Four years ago...
Encircling the school of Sanctum was a large, wall-like mountain range dominated largely by forest areas. The backdrop proved to be a popular destination for tourists to the region let alone students to the school. Only those who were enrolled and in training were allowed to, let alone dare, step foot onto the imposing scenery which was well known to be inhabited by the creatures of Grimm. Such monsters didn't scare the young, teenage Pyrrha who was making good progress up one of the inner mountain paths. After a day of trekking through man-made tunnels and treacherous natural formations the forest area was only an hour away. Or it would be if Scypio was willing to continue at the same pace as her. As the budding Huntress reached a relatively large circular area, home to a stunning view overlooking the school below as well as the city of Troja many miles away, she looked back in disappointment as her brother traveled up the path nonchalantly. Out of all the fifth years available Pyrrha wouldn't have dared look past her brother to join her for the third years' first semester assignment. Ignoring a breakdown of regular communication between the two over the last year in particular, Scypio still held the accolade of two-time winner of the Mistral Regional Tournament and truly was one of Sanctum's most promising products with sharp battle smarts and a calm head. With Scypio's experience and her enthusiasm the race to find their assigned robotic boarbatusk before the many other teams scattered among the range was surely to be won in record time. How could he not be going all out on the crucial ascension towards their selected camp site?
"Scypio!" Pyrrha's use of his full, first name was enough to suggest she was frustrated. Her gloved hands placed firmly on her miniskirt-covered hips confirmed it. Quickening his pace, Scypio replied back.
"You don't seem to get the point of this assignment do you?" After reaching his sister the more muscular centurion than that of two years ago laid down the combined camping equipment of the two. "You know what I told you! It's a-"
"All about the journey and discovering more about yourself. If I hadn't known the point before today I sure would now." Pyrrha folded her arms which was met by a small chuckle and a warm hug from her brother.
"I'm sorry, sis! You know I would love to win too but just relax okay? We won't be able to do anything if we're running ourselves into the ground on day one."
Impatience turned to acceptance and the young girl hugged her brother back. It was a typical Scypio attitude and exactly why she had brought him along. Just two years ago he was telling her of the benefits to not going all out before a tournament and he went on to win one. In truth she was just pleased to have some quality time with him.
After a short rest the two continued upwards whilst the sun fell the other way under the curvature of landscape. Stars began to litter the sky above whilst the students made their way into the forest and set up camp in a relatively open space well away from any of the Grimm hot spots. It was an evening that was filled with gossip, teasing and the sharing of dreams once again; one of those nights which filled Pyrrha's heart with hope that things could go back to the way they used to be. As with all things however they must surely come to an end eventually and as hard as the two Nikoses fought, they both lost the battle against their tired minds.
The following morning, Scypio's eyes creaked open to the site of a tent roof above whilst his nose was treated to the vivid and unmistakable smell of the legendary Nikosian Omelette. The sixteen-year-old mused to himself quite how he'd ended up inside the tent since he certainly didn't remember falling asleep inside. It was shortly dismissed as a pointless question. Yet, as Scypio moved out of his sleeping bag and peered outside of the makeshift home, it was a question that was answered nonetheless. There was Pyrrha, already geared up, cooking breakfast with the pan completely out of her hands. It was almost as if she was controlling it through sheer willpower. The gears slowly started to turn inside the young Huntsman's head; realization breaking through into his still darkened mind like the piercing light in his room back home when his mother thought that his 'beauty' sleep had gone on for long enough. His sister had discovered her semblance before him. The pan clanked down onto the gauze as the red head clocked the appearance of Scypio, the sharp noise quickly replaced by a silence of anxiety and awkwardness. More questions ran amok in the mind of a a young man who was already beginning to recline back into the hardened shell built up over the past year. How long had she known? Why hadn't she told him already? Would he ever discover his own? What to say now?
"I'm sorry. I really, truly am so sorry." Pyrrha's voice trembled as if it was crossing an unstable bridge, terrified at the prospect of her own brother turning against her. She knew full well that her incredible development at Sanctum troubled him greatly. Why else would relations between the two have become so cold since his first tournament victory? She watched on with uncertainty as Scypio drew himself out of tent and to his feet. His expression was one of a lost man yet he seemed larger and more intimidating than usual.
"How long?"
The questioner sounded defeated.
"Maybe a week or so."
The response equally so.
Scypio closed his eyes and collected his muddled thoughts together. There were many ways to go about the scenario which he had dreaded for months now but there wasn't any time to mull over it now. He had to do what came to him that instant and so he walked over to Pyrrha slowly, his eyes opening and looking into the petrified, vivid green eyes of someone who had the potential to become one of the greatest fighters of all time. His right hand placed itself onto her bare, left shoulder; the shivering was noticeable. Albeit with great effort, Scypio managed a smile.
"I'm so proud of you. Congratulations."
It amused him somewhat that Pyrrha didn't quite know how to respond. Heavens above knew what she was actually expecting from this particular encounter. In the end she closed her own eyes and then looked up at Scypio with a smile of her own. The offer of peace needn't be inquired about.
"Thank you, Scyp. Honestly."
"Don't mention it." His gaze floated over to the camp fire. "Those omelettes smell absolutely divine, Pyrrha. Let's eat up and head out!"
The young girl nodded before returning to the work she had started. The older boy looked to seat himself. That sickening feeling hadn't gone away but he'd done the right thing. There was no point in compromising the assignment over petty emotions like jealousy and envy. Many students discovered their semblances by pure accident. Others more lucky inheriting family traits and were taught how to use them accordingly. Pyrrha's polarity shared some characteristics with her father's semblance but she wasn't to have known that. Looking down at the ground, Scypio came to the only logical solution; he had a semblance too so it was only a matter of time before he discovered his own. Patience was the skill he required most in this moment.
On full stomachs, the Nikos siblings packed up their camp and headed deeper into the mountain's forest. The tree cover grew so much so that only small cracks allowed sunlight to seep through and illuminate the area. The Grimm encountered along the way were not much of a challenge. In a time of peace and hope their power was so minimal that Scypio could teach his sister how to take down regular boarbatusk and ursa variants with little trouble. Hours of path finding and tracking their robotic prey down eventually led to a small crater of sorts completely devoid of any trees. Like snipers of the Great War the two crawled up to the edge and peaked in to see their target resting in the middle. What wasn't so exciting was what blocked their path to it.
"A death stalker." Scypio grimaced. This was the first time even he had seen one for real. Beside him, Pyrrha's eyes lit up.
"Win the challenge and take down a death stalker!" Though her words were hushed the excitement behind them was evident. "Oh Scyp think about it! We'll be the envy of everyone!"
The elder of the two turned and looked at his sister as if she were insane. "Or coming home in a casket."
Looking back into the crater, the different options from here on out jolted through Scypio's head like some complicated design on a butterfly's wings. Some lines splitting off, some merging together; no one solution was clear. The Grimm was clearly wounded with its right claw ever so slightly buckled in but apart from that it looked healthy and agile. This was likely its home also so waiting wouldn't do any good. Then again it wasn't the biggest death stalker he'd seen in pictures. As much as he didn't want to tackle it head on, to win the challenge it could be the only way. He turned back towards Pyrrha.
"Okay, we're taking it on." The young girl was desperate to respond yet Scypio needed to get his instructions across. "You follow my lead though. You are a talented fighter and you know your semblance but out here when a real battle starts its the experience that counts. Understood?"
Pyrrha's heart sank as naturally she wanted to impress a brother who had taught her most of what she knew. She nodded begrudgingly in agreement. The young man smiled and nodded back before motioning to begin their descent down the relatively steep slope. With the Grimm turned away the two b-lined for a large rock a short distance away from their entry point to the mission zone. Backs against the wall, Scypio delivered his brief. Jumping out from either side of the rock the Nikoses engaged their target.
Pyrrha rushed past the creature catching its attention before Scypio unleashed Imperium onto its rear, right leg. A wail escaped the scorpion-like monster before it turned around to focus on the perceived bigger threat. Its attention was diverted once again, the creature utterly at a loss of what to do as Pyrrha had begun to shoot at its tail with Miló in its rifle form. What little patience the Grimm had was lost and it began a rampaging charge towards the young Huntress forcing her to make a retreat. Scypio saw events unfolding and was determined to get the death stalker back focused on himself. At the click of a button his sword swung around and compressed in many manners before what was left was a pistol which he immediately put to use. The rampage towards his sister continued however, a rampage which was made worse by Pyrrha's decision to fight back.
"Pyrrha! Keep running!" Scypio shouted out knowing full well he couldn't stop his own sister and began running towards the fight with Imperium returning to its sword form. Pyrrha reached him quicker than he could reach her though. Her unconscious body was flung towards him by a left clawed swat away. The young man dropped the weapon and rushed over falling to his knees trying to tend to Pyrrha. He rolled his injured sibling onto her back, his right hand grasping her left shoulder and begged her to wake up as the death stalker turned and maliciously, almost maniacally, began to trundle towards the pair.
It was at that moment that Scypio's questions were answered. His body began glowing with his natural, silver aura before tinting with a red eerily similar to his sister's. He rose to his feet, eyes closed, and faced the Grimm which stopped dead in its tracks. Though he wasn't to know it, Scypio's eyelids opened to reveal not vivid green, but brilliant scarlet colored pupils. The death stalker was meant to breed of fear yet it was now paralyzed with the very emotion it fed off. The young Huntsman had no time to question what was happening and proceeded on pure instinct alone, reaching out for Pyrrha's Xiphos and much to his internal amazement had it reach his hand almost as if he now harnessed his sister's semblance.
Just about regaining her senses, Pyrrha's first sight was that of her brother walking with confidence towards a monster neither had the right skills to fight. Her consciousness wavered, eyes struggling to remain open. He parried the monster. Then he was closer to her, reaching out to his right. Akoúo̱ was now in his grasp before he threw it like a discus towards its stinger, cutting it clean off, before summoning it back to his grasp. The will to stay awake grew harder still yet before the young girl faded away into blackness once again, she saw her brother leaping towards the stalker, Imperium in hand.
When next she awoke, Pyrrha shot upwards in a Sanctum ward bed. Gazing over to the window, it was night time and the moon shone brightly through as a stream of light. She followed it downwards onto a figure asleep in a chair at the end of her bed. It was Scypio. His front chest piece was slashed and he looked worn out but thankfully okay. Whatever his state his sleep certainly wasn't that deep otherwise he wouldn't have been disturbed by Pyrrha's movement. Awaking to the sight of his sister recovering, he rushed up out of his chair and gently hugged her. There was lots to discuss but now was not the time. At the doorway, the friendly face of Aera appeared. Her ever evolving style had led her to embracing a softer look of late; honey blonde hair, highlighted by a navy blue dye, resting on her shoulder.
"Come on, champ. I'm sure Pyrrha will be just fine with a night of sleep." She was more genuine than ever, her instinctive sarcasm seemingly a thing of the past.
Scypio nodded and gave his sister a kiss on the forehead.
"Love you." He couldn't remember the last time he had uttered those words.
"Love you also." She struggled to remember also.
He smiled and turned away, joining Aera at the door before closing it behind them. The two best friends strolled back towards their year's wing.
"So, what did you tell the teachers?" One talent that had remained with Aera was her innate ability to be incredibly nosy.
"Pyrrha found the target at roughly 2:30pm and we were attacked by a death stalker soon after which she battled with outstanding bravery."
This irked Aera intensely who was sharp to quicken her pace and stand in front of the tired teenager. She looked up into his eyes seeing less fire than usual.
"Scypio. You are a charming and caring individual but come on. You've just placed all the praise onto her with not an ounce for yourself. Why o-"
"Because, Aera, she is going to go on and become one of the greats. It doesn't matter how much any of us train or study, she will be better than us. The least I can do as her brother is ensure that she doesn't have a blight on her record saying that she careless dismissed my command in battle."
"Scypio." The young archer had noticed tensions between the two siblings growing steadily but cared more deeply for the young man who was almost like a brother she could call her own. "You don't have to accept defeat."
"I'm jealous, envious and angry, Aera. My semblance, at least from what I've been able to gather, is to copy other semblances for a short amount of time. I don't have anything unique and at the end of the year she'll take away my title of youngest Mistral Regional Tournament winner as well. You watch, I know she will. The least I can do is make the most of it for my sister's sake. At least she'll take the glory."
Aera let out a long sigh before giving Scypio a long hug. She only hoped that he was tired and that his emotions were getting the better of him tonight. The two continued to stroll onwards back to their dorms turning their attention to more jovial topics such as the leavers' ball next year.
Behind them, a gently crying Pyrrha closed the door once more.