Author's Notes: Hey everyone! Before we start, I just wanted to clarify something I was asked. When is this story set?
Act One: Roughly two months after Vol 3 ending.
Act Two: A year after Act One.
Act Three: Their last year at Beacon - roughly a year and a half after Act Two.
Act Four: Fifteen - Sixteen years after Act Three.
So, anyways, this is it, this is the first half of the two part penultimate chapter for Act One! Enjoy. Everything you've read up to now, every opinion you have on a certain character has been leading to this: The truth.
...
His eyes widened, laced with sheer horror at the sight before him, the cheering for the fight dulling to whimpers and gasps. His stomach lurched with a sickly sense, to the cables wrapping taut around arms, legs and waist. Preempting the gory scene, gearing his mind up to accept the sheer pour of wine from severed limbs, he held the spasming stomach's push, it's contents filling his closed mouth.
However it passed when blood and flesh did not fall, but instead veins of wiring and muscles of pistons clanged to the floor. It happened quicker than the polarity wielding killer saw it, cables suddenly coiling the copper haired girl, and slicing her instantly into tumbling segments. Silence reigned for a moment, a longer moment than time deemed realistic. A blink seemed to last a minute, a thick swallow as slow as sliding syrup. His hazel eyes snapped to the last woman standing, her emerald eyes shrunken to shocked orbs at the sight.
But were they shocked? Was that Pyrrha Nikos as innocent as the world painted her with their brushes? Maybe, she just... snapped? She was losing for the first time, taking hits against Penny - a girl who finally truly tested the Invincible girl. So... how would a star athlete - known for her unbroken stride, her mark up of zero losses - react and cope with having her first loss? How would her sponsors react? The Invincible girl would be no more, that title would crumble and perish. She had so much riding on every fight... how else to secure her victory?
She's a killer...
She murdered Penny...
She cut her to ribbons!
Pyrrha Nikos is a murderer!
Jaymes' eye twitched, his mind arguing over the sight before him, to the cut up girl on the floor. Pinocchio had been tangled in her own strings, cut to pieces, and real girl or not, she was ended by the metal manipulator... Pyrrha Nikos.
Then the gasps turned to screams, as a Nevermore landed upon the shield above, shrieking to break in and kill all who draw breath...
...
His hands were shaking, his throat dry for but a moment before the capsule slid down, followed by a gulp of icy water. Jaymes wiped his lips on his sleeve, knees bobbing as he set the plastic bottle down on the desk, fishing his scroll out his pocket to furiously tap in a message.
The echoing patter of heels barely fazed him, his mind quieting as Goodwitch opened the door to her office, shutting it firmly behind her.
"I take it you've packed your things?" She spoke sharply, Jaymes finishing up the message and hitting send. He looked up as the Professor sat heavily in her seat, removing her glasses to clean the lenses on her cloak. "I've spoken to your previous Academy, you'll be returning back there as soon as possible. Your behavior has been despicable! Picking on Miss Nikos, after all she's been through?! How very dare you?!" Glynda snapped.
"Because she's a murderer." Jaymes scoffed nonchalantly, like it was fact. "Am I the only one who sees it? The intent in her eyes?!" He growled. Glynda snarled her lip, before taking a calming breath.
"Then you proceed to assault Miss Schnee with vile language." She huffed. "I will not have that in my school. Furthermor-"
"Err, what about her literally just punching me? Or that Jaune kid? O-Or Cardin for dumping his food on me?! They're not getting punished?" Jaymes scoffed, a disgusted look creasing his face. "You're all out to get me."
"Mr Ickford, I assure you tha-"
Jaymes' scroll buzzed loudly, interrupting Goodwitch mid sentence, chewing her tongue to hold back the inevitable vulgar language she wanted to unleash on a student. Jaymes pulled out his scroll, setting it on the table as it drummed the tune into the oak. He slid it over with his fingertips, nodding to the 'accept' button.
Goodwitch frowned, knitting her brow. She pressed accept, instantly assaulted with a loud yet gruff voice. "Jaymes?! What is the meaning of this, what does your message mean?"
"I am Professor Goodwitch. Who are you?" she asked, crossing her arms on the table. There was a pregnant pause from the scroll.
"I am Mauve Ickford, Jaymes' Father. I hear you wish to expel my son?" His voice snarled. Goodwitch's eyes flit up to Jaymes as he studied his hands. "Answer me!"
"Yes, I do. He has been a major issue at this school since he got here. He started to spread horrible accusations about one of our star students - over a horrific accident at the Vytal Tournament."
"Ah yes. Pyrrha Nikos... " He snarled the words. "There are two types of truth, Professor. Strong opinions pushed as fact in the vain hope that they will one day be taken as the truth. And... well, the truth... "
"Are you calling me a liar, or your son a truthful boy?" Glynda scoffed.
"I won't deny my son is a handful, and a delusional moron... " his Father grumbled, Jaymes gulping with a thick swallow. "But An Ickford will remain at Beacon." His Father snapped. Glynda raised a brow at the scroll.
"Excuse me?"
"I said Jaymes will remain at Beacon." The man spoke slowly.
"No, he will not." Glynda scoffed. "I've already expelled him."
"No, you've suspended him for a week. That'll teach my boy a lesson, and he'll resume his studies afterwards." Mauve said with an evident shrug in his words.
"Who do you think you are, giving a Headmistress orders?" Goodwitch growled. Mauve let loose a loud guffaw.
"Oh I'm a detective. I'm the detective who uncovered the Faunus slaves in the Schnee Dust Company. And, I think you'd be wise to reconsider your current course." Mauve threatened - yes, threatened. Goodwitch's pine eyes widening at the scroll, locking with her incredulous reflection.
"I'm sorry?" She hissed. "Did you just threaten me?"
"No... I promised you." Mauve said in a sickly innocent voice. "It'd be a shame if, say, the Council - and let's be honest, they're not Ozpin's biggest fans - learnt that Ozpin let a very credible threat grow under his nose, how he was advised to prepare the school for an imminent attack - from the General of Atlas' military no doubt. - and to send forces to Mountain Glenn, not a few teenage girls!" Mauve growled, Glynda gasping into her palm. "And believe you me, you're no angel on the devil's shoulder."
"H-How on Remnant can you know all that?" Glynda whispered, blinking to the scroll.
"We live in troubled times. Ozpin believed the school was somehow impervious to it all. I suppose even a King has to topple eventually." Mauve said disinterestedly. "It's funny really, the information that got leaked to a few sources after that virus incursion. A chess piece. Seems rather fitting." Mauve scoffed. "Like I said, I'm a detective. I'm a patient, gambling man, close with members of the Kingdom's council. Jaymes stays, and he becomes a fully qualified Huntsmen. Or the world learns of dear old Ozpin's atrocious running of a school. With such weak legs for this school to stand on, do you think it would take much for the school boards to close it for good?"
"No." Goodwitch growled. "I will not let you shut down my school." She lowered her head to her hands. "I-It's my home. This school is all I have."
"So, we're in agreement?" Mauve was unfazed by the emotion in her voice. Goodwitch sighed, looking to the Cane lent in the corner of the room, ivory in color, a reminder of the coma ridden headmaster. Ozpin.
"Yes." Glynda hoarsely replied. "Now end the call." She snarled, before hanging up with a firm click. The silence was palpable, as Jaymes pulled his scroll to his hands.
"I'm sorry, Professor." He sighed, tucking it away, gulping at the disgusted stare in her eyes.
"I'll have you know... Ozpin has experience all of us lack... It's high time people learnt that." She snapped. "Now get out of my office."
"So... I'll be back in a week?" Jaymes asked with the makings a smirk.
"Leave... this... office." Glynda hissed. Jaymes nodded, turning and leaving the office, for Glynda to drop her head into her hands, and sob from frustration and stress.
...
Act One: Chapter Ten: Not Sound Of Mind - Part One
...
Deft fingers gently tuned the glowing strings of the violin, clearing her throat into her fist, before cradling the hollow instrument to her cheek. Then, her soothing voice left her lips - albeit with a soft inflection of nervousness...
Dream of anything;
I'll make it all come true
Everything you need
Is all I'll have for you
I'm forever
Always by your side
Whenever you need a friend
I'm never far behind
.
If the stars all fall
When there's no more light
And the moon should crumble
It will be alright
As her fingers eased the translucent blue bow from her violin's strings, the brunette Faunus cleared her throat and winced to her small audience. "So... what'd you think?" Velvet asked with a fidget, blushing red as she watched the three faces looking at her. "It's bad, isn't it? Oh, I knew it! Gods, I need to get this done by the dance, but I just can't-"
"You been hiding talent from your team, Velv?" Coco smirked, index finger lightly tugging her sunglasses down her nose, dark brown eyes flowing with pride. Velvet's eyes widened and she shuffled on the concrete step of the courtyard's statue.
"W-Well, I... I wanted to write something for the dance... maybe do a duet with Weiss if she was interested. You think it's good?" Velvet's bunny ears drooped lightly.
"Don't sell yourself short, Velvet. You've got an amazing voice." Yatsuhashi smiled, sat on the grass beside Fox. The red and brown themed boy simply smiled up at Velvet, conveying more than words could.
"Oh... w-well, thanks guys." Velvet chuckled, rubbing the back of her head. The bright blue holographic bow and violin soon dissolved into the air, as Velvet closed her box beside her with a firm click. "I just need to work on the lyr-"
"Hey, you guys seen Blake at all?" Sun interrupted, walking around the base of the statue. Coco sat back in the grass, supported on her elbows as the rising sun lathered warmth over her skin.
"No. Didn't know they were back." The Fashionista shrugged.
"Got back last night apparently." Sun shrugged, hopping up the concrete steps to vault into a back flip, tail hooking over the cast iron Horse's leg of the statue. Contently hanging upside down, he let out a heavy sigh, swinging to and fro. "Neptune can't find Weiss either. Guess we're just worried about our friends is all."
"Yeah. I'm sorry Sun. We've not seen any of them to be honest. But we'll be sure to let you know the moment we do." Velvet nodded, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.
"Thanks guys." Sun huffed, pulling out his scroll. "Good singing Velv. You got a good set of lungs on ya." Sun grinned over his scroll.
"Oh! W-Well thank you." Velvet nervously chuckled. "We should get to class. See you later, Sun!"
"Yeah... you too." Sun gave a quick wave, still intently focused on his scroll.
Message to Blakey:
Hey, Blake? Where u at? I haven't seen u. Are u okay?
With a tired sigh he hit send and stuffed the scroll in his pocket, only for gravity to pull it out and drop it on the floor below. "Nuts."
...
Blake's scroll thrummed in her coat pocket, startling her from her stupor. She pulled it from the cotton pocket, thumbing the button to reveal the message. Her eyes scanned the scroll left to right, before a heavy sigh left her lips. Zigzagging her teeth over her bottom lip, she vaulted to her feet, shucking her coat.
"Blake? What's got you in a rush?" Weiss asked from the bathroom doorway, hands busy above her head, tying her off centered ponytail up. Blake huffed, amber eyes settling on Weiss.
"Sun messaged me. I need to talk to him."
"See if he's okay?" Weiss offered.
"See if he knows anything about last night." Blake said over the top.
Weiss froze, eyes wide at her Faunus friend. "Wow. That's... well, cold." she shrugged. Blake sighed and slumped her shoulders, looking at her scroll. "You think more of him than just that. Than some... informant."
"I don't know what to think right now." Blake snapped, shoving the scroll in her pocket. "I've got a lot on my mind, and I don't need feelings getting added to that!"
"O-Oh no, I am not putting up with this again." Weiss snapped, standing in front of the door, the taller Faunus pausing to growl.
"Move Weiss!"
"Make me!" Weiss frowned, crossing her arms tightly. "I'm worried about you, Blake! Like how you got so obsessed over the White Fang that you just stopped sleeping, or eating! I won't have a repeat of that, I won't! You getting so obsessed over something, that you... stop caring about yourself and the others around you!" Weiss softened her hard gaze, her firm pose loosening.
"Weiss, I'm not going to... I-It's not like that, okay?" Blake huffed.
"Isn't it? What's stopping it from being like that?" Weiss asked with a gulp. "Our team is hanging on a thread right now. Ruby's... Ruby's falling apart, and I... " Weiss sniffed, welkin eyes growing hot and stinging, wobbling like ripples in a lake. "... If you're not there to help me, then I don't know what to do!" Fists flung down by her lithe hips, lip trembling as she spoke.
"Weiss... " Blake bit her lip, breathing out a heaving gust of pent up emotion. "I'm... I'm sorry."
"I just... I can't keep this up, if you're not there to help me." Weiss blinked. Blake placed a warming hand atop her shoulder, Weiss' eyes lifting to Blake's smile.
"I do this a lot, Weiss. I... I forget that people care about me. I'm not used to it still, but I should be... " Amber eyes stung as her breath grew shaky. "What Yang did for me during the attack proves it. So I know it's a... bad excuse, I know, but... " Blake huffed and Weiss stepped away from the Dorm's door. "... my wonderful little team, and the people around us, are all I've ever had." Blake sighed, opening the door, her eyes exploding wide on the two figures in the doorway.
"BLAKE!"
"My baby girl!"
Blake stared in awe and disbelief at both Mother and Father in the doorway. Her Mother; tanned skin, warm amber eyes, golden accents over black cloth, purple linings to clothing and eyelids. Her Father; massively dwarfing his wife, thick black hair and matching beard, dark purple suede coat and skeletal silver pouldron stretching up over his left shoulder. While imposing, his eyes held no wrath, only warmth and concern laced together. Momma Belladonna, and Dadda Belladonna. In Beacon.
Blake simply paled and slammed the door, pressing her back to it and heaving heavy breaths, eyes wide on incredulous Weiss.
"Okay... And them." Blake groaned, knuckles wrapping on the other side of the door.
"Blake? Oh come now!"
"Now I know you didn't just slam the door in your Mother's face."
"Uhhh... G-Give me one second." Blake winced to Weiss, who grew smugger by the second.
"Oh, I can wait." Weiss smirked, sitting back against the bed's edge, waving her off. "Take all the time you need."
"I hate you." Blake lulled her head down, the knocking growing even faster. Gingerly she reopened the door, almost toppled by the hug her Mother assaulted her with.
"Blake! Oh my baby girl!" She stroked her daughter's hair, purring into her neck. Blake's hardened outer shell very quickly dissolved at the warmth of her Mother, and her Father's smile above. She took a deep inhale of her loving parent and wrapped her arms around her back.
"Hey Mom."
...
Emerald green eyes flit from the bag of broken Milo, to the Metalwork's shop before her: Adhara's Forge. With a heavy sigh, Pyrrha looped a lock behind her ear and stepped up to the small thatched building, opening the oak door with the chiming of a bell. She blew out a breath as the door shut behind her, her senses assaulted with smells, sights, sounds.
A sweet scent of wood shavings filled the air, mingling with the oily, almost tangy smell of heated metal. Loud clangs echoed off the walls in a rhythm that Pyrrha found her ears slowly accustoming to, her flinching blinks easing as she grew used to the constant sound. She paced up to the counter, running her palm over the oak top, till she reached the bell. With a flick, she set it into a single chime, stepping back to clutch the bag to her stomach, worrying her lip with her teeth.
The clanging stopped and she heard shuffling in the back of the shop, bouncing on her toes as she eyed the array of swords and armors on display in the shop window.
"Ah, sorry my dear, I'll be right with you!"
"It's okay, no rush!" Pyrrha smiled, eyes still lingering on the smooth metal plating on display. Then she saw the price tag and swallowed.
"Okay." the master craftsman panted, stepping over a fallen shield, swiping his forehead of sweaty beads, leaving a smudge of black across his tanned brow. "What can I do for you?"
"Oh! Well... " Pyrrha sharply remembered why she was there, and stepped up to the counter with a smile, setting the bag down with a sound akin to broken glass. She winced and so did he, scratching his thick black beard.
"W-Well... What's in here then?" He opened the bag, huge hand disappearing within to pull out a small red piece betwixt finger and thumb. "Is it a puzzle?"
"N-No, no... it was my spear. But, as you can see... it's now a bag of shrapnel." Pyrrha rubbed the nape of her neck bashfully. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, youngen!" Adhara chuckled. "Though, may I ask what happened to it?"
"Umm... " Pyrrha blew out a breath. "At the Tournament... I... W-When it all happened, I-"
"Say no more, kiddo." He studied her intently with his chocolate brown eyes. "You're Pyrrha Nikos, aren't you?"
"Y-Yes." Pyrrha slouched. For a moment, she thought about lying, saying she wasn't, but it just wasn't in her nature. "But don't expect me to ask for any sort of discount, I fully inten-"
"Don't be silly. I saw what happened on the Television. Watched the final round. I'm... " He huffed and crossed his arms on the counter. "I'm so sorry. Wasn't your fault, kiddo."
"Thank you." Pyrrha swallowed thickly, so used to saying those words they started to lack all meaning. "So, umm... what do you think? Is it... salvageable?" Pyrrha asked with a cough into her fist.
"Mmm. Dunno about savable, but I can work with this. Three big melted chunks, and a handful of shrapnel? I've worked with worse!" he laughed, Pyrrha smiling at his wonderfully gentle demeanor. "Leave it with me, Pyrrha. I'll get it sorted. Was it a simple spear, or?"
"Oh, It was a sword, a spear and a rifle. I understand if you can't get Milo back to that condition, but-"
"Mmm." He tapped his chin, eyeing the contents of the bag. "Well, that does complicate things. I won't be able to use all this, and get it back to that..." Adhara looked at her out of the corner of his eye, Pyrrha visibly slouching in disappointment. "I guess I'll have to build a new one." He smiled, Pyrrha's eyes widening in shock.
"B-But, sir, that's very generous, but it's more expensive to build a whole new weapon, than to repair one." Pyrrha raised her brows, fingers wringing bashfully.
"More often than not, it's cheaper to start again." He set the bag of metal down, sliding a piece of paper to Pyrrha. "If you've always wanted something handy in your spear, now's the time to add it." He chuckled at her wide eyes and dropped jaw. "Write down what you'd like."
"Sir... I understand Professor Goodwitch spoke about covering the costs, but that was for repairing my weapon. A-And..." She shuffled. "My funds aren't high at the moment, after the tournament I lost some sponsors." She squinted at her feet. Adhara's heart ached for the young woman, a wash of undeserved guilt in her eyes, and the pale complexion of her marble skin flushing at another person's care.
"Well. Good thing I'm a generous old man, not looking to making a quick Lien... " he smiled as Pyrrha looked up. "You're not paying a penny. Neither is that school." He grinned as she gasped.
"N-No! I couldn't in good faith-"
"Pyrrha. I'm fifty three. If I wanted to rob kids of their hard earned Lien, you think I'd be living in this end of Vale? I make enough to live comfortably, and I'm happy with that. I forge weapons because I enjoy it. I enjoy seeing a child graduate to the age where they're allowed their first weapon. Watching their little ecstatic faces light up when I hand them their blade for the first time. You are a hero. You saved Vale from Grimm annihilation. Don't call it charity, call it... a thank you." Adhara smiled, mustache raising at the edges.
"I... " She sniffed and wiped a tear. "I'm sorry, I'm just..."
"Stop apologizing kiddo." He laughed. "So, new weapon. What have you always wanted in Milo here?" He gestured to the bag of metal. Pyrrha blew out a shaky breath and swiped her eyes, before gingerly gripping the paper. She took a quill from the inkwell and began to write down some details. Adhara leaned over the counter to see, smiling beneath his thick beard.
"I've only ever used a sword and spear, so I'd definitely keep Milo the same in that regard." She tapped her chin.
"But?"
"W-Well... "
"I've forged weapons with up to four alt modes, so don't limit yourself." Adhara chuckled, hopping up with a groan to sit on the counter. "Whatcha thinkin?"
"Well..." Pyrrha chuckled lightly. "The rifle is always helpful when in a bind... " Her eyes scanned nothing in particular, her vision shifting from reality to lingering thoughts. Sparkly emerald eyes flit left to right, her teeth fidgeting over her lip. She did have one thing that she'd thought of more than once, the many occasions where her mind befell to that girl in particular she failed, guilt pooling icily in her gut every night. Penny. Her emerald eyes widened and she swallowed thickly. "Sir?"
"Adhara." He chuckled.
"Right. Adhara. Is it possible to make it split into other components?" She asked with a gulp. Adhara nodded.
"Not impossible. Why?" his brows knitted.
"I had a friend. Her name was Penny. Penny Polendina." Pyrrha whispered, stroking her upper arm somberly.
"Ah." Adhara nodded, scratching his jawline. "Your opponent in the match?"
"Mmm hmm." Pyrrha nodded, her throat feeling very swollen all of a sudden, hard to swallow. "I would like to honor her, her weapons... with mine. So she lives on in me." Pyrrha smiled weakly. Adhara beamed fondly to her, picking hardened gems of resin from his leather apron.
"Doable. May take a bit longer, but-"
"I have no rush, sir." Pyrrha offered. "And I can find some funds to put towards it if it helps."
"Not a matter of money, just time." He chuckled as Pyrrha bit her lip. "Y-You struggle with receiving gifts, don't you?"
"I... I'm just struggling to see how I deserve it."
SLAM!
She startled at the huge hand on the paper. His hard eyes softened instantly. "Of course you are. I wouldn't make this for you if I didn't think you did. You are humble, and selfless. Now. Carry on." He gestured to the paper. Pyrrha gulped and wrote down what she wanted to add to Milo 2.0. After a full ten minutes of debating in her mind, she showed him.
"So... A control box on the back of your armor, bout ye big?" He held his finger and thumb a few inches apart.
"Mmm. If possible." She scratched her heart shaped jaw. "I can use my polarity to manipulate them, but... it's taxing. Would be nice to have a back up to control them." she sighed. Adhara continued to think of how to achieve it.
"Head of the spear disconnects, cables shoot out and connect with the box on your back. I like it." he nodded, scratching his chin. "I could get Milo into... six blades?" He sandwiched his hands together and slowly peeled them apart to gesticulate how it would work. "Sound good?"
"Sounds grand." Pyrrha smiled. "Thank you. I really mean it. This... this means the world to me."
Adhara smiled at her, hopping off the counter and picking up the bag of broken Milo. His eyes locked with hers as he emptied it out onto the counter with a clatter. Pyrrha looked down at the parts, all melted and askew. The details had warped and bled into each other, filled with chips and cracks along the sharpened edge. If she was being honest, she didn't see how anyone could save it.
"Keep... or get rid?" He spoke. Pyrrha bit her lip and gingerly picked up a segment, a piece in which Cinder's heated grasp had crushed and melted it. She flipped it over in her palm, before shaking her head and setting it on the counter.
"Get rid. Start anew." Pyrrha smiled. He kicked a bin over to the counter's feet, and Pyrrha's hand glowed black, encasing all the fragments in black aura. They slowly slid across the counter, until they fell off the edge into the bin below.
Pyrrha felt a weight leave her shoulders, a shaky breath leaving her lips.
"Your spear'll be ready in two weeks, maybe one if I'm not too busy." Adhara smiled to her. "Milo 2.0, featuring Penny, right?"
"Right." Pyrrha's smile grew, her eyes hot and scratchy with fresh tears. "Thank you." She whispered, the true meaning of those words flooding back to her. Adhara sighed and walked around the counter, to which Pyrrha assaulted him with a hug.
"Y-You'll get dirty, kiddo!"
"I don't care." She breathed, hugging him tightly. "Thank you so so much."
"Don't mention it Pyrrha." He smiled, huge hand pressing into her back.
...
"Urgh, why can't I think of anything, Ren?" Jaune asked, head fuzzy with the rush of his blood, golden hair hanging away from his ears and brow to touch the floor below him. "And Nora, hanging upside down is not helping me come up with anything... s'just giving me a headache." he groaned, wiggling his feet free of the top bunk, thumping to the floor below with a loud thud. "Owchie times a thousand."
"Jaune, c'mon, you're overthinking this." Ruby chuckled, leaping off of her bunk opposite with a light, soundless thump. "Pyrrha's gonna love whatever you come up with!"
"Indeed. She's just looking forward to some time alone with you." Ren offered his hand to the crumpled pile of Arc. Jaune blinked through the gap between his folded over legs, uncoiling his lanky form to roll out his spine.
"You think?" He raised a brow, accepting the calmest member of his team's hand.
"I know."
"Yeah, c'moooooon, Jaune! She's crazy about you!" Nora skipped across the RWBY dorm room, placing her hands atop the hard bumps of Jaune's collarbones, before shoving him to sit on Blake's bunk. "I think the one thing you've got to worry about is your get up, mister." she pointed at... well, all of him.
"My... get up?" Jaune looked down at his hoodie and jeans. "What's wrong with it?"
"Pffft!" Nora pursed her lips - hard - to keep her laugh within, Ruby also giggling behind firmed lips. Ren sighed, massaging his brow betwixt finger and thumb.
"Jaune. I need you to listen. Very carefully. To every word I utter." Ren said slowly.
"Gotcha." Jaune nodded.
"You're taking Pyrrha out to dinner, yes?" Ren offered, framing the air with his hands. Jaune nodded.
"Uh huh."
"Something classy, not that dirty burger joint in downtown Vale, am I right?" Nora cocked her eyebrow, accompanying the posture of her sassy hand atop hip.
"Hey! What's wrong with Jack's diner-"
"Jaune!" Ren snapped, slapping his hands into the mattress either side of Jaune's legs. Magenta eyes scant millimeters from Jaune's flared incredulously - angrily. "You surely cannot be suggesting taking Pyrrha out to dinner, to Jack's diner?!"
"Umm... no? No, not now that you've said it along with the way you're all staring at me, no." Jaune shrunk his head into his shoulders. "Conversely, I also told her it was a surprise, simply because I didn't know where to take her, and now I can scratch one less restaurant off of the list!
"Jack's is not a restaurant!" Ren argued.
"IT IS TO ME, DON'T TRY TO CHANGE ME REN!" Jaune yelled, slamming his face heavily into Blake's pillow. "Waaaaah!" His legs kicked to and fro. Ruby watched the whining teen with raised eyebrows, Nora's lowering at the all too familiar spectacle.
"He does this." She offered offhandedly. "Our team leader... having tantrums. It happens." Nora waved off the comment. Ruby snorted.
"I want this to go right, Ren." Jaune looked up out of the crumpled pillow. "Help me? Please?"
Ren sighed at the pathetic yet endearing sight. With a squeeze to his knitted brow, he sat down beside the Arc, fingertips pressed together with a calming breath.
"What do you and her have in common - taste wise?" Ren asked, opening his eyes. Jaune sniffed, sitting up to run his sleeve along the underside of his nose.
"Well, let's see. Pyrrha comes from Mistral, so I think she likes sushi. We talked about it a while back." Jaune shrugged. "I don't mind it, but it's... not a favorite. Oh! She likes dishes from Vacuo! so do I." Jaune nodded eagerly.
"I see. So, Pasta dishes? Bolognese? Carbonara? What about Calzone?" Ren asked, his eagerness for the culinary arts taking over. Jaune nodded followed by an offhand shrug.
"Yeah, my Mom used to cook a lot of Vacuo themed foods. So err... what place do you recommend?" Jaune asked with a fidget. Ren huffed. "C-C'mon dude, please! Help me out! Plee-eee-eeeaaase!" Jaune begged.
"Okay okay. Try... " Ren tapped his chin.
"What about Shoreline banquet?" Ruby shrugged, Ren looking at her with wide eyes. "Ya know Ren, the place by the sea, takes half an hour to get there if you take the shuttle." she shrugged. The others blinked at her. "What? I'm sophisticated." Ruby held her chin at an upward angle that would make a certain Schnee very proud, crossing her arms with a "Hmph."
"Half an hour shuttle... Vacuan food... What d'you think, guys?" Jaune bobbed his jittery knees, looking from Nora to Ren. Turquoise and magenta mingled for a moment, before Nora rolled her eyes and huffed, sitting heavily on the bed beside him, tugging at the frilly end of her short skirt.
"Jaune, Pyrrha's totally mad for you, for realsies!" Nora exclaimed animatedly. "She'd eat outta the gutter if it was with you... " she smiled warmly. "Take her to that shoreline place, take her to... Jack's diner, take her wherever they serve food! As long as she's making conversation with you, she won't care, I promise you that, pinky promise!" She held up her smallest finger.
"Don't really take her to Jack's though." Ren leaned to Jaune's other ear. It was almost like the angel on one shoulder, devil on the other. Problem with Ren and Nora, was that he was never truly sure who was which.
"Okay. Thanks guys." Jaune smiled, looping his arms around their necks into a hug. "C'mere Rubes."
"I'm good." Ruby chuckled, stepping back with surrendered hands. "I've gotta study. Hey, you seen Weiss at all? Neptune came by earlier trying to find her." Ruby huffed. Jaune deflated, along with Nora's sagging smile and Ren's sobering sigh.
"Yeah... Someone's gotta tell him about what happened with his sister. He still not know?" Jaune asked.
"I don't think so." Ruby shrugged, sighing heavily. "I think Weiss should, but... well, I don't think she's sure she can."
"Weiss? Keeping a secret? Didn't she go all self righteous when she found out Blake's secret? And I know she wasn't happy with what Neptune did at the dance, and why." Jaune shrugged. Ruby nodded, lilting her head to expose her neck, dipping her chin down to eye the floor.
"But... she liked Eryka. And she understands that Neptune looks up to his sister, and doesn't want to taint that relationship with-"
"The truth?" Nora raised a brow. Ruby paused her words, tongue failing her, lips falling shut.
"Like it or not, she attacked a student. If Weiss doesn't tell him, someone will. It's best he hear it from her." Ren nodded.
"Uh huh! Could you imagine finding out the person you really liked kept a huge secret like that from you?" Nora lowered her head with a heaving sigh. "Lies suck. Not you Ren, different lies." Nora waved, Ren scoffing a chuckle.
Ruby nodded to her friends, as her scroll thrummed. She quickly slipped it from her pocket, eyeing the message on her screen. "On a cheerier note..."
"What?" Jaune tilted his head. Ruby grinned.
"Blake sent me this: With Mom and Dad." She squealed.
...
"Oh this school is wonderful, isn't it wonderful Ghira?" Kali asked excitedly, looking around the campus with wide amber eyes.
"Yes. Wonderful." Ghira's eyes were firmly set on his leading daughter. "So... is it hot here?"
"Huh?" Blake raised an eyebrow. Ghira shrugged his huge shoulders.
"It's just... your outfit... it doesn't cover much."
Blake, mortified, tugged at her clothing, a red band blossoming over her cheeks. "It covers plenty!"
"Oh, so where is that team of yours you spoke of so fondly?" Kali stepped forward a hair quicker, hooking her arm around her daughter's, giving the limb a soft squeeze.
"Yes. In the one and only letter you sent home." Ghira raised a brow. Blake swallowed. She looked up and her cat ears spiked at the incoming yells. "Who is that?" Ghira scoffed.
"Ooh yes, friends? Boyfriend? Girlfriend?" Kali raised a brow, Blake blushing harder.
"Mom!" she whined, tugging her arm free. Running over, Sun panted, hands atop his knees with labored breaths, stood beside an equally panting Velvet Scarletina.
"B-Blake! What gives, you've been ignoring my texts all day?!" Sun wheezed. "Who's this?"
"Oh your concern for my daughter is so sweet!" Kali beamed, hugging Blake's arm a little tighter, before stepping over to Sun, hand outstretched. "Kali. Kali Belladonna. And this is-"
"Ghira. Ghira Belladonna. Blake's Father." He frowned, eclipsing the sun and bathing both Sun and Velvet in shadows. Bunny ears drooped in fear.
"H-Hello sir! I'm Velvet." the bunny Faunus chuckled weakly.
"Blake's parents?" Sun scratched the back of his head, before his pupils shrunk to tiny dots. "Blake's parents."
"Oh aren't you sweet!" Kali greeted Velvet with a warm hug. "I want to thank you for being there for Blake during... well, all that nasty business." She waved her hand dismissively. Velvet smiled.
"Oh my pleasur-URE!" Her voice rasped, eye twitching at the huge hand crunching hers.
"Ghira, be gentle!" Kali scolded her husband.
"I'm sorry my dear. I do thank you for your support of my daughter. It's nice to see so many Faunus students at Beacon." he smiled to her.
"Uhh, yep! There's a bunch of us! Aaand, we're treated really well!" Velvet laughed weakly, throwing a fist across her torso animatedly. Even though CRDL had stopped bullying and grown on everyone massively, those memories linger. Sun walked up to Blake, hands pushing at the air.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... whoa... whoa." He stopped, arms dropping heavily to his sides, sunlight painting a stripe of gold down his tanned cheek. "Parents?!"
"My name's Kali. That's Ghira." Kali added from behind Blake, peering around her shoulder. "Hello!" She sung, wiggling her fingers with her wave. Sun gave an incredulous wave back.
"Eh heh. Can I talk to you for a sec?" He grabbed Blake's hand, leading her out of earshot. Velvet watched them go, looking back up to dwarfing Ghira and beaming Kali.
"I'm... I'm just gonna go. Nice to meet you both!" Velvet smiled, before quickly scurrying away. Meanwhile, Sun pushed Blake against the concrete statue out of her parents eyes.
"PARENTS?!" Sun yelled, eye twitching.
"Relax, Sun. I didn't know they were coming either. Why're you so worked up anyway?" Blake crossed her arms. Sun shrugged.
"M'not. Not at all." He laughed weakly. "I just don't want them to get the wrong idea about us."
"Us?" Blake raised a brow.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Kali asked on tippy toes, bobbing eagerly as she stared at the statue, Ghira having to stare at their shadows for any movement he declared to be... indecent.
"Hopefully about how my daughter is off limits." He snapped, Kali huffing and slapping his arm.
"You said you were going to try."
"I am. I'm trying. Really hard." he mumbled in retaliation as Kali rolled her eyes.
"You said you weren't going to embarrass her, you did, yes you did, on the flight over, I remember, you said 'Kali, I won't embarrass her', yet you're getting ready to - yes you are, I know you, you are."
"What do you mean, Blake? I mean have I not made it clear how I feel about you?" Sun raised a brow, swallowing thickly. Blake stroked her arm, looking downward.
"I... I'm not ready for that right now, Sun. I can't think about that sort of stuff right now." Blake firmly lifted her chin, though her amber eyes betrayed her. Sun gulped, nodding as he eyed his feet.
"So... Tell me - just tell me Blake. Am I wasting my time?" Sun pleaded, a look in his eyes that she'd never truly seen before. Vulnerability. She sighed and bit her lip, Sun huffing and slapping a hand to his thigh, for her silence was her answer. "Your err... your parents are waiting." Sun smiled weakly, before turning and walking away, hands shoved in his pockets.
"Sun." Blake closed her outstretched hand into a fist, dropping it to her side. "Wait... I'm... I'm sorry."
"Knock knock." Kali tapped on the bronze plaque of the statue, wincing as Blake yelped. "Sorry, but... well, we wanted to make sure you're okay."
"I-I'm fine. Come on, I'll introduce you to my friends." Blake sighed, leading the way with an eye closure that swallowed back her welling emotions.
...
The afternoon wore on, and eventually the circular Amphitheater stirred with students ready for combat class, Professor Port sauntering with a highly held chin into the center of the arena, two curls of silver lifting over his lips at the students taking their seats.
Jaune sat down, slinging his sheathed sword under his feet, besides Nora and Ren. Nora hummed as she set her six grenade canisters onto the desk one by one, happily bobbing in her chair as she swiveled them so the hearts atop aligned. Ren smiled to her as he too set both Stormflower pistols onto the wooden counter. Jaune drummed his fingertips into the desktop, when Pyrrha sat beside him suddenly, startling him. "H-Hey!" Jaune beamed.
"Hi." She smiled, leaning her shield against her seat, flicking her fringe aside to kindle her conversation. "So, I went to the Blacksmiths in Vale today."
"Oh yeah? How'd it go?" Jaune leaned his cheek into his propped palm, smiling oh so fondly. Pyrrha bit her lip, shrugging.
"Well, I've got-"
She turned to the loud sound of her shield cartwheeling down the steps, towards Port. Jaymes happened to be walking by at the time, baring his teeth at her. "Oops." He snarled, Pyrrha frowning in turn. Port simply lifted his foot and stopped the shield with it. With a sigh, the tired Professor looked up at Jaymes.
"Mister Ickford, do not do that again."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me young man, now sit!" Port roared, startling all in the room into silence. Jaymes simply bit back a frown, sitting in his chair. Pyrrha sighed and held out her hand, encased in a black aura. The shield gently levitated up across the room and into her palm, seating it between her leg and Jaune's. While Jaune spat vile glares at Jaymes, his fist paling against his thigh, Pyrrha simply studied him, tried to understand him.
Since returning to Beacon from Yang's, something was definitely off with him. He seemed to have developed this distinct theory that Pyrrha was vindictively out to get him. What started as simply wanting her punished for Penny's death, evolved into vindictive attacks, aggressive bullying to her and her friends, and even threats to ruin her life. He seemed totally obsessed with the idea, even managing to find a way to blame Pyrrha for what happened with Eryka. His usual smug grin or smirk was devoid, now frowning and twitching, eyes scanning left and right, jumping at the lightest drop of a pen. She watched as he gripped the desk, his tanned skin paling.
"Miss Nikos?" Port's deep baritone voice carried over the hall - and her daydreaming. Jaune elbowed her gently, startling the emerald eyed warrior further. "Are we listening?"
"I-I'm sorry Professor, I was... I have no excuse." She blushed, shrinking her head between her shoulders. Looking out the corner of her eye at Jaymes became a tick, something she just couldn't stop doing! She had to see his reaction to her being told off. Nothing. Nothing but a deep exhale and a jittery snap of his head left and then right.
"Well, now that we're all seated - and paying attention... " Port scolded, Pyrrha wincing. "... Today's combat class will be hosted by myself. Miss Schnee is... let's say, unable to teach at the moment, and Professor Goodwitch is neck deep in paperwork. So! Today, I want to see what you've learnt in my studies of the Grimm. Moves best to deter or beat them. For example... Nora Valkyrie, quickest way to dispatch a Beowolf!" he snapped his pointed finger up to the copper haired teen. Nora's back spiked, scratching the back of her head.
"Umm... Oh I know this one! Get behind it to avoid the claws, and rip it's head off!" She stood up, fists clenched and that crazed look in her eye. Port chuckled heartily.
"Yes, near enough, my dear. But, I would also like you to show me what you've learned in Professor Goodwitch's class. So... How about we start off this class, with a duel?"
...
Weiss hummed to herself as she sat on one of the many benches in Beacon's dulling Courtyard, bathing in the dying glow of the sun, and the sweet aroma of freshly cut grass. She looked up at the afternoon sky waning to evening. A blush of orange dusted the clouds, except for the massive continents of black looming on the horizon, thunder rumbling distantly.
"Hey, umm... Weiss?"
The Schnee snapped her head up from her studies to see Neptune, rubbing the back of his head. Weiss - concern in her eyes - gulped thickly and shut her book.
"Hello, Neptune." She spoke softly, patting the spot beside her. A breathy chuckle left his lips, before nodding and sitting beside her. The taller male lowered his head, wrists resting atop his knees. The sun glinted off of his golden goggles, Weiss squinting and shielding her eyes. Lifting his gaze, blue brows knitted together with a bemused chuckle.
"You okay?"
"You're umm... blinding me."
"Huh? Oh!" He scrambled to pull his goggles off, settling them into his lap. "Sorry" He bashfully shrugged. Weiss blinked the black squiggly lines out of her vision, before looking to him softly. A long deflating sigh left his lips, running a hand down his chiseled features. "I don't understand, Weiss."
"What is it?" She shuffled over, bare leg brushing padded jeans. "You can tell me."
"Where'd Eryka go?" He asked with a choke, Weiss paling further. "I don't get it, why'd she leave without saying goodbye?"
"Oh. I umm... Well... " Weiss chewed her lip, warring with herself over what to do. "Neptune, there's... there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?" He asked, turning his face to her, vivid blue meeting alluring welkin. Weiss bit her lips, before opening them.
...
"Now, I've noticed we haven't quite got full teams here today." Port examined the room. "Hmm. All of JNPR, All of CRDL, CFVY... Jaymes, where's your team?"
"They're studying." He said, rather short and quickly, flatly. Pyrrha furrowed her brow at him in confusion.
"And RWBY?"
"They're studying today Professor. Catching up on stuff we missed. I'm writing notes for them though." Jaune called, clearing his throat into his fist. Port rubbed his chin.
"Hmm, well fair enough. These classes are optional for the time being, though we do prefer you attend them." Port sighed, crossing his arms and looking up at the teens. "I know... it can be hard to pick up a weapon again, after what you all had to do during that fateful night."
The teens swallowed thickly, looking down at something to distract lingering thoughts, whether that be studying the grain of the wood, the thread count in their sleeves, anything but thinking of that night.
"I want you to know that the faculty are so incredibly proud of you all. I am so very proud to say my students saved lives that night." Port's silvery mustache twitched into an unseen smile, squinted eyes tightening. "In fact, give yourselves a round of applause, all of you." he began to clap, the students all looking to each other bashfully, before one by one they began to clap, small smiles gracing their faces. "Now... if some of you do not feel up to sparring today, I have no problem with you staying and taking notes, or leaving to study for other classes. We recognize that combat classes will be one of those classes that takes a while to properly ingrain into our system again." Port explained.
Jaune looked around as one or two students packed up their bags and left, some just taking out pads of parchment to scribble onto, never casting their weapon a glance. He sighed heavily, flicking his pencil to roll up the incline in the desk, before letting it slowly rumbled back down to his fingertip. This was to be expected. The first class they had back, only RWBY, JNPR, SSSN and CRDL had attended. It was a hard thing to ask, asking children who saw bloodshed - at their own hands - to raise a weapon and fight once more, to watch aura dissipate with each blow, now knowing how real the effects were of lacking that protective shield.
"So... are you my class for today?" Port asked the room, nobody moving, just staring back. "Okay. We'll start light. A gentle demonstration of sword and shield. Miss Nikos! Would you be so kind as to come down here?" Port asked, Pyrrha's eyes widening minutely.
"You don't have to..." Jaune whispered, Pyrrha hushing him with an unseen squeeze of his hand, a caring caress of thumb over tendons.
"Of course Professor. I umm... I don't have my spear yet though." She winced at the top of the steps. Port chuckled lightly.
"Not an issue, my child. Your shield is all we need." He gestured with a flick of his fingers for her to descend. With a gulp, Pyrrha nodded, picking up the discus item and slinging it on her back. She stepped down the stairs, slowly, heels rhythmically clacking. She walked past Cardin, receiving a gentle pat on the shoulder and a comforting wink from the ex-bully. She actually smiled back, admiring his genuineness.
Jaune sighed, leaning back in his seat, eyes tilting to Jaymes as the boy's lip flickered up above his gritted teeth, eyes flaring at Pyrrha, the remnant of his injuries from Eryka beginning to fade. Jaune - for the life of him - could not figure out what had happened, what Eryka discovered that drew that sort of reaction out of such a relaxed person. What did Jaymes do? And why did he seem so jittery today?
...
"Neptune, I-"
"Hey! A-Are you Weiss? Weiss Schnee?" cried a young girl, lithe with pink hair that framed her face. She stepped up to the bench the pair occupied, another girl running up behind her, bright blue eyes and chocolaty brown hair.
"I am. Why?" Weiss asked, slightly peeved she had been interrupted during such an important moment. The two girls panted, gulping heavily.
"My name's Peony. This is Sapphire. We need your help." She asked - pleaded - a look of frothing fear in her eyes. Weiss cocked a brow.
"Why? Furthermore, your names don't help me much... I do recognize you though." Weiss sat forward, tapping her chin. Peony looked to Sapphire, both conversing silently through their eyes, before with bated breath, they spoke.
"We're on Jaymes' team."
Weiss' eyes flared. "Leave us alone." Weiss shooed them, turning back to Neptune, as the boy furrowed his blue brows over what was happening.
"Weiss, please, it's really important! I wouldn't ask if it wasn't!" Peony begged. Weiss scoffed, loudly, obscenely.
"Why would I help you, or that rat you call a leader? He attacked my friend the moment we got back to Beacon yesterday! And he's been out to get Pyrrha since the school reopened!"
"That's what we need help with!" Peony yelled, rummaging in her cream coat's pockets. "Where is the - aha, here!" She pulled out a long rectangular plastic package, a tinfoil lid stretched over the top. The plastic was recessed to house what appeared to be medication capsules. Only two holes had been punctured in the tinfoil, only two of the circular pills missing.
"What's that?" Neptune asked, tilting his head.
"Yes, and why does that concern any of that I just said?" Weiss crossed her arms, frowning. Peony threw her head back and scoffed to the sky.
"Urgh, will you shut up and listen?!" Peony snapped, Weiss recoiling her head, but lifting her stoic chin none the less.
"Continue."
"Jaymes... h-he's not well, okay?"
"We gathered that much." Weiss snarled. Peony frowned.
"Thanks. No, that's really nice, really being the better person there, huh?" Peony scoffed. Weiss blushed and looked down, icy guilt in her gut. "Jaymes has an illness... m-mental illness, okay?"
...
"Now, Miss Nikos, if you would kindly demonstrate to the class how best to block an incoming blade?" Port asked as he stepped around her - studying her - as she spread feet shoulders width apart, one further forward than the other. She braced the back of her cold shield with her palm and gauntlet. "Very good!"
"Professor, perhaps it would help if we had someone strike the shield to... show a demonstration." Pyrrha smiled up to Jaune - almost cheekily. Jaune sat up, picking up Crocea Mors, grinning ear to ear.
"Excellent idea, Miss Nikos! Let's see, who has a bladed weapon?" Port tapped his chin, Pyrrha literally pointing at Jaune.
"I do."
All eyes befell on Ickford, as he held aloft his folded up weapons. Port smiled.
"Excellent, wonderful to see such initiative! Come on down, my boy." Port chuckled, Pyrrha's face paling and her eyes widening as the purple haired teen stood, stepping out the row to the stairs, his hazel eyes fixed on Pyrrha. There was a difference in his walk. It wasn't his usual chin held high, untouchable walk he'd developed over his time at Beacon. It was slower, slightly flinching. Something was... scarily different in him as he stepped into the arena, pacing like a wild animal behind Port, who was none the wiser to the delusional look in his eyes.
Jaune and Ren paled with dread, Nora biting her nails, her free hand finding Ren's arm to squeeze.
"Okay! So, students... A simple demonstration of how to deflect a blow will do for now." Port hummed, stepping back as Jaymes flicked his wrists, a garble of cogs and plating forming out his sleeves, handles filling his sweaty palms. Two huge Axe heads clicked together either side of his face, a crackle of violet electricity buzzing around them.
Pyrrha gulped at the look in his eye - the quiet and scarily negative individual - as he snarled his lip.
...
"Slow down, what do you mean he has a mental illness?" Neptune asked, standing from the bench, Weiss following suit, wrapping her cardigan a little tighter at a harsh gust of wind, the storm nearing, a few licks of rain in the air. Peony huffed.
"What do you think she means?" Sapphire asked from behind her.
"Well there's a lot of em! Facts, details, c'mon!" Neptune asked, slapping his fist into his palm. Peony pinched her brow, mumbling under her breath. "Huh?"
"P-Paranoid Schizophrenia! He has Paranoid Schizophrenia, okay?" Peony blurted, hand over her brow. Neptune and Weiss' eyes widened, the Schnee gasping into her palm. "I only found out a few months ago... and to think we've known him since we started school together."
"Oh... oh crap." Neptune sighed, throwing his head back and pacing in a languid circle. Weiss stepped forward.
"H-He's... I..." She bit her lip, closing her eyes tight. "Besides the mental illness... what's the problem?"
Peony nodded and lifted the medicine in her hand. "He takes this to combat the symptoms... problem is, since the weekend started he's stopped taking it. I dunno why, maybe it was to do with this whole thing with Pyrrha, his... damn obsession over her and Penny. After what happened yesterday, I'm worried that-"
"Now that he's off the medication he might develop some real bad paranoia around Pyrrha!" Sapphire interrupted, Peony nodding. Weiss' eyes widened and she gasped.
"Oh no... When he saw us yesterday, he did not seem himself! H-He went straight on the attack, convinced Pyrrha..."
"Convinced Pyrrha got Eryka to do what she did." Peony huffed, rubbing her face tiredly.
"Wait, what?!" Neptune stepped back over. "What was that?"
Weiss gaped, Peony raising a brow.
"Y-You don't know?" She asked, Neptune shaking his head, eyes flaring at Weiss.
"Weiss? W-What happened?!"
...
Jaymes paced around Pyrrha. The Nikos simply gave a weak chuckle.
"S-So... just hit my shield, Jaymes." she forced herself to say, as light as she could. He was really starting to scare her, what with his intense stare and pacing. Though the room was silent as all watched the exchange on the combat floor, Jaymes' head was anything but...
She hates me...
She tried to have me killed...
They all hate me...
She put her up to attacking me!
Pyrrha Nikos wants me to die, she wanted Eryka to kill me!
Kill her first, protect yourself!
"Jaymes?" Pyrrha lowered her shield in worry. "Professor, wait, stop the class, I think Jaymes is having trouble breathing." Pyrrha stepped forward, at a pace Jaymes deemed too quick.
She's going to attack me!
His labored breaths grew heavier and thicker, quicker and quicker, until they crescendo-ed with a strangled cry. He raised his right axe and brought it down on Pyrrha at a deathly pace. With a pop of widening eyes, she yelped and lifted her shield, the weapon skating off of the bronze surface with a spray of sparks, and deafening scream of metal on metal.
Pyrrha staggered back, caught off guard by the sudden attack. Port stepped forward to the teen.
"Steady, steady, what's wrong my boy?"
"Sh-She's been trying to kill me!" He staggered back, cowering behind Port. Pyrrha lowered her shield, an incredulous look in her eye.
"Me? I haven't done anything to you!"
"You had Eryka try and kill me!" Jaymes yelled. Port looked between the arguing students.
"Oh this is insane, this has gone on too long!" Pyrrha huffed, pinching her brow.
Insane? She thinks I'm insane?
Pyrrha's demeanor suddenly shifted, a snarl on her lips and a violent flare to her eyes, as she drew a knife out of thin air, lunging at Jaymes with deathly intent. Jaymes yelled and swung his axe, the blunt edge hitting Port and knocking the older teacher aside, skidding on his back across the combat floor.
"Professor!" Pyrrha yelled, as Jaymes swung at thin air, at hallucinations, very near her head. Her training came into play instantly, ducking and weaving. "Stop Jaymes, you've hurt the Professor!"
Jaune got up out of his seat, worry in his eyes, along with the other students. He picked up Crocea Mors and stepped out into the row, running down the steps. "I'm coming Pyrrha!"
Her friends! They want me dead too! That Jaune Arc wants me dead, they all do! He's said it before, said he'd kill me! He's coming to attack me!
Jaymes, panicked and outnumbered, held his axe out towards the running Arc, the axe transforming downwards into a shifting mass of metal, forming a gauntlet around his hand, long cables jutting out to overhang his fingertips. His extended fingers crackled with electricity, before he fired a bolt of purple lightning straight at the Arc, hitting him square in the chest, sending him flying back up the steps to collide with the back wall, squashing stone into a crater. Jaune slumped to the ground with an unconscious thud, smoke and steam hissing off of his chest plate, his body convulsing with the aftershocks of such a voltage.
"Jaune!" Pyrrha screamed in dread.
"You're all conspiring against me!" Jaymes yelled as Pyrrha tried to run around him to Jaune's aid. Seeing her quick movements spiked his paranoia, firing a bolt of electricity at Pyrrha. She quickly lifted her shield, absorbing the blast, but not before knocking her off of her feet, the high voltage easily buzzing through the metal of her shield to her skin, lighting her nerves into heavy spasms. "You killed Penny, now you want to kill me! It all makes sense!"
"You're crazy!" Cardin yelled, picking up his mace.
"NO I'M NOT!" Jaymes screamed, his other axe forming into an electro-gauntlet, firing two bolts of raw energy at him.
...
"Weiss... what hap-"
Both of them looked to the source of the bright purple flash they swore came from within the windows across the courtyard. The combat hall. They heard yells coming from within, then another longer flash of purple. Peony's eyes widened in horror.
"Oh no. Weiss, I know he's a pain in the ass, okay? I know he sticks his nose in places he shouldn't, I know he's not the easiest guy to like cos of his strong opinions, but if he's not been using these suppressants like he should be, coupled with the experiences he's had in the meantime... he's gonna be a massive danger to everyone around him... Pyrrha... Ren, Nora-
"Jaune!" Weiss gasped, covering her mouth. "Those two have had a rivalry since the school reopened!"
"We need to get into the combat hall!" Sapphire cried, just as the tall glass window occupying the wall of the building exploded into massive tumbling shards. The glass shattered outwards, a projectile being shot through it. Said object landed in the grass with a deafening hollow thump. The body tumbled to a stop, his Mace clattering across the concrete steps, limbs twitching abuzz with electricity.
People ran in fear, screams echoing across the campus. With so much worry and fear in the air, the nearby Grimm of the Forever Falls and the Emerald Forest licked at the air, tasting the scent of dread and moving towards the source with insatiable hunger.
...
Students stumbled over one another - desperate to get out of the combat hall in sheer panic, Jaymes staggering, the delusional voices warping his mind. He looked up at the screaming students...
Afraid of me...
He looked to Nora, the Valkyrie flaring her teeth and firing a grenade in his direction - protective of her team. The pink shell impacted his chest with a massive plume of pink smoke, sending the teen cartwheeling through the air to crash into the opposite wall, dropping from the cracked stone to the floor with a thump. He groaned and blinked, sitting up and surveying the room. He saw the screaming students, the few who yelled sick profanities at him, at his actions, to the grenade launcher responsible for the pain in his chest. His ill mind was free from it's medicinal cell, now running rampant with delusional out of character assumptions...
Pyrrha tried to kill me...
Nora shot at me...
Jaune hates me...
Ren distrusts me...
His heart rate quickened at the rising Pyrrha, stumbling groggily to her feet, spasming at the dying voltage. Ren snarled, fingers pressed to Jaune's pulse. Nora growled and raised her grenade launcher. He had so many enemies at this school, no allies! He rose to his feet, looking at his electrically buzzing gauntlets.
They lied to me...
They shot at me...
They hate on me...
They're using me...
Afraid of me...
They're dead to me...
They lied to me! She attacked me, Nora shot at me! Jaune hates on me, they're dead to me! And now they're all my enemy!
...
Weiss bit her lip, worrying the plump skin with her teeth, when Neptune took out his scroll and pressed a button. Her bright eyes watched him as he put his goggles back on with a snap of elastic.
Then a loud boom echoed over the terrified screams, and a locker dropped from the thunderous clouds, crashing into the ground with a bang. Neptune jogged over, the door hissing and then blowing open, revealing his rifle within. He took it out and looked worriedly to Weiss.
With a firm nod, she bit back her concerns and did her duty, tapping her scroll and awaiting her locker. Though when it landed, the door hissing open, she found it empty. Myrtenaster was gone. Weiss gaped at the empty spot, grabbing fistfuls of her hair and tugging.
"Where's my weapon?!" She cried out.
How little did they know that meanwhile, across campus in the Dormitory wing, Weiss Schnee was strutting back to the RWBY Dorm room, heels clacking, signature white dress and coat on, Myrtenaster at her hip, an evil smirk on her lips, frost ponytail billowing over her shoulder, and pink and brown eyes narrowing on her revenge.
After all, she was never one to miss up a good opportunity...
Author's Notes: Man! It's all gone wrong! So Jaymes' plot twist illness was an idea I had when I was writing chapter three haha! In fact, I wrote the majority of this back then! I loved Electro in the Amazing Spiderman 2, what an incredible unique take to have the villain suffer from a serious illness such as Paranoid schizophrenia. Now, I know there are parts of the illness I've missed out or embellished, but I needed to for the sake of the story. I hope you all understand that this isn't an accurate portrayal of the illness.
And now the part I need your help with: The Weiss dilemma. Does she tell Neptune or not? I had some interesting talks about this with good friends ZappyZappy and Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov, you guys rock! But all of you are important to me, and I want your opinions too. Should she tell Neptune about Eryka and possibly ruin their relationship, or keep her word to Eryka and keep her first secret? let me know what you think!
Anyways, please review and let me know what you thought of this pivotal chapter! See you next time! Love ya - Dave