Beach
After five brutal sparring matches with CRDL, it was pretty damn safe to say that Jaune was very much relieved to finally get some recuperation and the school trip to the beach was just what the doctor ordered.
Warm sand, fresh sea air and not a single trace of…
"I thought we were goin to the beach not the zoo. What's with all the animals runnin around?"
Cardin
Jaune sighed at the loss of what was a pretty good sunny day.
The bane of Beacon Academy was of course making life difficult for the faunus students, who'd kept to themselves, far out of CRDL's spot on the beach. Sadly though, anywhere they went, so did he. And with his favourite target, Velvet, right there with them, the brainless brute was clearly thrilled to ruin their day.
"Shove off rabbit! We want this place!"
"B-but you already have a spot! We're not even in your way".
"Yeah, we know", cackled Dove, Cardin's idiot second in command. "We just don't want you to have it is all".
That…that doesn't even make sense. Even for these guys!
"But that's not fair! You've pushed us all the way out from everyone else!"
"We didn't. If you mutts weren't so weak, you wouldn't be here would ya? So scram!"
Velvet stood up, clearly scared but with a spark of determination in her eyes. It had been the first time Jaune had seen her so defiant, even if she was still shaking life a leaf.
"No. We're a part of this academy, we should be able to enjoy ourselves just as much as you. We're…", her voice started to waver and for a brief moment, Velvet couldn't meet her tormentor's gaze. But she quickly steeled herself, "we're staying right here".
Cardin was clearly not pleased by this sudden act of resistance. "Oh big mistake, vermin".
The thugs sauntered towards the kids, Cardin heading towards Velvet. It was then, Jaune couldn't take it anymore. He knew what it felt like to be Cardin's prize punching bag. He wasn't about to let Velvet get treated the same way.
"Hey Cardin, knock it off!", Jaune called out as he marched towards the bullies.
Cardin turned his attention to Jaune, his frustration now replaced with a smug sense of superiority.
"Well if it isn't the knight in blue swim shorts. What brings you here Jaune, miss me beating the crap out of you so much you wanted me to do it to you on holiday?"
"How's the leg", quipped Jaune, with a raised eyebrow.
Cardin's smile vanished. His gang all took to steps back from their leader out of fear of his explosive temper erupting at the memory of Nora smashing Cardin's knee in CRDL's last bout with JNPR.
"Its fine", grumbled Cardin, through clenched teeth.
"Really? Cuz I heard the doctors had to put in ear plugs just to drown out your whining. I even heard you cried. Like a lot".
Cardin was absolutely fuming.
"What was it you said? Oh yeah. It was, "Momma! I want my momma!" I heard the nurses laughing about it in the corridor.
Steam was coming out of the bird brain leader's ear, as the faunus kids laughed and even the rest of Cardin's team nervously giggled, before recomposing themselves.
"Why you…"
Just then Pyrrha steeped in between Cardin and Jaune.
"Jaune, there's no need to fight anyone, let Carin have what he wants".
To say Jaune was confused was an understatement.
"What?!"
Pyrrha winked at him and smiled before turning back to Cardin.
What are you up to Pyrrha?
"You are right Cardin. These students don't belong here and should leave".
"Ha! So miss know –it –all isn't completely stupid.
….Jaune wasn't even gone begin to try and explain to Cardin how little sense that made.
"Indeed, these students belong over there, with the rest of the people who want to enjoy the beach. In fact, that spot looks available", Pyrrha said, pointing to Cardin's spot.
"Hey that's mine!"
"No, this place by the rocks is yours now. You clearly want it so much".
"If you think I'm just gonna…
Pyrrha turned her head.
"Nora! Wack-a-mole!"
"I'm coommmmiinnnggg", hummed Nora from far off.
"Screw this, run!", squealed Sky.
Pyrrha turned back to Cardin, arms folded and eyes staring straight through him.
"Your move Cardin".
He was beaten. Even someone as dumb and stubborn as Cardin could that.
"This isn't over", he snarled as he stormed off in a huff.
Goddamn. That was amazing
Velvet walked up to the JNPR partners.
"Thanks guys. We…really appreciate it".
"Don't thank us Velvs," Jaune said. "You stood up to him. Eventually he's gonna learn no one's afraid of him anymore, because of people like you".
Velvet had a ghost of a smile on her face and held her chin up a little at the praise she'd seldom heard from a human.
"Th-thanks guys. We'll remember this. We promise".
Jaune and Pyrrha watched Velvet walk off, then the blonde knight turned around, impressed.
"Pyrrha that was awesome! You just handed him his own ass without throwing a punch".
"Well, Cardin was never really one for lengthy battle of words. And Nora is a good deterent".
It was then, Jaune noticed something odd about Pyrrha that hadn't ocured to him earlier.
"Hey Pyrrha, why are you still in your armour?"
"Oh", said Pyrrha is an unusually hesitant tone. "No reason. I just…don't feel like swimming today. That's all".
"But Pyrrha, we only get like two of these trips every year. Come on, it'll be fun".
Pyrrha looked down for a while but then raised her head up with again with renewed enthusiasm.
"Okay. I'll meet you the team's spot".
Jaune had been lying down on his blue and white beach towel, soaking up as much sun as his body could take in. When from the corner of his eye he saw…
Holy Dust.
There right in front of him was Pyrrha Nikos, in a red two piece swimsuit, with her long red hair hanging loosely, looking like some majestic goddess of war.
Jaune swallowed the lump in his throat and struggled to speak coherently.
Can you blame me? She's beautiful!
Dammit Jaune, stop it. She's your partner, your best friend. Don't make this weird.
"Wow, Pyrrha you look fantastic", Jaune said.
Pyrrha did that thing where she smiles awkwardly and looks away when she gets a compliment. Honestly, she needed to recognise just how brilliant she was.
Then tell her
Jaune wished he could.
"Why thank you Jaune. You look nice in your…"
"Yes, yes", Jaune interrupted well naturedly. Whereas Pyrrha was wearing what was no doubt the height of fashion, given to her by Coco, Jaune had settled for his trusty blue swim shorts, with little smiley cartoon fish on it.
Pyrrha stifled the ineviable laugh that followed.
"Sorry, I couldn't help it".
Of course he didn't mind. Hell, he even thought it was funny.
Pyrrha rolled out her red and bronze towel and lay down, letting her back get heated up by the sun's rays.
"Jaune, would you pass me the sunblock please?"
He looked around and found a half used bottle of sun block. He picked it up and turned to pass it to Pyrrha. As he did this though, he turned too quickly and accidentally placed his hand on Pyrrha's back.
The young gladiator let out a surprised yelp and turned her head to see a very confused and nervous Jaune.
"Uh…"
She's looking at you. Do something you idiot!
"I was just…gonna…put on your sunblock…"
Oh bravo genius, that wasn't weird at all!
Pyrrha was surprised at first, but the corners of her mouth soon pointed upwards and she nodded.
Um, what?
Jaune had started this, he decided he must finish it. He applied the sunblock to Pyrrha's back, more than a little surprised by the noises his applying of the lotion seemed to cause.
Pyrrha was moaning, practically purring at Jaune's gentle caresses. Gradually, Jaune grew more confident, even bolder, seeking tense parts on her body and easing her aching muscles.
"Mmmh, Jaune", she sighed.
God, the way she said his name. He carried on long after he ran out of sun block, moving on up to her shoulders.
Then Jaune felt a small, rough patch on Pyrrha's shoulder.
It was like a tiny puncture wound that had been made a long time ago, but it still looked agitated and sore. He endeavoured to avoid it but his curiosity was getting the better of him.
"So Pyrrha?"
"Yes Jaune?"
"This scar. Where did you get it from?"
It was clearly not something that she wanted to talk about, judging by her crestfallen expression. Not wanting to push her, Jaune offered to drop it, but Pyrrha being Pyrrha, never let fear rule her life.
It was just one of the many things he loved about her.
"When I was small, I used to swim all the time. I'd beg my father to take me down by the beach every time the sun came out. I used to stay there for hours, riding with the waves, seeing all the beautiful creatures that lived underwater. Those were some of the best times of my life".
Her tone was bittersweet.
"But one day, I must have swam out too far. The tides were so strong, but I thought I could take them. And then…"
She paused, seemingly uncomfortable recalling what was apparently a very painful memory for her. Jaune rubbed her shoulders to ease her a little and she groaned in gratitude.
"It was a shark Jaune. I didn't even move. I just froze. It circled around me for…God it felt like hours. I could see its face. Those bottomless, empty black eye with a huge scar across the left one. With rows of endless, sharp white teeth housed in a huge gaping mouth".
"Then it tried to bite. I dodged bit it still grazed me. It hurt so much".
Jaune wrapped his arms around her neck.
"But you survived".
"Yes. I passed out after it bit me and washed up on the shore. I'm told I was gone for a good few hours. I recovered very quickly physically, but I never swam again. Not out far anyway".
"And I brought it up. Good work Jaune".
She placed a gentle hand on his own and looked up at him with welcoming eyes, inviting his to meet hers.
"It's okay Jaune. I feel alright around you".
"You know you don't have to swim if you don't want to".
She sighed.
"No. I want to. I really want to. I've allowed one incident from my past to stop me from doing something I used to love".
Pyrrha got to her feet, looked to the sea and clenched her fists. The nervousness that had occupied her thoughts had fled, making way for a strong resolve to face her fears head on.
"Are you coming Jaune?"
His pride in his best friend's courage revealed by an impressed smirk, Jaune followed Pyrrha out into the water.
Neither had noticed that not too far away was Cardin Winchester, who'd heard everything. He grinned callously as he had a brilliantly, awful idea.
"Oh this is gonna be fun", the lout chuckled, as he headed off out of sight.
Admittedly, Jaune was worried about Pyrrha. She was absolutely determined to her credit, but he'd noticed in her occasional winces and deep breathes, that she was definitely still afraid.
But, once they'd spent a good half hour out in the farther end of the water, Jaune was beginning to see that little girl who lived for the sea emerge in the excited cheers of his partner.
The red head was currently performing a very relaxed backstroke, looking absolutely stunning as the sun shimmered on her glistening body.
I wish I could just tell her
Jaune swam up to her and stopped right beside her.
"Enjoying your swim?"
He already knew the answer. He just wanted her to confirm it.
"Jaune this is great. I haven't had this much fun since I was a little girl!"
Pyrrha turned to Jaune, and his heart swelled at the sight of her happiness after what must have been a lifetime deprived of something she once loved so greatly.
"Thank you Jaune".
"Hey no problem. Look, if you've taught me anything about being afraid, it's that it's usually more afraid of you than you are of…"
Suddenly, Pyrrha started shivering like made. Her eyes were wide and panicky.
"J-J-Jaune….", Pyrrha managed to stutter.
"Pyrrha, what is it?", he asked, his voice full of concern and worry.
She couldn't talk. Instead she merely pointed a shaking hand behind Jaune.
He turned around and his heart sunk at the sight of a single, grey fin protruding from the sea, a sinister prelude to something terrible. Something Pyrrha never wished to see again, and quite honestly something Jaune never wanted to see at all.
Shark.
"Oh…crap", was all Jaune could manage to squeak out, as he froze next to Pyrrha.
The fin drew closer and closer to them, until it was just a meter away from them. They closed their eyes and let out terrified screams as from the water erupted….
"Ha ha ha! You two dweebs were so scared", chortled something that was most definitely not a shark.
There in front of them, was Cardin Winchester, with a fake shark fin strapped to his back, lugging so smug Jaune actually felt himself being sick.
"You idiot! You scared the carp out of us!", Jaune yelled.
"Wasn't you I wanted", he cackled. "Awww was the big bad amazon lady scared of a little prank shark fin?"
Pyrrha was beyond angry. She'd just been humiliated with her worst fears right in front of a man she loathed. She just kept her head down, eyes closed shut and her teeth bared.
"Stop laughing Cardin, it's not funny!", Jaune shouted.
That served only to make the big jerk laugh even more. He was laughing hysterically, splashing about and waving his arms.
Jaune had had it.
He moved towards Cardin.
"Dammit Cadrin I said stop…"
Jaune stopped moving. He didn't say a thing.
"Cardin?", he asked, almost as a whisper.
"Yeah, what?"
"Are the rest of your team here?"
"No, why?"
Pyrrha was quick to pick up on Jaune's tone and looked up to see what he saw.
"Cardin", she called out. "Stop laughing, you're disturbing the water. Don't move".
"Why? Ya afraid I might bring a…a…"
Cardin turned to see a wall of teeth, with two soulless black pits, the left one accompanied by a large scar, right behind him.
"No…", Pyrrha choked out. "It can't be….it's him".
Cardin was as still as a statue, managing to form only a few whimpers. Jaune wasn't going to comment why the water around Cardin felt so warm all of a sudden.
"Cardin", Jaune spoke "whatever you do, don't…."
"Every man for himself!", Cardin cried, desperately pushing Jaune out of the way as he tried pathetically to outswim the shark. It effortlessly chased him and clamped down on both of his legs, before pulling him screaming into the water.
"Oh no. Oh no, no, no, this is not good!", Jaune was panicking.
"Pyrrha, we need to go. Now!"
His partner wasn't moving. She just stayed, looking at the pool of blood where Cardin once was.
No. I'm not leaving her here!
He seized her hand and looked deep into her startled eyes, trying to give her any strength he could offer.
"Pyrrha, we have to go".
Slowly, she started to come back to reality and then she nodded.
"Right. Let's move".
They went as fast as they could, pushing themselves to outswim the beast behind them. They though they were going to make it, when Jaune elt a nip on his right leg.
"Aaahhh", he cried.
Pyrrha, just a little bit ahead of Jaune, snapped round to see Jaune being pulled under".
"Jaune!"
"Just go Pyrrha! Keep going!"
But Pyrrha couldn't. Yes she was scared. Downright terrified. But she was never, ever, going to let anything take Jaune from her.
She dived down and met the shark, face to face. It glared at her out of its good eye. She was unsettled, but her eyes narrowed in defiance and she used her aura to propel herself towards its nose, launching herself at it like a torpedo.
And with one well-placed hit, her fist crashed into the beast's nose, causing it to release Jaune's leg and sending it back about twenty feet away.
She swam back up to Jaune, gasping for air.
That attack had taken a lot out of her.
"Jaune, are you okay?"
Jaune was speechless to say the least.
"Pyrrha…you just punched a shark".
"Yes but Jaune are you alright?"
"Huh? Oh well, it sort of just nipped me really. I mean it hurts but….Pyrrha you just punched a shark!"
Pyrrha stopped for a second.
She didn't know if it was terror or just the effect Jaune had on her, but she started to laugh.
"I…I suppose I did".
"Pyrrha Nikos! The shark master!", cried Jaune.
The two laughed a little more at how ridiculously awesomely Pyrrha just "faced her fear".
"Jaune, we need to get you back on land. Your still bleeding. It could come back".
"Right. We'll get back to the beach and tell the others to…"
Pyrrha was starting to collapse, the fatigue from giving all of her energy into a single attack finally catching up with her.
"Pyrrha, no!", Jaune cried, as he swum up to her. If she fainted here, she was going to drown. He held on to her but the pain in his leg was costing him his strength.
"No. I'm not leaving you. You didn't leave me…"
Then all of a sudden, Pyrrha's weight seemed to have gotten lighter because it was now much easier to hold her up. Then it was as if he wasn't even holding on to her.
"What the…"
To his shock, they were now on top of the shark.
Jaune was now well and truly scared. Not just for him, but for a very tired Pyrrha, who was clinging to the last shred of consciousness she had.
"Get away from us!"
The creature merely floated in place, it's bad eye finding Jaune, silencing him.
It then proceeded to swim, but at a gentle pace, so as not to shake off its terrified passengers.
What? Is it taking us back to feed its young or something!? Do they even do that?
After about a minute, the shark stopped at a small cave. Once next to the rocks, Jaune quickly leapt of its back and carried Pyrrha off as well.
What the heck was happening?
For whatever reason, the shark waited in the cave pool. It couldn't get them while they were here, so why did it bother.
Jaune quickly turned his attention back to Pyrrha.
"Pyrrha? Pyrrha wake up!", he begged.
He placed a hand on her head.
Stone cold.
He quickly pressed his hands against the centre of her chest, trying to force the water out of her lungs.
Nothing he tried again but to no avail.
"No, no, no!"
He placed his lips against hers, trying to get some air back into her.
Please let this work. It's my fault she's here. This has to work.
Everything was dark for a while.
Pyrrha had no idea what was going on.
Then her eyes open to see Jaune….
Kissing me?
It was certainly not an unpleasant dream. But, she could feel it. Which meant…
This is real. We're both alive.
But as if Pyrrha's luck, she interrupted Jaune's kiss by sputtering water out of her mouth and coughing violently.
"You're alive!", he cried.
"Jaune…you saved my life".
She ran up and hugged the blonde boy, who returned her gesture with equal force.
"Of course I did. I've always got you're back".
Pyrrha cried silent tears of joy and relief.
But from her blurred, tear vision, she saw it waiting there in the rock pool.
"Jaune….!"
"Yeah I know but something's wrong. It…brought us here".
"What?", she said incredulously.
"Why would it do that?"
"I don't know. It had us both there, practically on a silver platter, but it just carried us here".
Pyrrha didn't understand. Why would it bring them somewhere it couldn't attack them. She looked at the creature, as if asking it. To her surprise, it looked back, but the rage in its eyes had dissipated. It looked so patient. Like it was waiting for something.
A thunderous crash of wind and lightning boomed outside. The walls of the cave shuddered as fierce waves smashed against it.
"Wow. Pyrrha did you feel that!? There must be a massive freaking storm out there!"
"Yes. If we were still out there we'd be…"
Then it donned on her. It all made sense now.
She leaned down towards the shark.
"Pyrrha, no! What are you…"
She looked to Jaune and waved her hand out in front of him.
Trust me
He understood.
Her hand touched the scar across the shark's left eye. It settled at her gentle touch.
"You were out there once. In the storm. That's how you got your scar".
Naturally it didn't respond but I seemed to indicate that it understood, through its downcast eyes.
"When I was a girl, you didn't attack me. You tried to save me. You pulled me to safety and dragged me back to the shallow after the storm. That's how I washed back onto shore".
This time, it flapped its tail to acknowledge her.
"And you saved us. You only wanted to graze us to scare us off, but when we froze, you tried to take Jaune back because we were running out of time. You're…you're not a monster at all".
Jaune, looking onwards at the red head and the shark. His jaw practically hit the ground.
"Wow", was all he could come up with.
He walked up next to Pyrrha and, slowly, placed his hand on their scar faced saviour.
"Thank you", Pyrrha said.
Together, the two Beacon students and a shark, waited out the storm.
Once the storm had passed, the shark had given them a life back as far as the shallows. Overnight, Pyrrha patched Jaune's grazed leg back up and had made it clear to their new friend that biting wouldn't be necessary.
They hopped off and made their way back to the shore. Before they did though, Pyrrha turned one last time to, what had once been the source of her childhood nightmares.
"I can't thank you enough for saving us. And I'm sorry I punched you".
The benevolent behemoth tipped its nose and made its way back to the depths.
Jaune and Pyrrha sat on the sand and watched the sun rise, heralding a new day.
"Do you think you're well enough to make your way back to the others yet?"
Jaune shook his leg giving Pyrrha's make shift bandage a try. It stung but he could walk.
"Yeah I could but…"he slung his arm over Pyrrha's shoulder.
"Just look at it", he sighed.
Pyrrha rested her head on his shoulder, as the pair saw a barrage of rays breaks through the dark sky, signalling the beginning of new and brighter day.
"Beautiful".
"So, I take it you might want to give swimming a pass, huh?"
She looked at him, baffled.
"Are you serious? That was incredible! Jaune, thank you for reminding me why I loved the sea so much. I spent so long thinking about how savage and dangerous it was, that I'd completely forgotten how beautiful it was".
"Glad I could help".
"And Jaune?"
"Yeah?"
"When we were in the cave…thank you for saving me".
"Your welcome. I actually didn't mind savin you myself either. Ugh…not that I wanted to kiss you or anything! Well, I mean of course, I wouldn't mind kissing you, I mean who wouldn't, but…well…I just…"
Pyrrha cupped his chin and turned his face to her's.
"Jaune", she whispered.
"Pyrrha…"
"There they are!"
Oh dammit!
Pyrrha turned to find Yang and Ruby, accompanied by a very frustrated looking Professor Goodwitch.
"Where on Remnant were you two!?", she barked. "I was nearly convinced that the storm had swept you off the face of the world when you didn't arrive back at the shelter!"
"We're sorry Miss Goodwitch, we were very far out and…."
"And on that note, why didn't you turn back once that monster was sighted! If you two weren't so far out, you may have noticed the entire school was already following proper safety procedures and exiting the water!"
Glynda sighed and placed a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. She took a deep breath and spoke in a much calmer manner.
"In any case, I'm glad you're both alive and well. Save for young master Arc's leg, but you appear to have taken care of it. Never the less, I expect you to report to the infirmary as soon as possible, do I make myself clear young man!"
"Yes maam," saluted a scared Jaune.
He looks more afraid of Professor Goodwitch than the shark.
"You guys got off lucky", sighed a relieved Ruby.
"Yeah", chuckled Yang. "Cardin got trashed".
Oh yes, I'd forgotten about Cardin.
"Yes. Mister Winchester took it upon himself to foolishly impersonate a shark and thus provoke the beat's territorial instincts. He washed up before the storm occurred. He's stable now, but his legs were completely broken…again".
"Yeah, and he keeps screamin, "Shark!", every five minutes".
"Thank you Miss Xiao Long".
Glynda walked off to inform the Academy that she'd managed to successfully keep all her students alive.
Ruby and Yang zoomed up to them.
"Seriously, how'd you to get away from that storm and that huge monster shark?"
Pyrrha looked to Jaune.
There's no way they would ever believe us
"We…don't remember. We must have passed out and washed up on the shore".
"Huh. I guess you could say you guys…jumped the shark?"
The other three students sighed at the busty blonde's painfully bad pun.
"Dammit Yang", whined Ruby.
"What it was too easy".
"We'll meet you guys at the infirmary, try not to be late.
Pyrrha chuckled at the sisters bickering about shark puns and turned back to Jaune.
"They'll never know what really happened will they?"
"Nah. Keep it between us. Gotta say, even for us that was weird".
"Indeed. Brave, kind and fiercely determined. It was impressive".
"You two have a lot in common. But don't worry you still look way prettier than scarface".
Pyrrha lightly elbowed Jaune good-naturedly, earning an amused smirk from the blonde knight.
"And if it wasn't for you, he'd still just be another monster. Just something else everyone thinks he should be".
Just like me
"Thank you Jaune. I don't know how, but whenever you're near, I feel like I don't have to be afraid of anything. Being a lone. The sea. You always find a way to save the day".
"He don't put yourself down "Shark Master". I still can't believe we won't tell them that part".
Pyrrha just laughed at Jaune's response. He was always like that. So kind and funny. He was oblivious to many things, but he was still the first person to see her. And that's all she cared about.
"So Pyrrha, I was just thinkin…"
"Hmm?"
"I don't know, where the infirmary is exactly and I bet it might take us a few tries to find it. Plus it's such a lovely sunrise, don't ya think?"
Pyrrha grinned mischievously, completely aware of where he was going with this.
"What are you saying?", she practically purred.
"Well, it's just with my bad leg, you wouldn't let me limp around this lovely beach beside the sun all on my own, would you?", he said in mock hurt that made her giggle.
She let him put his arm around her shoulder, supporting him as they walked along the golden beach to the beginning of a new day.
And perhaps, the beginning of something else.