the looks department, but yes, thank you."
As they continued to dance, Sibyl explained a bit about just what had happened to get him and Weiss together.
"Hmm. I'm not surprised she had to kiss you to get you to see what everyone else could," Glynda observed as he gave her a very quick spin, unable to keep the grin off his face when she glared at him. Of course, then she had to go and step on his feet, and Sibyl decided to be the better man and let her off without too much trouble.
It was only a few moments after he had watched her walk over to some older man in a white suit when he heard a familiar voice greet him from behind.
"Ah, Sibyl. Enjoying the dance, I hope?"
It was Chester. Steeling his features, he turned around and nodded respectfully. It was so incredibly odd to see Chester without his mask, but the undead still knew who it was, mask or no: a mad man.
"I saw your date earlier. A fine-looking girl. I hope my own date shows up soon, I was rather hoping to show her off," Chester idly observed, a bored look on his face as he glanced around.
Sibyl rolled his eyes and was unable to resist a shot. "Perhaps she finally realized just what sort of man she's with?"
Chester laughed, hardly caring about the insult. "Perhaps she has!" The fool paused in his laughter, taking a sip of the punch. "You've tried the punch, right? It's delicious."
Sibyl neither nodded nor shook his head, as he was too busy resisting the urge to get as far away from Chester as possible.
"What do you want, Chester?" He finally asked, giving the madman the attention he so desired.
"Oh, I'd just hoped to catch up with an old friend." Chester paused, swirling his punch around while he looked into the glass. "I really have turned a new leaf, you know. No funny business – cross my heart," he swore, but the Chosen Undead believed not a word of it.
"If you've turned a new leaf, you'd be trying to forget the one you left behind. Now, away with you. I've a night to enjoy," Sibyl declared, taking an idle look around for his date.
Eventually, he found her, chatting happily with Pyrrha.
In fact, the only one of his friends he was unable to find was Ruby, but he was sure the girl was fine. Given how… socially inept she was, she might have even just stepped outside for some fresh air.
Yes, that had to be it.
"Uh… Sif, why is that guard unconscious?" The wolf growled in response to Ruby's question, approaching slowly and sniffing. His growling got louder, and he reached over his back to the sheathe Sibyl had only recently created for him, pulling out his blade. Meanwhile, Ruby cleared her throat, reaching for her Scroll and entering the code which would send her locker, along with her weapon, crashing onto the ground behind her.
Retrieving her weapon, Ruby nodded at Sif, who adjusted the sword in his mouth. She was a Huntress-In-Training, and besides, she had Sif with her. She'd be able to catch whoever had knocked these guards out, easy.
Hopefully.
So, Sibyl and Weiss. I spent a lot of time thinking about it, and the main competitor was Yang, which I feel like most people can gleam from the earliest chapters of this story. That said, the more I thought about Yang and Weiss, I sorta decided things just didn't... fit right. My thoughts are sorta outlined in this one: Yang, yes, she sees Sibyl as attractive and appealing. But, and I tried to preview this through chapters long ago, things like the scars do turn her off. Sibyl's a bit too close to her nightmare scenario for her to really, passionately chase him. She wants to be an adventurer, and Sibyl is an example of what happens to an adventurer who adventures a bit too much.
In short, Yang is still an immature, young, brash girl in this story. Weiss, however, is someone I've always perceived as having been forced to grow up faster due to her family. Much like Sibyl, who was forced to grow thanks to both the souls he absorbed, who imparted a sort of subconscious knowledge, from how to wield weapons to more, and secondly, from his journey throughout Lordran. So, I decided to pair them together after around 150,000 words. You're welcome.
Secondly, Jaune and Pyrrha. Yes, their romance subplot is resolved. It's not important nor all that relevant for this story, and I didn't feel like having to needlessly focus on it when, given Sibyl's character, it could easily be solved this early on. You also might have noticed that Blake didn't need as much convincing to go to the dance and enjoy herself in this chapter compared to the episode. The reason for that is simple: Blake realizes she has been stressed. In the episodes, she's stressing out, obviously, but it's the sort of stress you shrug off and call normal.
In this story, she was captured by Adam and nearly raped. She thought she was in love with Sibyl, however briefly, thanks to that stress. So when Sibyl, who has been there for her and talked her out of unreasonable thoughts, says she needs to relax, and she's not as passionately against the idea, it goes much smoother. She see's Sun in a fairly positive light, too, since he's been there along with Sibyl to help her out frequently, and tada, dance time.
I know a lot of people like Yang, and I do too. Apologies, but it's just not where I wanted to take the story. Don't worry, though, if you think she's just going to be fazed out. The blonde brawler's just too much fun to write for me to do that.
And finally, I hinted at a few things in this chapter that will be relevant down the road. Sibyl and Weiss might be together, but it's not all smooth sailing- nothing ever is, when the Chosen Undead is involved. Happy early Thanks-giving, and consider this my apology for the previous chapter taking so damn long.