Editorial Note: On the following day, General Ironwood invited Pyrrha for a secret meeting concerning a very probable match for the tournament's final round as well as revealing some secrets regarding Penny Polendina.
Atlas Armed Forces Archive: Audio Transcript between General Ironwood and Pyrrha Nikos hours before the final round of the 40th Biennial Vytal Tournament (Declassified)
General Ironwood's Office, Beacon Tower, 0647 Hours
General Ironwood: Good morning, Miss Nikos. Thank you for coming on such short notice.
Pyrrha Nikos: Good morning, General. Is everything alright?
Gen. Ironwood: Yes, everything is fine. We're making sure it stays that way. I've noticed you have been training this early in the morning. Are you doing okay?
Nikos: I need to stay sharp sir. I was also doing some research concerning the Maidens and the secret conflict.
Gen. Ironwood: That's good to know. Though you could have asked for information from us. Information from third-party sources regarding these topics are dubious at best. But we'll discuss that another time. Let me tell you why I sent you here. I know this is on short notice but it is of utmost importance.
Nikos: Does it concern the Maidens, sir?
Gen. Ironwood: No, but it does contain top-secret information that I'm trusting you with. If I tell you this, everything you hear will stay in this room.
Nikos: You can trust me with anything, General. What seems to be the issue?
Gen. Ironwood: Miss Nikos, if I may ask, how often do you use your semblance during combat? Do you think you can win without it?
Nikos: I only use it when necessary, but I believe I can win without relying on it. Most of my victories have come from practice and hard work. My semblance is just an added advantage.
Gen. Ironwood: (audible sigh of relief) Good. That's what I wanted to hear.
Nikos: Why did you ask, sir?
Gen. Ironwood: It's because… (exhales) The final round will have its matchups chosen randomly before they begin, and we need you to refrain from using your semblance in case you get matched with Penny Polendina.
Nikos: (pauses) I'll do as you wish, but can you explain why, sir?
Gen. Ironwood: The truth is… Penny is not a real girl. She's a machine designed to emulate a young human girl and was given aura through the same piece of Atlesian technology that we will use to transfer Amber's aura to you. She's not made of flesh, but of metal, [1] and what does your semblance do to metal?
Nikos : I can move metal with my semblance... That means if I'm not careful... I might tear her apart.
Gen. Ironwood: Correct, and if that were to happen in front of a global audience, the results would be catastrophic. You're only one of the few who have been told about this. Not even Ozpin and Penny's team know about it.
Nikos: I see... Can't you just make sure we are never matched against each other?
Gen. Ironwood: We could, but it is highly likely that you will be matched against each other, whether you are chosen together or if both of you become the last contestants remaining. Our only option was to warn you about this.
Nikos: (silence)
Gen. Ironwood: Please, Pyrrha. There have been enough problems recently. We've been receiving signs that the forces of chaos are nearby, and we need to do everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone. All we are asking for is your cooperation.
Nikos: As you say, General. It is my duty to prevent further chaos after all.
Gen. Ironwood: Thank you. I knew Ozpin made the right choice in selecting you as the next Maiden. You are free to go. If you have any questions or need to reach out to me, don't hesitate to do so.
Nikos: Will do, sir.
=o=
1. Penny's internal frame is made of metal, her outer body is coated with silicone to give the appearance of human skin.
To Thrive and be Victorious
CHAPTER 11
I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and well-rested—a good sign since I didn't get any nightmares about one of my greatest apprehensions. Although no one aside from Pyrrha knew my secret, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders after confessing to her. In fact, I was feeling more confident about the future than I had in months.
As I got out of bed, I noticed that Pyrrha's bed was empty. She must have gotten up earlier than I did. I saw that the stuffed animal she had won the day before was sitting peacefully on her bed, and the leaf she had caught was displayed on the wall near her bed. I smiled at the memories of our pleasant day together.
Her desk, however, told a different story. An assortment of books was scattered across it, which was strange since Pyrrha always made sure her things were perfectly organized and she would take extra time to clean every speck of dust off her workspace. This led me to believe that despite the wonderful date we had, something was still bothering her.
However, her desk told a different story. It was cluttered with an assortment of books that Pyrrha wouldn't normally be interested in—Fairy Tales Uncensored, The Truth About Magic, Maidens: Fact or Fiction? The Secret Wars of Remnant, The Call of Chaos, and weirdly enough, The Autobiography of Ozpin: Headmaster of Beacon.
This was strange, as Pyrrha was usually very organized and took great care to keep her desk clean. If Pyrrha hadn't been acting strangely lately, I might have assumed that Nora or maybe Ren had misplaced their books on her desk. But since she had been acting like the world was about to end, I suspected that there was something she wasn't telling us. I couldn't help but wonder what she had meant when she talked about destiny right before our confession.
Ren shortly appeared wearing a pink apron with the print that says, 'Please do nothing to the cook' beneath his usual clothes. He was also carrying a glass filled with a green liquid of sorts. "Good morning," he greeted in his usual tone as he saw that I was awake.
"Morning," I replied.
"Pyrrha woke up early today," Ren said.
I wasn't surprised, as Pyrrha was usually the first to wake up after Nora. It made sense, given that it was the final round of the tournament and even as an undefeated champion, she would want to get in some extra practice in the morning. "She always does, doesn't she?"
"Earlier than Nora," he then added.
I felt my eyes gape after hearing that. If Pyrrha woke up earlier than even Nora, who was known for her boundless energy, something must be bothering her. While it was understandable for her to want extra practice before the singles round, it was unusual for her to sleep for such a short period. "How is she doing?"
"She told us about yesterday," Ren said, referring to our confession. He was bound to hear about it sooner or later. "But she seems to be busy with something. I don't know what it is and she refuses to tell me anything about it. It probably has something to do with the upcoming match but I'm not too sure."
With that remark, it all but confirmed my concerns. "Well, I figured as much," I remarked before asking about the 'drink' he was holding—if you can call that a drink, that is. "What's that?"
"Oh, this? This is a blend of herbs and vegetables filled with nutrients vital to your body's well-being. I recommend you to try it out," he attempted to offer it to me.
That sounded like one of the most revolting things I've ever heard. When I tried smelling it, it made me feel my stomach turning at the thought of drinking it. One would be excused for mistaking it as puke. "I think I'm good."
"Are you sure? It's good for you," he insisted.
About as good as chugging an entire bottle of pills into your stomach, I bet. "No, really, I'm fine," I insisted, stepping back from the drink.
Nora suddenly burst into the dorm, confetti raining behind her. "Congratulations, Fearless Leader! You and Pyrrha are finally a couple! Took you long enough, you son of a gun," she cheered with a wide grin on her face. "Team Awesome is going to be together forever! This is gonna be the best week of our life! Oh, I could gush about this all day."
I pretty much have gotten used to her fangirling over our relationship at this point but I was more curious about how she had timed her entrance almost perfectly. I wasn't being watched, was I? "Were you waiting for me to wake up for this?" I asked. She didn't answer, assuming the question was rhetorical. It wasn't though, I was genuinely that curious and she left me in the dark on that subject.
"Ren, you're not trying to feed Jaune with that stuff, are you?" She glares at him, to which Ren just responded with a shrug. Sound like even Nora wasn't eccentric enough to be a fan of whatever that drink was. It's credits to carrots that only Ren was capable enough to drink that green goop.
"So, where is Pyrrha right now?" I asked the two.
"Oh, she's at the library. Probably reading more of those weird books," Nora said, frowning and folding her arms. "She could use some company, and who else would be a better choice than you?"
Right, I thought. It was my duty as a good boyfriend to support Pyrrha and be there for her. "Way ahead of you."
"That's the spirit! Go cheer her up. Make our beloved champion happy! She's going to need some love and support for her next match," Nora exclaimed, pumped up.
"Alright," I walked toward the bathroom door to take a shower. Before entering the bathroom, I turned around to give my indefatigable hammer-wielding teammate one important message. "Oh, and please try not to ruin the mood this time."
She nodded obediently. "If you say so! I wouldn't want to get in the way. I wish nothing but the best for both of you!"
"Thanks, Nora." I closed the bathroom door, smiling at her. It was good to know that despite her manic personality, Nora was still capable of being respectful and considerate, especially when it came to my relationship with Pyrrha.
After I finished bathing myself, I took a quick breakfast before heading to the library. I was able to find her in the private section. She was on a desk, sleeping on a book about conspiracy theories (or something, I can't remember) with a messy pile of books and mysterious folders beside her. [1]
While I thought it was cute to see her sleeping like this, I knew that I shouldn't get too distracted and that she had some unresolved issues to deal with, so I walked up to her and gently shook her awake. "Hey."
She moaned as her eyes slowly opened. She looked up and smiled upon seeing me, as if the sight of my face slightly cheered her up. "Hey."
I was happy to see her smile, despite whatever was troubling her. I just wanted her to be happy, like she was the night before, and not worry about anything. "You okay?"
She turned to the pile of books on the desk. "I'm fine. I've just been doing a lot of reading recently."
"Like what?" I asked, feeling curious about her sudden interest in these types of books that I had never noticed before.
"Oh, uh… Myths, Legends, Fairy Tales. Like the silver-eyed warriors for example—who are believed to be capable of obliterating Grimm with a single look." She immediately stacked the books in an orderly fashion. "I've been wondering if some of these tales are indeed true and not just legends."
That wasn't exactly the answer I was expecting, but at least I was making progress. If that was the case, then I didn't have much to worry about, [2] as long as she stopped making us worry about predicaments that came out of nowhere. She still hadn't explained why she had suddenly developed an interest in these topics, though. "Can't really judge you for being into that kind of stuff, but what makes you think they could be real?"
"People don't just write these things out of nowhere. I mean, many of them are inspired by true stories."
I let out a sigh of concern for her. "Pyrrha, I don't mean to disrespect you – it's the last thing I want to do right now – but I think you're reading into it too much," I told her.
"I'm sorry. It's just—"
Just by reading her face alone, I could tell something was troubling her. I didn't know if what she was reading had something to do with it nor do I want to believe that she was hiding something from me, We can't be distrusting each other after we just become honest with our feelings.
I held onto her shoulders comfortingly. "Do you need help with something? I'm always here to lend a hand."
"I appreciate that but I'm fine. It's nothing I can't handle. I was just given an assignment by Professor Ozpin and I needed to prepare for a bit," she explained as I let go of her. "I can't talk about it. I'm sorry for making you worry."
Hearing about the assignment Ozpin gave her only made me wonder what it was even about. Whatever it was, I could only guess that it didn't concern grades as the success of our special assignments made that a non-issue. For this year at least.
I sighed internally, knowing I couldn't just leave her alone when something was troubling her. But I shouldn't worry too much. The important thing was that she stop worrying about whatever was on her mind. If I couldn't help her directly, then I would have to put her in a good mood. "Well, whatever it is, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here to listen. Just remember that you're not alone anymore." I tenderly reminded her.
"Thanks, Jaune," she said before leaning closer and giving me a kiss on the cheek as she stood up. My cheeks went red and I resisted the urge to wipe it away.
"C'mon let's head out. I'll buy you lunch," I told her.
"You don't have to do that," she remarked as we began leaving the library.
"Yeah, but I want to. You deserve to have a nice lunch, and besides, I'm your leader and boyfriend, so you have to do what I say," I insisted, even though I had already paid for our snacks the previous night.
She playfully giggled and conceded, "Alright then."
We left the building together, holding each other as we walked through the courtyard. I was a bit skeptical about the PDA [3], but everyone already treated us as a couple ever since the public learned that we were paired as partners, so we might as well go for it and let everyone know that we were official. It was enough for them to get the message so it's not like we needed to kiss in the arena or anything.
Though not many people were able to notice it since everyone appeared to be more concerned at the fact that more Atlesian ships were hovering in the skies above Beacon and Vale than usual. This made me wonder what exactly made this increased military presence necessary.
If I were to guess it meant one thing. Something sinister was afoot.
=o=
1. Those folders were provided by Ozpin which contained dossiers regarding The Maidens, The Forces of Chaos, and some details about Ozpin's Shadow War. They were physically written to avoid them getting leaked from data breaches and to prevent potential hackers from accessing them, which turned out to be a wise move in hindsight.
2. Unfortunately for them, it was.
3. Public Display of Affection. As stated, their relationship wasn't considered anything of a surprise, and besides, PDAs weren't much frowned upon in Vale.
When we got to the Coliseum, more Atlesian Knights were patrolling the coliseum compared to the previous days when there were only a handful of Atlesian Guards that were present. Ren and Nora were displeased with the number of 'mechanical abominations' roaming around, but as much as they wanted to do some damage (especially Nora), they knew they didn't need to avoid unwanted attention by causing a scene.
The Atlesian Knights were inspecting people for potential threats at the concourse and loading docks, and they seemed to be focusing particularly on faunus to ensure that they were not affiliated with the White Fang. T It somewhat made sense considering I just witnessed White Fang members or sympathizers the previous day, and it wasn't far-fetched to think that they'll try to retaliate after what happened to their Valish cell. But seeing this made me understand why faunus were especially upset now that they were being profiled because some of their extreme cousins decided to ruin things for everyone. I guess this is how the cycle of prejudice and violence gets perpetuated.
Ren and Nora went ahead to the seating while I accompanied Pyrrha backstage. After arriving there, we went our separate ways and I saw Blake and Yang talking near the corridor wall on my way to the seats. It sounds like Blake was at it again, but thankfully, her partner was there to knock some sense into her before she could try putting us on a repeat of the first week of this semester.
Ren and Nora went ahead to the seating while I accompanied Pyrrha backstage. After arriving there, we went our separate ways and I saw Blake and Yang talking near the corridor wall on my way to the seats. It sounds like Blake was at it again, but thankfully, her partner was there to knock some sense into her before she could try putting us on a repeat of the first week of this semester.
"I know how you feel, Blake. But now is not the time to worry about that. Let the military handle it for now," Yang said, trying to calm her down.
Blake's bow was visibly twitching. "I just feel like we need to do something about it. What's happening right now just isn't right."
"They almost got to you before, Blake, and I don't want that to happen again. Let it go for now and maybe we can figure it out when the time's right," Yang reassured her.
"I don't know," Blake muttered, her eyes falling to the floor.
Yang grabbed her shoulder. "Everything will be alright. We're partners, we look for each other. Right now, I need you to focus on supporting me for my next match, and I'll be sure to return the favor after we're done with this. Okay?"
Blake seemed uncertain, but eventually nodded in agreement. She seemed to have remembered the lesson she learned, and that whatever was happening is something she and her faunus needed to bear for the moment until a solution is found.
Mercury was passing through as he noticed me eavesdropping on the two. "Ey, you okay there, hero?"
"Hey there, Merc," I greeted. "I'm fine. Just checking on my friends."
"Trying to make sure your girlfriends are alright, aren't you?" He snickered as I gave him a weird look over the joke that I really should have seen coming. "I'm kidding. But I take it you have a girlfriend by now?"
"I actually do. Don't need to tell you who it is, you probably already know her by now," I made a sideways glance in case of a nearby paparazzi. Gossip sites were going to have a field day milking this when they find out about it.
"Ohh, nice," He remarked with a slight grin on his face. "Good for you, pal."
Trust me, everyone would be, even if it will only surprise a few. "I take it that you're going to represent your team for this round?" I presumed since I saw him heading backstage like Yang.
"Yep. I'm going to make history today," He boasted as he made a couple of light kicks in the air. "I got my game on."
"Well, best of luck then," I said, he was going to need it because he'll be facing my toughest friends yet (and a few others who were able to get this far). Gotta give him props for his optimism though, as cocksure as he may sound.
"You'll be surprised." He smirked confidently as he resumed walking to where he was going. "Catch you later!"
I went to my seat and sat between Ren, Nora, and the girls of Team RWBY sans Yang as we waited for a few minutes for the round to officially start.
The Vytal logo appeared on the screens around the arena, and the professors in the commentator's booth began their announcement. "Ladies and Gentlemen," Doctor Oobleck shouted over the cheering crowd. "The one-on-one finals!"
Eight finalists were lined up in the middle of the arena, including Mercury, Yang, Penny, Pyrrha, and Sun representing their respective teams. (I don't mean to be disrespectful, but the other three finalists look kind of flat in comparison to the others, or maybe it's just me). [1]
Pyrrha stood at the left end of the line, looking nervous. I hoped she was doing alright and that her perturbations won't affect her performance. She looked at the audience and gazed towards me as I smiled at her, which seemed to have comforted her for a bit.
"Barty, why don't you explain the rules?"
Professor Oobleck returned to his usual pace. "Ah, it's quite simple, Peter. Instead of a bracket system, each round of the finals will be randomly determined immediately before the match takes place!"
"Much like any good hunt, there will be zero time to prepare!"
"Ah, yes, yes! Now, let's see who our first match will be!" the doctor declared, pointing towards the camera.
Everyone tensely stared at the screen as a roulette containing two slots of the finalists began spinning. After a brief moment of suspense, the roulette has finally chosen its contestants for the first match of this round.
"Yang Xiao Long and Mercury Black!" Professor Port announced. It was an interesting matchup, we'd get to see whether punches or kicks would win the day.
"Break a leg, sis!" Ruby cheerfully cried out.
Little did she knew how true those words would become. I couldn't blame her because nobody expected what would happen next.
=o=
1. The three other contestants were, Castel Moore of Team CRTS (Charteuse) from Beacon, Phoenix Thornton of Team WHAT (White) from Atlas Academy, and Zafran Al-Bahri of Team QARZ (Quartz) from Shade.
I couldn't believe what I just witnessed with my very own eyes.
The match between Yang and Mercury started off as an intense unarmed battle between a brawling blonde and a kickboxing breakdancer. Mercury managed to knock Yang down and pin her with a series of boot shots, leaving her with only 16% of her aura left. Another hit and she would have been out for the count.
Of course, it triggered her semblance, allowing her to overpower Mercury and deplete his aura. He was barely able to defend himself. He was barely able to fight back.
With that, Yang was declared the winner. She was walking away from him, when all of a sudden, she decided to turn back and fired on his leg when he was already down with no aura left. The crowd gasped in shock while the tournament's broadcast was promptly cut.
Everything just went to hell from there.
The Paramedics rushed to carry Mercury off the stage while security troops surrounded Yang and arrested her on the spot. The same crowd that cheered at her during the match was now booing at her for her foul play. We, her friends and comrades, were no less shocked.
This caused the next match to be delayed for a couple of hours while the showrunners tried to sort things out. When we flew back to Beacon, Yang was placed on house arrest and arrived at the academy in a prison transport while being escorted by Atlesian Security Troops. Students looked at her in shame as she passed by, and she couldn't do anything but hang her head in shame.
I sat in my dorm with my team, still trying to process what Yang had just done. We listened to the muffled scolding of General Ironwood in Team RWBY's dorm, feeling uncomfortable and worried. Pyrrha, especially, looked glum, sitting silently on her bed with one more thing added to her list of concerns.
I looked out the window and saw that there were Atlesian Knights everywhere. I was rather thankful that The Pest wasn't allowed to be on Beacon grounds at the moment, otherwise, there would have been more ruckus outside the residence hall.
After everything that was happening this morning alone, I wondered if anyone would just calm the hell down for once.
"I still can't believe this," Nora said, pacing back and forth around the room. "Did Yang really just do what I saw?"
"Unedited footage and millions of eye-witnesses don't lie, Nora." Ren was looking at his scroll. "Don't get me wrong, I'm about as dumbfounded as everyone else. As aggressive as she can be—she would never go this far."
"Don't you think she was blinded by her semblance or something?" I asked, trying to come up with a plausible theory for why Yang would unceremoniously break a downed person's leg.
"I saw her eyes turn back to normal shortly after Mercury was defeated. It couldn't have been her semblance," Ren replied.
"You're right. And she was low on aura after she used her semblance. She couldn't have activated it again since it was cooling down," I remembered, recalling some notes I had taken on everyone's abilities. "If it's not that, then what is it?"
"I'm not sure. It could have been a result of stress or high amounts of adrenaline," Ren shrugged.
Nora scoffed. "All of you know me, and even I don't go that crazy when I'm that pumped up," she pointed out. "Something is definitely off here."
As much as I find that hard to believe, I couldn't find myself disagreeing with her. Nora's a nightmare at her worst, but she acts frenzied only when I allow her to; she's otherwise capable of holding out her temper. Since Yang's disposition was supposed to be relatively more manageable than Nora's (let's be honest, everyone else is), then it couldn't possibly be narrowed down to just her striking a downed opponent in a fit of rage. There was much more to this and we intend to find out what it was.
When I noticed General Ironwood and his troops leaving the residence hall from the dorm room's window. I headed out to check on them. Opening the door, I saw Yang's teammates standing outside their dorm.
"Is she doing okay?" I asked worriedly.
"She's doing the best she can," Blake answered, looking downcast.
"They've disqualified us," Weiss added, her expression reflecting her devastation. "Her ankles have been tagged so she can't leave the dorm."
"I heard Mercury and his team rushed back to be his family," Ruby said, trying to sound as optimistic as she could. "So, until they land, no one can really question him about what happened."
Ren stepped in. "If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask."
Ruby briefly looked down. "Alright then, if that's the case… Pyrrha?" She called, grabbing her attention from across the room as Ruby beamed at her. "Be sure to win one for Beacon, okay?"
"It's what Yang would want," Weiss chimed in.
Pyrrha looked away for a moment before turning back to them with a bright expression. "I'll do my best."
"I'll be sure to watch tonight to see if you're picked!" Ruby chirped, beaming at Pyrrha. I smiled at Ruby's cheerful face, noticing her radiant silver eyes. While I always knew her eyes were silver, they reminded me of one of the legends Pyrrha was talking about, but that's probably just me.
"Sorry, but I think I've had enough fighting for one year," Blake said. I heard myself agreeing internally, amazed that I was able to even get this far, and there were still three more years waiting for me. I also found Blake's statement reassuring, as it implied that she was not going to drag us into another one of her politically-motivated crusades that would get us in trouble with the authorities.
"Ditto," Weiss nodded. "Coffee?
"Tea," Blake replied before the three of them left.
I turned back to my dorm to see Nora profoundly pointing her finger toward Pyrrha. "You heard the lady! No more moping around! Are you just going to sit there and frown while there's a big fight ahead of you? No! The Pyrrha I know isn't going to let some puny tournament bring her down! She will fight, for the sake of her friends who she will never let down that easily, and for what she believes in!"
Nora continued her stirring speech as I delightfully watched. Pyrrha's eyes were wide in astonishment. "What's there to worry about? You're the fiercest, most talented warrior I've ever known, backed up by caring teammates who stood beside you ever since the moment we held the same chess pieces together and we will continue to stick by your side no matter what! We fought small Grimm, big Grimm, super Grimm, mad scientists who created the super Grimm I just mentioned, as well as baddies who tried to use the Grimm! Whatever you will face next is nothing compared to what you have fought and defeated!" She grabbed her arm from the bed, making her stand up. "So, are you going to let your worries get the best of you?"
"No…" Pyrrha muttered.
Nora firmly grabbed her shoulders. "I can't hear you!"
"No!"
"That's more like it!" Nora pumped her fists in the air. "So stop brooding and make us proud! Actually, scratch that. We're already proud of you, so make us even prouder! We know you can do it, Pyrrha!"
I saw Pyrrha's face brighten up. We all looked at her with warm, encouraging expressions. With that, she was reassured that we'll always be there for her.
Who knew someone like Nora would actually make a good motivational speaker?
As Nora was pumping her fists up, her stomach growled. "Hold on, I know the drill." Ren stood up to fetch some snacks for her.
I looked at Pyrrha and she gave me a bright smile, indicating that she was successfully cheered up. This was exactly what she needed before the match.
"I'm going to check on Yang," I informed them before looking at Ren and Nora. "You guys take care of her for now."
"Go on ahead. We're not going anywhere as long as there were machines roaming around the campus," Ren replied.
I knocked on the door and opened it after Yang told me to come in. The first thing that happened which I really should have expected was—Zwei angrily barking at me.
"Calm down, Zwei. Jaune's not gonna hurt a good boy," Yang said. With that, he faced away from me and began to chase his own tail until he went to sleep on his dog bed placed in the corner of the dorm. I can't attest if he's really a good boy though.
"What brings you here?" she then asked.
To be honest, I wasn't even sure if it was a good idea to visit her. [1] I just thought I'd talk to her to see if she truly was as innocent as she seems. Aside from that, I might as well help out Yang so I could stay on her good side and so I could prove that I was a genuine friend even if I lied to her and everyone. "I thought I'd hear your side of the story of what just happened," I explained, sitting at the desk's chair next to the wall. "Whatever you just did, we're still friends, aren't we?"
She looked at me, feeling afraid. It was an odd feeling, I never think I saw her be afraid before. "Aren't you afraid that I might suddenly lash out or something?"
As a matter of fact, I was. I kept my guard up during the entire time I was there, fearing that she might strike the least I expected, especially with what she did that put her in that position. But I told myself to just treat Yang the way she always was, a flirty, silly blonde biker with a penchant for puns. Really bad puns. If she really was that guilty and dangerous, her teammates would have warned me about her.
"That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about you," I partially lied, speaking in my hero persona. Sometimes I just never learn, but I hope to grow out of this eventually.
She paused for a moment before making a question. "Jaune, you really don't believe what you just saw, do you?"
"I don't know. I don't want to believe it but I can't just deny what I just saw either," I answered. "Why did you do it? He was out of aura. You already won. Couldn't you just have walked out and enjoyed your victory?"
"I didn't—!" she exclaimed before taking a deep breath and explained her perceived point of view. "Look, this may sound hard to believe. I actually was walking away. Then I heard him say something before I saw him coming after me. So I fired at him. The next thing I knew, I was being arrested. I didn't knew he was down all along until I saw the video," Her lilac eyes bored towards mine, "I swear, that was what really happened. Call me crazy but I saw what I saw and it felt real to me."
She didn't sound like she was lying. While no one remembered Mercury threatening and attacking her after the fight, the tone of her voice was telling me she was being sincere and her gaze hadn't swayed away from mine. And she wasn't that much of a clever devil to deceive me like that. Trust me, I should know, it has been something I have been doing longer than I should.
"Maybe everyone's right. It was all just in my head. I'm really just a hotheaded bimbo, aren't I?" She leaned down and covered her face.
I regretfully stared at her as I found a way to give her some consolation. "I don't know. But I do know this—I heard you talking down Blake before the match," I stated, prompting her into looking back up. "I don't think you would have let yourself be blinded with rage after telling her that. And I know for certain that you aren't a liar."
"So, do you believe me?" Yang asked, looking at me with hope in her eyes.
"I believe you didn't do that without a good reason," I asserted. "I won't lie, this is becoming more complicated than it looks, but somehow I know for certain that this isn't your fault. We just need to get to the bottom of it if we're to prove you're innocent."
She smiled at me, grateful for my support. "I'm glad to know that not everyone is buying this."
"Just remember that so long as we know you're not guilty, we will always have your back. That's what friends are for. Right?"
"Right," she happily nodded. "I really appreciate that. Though, I still haven't forgiven you for blasting ketchup on my hair the first day of this semester though."
"Yeah, I remember," I chuckled, reminiscing that very day. I could still remember it like it was yesterday; it's one of the reasons why I didn't fully regret going to Beacon. "Still not as bad as me vomiting on your shoes, right?"
"I'll be the judge of that," she giggled. "Kinda hard to imagine that it's almost a year, doncha think?"
"Yeah. Oh, how time flies." I said, standing up from the chair. "I should go now. You think you'll be okay?"
"Don't sweat it. This isn't the first time I was on house arrest, remember?" She said.
Oh right, she got a harsher sentence for her criminal record when our investigation of the White Fang went wrong, at least she was free to roam around the academy then so long as she was within its confines. It's a shame she's got what was basically another charge of assault. "Yeah, I remember," I grinned, walking back to the door.
"And hey," Yang called, causing me to turn around before I left. "Don't lose your joy, Lover Boy," she winked.
I chuckled before responding appropriately. "I enjoyed our talks, Goldilocks."
She beamed at me before I finally left the dorm, reassured that she would be okay despite the difficult situation she was facing.
As I closed the door, I saw Qrow, the dark-haired guy who just fought Weiss's sister a few days ago, leaning on the wall next to the dorm. "You planning something with my niece, hero?"
He almost startled me. His raspy voice and appearance didn't help. "You don't have to worry about me, there's already someone if that's what you're thinking."
"I can guess who it is," he shook his head. "We're living in fucked up times, kid, if I were you, I wouldn't be too attached to my teammates."
Yeah, that was what I told myself before it went into the gutter like most of my plans to keep my reputation from becoming worse. What's his deal anyway? I thought. I was starting to see why Weiss's sister couldn't stand him, not helped by his breath reeking of alcohol that it kept reminding me of Uncle Jørgen. [2] This wasn't something I expected from an uncle of two personable girls. "I guess it's too late for that."
He sneered dismissively, "That's not my problem. What were you doing there anyway?"
"I just wanted to hear what she has to say about what happened. It doesn't sound like she's lying."
"She didn't threaten you to say that, didn't she?" He questioned, making me narrow my eyes as he made a huff before making a slight chortle. "Nah, who am I kidding? Nothing ever threatens you Arcs, is there?" He stood up. "I have known Yang since she was born. She really means well but she's sometimes way over her head. I remember her picking fights with bullies twice her size when she was a kid. Now I'm not sure if she meant to do what she just did or not, but the damage has been done, this is going to be the first thing people will think about when they see her. She'll just have to face the music."
"Are you telling me not to help out your own niece?" I asked, feeling a sense of outrage at his words.
"What I'm telling you is that you should focus on other things. I'm not that worried about her because I know that she's tough enough to take it. She'd face the whole world if she wanted to. I'm more worried about her sister. As much as I'm proud of her, she's too naïve for her own good, and I don't want her to end up like her mom." He said. That, I can see. I haven't heard much about Ruby's mom but it's because she didn't want to talk about her when she's brought up, which was completely understandable. "Look, kid, something big is coming. Take my advice and keep watching your back. Soon, you'll learn that the Grimm are the least of your problems."
Been there, done that, I muttered to myself, hoping he was just drunk off his mind.
"And go talk to your partner, she really needs it," He said before going into Team RWBY's dorm.
Of course, why wouldn't I? Pyrrha needed all the support from her team and friends, especially with what she was going through.
I opened my dorm room and saw that Pyrrha was nowhere to be found. Ren and Nora were watching the windows through a binocular, being robophobic again. I'm still wondering why those two were still subscribed to the beliefs of the machine cult they were no longer a part of.
"What a repugnant sight." Ren hissed in disgust while observing the Atlesian Knights on the campus.
"Damn you, Atlas. The more I look at those tin cans the more I want to crush them. I can imagine myself doing it now." Nora growled before she noticed me enter. "Oh, Jaune. If you're looking for Pyrrha, she's on the rooftop. She said she needed some time alone."
Probably because she couldn't think clearly since both of them keep fear-mongering about robots, I thought. "Alright, I'll leave you to your business," I nodded at them as I shut the door and immediately went upstairs since there was no reason for me to stay there and keep listening to their anti-robotic sentiments.
As I made my way to the rooftop, I found her sitting near the edge of the roof all by herself, watching the sky and the view before her as usual. Memories of our moments in this place came back, from when we discovered it as our training spot on our first week, practicing together after classes to more recent memories like when we shared drinks and had a little heart-to-heart shortly after winning the doubles round.
I walked to her side. "You okay, Pyrrha?"
She turned back and gave me a reassuring smile. "I'm okay. I've just thought about some things."
"Really? What kind of things?" I asked, sitting as well.
"It's hard to explain. There's just been a lot on my mind lately," she said, with a hint of apprehension in her voice. But aside from that, she didn't sound too upset.
"Still anxious about the next match, Pyrrha?" I asked.
"Not really. In fact, I don't care about winning anymore," she said, looking out at the campus and the surrounding sea.
That was interesting to hear especially after Nora's motivational speech for her. "What makes you say that?"
"Because I realized it doesn't matter if I win or lose. The friends I made and the life I found here in Beacon are already the greatest victory I ever had. I knew I would find a better purpose in life, but I didn't know how much it would change my life," she explained as she faced me. "It was always my destiny to become a Huntress, and being a Huntress is about fighting for who you care about and what you believe in. I'll continue to fight, not for pride or victory but for my friends, especially you. Because it's you that makes it worth it," she explained, almost on the verge of tears.
I reached out and gently wiped the tears from her face. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me," she said.
"You know me, I'm here for you until the end. You mean that much to me," I replied with a friendly smirk. "I should thank you too. You made me realize that there's more to Beacon and being a part of a team than just using it to save myself, you know?"
"Well, that makes us even," she grinned, leaning at my shoulder as she held my other hand that was resting on the ground. Though I was still uncertain if that was ever truly the case since it has done more to me than I'll ever do to her. It was one of the reasons why I felt so unworthy for her, but I was willing to humor her opinion for her sake.
"I'm glad I have you. Can't imagine what would have happened if we never found each other," I said truthfully.
"Same," she replied before taking a moment to look back at the year we had together, "I still can't help but be amazed about everything that happened this year."
"There'll be plenty more where that came from," I nodded.
"I hope you're right," she remarked, sounding worried for a bit but she remained eased resting at my shoulder.
I was recalling my days here in Beacon, trying to wonder where did I go so right when I remembered that I only told Pyrrha about my secret so far. "I really should tell the others about me soon. They deserve to know the truth as well."
"Don't worry, I'll be there for you, just like you'll be there for me later. We look out for each other."
I smiled at her words. I had endured the past months at the academy, hoping to make it through in one piece and find a way out after being dragged into it against my will. But I never thought I would find happiness with someone who I initially saw as a means to an end, and I cherished all the friends I made and the fond memories I have of the academy that once haunted me.
"Let's stay like this for a moment, shall we?" She turned her gaze back to the sky.
"I can't argue with that," I put an arm around her shoulder, embracing her as we enjoyed each other's company, reassured that everything would be alright.
Whatever we'll face next, I know we'll get through it together. Maybe three more years at Beacon wouldn't be so bad after all.
=o=
1. It truly wasn't. There were surveillance cameras planted in the room. General Ironwood planned on confronting him about it later that night but decided to ignore it due to the events that preceded following that.
2. Jørgen Gustavsen is distinctively notorious for his abysmal breath caused by his alcoholism. Amusingly enough, he and Qrow used to be drinking buddies when Caiaphas Arc was working under Ozpin's order.
It was already night when we returned to the coliseum. Despite the relevant event that caused the following match to be delayed until evening, many people were still aching for some action. That being said, there were about as plenty of people who were skeptical about the tournament continuing, combine with stricter Atlesian security because of the incident. To make matters worse, I heard that the threat of a Grimm invasion had just increased because of all the commotion that stemmed from this.
Unlike her teammates, Ruby decided to attend since she told us that Yang didn't want to force her to stay and worry about her back in the dorms and that she'll be fine by herself so long as she gets to see Penny fight. When walking through the coliseum, everyone was giving scornful looks at her for what her sister did. If it weren't for us accompanying and staying close to her, she would have been harassed on sight. Nobody wanted to have some serious beef with us even if we were still getting along with the leader of a team that was now deemed controversial.
Ren and Nora went with Ruby to the seats while I went with Pyrrha on the way backstage so I could give her a few more minutes of company before splitting up.
"Here we go," Pyrrha muttered when we arrived at the backstage entrance to the ring.
"You did amazing last round. I'm sure you can do this," I alleviate her remaining doubts as she prepares for her next match.
"I know. I just couldn't shake off that feeling, you know?" I understand where she was coming from. You will always feel your adrenaline pump hard before a battle no matter how prepared you are especially if it's for a major fight.
"Just remember that we're proud of you no matter what."
She smiled and leaned forward to give me a short, sweet, and chaste kiss. "Thank you. For everything."
I paused and blushed as we looked at each other for a few more seconds. "Good luck."
I locked my gaze on her as she was entering the backstage. I was about to turn around and walk away when I saw Ruby rushing towards us with her semblance.
"Pyrrha, wait!" she yelled, grabbing Pyrrha's attention as well, making her turn back to her. "There's something I need to tell you first. It's very important!"
Pyrrha raised a brow. "What is it?"
"I really can't tell you here! We need to talk in private," she panted.
"Why's that?" I took my turn to ask, confused by the abrupt commotion which I wouldn't hear about.
"There's no time to explain! Would you mind if I borrow Pyrrha for a second?"
I wasn't sure about this especially since I didn't know what this was about and why it was so sudden but had no reason not to trust Ruby. "Alright. If that's what you want." I answered before turning, "Pyrrha, you're okay with this right?"
"It's okay, I still have time. I'm not really in a rush."
"Oh, thank goodness. I'm really sorry. I know this is sudden but you really need to hear this," Ruby meekly apologized
"It's fine, don't worry. If it's that urgent, then let's not waste any more time," Pyrrha said, turning to me before following Ruby. "You go on ahead, we'll be alright."
I nodded as I watched them leave, still wondering what was that all about but it was none of my business so I simply shrugged it off.
Arriving at the seats, I sat beside Ren and Nora. Ruby appeared a few minutes later, taking a relieved breath, making me guess that her talk with Pyrrha went better than she expected, whatever it was.
It was still bothering me for a bit so I decided to ask her about it. "So what was that all about?"
"Oh, nothing," she briefly avoided my gaze. "I just realized something and I thought I should tell her about it."
That still didn't satisfy me so I kept asking her about it. I admit I came off looking rather nosy about it but I couldn't help but feel curious. "Mind giving me a hint?"
"Sorry, it's confidential. I mean really confidential," she insisted. "Maybe I should tell you one day."
"Alright then." There was no reason for me to question her trust, and the tournament was going live.
The Vytal logo appeared before us on the screen but before the tournament officially resumed, the camera cut to General Ironwood making an announcement concerning the recent disruptions. I remember him blinking only once during the beginning of his speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are well aware of the shock and concern that many of you may be feeling after the recent incident involving some of our contestants. While we understand your concerns, we want to reassure you that the tournament will continue as planned. The tournament is no stranger to such incidents like this and has been present since the first tournament. [1] Have those disruptions ever stopped the event? No. The tournament hasn't stopped then and we will not stop now. We refuse to let this be remembered as a dark day. We are here to put aside our differences and show how far we have come since The Great War. Always know that friendship and unity will always conquer fear and hate. So let us continue so that we may all forget about our troubles in favor of something wonderful. May you all have a pleasant evening."
Gotta admit the general does know how to make a speech. By that point, everyone seemed to forget about what Yang did and focus on the next fight for the tournament.
"Now with that out of the way, let us continue the final round of the Vytal Tournament!" Professor Port announced as the audience cheered. "Here are our contestants!"
The six remaining contestants were elevated to the stage as they got ready for the following battle.
"All right, it's now time to begin the randomization process for our next fight!" Doctor Oobleck declared as the selection of the fighters began shuffling.
"It looks like our first contender is…" Professor Port observed the roulette before the first contestant was chosen. "Penny Polendina from Atlas!"
The randomization continues. "And her opponent will be..." The audience excitedly gaped at the next slot until it finally stopped. "Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!"
Pyrrha vs Penny, huh? This will be interesting, I thought as the exuberant cheer was heard from every side of the arena as they eagerly awaited the battle between these two redheaded powerhouses.
"Go Penny! Go Pyrrha!" Ruby shouted cheerfully. I was delighted to know that she was going to be happy regardless of who won.
Or that's what I thought at least.
I could notice her still shaken up about something, but I thought it was just me so I didn't think about it too much.
"Heck yeah, give me some of that PvP[2]!" Nora rejoiced, jumping from her seat while her partner can only force such an exclamation.
"Yay."
The battle began shortly after the other contestants left the stage. I closely watch as Penny remotely swings her flying blades before sending them toward Pyrrha. Pyrrha flipped forward, blocking the blades with her shield while on the way.
As Pyrrha was in close proximity to her opponent, she put her shield at her back and began swinging her spear. Penny efficiently dodged them while homing her blades back toward her. Pyrrha flipped away from the blades coming from her behind before she thrust herself back into Penny.
Penny continuously gestured her blades at Pyrrha as the latter deflected them by spinning her spear. This was one of the few times I saw Pyrrha struggling as she was dealing with an opponent she has never faced before. Pyrrha flipped back after avoiding another hurl of blades from Penny. She stormed towards her, leaping on one of the blades flying toward her. As Pyrrha was hurling herself towards her, she attempted to make a vertical slash, only for Penny's blades to gather together and block it.
"My word! What a tremendous display by Miss Polendina!" Professor Port commentated as the fight went on, with Penny throwing her blades at Pyrrha, pushing her back.
Nora was enthusiastically cheering. "Whoa, yeah, go Pyrrha!"
Pyrrha used her magnetism to roll her shield to her arm. Aside from that, I noticed that Pyrrha never once used her semblance during the fight. I figured that she was saving it for later. After all, she never really used her semblance unless it was absolutely necessary. But I still wondered why she wasn't taking advantage of that. Penny's weaponry and fighting style were perfect for Pyrrha's semblance to use against. Just look at what it did to Umi during that one fight in combat class.
While I was trying to watch what would happen next, I suddenly felt a strange sensation in my head. My vision suddenly blurred for a second. When it cleared, I looked around, trying to process what just happened, and spotted Weiss at the nearest entryway waving at me. It seemed like she was trying to get my attention specifically, as it didn't look like wasn't making an effort to catch the attention of anyone else, not even her partner who was sitting right beside me. Confused, I rubbed my eyes and saw her gesturing for me to come to her before she walked away.
I had a feeling that this was something important, and I needed to figure out what Weiss was doing in the Amity Arena. I had thought that she had stayed back in Beacon along with Blake. As much as I didn't want to miss anything crucial in Pyrrha's fight, I knew she would be fine (or at least I hoped she would be) and I didn't think this would take too long.
So, I carefully stood up and headed out, trying to be as discreet as possible. The other spectators were too engrossed in the fight to notice me leave. When I exited the arena, I saw that the corridor was empty. Scanning around, Weiss was nowhere to be found.
Strange, I thought. Just as I was about to think that it must be all in my head— I felt a menacing presence behind me.
I instinctively grabbed the arm behind me and saw Cinder's teammate—Nico trying to stab the back of my neck with a short syringe. Before I could react any further, she dropped the syringe, caught it with her other hand, and injected it into my left arm.
I tried retaliating by turning back and swinging my fist at her. She swept from my back, moving to my front. I felt the sedatives starting to take effect and I couldn't do anything but barely look at Nico smiling sinisterly at me as my consciousness slowly faded.
The next thing I knew was that I became dazed enough that I fell on my back. Nico walked to my head, staring at me. She leaned close to my face as she shut her eyes. When she opened them again, her eyes became mismatched, turning from green to brown and pink before giving me a wink. It was then I realized that she was the Neapolitan Butcher all along and that she was able to bait me to her and put me to sleep. I had a feeling that it was her, but I thought I was only being paranoid over a girl who happened to be short and silent.
That was the last thing I saw before passing out.
=o=
1. In fact, Yang's apparent assault on Mercury was rather mild compared to most of the incidents that occurred during previous tournaments; ranging from riots to lethal accidents. Among them was the incident that occurred at the very first Vytal Festival, where one of the contestants was inadvertently killed during a match. This was largely due to most of the rules not being fully established at the time.
2. An acronym for 'Player vs. Player' a term used in gaming while Nora is using it to refer to the first letter of Penny and Pyrrha's given names.
Merry Christmas and uhh, don't drink too Lidl.