Chapter 6 - Prey and Predator


Pyrrha had guessed that something interesting was going to happen in class that day, though that was more out of an understanding of Professor Goodwitch's manner of tutelage, rather than any special insight. So it followed that Goodwitch led her class out to the launch pads above the Emerald Forest, no doubt knowing that her pupils had some idea of what they were about to get into. But knowing the Goodwitch style challenge was coming was nothing like being prepared for it. In a rare moment outside her usual vigor for a challenge, Pyrrha prayed this activity was on the gentler side of her teacher's brutal lessons. It was likely, though.

The crest of the Emerald Forest sparkled brilliantly in the afternoon sun. A great mass so thick that it seemed like a great green pillow that one could just kick back and nap upon. For a moment, one could be forgiven for forgetting the fact that it was infested with Grimm, old ruins, and young memories.

Pyrrha looked at the person standing dutifully at her side. None other than her beloved partner. Had it not been right here, in this very spot, that she'd chosen him out of all the talented candidates? She remembered looking across from him that day, seeing his anxious face, bumbling for explanations, utterly unprepared for the challenge ahead, and she loved every second of it. You don't know it yet, Pyrrha had thought, but you are all mine. At the time, it seemed to be the best decision she'd ever made. Now, Pyrrha questioned if she should have just gone to Haven.

Professor Goodwitch showed no reason to start right away, instead penning away at her scroll with that same stern indifference. Pyrrha wondered if she was simply playing a game. The class waited in obedient silence, and the air was nothing but a stiff combination of the occasional breeze, some coughs and sneezes, and the distant chirping of birds. The longer it carried on, the more nervous Pyrrha became. Not at all like how she'd felt during Initiation, but then many things had changed since then. Maybe too many things.

Again, Pyrrha glanced at Jaune, standing at attention with the rigid stiffness of an Atlas soldier. At Beacon, it was expected that partners should stand near one another. A sort of unspoken custom. People would point out if you weren't standing with your partner, it was that ingrained into the school's history and culture. On the whole, the past two weeks had not been bad between them, but not very good either. He treated her with courtesy and decency, like a guest in his house, which perhaps was a good thing, but mostly felt alien and awkward. She supposed maybe he was starting to get used to her again, but it was hard to say. He did not talk to her unless he absolutely had to. They'd train together, eat together, study and all other partner related responsibilities meant to foster a strong partnership bond. Unfortunately, that bonding part had not quite caught on yet.

Pyrrha knew she didn't deserve to be frustrated, but this tension was starting to pick at her nerves more and more as time went on. This attempt at indifference, like he intended simply to suffer through the next three years with her, then run away and never look back. Was it really so difficult for him to see that she was sorry? That she wanted things to be better between them? That she wanted him to love her again? Maybe it was.

His blue eyes found hers, then Pyrrha promptly faced the teacher, pursing her lips like she had almost revealed an embarrassing secret. He did not question her. Perhaps, because he did not care.

Professor Goodwitch finally tucked her scroll against her chest and looked upon her anxious students. She gauged them for a moment. "I'm sure you've gleaned some idea of our purpose here this afternoon. Today, we shall hold a team building exercise. The field, of course, will be our esteemed Emerald Forest." Miss Goodwitch's green eyes sharpened. "I say team building, but that's not exactly correct. Consider this an intermediate test on what our classes have focused on most prominently. That being, the effectiveness of partner synergy."

Pyrrha did not miss the way Jaune's at first neutral frown set in deeper, as if he had been told he lost the lottery off by one number. Maybe it was unfair, but she wished Jaune knew how much those expressions hurt her.

"Over this next year, you will regularly be tested with various challenges meant to gauge your team's performance, which will be the most decisive factor in whether you'll ascend to your third year. Or not. Your first challenge will be today."

It made perfect sense to Pyrrha, yet no less did it make her shift uncomfortably. Moving on to the next year meant that Jaune and she had to start getting along and improving their teamwork. They weren't the worst team even by a mile, but compared to their friends, they were almost amateur together. Maybe today would be the day to prove themselves. She hoped Jaune was willing to.

"The rules of this game are simple. As pairs, you will enter the Emerald Forest. Shortly thereafter, your scrolls will receive a symbol. Your goal will be to hunt down the rival pair, take one of their scrolls and scan your matching symbols. After that, delete their symbol and return their scroll. That is all. Your progress will be monitored, but you may tackle this challenge in any manner you wish."

"So it's like a tournament?" asked Dove, "An elimination match?"

"Not quite. Neither defeating or being defeated means you must retire from the challenge. In either case, you will receive a new target to pursue. But you may retire if, and only if, you and your partner are in agreement. Otherwise, you have three days to hunt and be hunted at your disposal."

Pyrrha squirmed. There had once been a time where being alone with Jaune for an extended period of time would have made her squeal with joy. Now a heavy dread fell over her.

"You will be graded based primarily on performance, not score. But it is within your best interest to collect more victories than defeats. While one defeat is enough to pass, it is the minimum. If you plan to prove yourselves exceptional, I would not take the quick and easy way out." Goodwitch nodded her head toward the forest. "You have twenty minutes to decide your means of entering the forest, otherwise may the gods favor you."

There was a crack of lightning, a rush of wind making Pyrrha's ponytail smack her in the face. Jaune had dashed toward the edge of the cliff and leapt a great distance, a black silhouette flying through the air, then falling into the sea of green, spooking a flock of birds from the branches.

Professor Goodwitch looked toward Jaune, then rounded her attention back on the group. "For example, Mister Arc shows eagerness and proactivity by being the first in, but he left his partner behind, ignoring the entire purpose of this exercise." Pyrrha swore Goodwitch looked right at her. "Do not be like Mister Arc."

Pyrrha did her best not to look embarrassed, but in the end she hung her head and sighed.


It went without saying that this challenge was particularly important. While Jaune and her teamwork had technically improved, it wasn't what it had used to be. It was ironic that, when they did partner matches in first year, that they'd done really well. Entirely because Jaune was happy to have a role as a defender, and Pyrrha excelled as an attacker. Before the tournament, those were the only matches Jaune had been capable of winning. Pyrrha felt bad for getting a bit of joy out of those memories. That was when things had seemed so perfect.

How sadly fitting that in Jaune becoming stronger, they as a team had become weaker. Maybe that was because back then they hadn't been partners, but rather a master and her pet. One whom she loved dearly, but was a pet no less.

Pyrrha saw Jaune waiting for her, leaning against a tree, staring at his scroll like he was trying to work out a puzzle. No doubt staring at the symbol they'd been sent.

"Castle?" Pyrrha said, hoping to get right to the topic.

"We're partners, aren't we?"

Pyrrha resisted the urge to say, you tell me, and tried to ride above his snark. "What do you think the others will do?"

Jaune closed his scroll and took a moment to think. "The game is basically prey and predator. Best thing for anyone to do is to go right on the attack. Let's find someone, follow them, watch them, until we find out what their symbol is. This way we can rule some out early. It's better than waiting for someone to come to us," Jaune sounded confident in that plan, like he'd already decided it was the proper thing to do and would have no argument. He worked his jaw to one side pensively. "What's your take?"

This was another thing he'd been doing lately. Trying to keep her opinion involved, even though it was very plain he did not want to. "You're the leader. I trust your judgment."

"Do you?"

"Of course, Jaune. Why wouldn't I?"

"Then what do you think? Good plan or no?"

Pyrrha knew she was tiptoeing a minefield with Jaune lately, but it seemed he was intent on her tripping one. Lie, she thought. But dishonesty wouldn't help if she meant to stitch the bloody wound that was their relationship. Was not the point to be better? "It's a smart plan, but… maybe it's better if we find some cover first? A base from which we can plan and meet up if we're separated. I'm all for taking the hunt to the other teams. Just… not right away. Does that make sense?"

Jaune's face was stony, and Pyrrha swallowed as she held his eye, calm and even, trying not to show any weakness in resolve. Finally, Jaune stood up straight, then trudged off into the forest. "Alright. Go ahead." he said over his shoulder.

Pyrrha's jaw nearly dropped, utterly confused as she made to catch up with him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, go find us a base. I'll see if I can find a team to follow, maybe I can rule out one or two."

Pyrrha bit her lip. "Jaune, we're being observed and graded on cooperation. I think we're supposed to stick together."

"That's not always possible and the teachers will know that. We can split the jobs, therefore dividing the time and effort. It's an optimal strategy and we both get what we want."

What Pyrrha wanted was to pass the test. Was Jaune trying to? "Look, I'll just go with you. We can make the base later."

Jaune turned to her. "Have it your way. Let's do the base first and get it out of the way."

"Get it out of the way? Jaune, you asked for my opinion."

"And I'm listening to it, aren't I? Let's go."

He very obviously did not like or respect her plan. He very obviously did not like or respect her. "Forget it, okay? Let's go look for another pair. The base can wait."

"You sure?"

She was not. "I'm sure."

Jaune turned and stalked off into the forest and Pyrrha followed. She raised her hands in a strangling gesture at the back of his head, but it didn't make her feel better.

Only three years left, right? That is, if they passed this year.


A few hours later, as the sun set beyond the trees and turned the sky a molten orange, Pyrrha and Jaune spied the first group they'd encountered since the test began. A group that was already three times its number.

It made sense, Pyrrha concluded. Those who weren't your designated prey or predator fit perfectly in the space between a non-threat and an ally, even if it was only temporary. If they got lucky and only did not draw each other's symbols, then each pair was more likely to win, so long as they got the bare minimum of one point. That was why this group of six, led by the pair of Russel and Dove, had surrounded another pair and were trying to make them surrender.

"That's cheap," Jaune huffed.

"But effective." said Pyrrha. "Hunters do what they must in order to catch their quarry. The only honor in a hunt is in coming out on top."

Jaune hummed at that, but offered no retort. They watched in silence as the encounter played out about as one expected. One of the pair looked intent on fighting, but the other gauged his surroundings with increasing grimness. Where Russel used to be arrogant and liked to toy with his opponents last year, now he was serious yet fiery, pointing with his dagger and commanding the pair to spare themselves a fight they weren't likely to win. Not without taking heavy injuries, anyway. I'm the end, the more cautious of the pair tossed Russel his scroll. Russel showed it to another member of the group and he pulled his scroll and held it up to the other. Pyrrha could just make out a sound of confirmation, and only then did Russel swipe the image and toss the scroll back.

A rather peaceful ending in all, but probably more humiliating as well. There's nothing quite so soul crushing as being totally overwhelmed. Pyrrha used to do it to others, and as of last year, knew damn well what it felt like now too. The predators of that exchange cheered at their victory, while piat stormed off bitterly, the one raring to fight holding up her middle finger as some final effort at defiance.

Pyrrha and Jaune held their positions, watching and waiting for the group of six to see what they'd do next. Mostly they revelled in their fortune, claiming the test was cakewalk and so on. Eventually, Russel made the executive decision to camp there in the clearing, right as the orange sky started to grow bluer.

Once again, it was time to ask her partner their plan of action, and already she was wishing she didn't have to. "They're holding position. What do you want to do?"

Jaune stuck his tongue in his cheek. "Good chance one of them has our number. Let's just watch for now. See how they set up."

It was a half hour later that the group made ready to settle for the night. One student, a transfer from Atlas from what Pyrrha remembered of talking to him once, passed what looked like small unlit torches out to three other people. Then, the four of them headed out in four directions. At least thirty paces from camp and stuck the torches into the dirt. Faintly, the devices had a blinking green light on them, and once placed, they formed a big square perimeter around the camp.

Pyrrha frowned. "What are those? A new type mecha-shift weapon?"

"Aura Sensors." said Jaune.

Pyrrha blinked. "Aura… sensors?"

"It does about what you'd expect. It's a device that can pick up on the energy waves that activated aura produces. Just like a motion detector, but for Huntsmen specifically." Jaune pointed at one. "Each one is only a thirty feet distance from the camp, but they pick up aura signals from outside the perimeter from twice that distance. If we were to approach, it'd alert them before we got close."

Pyrrha stared at the devices in wonder. "I've never heard of such a thing,"

"That's because it's new. I saw them in their trial stag when I was in Atlas. My class got to meet this scientist that works for the military. I couldn't believe it myself."

"I don't suppose they taught you how to stop one from going off, did they?"

Jaune shook his head. "The casings are mostly bulletproof. You'd need something like Ruby's sniper rounds to pierce them. And even then, they have fail-safes which go off if the system is overridden with electric currents or sustains damage. Trying to destroy it is pointless."

Pyrrha was now more annoyed at those new devices than intrigued. "It has to have some kind of drawback."

Jaune nodded. "One is that they can't be used frequently. They have a fast battery drain. They can only be active for about as long as one sleep cycle. So ten hours. In which case the alarm goes off automatically just before the system shuts down. The devices take days to charge, so they should only be used in situations where you have a high chance of being attacked. Like now, obviously." Jaune paused. "I see one of two options. One of us trips the alarm and starts a brawl, then the other swoops in from behind, hopefully catching them off guard."

"Why not just run after being spotted?"

"Because they have no reason to follow. They have the numbers and the ground. Plus, if they're smart, they'll assume we're trying to lure them into a trap. Why else would one person approach a group of six?"

"Fair, but that doesn't make me confident in that approach."

"Me either. So that leaves…" Jaune paused.

"What?"

"Predators do what they must to catch their quarry. The only honor in a hunt is to come out on top. Right?"

Pyrrha swallowed. Suddenly regretting those words. "What do you mean?"

"They're called aura sensors. They can only sense things that have aura. Should something without an aura show up, they wouldn't go off, would they?"

It took Pyrrha a moment, but when she realized what he meant, she nearly gasped.


Never in her life had Pyrrha ever thought she'd consent to luring Grimm into someone's camp while they were asleep. Sure, it was technically allowed, and plenty of expert Huntsmen used the behavior of Grimm to their advantage in a multitude of ways. But like this? It felt so wrong, like a tactic bandit tribes used to loot and raid small villages.

Apparently, this was a tactic Jaune had been taught in Vacuo, which made only too much sense. More and more the experience Jaune gained over the course of his time abroad was painting him in both impressive and terrifying colors.

Jaune had opted to be the lure however, which was a good thing, because it would say a lot about his feelings for her if he suggested that she lure the Grimm. He didn't want her hurt or dead, at least. That was something. Or maybe she was simply desperate to find any kind of amicable connection between them.

It wasn't long that she waited. She heard the growls from beyond the dark treeline. Beowolves, no doubt. And a whole pack of them. Though Pyrrha hoped Jaune had whittled down the numbers, at least. Louder now. Closer. Pyrrha sat up, pointed her rifle over the clearing and fired. That made one of the student's startle awake, gaping around with groggy fear and confusion. Then he picked up on the sound of Grimm, scrambled for his weapons as he screamed for his teammates wake.

Just as the last of them were readying their weapons, the aura sensors went off. A high screech that even at Pyrrha's distance still made her ears ring. Moments later, Jaune came bursting into the clearing into the clearing, several beowolves mere inches off his back. "Grimm!" he shouted in a panic, though it was hard to tell if he was faking or not.

One student sprang into action to Jaune's defense, cleaving the closest Beowokf in half with his twinblade. The others followed suit. They all set to work on the Beowolves, even numbered but outclassed. A first year alone would consider this a mere warm-up. Once Pyrrha was sure of that, she knew it was time to act.

Pyrrha sprang out of the trees and descended on Dove just as he blew a Beowolf's head to chunks. She drove her boots into his back and cut off his scream and she pressed him to the ground. Before he could raise his aura, she gave him a brutal kick to the face and knocked him out. One down.

A girl had seen her, and she just got a finger pointing and opened her mouth to scream when Jaune flashed into existence behind and bashed her over the head with his shield. She crumpled like paper.

It was a brawl from there. Student on student, with Grimm acting more as obstacles than actual threats. Jaune weaved through a spray of machine gun bullets, seeming almost to phase through them. He fired his sword at the attack, forced them to dodge to the right and met them there. He drove his knee into the boy's jaw and snapped his head back, then bashed him in the face with his shield, flipping him over to land flat on his back.

Pyrrha hurled her shield at Russel, but he quickly sucked under it, making sure to dodge again as it came back again. That trick didn't work much anymore, but it hardly mattered. She met his assault as he hacked at her with blurry dagger cuts, forcing her dance back and party, dance back, parry. Finally, Pyrrha extended Milo into spear form and managed to make Russel hop backward. She had to take him out now. Pyrrha darted right at him, waited for him to raise his guard, then swept his feet out from under him. Midair, Pyrrha pounded his face with the flat of her shield, knocking him flat on the ground in a groaning daze.

By then, Jaune had made quick work of the last two. One knocked out, while the other squirmed on the ground with him sitting on top of her. Jaune nodded at her, a sort of silent acknowledgement of a job well done. Still, there were the scrolls to check. Luck turned out not to be on their side. None of them had the castle.

Jaune stood up with a sour look. "Well, that was completely pointless."

Pyrrha wouldn't have said so. It had been a successful team effort, even if it had yielded nothing. Jaune apparently did not see the merit in their teamwork, looking amongst his defeated peers like they had let him down on his birthday. He shook his head.

"What now?" asked Pyrrha. "Should we make a base now?"

Jaune turned an eye on her. "Like I said before, you can do what you want. I'll see if I can find another camp."

Pyrrha had to keep from pulling her hair. "Jaune, it's late. We should get some rest. We've wasted enough time on these ones, haven't we?"

"Wasted?" Jaune growled.

Pyrrha rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Let's get something straight. At least I had a plan to do something more than sit by and wait while everyone else gets ahead of us. You just want to hide. How are we supposed to pass like that?"

Pyrrha snarled back. "So running headlong into the first fight we find is the smart thing to do? Your foolish plan got us nothing and nowhere! All because you couldn't wait and watch for long enough to figure things out. Luring Grimm? You could have gotten hurt!" She pointed out the defeated students. "You could have gotten them hurt!"

Jaune huffed. "So I should have listened to you, huh? That's what you're saying?"

"It wouldn't hurt every once in a while. You treat everything I say like I'm out to get you. I want the same thing as you, Jaune. To pass!"

Jaune turned toward the forest, evidentially done with this latest argument. "Just go find a base and send me your location. Let me do the real work."

He stalked off, and Pyrrha had never felt so disrespected before in her life. Not ever. Her hands balled into fists and her voice cracked as she shouted at the top of her lungs, "You are such an asshole!"

Jaune did not stop as he shouted back. "I learned from my partner!"

And he was gone, lost in the darkness.

Pyrrha looked around with a temper, wishing desperately for something to hit or break as she heaved with incredible fury. Some of the defeated were starting to wake up now and it would do her no good to stick around. She stormed off the opposite way of Jaune, her rage still burning hot, so much that she thought she might cry. She held it in though.

She resolved that there was just nothing she could do to make Jaune forgive her. For the next three years, they would live hating one another. Very well, if that's what he wanted. Pyrrha hoped it made him happy. She no longer cared.

She told herself this over and over as she sniffled and sobbed, harshly scrubbing the tears out of her eyes, as she trudged through the forest alone.


It was cold by the time Jaune had found Pyrrha's choice of base. And be it intentional or not, the location could not have been more nostalgic.

It was the cave they'd explored during Initiation. The one he had foolishly suggested exploring. Well and truly destroyed by now, and with some the rubble still strewn about like a great field of debris. The hole was far bigger now, but still had a generous overhang, now grown over with shrub and moss. Anyone coming from the elevation would not know anyone was below so long as they were in the cave, and Pyrrha had wisely chosen not to set a fire, since it could likely be seen a fair distance away. That and Grimm equated the smell of burning wood to humans being close by, which encouraged attacks. Jaune was sure neither of them needed more fights today.

His attempts at finding other foes had come to nothing, so it was with a healthy weight of humiliation that Jaune had slogged on back, already anticipating that knowing look on his partner's face. But as he entered the cave, the only expression he saw on was that of deep sleep. She lay there on a patch of shrub she'd piled together, using her arm as a pillow. At that, she'd caught and cooked some fish.

Just opposite to her was another bed of shrub. Two cooked fish left there for him.

He stared at it all, then felt that familiar pang of guilt creep into him. He thought of everything he'd said. He thought about his plan and began to see how risky it had really been, even if he had taken measures to ensure no one got hurt. He still stood by the plan, but maybe Pyrrha would have had a more effective alternative, if he just listened.

Jaune sighed and set down on his patch. He lay on his back, hands folded over his stomach. He stared at the darkness of the cave ceiling. Couldn't escape the thoughts that came to him when he felt so completely lost.

Had it been a good idea to come back to Beacon? On the surface it was a solid yes. He had loads of friends here, with bonds that he hoped would last a lifetime. The other schools had been great and all, but they weren't his school. On the other hand, they'd felt like fresh starts. Amongst people who did not know him or his past and had not seen him at his worst. At the other schools, he'd begun as Jaune the Champion, the strongest of the second years.

Here at Beacon, there was his partner. His past, weaknesses, and lies all bundled up in the mind of the one person in the world who understood him better than anyone else… and had used that very knowledge to ruin him. Maybe not intentionally, but did that even matter? Every day that's what he was reminded of. He could not escape the memory of that vulnerability. To be completely destroyed in that fashion? It could be er be forgotten. Not ever.

Jaune closed his eyes. He had to forgive her. He had to. He could not make three years work otherwise. His only alternative was to go to a different school.

And that alternative was looking more and more appealing by the day.


Been a while since I updated this fic. Initially, I was gonna go straight into the next arc, but realized that wouldn't really work. So we'll conclude this Return to Beacon arc in the next few chapters.

ISA