Chapter 22: Best Friends
As time went by, our graduation was getting closer each day and soon all of the students will send out their letters to the Academy of their choice. Everyone was ready to send their letters. Well everyone but one.
"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!"
"Seth take it easy. People are staring at you." Pyrrha told me with concern in her voice.
I turn to see if it was true. And yes, people were just looking at me.
"Yea well, at least they are looking at me go crazy, rather than you. So I'm doing you a favor right now."
Pyrrha Nikos... The three-time Mistral Reginal Champion. To say I was shocked was an understatement. But I just knew she was going to do it. Honestly ever since she entered that tournament her life has been going up. Everyone started to notice her as the Pride of Mistral.
However, that came at a price. The attention of everyone and the people around her. Now do I care? No, not really, but she always apologized to me, even though I told her it was alright.
Well, that's fame for you, Some people just want to be famous or try their best to get involved in that person's life one way or another. Honestly, If I was still in those tournaments I feel like I would lose on purpose just for me not to deal with this type of publicity.
"I'm sorry."
"Told you this a long time ago, it's fine. Do you want me to flip them off? I'll do it."
"No! It's fine Seth Thank you. But you really need to relax. Graduation is at the end of the month. And even if you don't send your letter, you still got until May next year before the Semester actually starts for the Academies. So try to relax."
She is right. I can't be panicking about this now. We got graduation soon. So I need to stay calm and everything will turn out fine by the end of this.
I take a deep breath and release. "Right... I got time, nothing to worry about. If anything I will just let future me panic at the last second."
"You really need to stop doing that Seth. Last time you did that, you nearly cause a company to sue you."
"Hey, it was the guy's fault that he took that picture. I didn't consent to it."
"Right... Anyway are we still up for this Sunday for practice?"
"Yea... No, I've been thinking maybe we should just relax for now. I mean we are close to Graduating and then we got a lot of time to train before going to an Academy. So why not take this time to actually relax before we become train huntsman?"
"Hm, that would be nice. However, I don't think I will have that chance with how my manager is filling up my schedule now."
"You know you can always say no right? You also need a break. I feel like you've been going at this ever since you came back from Mistral."
"I know, but don't worry I'm at least having fun doing all of these sponsors." She threw a smile at me but I knew she was faking it.
"Pyrrha don't fake a smile. It doesn't suit you."
She simply looks down and sighs. "As much as I would like to relax Seth, I just can't be doing that right now. I'm sorry."
Damn, she is really putting a lot of pressure on herself. She needs time to relax and enjoy her free time before she actually becomes a Huntress. Maybe I should help, I mean what can we do unless.
"Hey, you know what let's do it!"
...
...
...
I see her face starts to become a dark red shade. "What! Seth!"
"Let's do it this weekend then, Just like you said."
"But... We are still... Wait what do you mean?"
"Let's train. Sure I rather relax but I feel like after graduation I'll have enough time to relax. So what do you say?"
It takes her a minute to compose herself. But in the end, she nods her head and agrees to meet up this weekend.
"Alright, it's settled then. I guess I'll see you on Sunday. Bye, Pyrrha take care." I start to walk away from her and start to head home.
"Okay see you, Seth." I turn and see her wave and soon I turn the corner, to begin walking home.
"Excuse me kid can I have a word with you." I turn my head and see a man with a camera. "I see that you were talking with the Mistral Champion, may I have a few minutes of your time."
...
...
...
"Sure just give me one sec." I reach into my backpack and grab the pin of one of my grenades.
"Think fast chucklenuts." I throw it at the man and look away from him.
BOOM!
"Ah! My eyes!" I turn to see the man on the ground covering his eyes.
Sigh... I'm really starting to hate these paparazzi. I start to walk away and begin to walk home.
'You know I think Mom was right. I'm surprised they don't just look away when I throw it at them. I mean I have been doing this for a good two or three years now and yet no one ever looks away. Oh well.'
I feel like it's been a long time since I sat on the couch and watched television. I mean I get it, almost all my time has been with school, training, fixing my weapon, and working on my semblance. And Yes I mean my heart, not my actual Semblance. But I feel like now was a nice time to actually be a teen and do nothing for now. Cause I know I won't have that once I leave for an Academy.
Too bad there was nothing to actually watch.
Sigh... I need another hobby. Flipping through the channels I stopped at one where they were promoting a charity event in Atlas.
"That's right Tom. This weekend the head of the Schnee Dust company will be doing a charity event for the people of Mantle. And in that event, there will be a live performance by the daughter of the company. Performing her debut song."
A charity event? Well, I bet it's just to boost sales for them. And try to get on the good side of the people of Mantle. I mean the prices of dust in Mantle are crazy compare to any other store.
I change the channel and continued to watch.
"In other news, Mistral champion Pyrrha Nikos is getting set to graduate from Sanctum soon and the people are all wondering where is she going to go. Many are assuming that her first choice will be Haven Academy but others are-"
I change the channel.
"The blind bandit has struck again on another photographer outside of-"
I turn off the TV.
You know what. I think being a teen was not something I enjoy. Not in this life or in my old one.
I hear the door open. "I'm back!"
I turn my head and see Mom walk in.
"Hey welcome back."
"Were you watching TV?"
I just shrug at her. "I mean I was. But nothing good was on. How was your day?"
"It went well. Hey did you know that we are getting new neighbors?"
"No... Why do you ask?"
"Someone bought the house a few houses down, you know the one close to the alley. However, I didn't see anyone today."
"Maybe they just recently bought it. So I guess they will soon move there."
"Good point. So what are you planning on doing now?"
"Honestly I wanted to relax, but now I feel like actually doing some training."
"I thought you said you were taking a break from training? What change."
"Well... Let's just say, I'm helping a friend."
"Seth, are you sure this is a good place to train?" I hear Pyrrha asking behind me.
"Don't worry I've been here a lot of time and this place is the only place where I'm sure we will have privacy to train rather than having people taking pictures of us." I assure her as we continue to walk through the forest.
This might be the first time taking her to where I've been training. Now that I think about it, we always spar in school but now that she became even more famous, we usually get interrupted by other students or someone with a camera. Hopefully, here we can just focus on ourselves and nothing else.
"Here we are! Welcome to the training grounds."
She looks around and looks back at me.
"Well, it's a nice clearing I'll give you that."
"Well sorry that you aren't used to training in the forest and trying to survive your mother's hard training regiment."
"That's not what I meant Seth." She sets a bag on the ground.
"I know, just teasing Pyrrha. But look at the bright side here we can go all out without any distractions." I set my bag and my weapon next to a tree.
"I thought this was going to be normal training?"
"I mean it can be, but maybe we can try and fight each other. How long has it been since we actually fought seriously?"
"Well, not since we face off in Haven from our first tournament. But I don't think it's a good idea, Seth."
"Well, it was just a suggestion. If anything we can just do our normal routine and see where it takes us."
For the past hour, we had done our usual training regiment and even did a few new ones that Pyrrha had done. Honestly, I feel like she has been pushing herself so much lately, this can not be good for her.
I stop what I was doing and turn to her just to see her punching a tree repeatedly.
"So does the tree owe you money? Or did it make fun of you?"
She doesn't answer and just continues with the punches.
"Pyrrha?"
She continues to punch the tree.
"Pyrrha!"
"What!?" She turns to me with an annoyed face but It goes away fast realising what she did."
"Seth...I'm sorry I...-"
"Pyrrha talk to me what's wrong? You look upset or in some cases pist off. So talk."
"It's nothing you should worry about Seth, I'm fine."
He we go.
"Pyrrha whatever it is you can just talk an-"
"I'm leaving Seth." She begins to walk towards me and was about to walk past me. But I got in her way.
"Seth move."
"Not until you tell me what's wrong."
"I'm serious Seth move or."
"Or what?"
"I'll make you move." She looks me straight in the eyes.
...
...
...
I lean over. "Make me."
We both just look at each other, any moment now she will either back off or we fight. And honestly I rather we fight it out rather than talk it out. She might need this.
Suddenly she backs away. "I know what you are trying to do Seth and it won't work." She walks past me.
Shit Pyrrha come on throw me a bone here. I'm trying to help you. I see her grab her weapon and soon start to walk toward her bag.
'Come on think Seth, What would Mom do? Oh... I know what she would do.'
"Your right. Why would the champ ever waste her time out here fighting."
She stops in her tracks.
Bingo.
Ever since she came back from Mistral she told me specifically not to call her that anymore. I understood, so I never did after her return. Almost everyone in school started to call her Champion or champ and each time they did. I saw it in her eyes that she hated every word after.
She turns around and looks back at me. Yep, she was upset.
I see her take a deep breath and she raises her hand. I then see my weapon fly toward me. Quickly grabbing it because I knew what was about to come.
"You should have just minded your own business, Seth." She flips her spear into a sword and raises her shield.
I press the button under my pistol grip and split both of my weapons apart. " And let you wallow in your own pain? What type of friend would I be?"
"A good friend."
It came as no surprise that we both charge at each other. This was different from how she normally fights. Usually, Pyrrha lets her opponent rush at her so she can block and counter her opponent's attacks.
But here we both just attack each other with no real strategy. I can feel it with each strike that she threw that she didn't want to do this, hell she didn't even look like she was enjoying the fight. Whatever is on her mind? Is really distracting her.
So I need to find a way to help her. And what better way than to get under her skin and let her vent out some frustration.
"You know I'm kind of disappointed with you. For a three-time champ, you are really not putting up a challenge here." I block her attack and send a kick toward her. But she blocks with her shield.
"You feel disappointed, that's funny coming from the guy who doesn't enter tournaments anymore." After she blocks the kick she raises her sword and swings toward my left side but I block it with Favillae.
"Well, I did promise someone that I was going to fight against her in that tournament, even though I wasn't at 100%. So you can't blame me for what happened after." After the block, I decided to fire it so the recoil can spin me around. I usually follow it with a slash and that was what she was expecting. But I simply fall to the ground and sweep her legs, so she fell to the ground.
"Aw look at you. The champ is on the ground for the first time after her victories. Was it a fluke that you won or was it just that I wasn't in those tournaments?" I see her kickflip up and begins to throw a barrage of strike toward me. Her attacks were beginning to feel sloppy and weak. I feel like she was getting more upset after every hit.
"Shut up Seth, You don't know the things I have to do. So I don't expect you to understand!" She strikes me with her shield but I block it. "You don't know what people are expecting me to do!" She swings her sword toward my head, but I parry it. "I am Mistral's golden child and I can't lose to anyone! So I won't lose to you!" She swings her sword again but with a block and a strike, I make her drop her weapon toward the ground.
"Pyrrha... What are you fighting for?"
"It's my destiny to be the best." She throws a punch at me but I dodge it.
"That's it? You don't want to help people? You just want to be the very best like no one ever was?" I keep dodging her attacks not wanting to attack back and just wanting her to keep talking.
"No, I want to help. But I need to be the best so I can help others. I need to be the best because that's what people are expecting of me." I see her raise her arm and see her weapon heading her way. I flip Favillae and shot her weapon away.
"Pyrrha I know you want to help others, but you are going to drag yourself to the ground if you continue like this. I know that feeling of doing your best to help but you are just putting pressure on yourself that eventually you are going to lose a lot more than you think." I lower my weapons down and see her look down at the ground.
...
...
...
"I think the pressure that you are putting yourself in and what people are telling you is getting in your head, that it's blocking the real reason what you are fighting for. Stop letting people put these ideas in your head, and actually put your foot down and tell them to 'Fuck off.'"
"Seth..." I heard her voice but it was weak. " When you look at me... What do you see?"
...
...
...
It take me a moment, but I knew who I saw in front of me.
"I see the girl that made me cry when I first saw her. The girl that I made a promise that we won't turn out like our mothers. The girl that I've trained with ever since I made it into Sanctum. The girl that I fought to keep a promise even when I was injured. The girl that I promise that I would tell the truth." She looks at me and I just smile.
"I see my best friend."
...
...
...
She turns around from me and begins to rub her eyes with her hands but soon I hear her chuckle a bit. Before it turns into a complete laugh.
"Am I missing something here?" I ask confusingly.
"So much more than you think Seth. But at least I know that you don't see me as the invincible girl."
"See you as the what?"
For some reason, her posture was different from before.
"Something that my manager is beginning to bring up. But that doesn't matter now." I see her raise her fist like she was ready to fight.
"As much as I would like to continue this fight, I really feel like I'm missing a lot of context here."
"Don't worry I will tell you later. For now, let's fight. Best friend."
...
...
...
Sigh... Well, I did ask for it.
I place my weapons down and raise my fist.
"You got it 'Best Friend.' But let's fight with heart." I tap my heart
Best Friends - Persona 4: Arena OST
I run at her and she just stood her ground. Getting close to her I saw it in her eyes that this was different from before. For some reason, she looked way calmer than before. What changed? Man, I really hope she explains this after we finish here because I was so confused.
As I got close to her I jump and send a kick towards her head but she simply dodge it, falling to the ground I turn and see her send a punch towards my face. Raising my hand to block it I see from the corner of my eyes her other hand heading toward my side. Man, I think fighting Mom really did a number on my reflexes.
I raise my hand to block my face and raise my other hand to block my side. Once both attacks were dealt with I counter her with a few punches toward Pyrrha. She did her best to block some of them. But a few landed the mark.
I mean she is good with her weapons, thanks to her Semblance. But you take that away from her. If you can take her weapon away from her. Then she is left with her hand-to-hand combat.
And that was something I was good at.
Soon she begins to back away from me trying her best to give each other space.
"You really did improve with your hand-to-hand fighting huh Seth."
"I mean, I did train a lot with my Mom and she is really fast. Also, I had to deal with her little test that she made me do. So I really had to step up my game when it came to fighting. But hey you are way better with your weapon and Semblance. So you got the advantage there."
"Hmm, your right." She raises her hands and soon her weapons were in her hands. "Well let's keep going."
Sigh... Me and my big mouth.
Pyrrha runs to me and raises her sword toward me aiming straigh at my stomach. But as she got close to me I dodge her attack and threw a kick to her side. She was able to block the kick with her shield and send me back when she pushed it toward me.
I was able to catch myself by back flipping and getting some distance from her. But when I look back up I saw her close to me. Ready to stab me again. With no other choice, I parry the swing with my hand and boy I will tell you it hurt.
"Fuck! That hurt!" I rub my hand.
"I'm sorry!"
"Nah it's fine. Honestly, I think I should invest in some gloves now that I think about it."
I look back at her and see her shield close to my face.
'Man, She is giving no mercy right now.'
I feel the shield connect to my face and I fall down backward.
I look back at her and see her smiling at me but the smile drops, and tries to stab me again.
With no way to block it. I begin to spin on the ground windmill style. For some weird reason, I felt the wind began to pick up in my legs. Is my Semblance being activated? I see Pyrrha doing her best to land a hit on me but seeing that I was beginning to attack her back with some kicks she made the wise decision to back away. Leaving me to get back on my feet.
"When did you learn to do that?"
"Hey you got your fighting style I got mine. Also, it helps that I then to dance when I fight so. I got more where that came from."
I clap my hand and get ready to rush her. But then for some reason, my music stopped.
"Huh?" I look down at my heart.
"What's wrong?"
"That's weird my song wasn't even close to finishing and it just stopped."
I tap my heart and nothing began to play. Okay, that's weird.
"Are you hurt, Seth?"
"No, if anything I got my Aura protecting me and-"
I was cut off once I hear I slow piano start to play.
I tap my heart. But it doesn't go away.
'Another song that played by itself. Third time this has happened.'
"Well, at least your Semblance is back Seth. Shall we continue our fight?"
Mirror, tell me something
Tell me, who's the loneliest of all?
'Last time this happened outside we were attacked by Grimm and the other time the White Fang attacked.' I looked around us but nothing was in the forest and I didn't hear anything. 'Maybe it was a crazy-'
Mirror, tell me something
Tell me, who's the loneliest of all?
"Seth!" I feel Pyrrha push me to the ground.
ROAR!
From the sky of course.
Fear of what's inside of me
Tell me, can a heart be turned to stone?
Looking back up I see a large lion-like flying Grimm.
"What's a Manticore doing this close to the wall of Argus."
'This can't be real.'
"Pyrrha my weapon."
She looks at me and nods soon with her Semblance she pulls my weapon towards me. Grabbing it I split them apart and get ready to fight it.
"There's only one so we can deal with it."
"Right!" Pyrrha ready her weapon and begins to shoot it from the sky.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The Manticore just flew up higher into the sky and sent out some fireballs toward us.
We were able to dodge them by getting behind some trees.
"We need to get it lower for us to kill it."
"Any ideas?"
"You ever play chicken?"
"Seth No!"
"You got the range. I don't. Once it gets close, we can deal with it." I run out in the open.
"You better not Die!"
Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?
Save me from the things I see!
I began to shoot at it knowing it will get its attention.
I can keep it from the world
Why won't you let me hide from me?
The Manticore soon began to descend down towards me.
Mirror, mirror, tell me something
Who's the loneliest of all?
'Come on a little bit closer.'
Once it hit the trees I yell out.
"Take the shot!"
BAM!
From the side, a shot was heard and the Manticore wing was hit.
I'm the loneliest of all
I jump and when the Manticore crash to the ground I stab it on the back of its neck. Killing it.
Looking down at the Grimm's disappearing body I was lost in thought.
'Third time my song played by itself and a third time some random shit accord. That settles it. Whatever this thing is in my heart whenever it plays by itself. Something bad always happens. This thing is a curse.'
"Seth!"
I turn and see Pyrrha running towards me.
"Hey how are yo-"
I get cut off by her hugging me.
"We both did it Seth we killed the Grimm!"
"Of course we did, I mean we both are training to kill these things right?"
"We are, but this was my first time doing it. And it was with you. Thank you."
...
...
...
For some reason, my face was beginning to feel warm. I just simply just looked away.
"Um. Right yea, It felt good right?"
'Why did I say that?!'
"It felt amazing! The rush the feeling! Oh, I can't wait to do that again!"
'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'
"Yea... We should probably get back."
"You are right we need to warn the guards about this."
"I feel like they won't believe us. We are just kids and they might think this was just a prank to them."
"You think so?"
"Yea, the last time this happened my Mom convince them that they needed to do their job. So I guess this is our little secret."
"Right... No one will believe us."
We started to head back to Argus knowing what had happened today was never going to see the light of day.
Later that night.
I was sitting down in the living room with my notebook watching some more TV. Why well I wasn't too tired yet. If anything I was just thinking about what had happened today.
'Three times now. Two times Grimm came out of the forest and attacked us. One time the White Fang came and attacked us. For some reason, the music that comes out like that is like a trigger or warning of something bad was about to happen.'
I write this down in my notebook and flip threw some pages. Going to one of the songs that I didn't remember.
'Yep, this was the one.'
On top of the page with the song I write down.
'Mirror'
And close the book.
Sigh... What an eventful day today.
"How was your day sweet heart?"
I look back at Mom just entering the living room.
"Meh, it was alright."
"In other news! Today for the first time in years a Grimm was spotted close to Argus walls!"
We both turn to the TV.
On the Tv was a video film from the sky that shows a Manticore Flying over the forest of Argus and soon it dove down into the Forest. The video then shows a clearing where you can see two people hugging each other and the Grimm disappearing on the ground.
...
...
...
I do not want to turn my head.
"Yes, people of Argus the video was shot earlier today! By a drone. Reports say that the individual has not been identified yet. However, the person next to him was Mistral's own golden child! Pyrrha Nikos! It's good to know that we will all be sleeping soundly because of our Mistral champion."
The TV turns off.
I just simply get up from the couch and began to walk toward my room.
"Well, I guess it's already late. Soooooo Goodnight Mom!" I try to leave the room but I heard her voice call on me.
"Seth SIT!"
I take a seat on the couch.
I look up and see her looking at me with no anger on her face but rather happiness.
"Good work today, Seth."
"I uhhh thanks?"
"Now go to your room and gets some rest."
Huh you know I was expecting something bad but I guess I was wrong.
"Oh, and by the way! You are grounded until you Graduate!"
RING! RING!
I feel my scroll beep and when I pull it out, I see that I got a text from Pyrrha.
'I'M SORRY SETH!'
Yep, this was a curse for sure.