Chapter Eight
Under the Surface

Pyrrha tosses Akoúo̱ in a wide arc, sprinting to her opponent in the same breath. She slashes Miló in sword form, willing Akoúo̱ back around to knock into the backs of her opponent's knees, knowing anywhere else would be ineffective. She gets the desired result when her opponent falls back and catches Akoúo̱ in time to pivot on her heel and raise it, blocking the knife aimed at the back of her head.

Her second opponent uses her shield to vault backwards, landing gracefully before rushing forward with a flurry of blades. She blocks and parries each blow, keeping her senses sharp for when the first opponent goes for the pincer. And when she hears the footsteps she expected, she spins quickly while converting Miló into a spear. The first opponent drops her weapon and grabs onto Miló staff as it hits her in the ribs, a broad grin forming as she uses all her strength to yank it.

Pyrrha wills Miló to remain firm in her grip, getting a disappointed huff from her opponent when she doesn't manage to take it from her. There's a swish of air behind her and she raises Akoúo̱, only for a knife to nick her ear instead. She grins.

"We win!" Nora cheers, holding Magnhild above her head triumphantly. "We finally hit ya!"

Ren sheathes StormFlower. While Pyrrha can't quite determine everything on his mind yet, she can at least tell he's pleased as Nora tackles into him with a hug that has his feet skid across the floor. Nora continues to grin at Pyrrha.

"The power of best friends is your weakness!" she declares, adding a cackle like that of an evil mastermind.

"It would seem so," Pyrrha giggles, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "I'll need to come up with the perfect countermeasure for this breach in defences."

"Oh, right! Okay, I think I got your semblance nailed down!" Nora points at her, a fist on her hip. "It's enhanced perception!"

"Sorry, it isn't," Pyrrha smiles. Nora has been taking guesses at her semblance since she first talked about it, and every day takes another one off her list. Despite getting it wrong, she's far from discouraged and instead only gets more excited with every theory.

Nora quickly moves on to an entirely different topic, wondering aloud when they'll be allowed to go on their first solo mission, and Pyrrha can't help but appreciate the chatter. Neo had rejected training with them again, and Pyrrha is getting worried that she might never open up.

She won't admit it, but Pyrrha's a little envious of Nora and Ren already being friends before they were partners. They've been nothing but kind to her and were quick to pull her into their new-found trio instead of their old duo, but a few weeks simply can't compare to over a decade of growing up together. And when Pyrrha is still struggling to connect with Neo, it leaves her feeling a little left behind.

But, she no longer feels alone. Besides some light teasing, her friends never bring up Pyrrha's past as a Champion, and treat her like anybody else which is all she's ever wanted. She more than anyone knows how Remnant sees her, you don't get the title of the Invincible Girl while remaining ignorant. All Remnant sees is this unbeatable warrior, and in some ways perhaps she's proud of her title and status, when it was all something she earned through her own blood, sweet and tears.

And the joy she was able to spread because of it. Hearing the audience roar in cheerful applause as the combatants duelled is an experience she has always loved, knowing that she's doing something good for others despite just how hard it could be.

Brothers, was it hard. Some days Pyrrha didn't even feel like getting out of bed, knowing that all she had to look forward to that day was to defend her title as millions of eyes watched, waiting with baited breath for the day when she would finally be defeated and a new Champion would rise. In that way, her title felt like nothing less than a glamours shackle.

She hadn't been able to make any friends in the colosseum because of how high ranked she was. Jealousy and competitive fire kept everyone from approaching her, unless it was to taunt her that this time, she would lose. Because with every rise comes a fall. And perhaps everyone could sense it was coming. Perhaps that's why Pyrrha left before it could, running from Mistral with her tail between her legs.

Becoming a Huntress had been a whim. Entering Beacon, a whole kingdom away, had also been a whim. So much so, that she almost missed the cut off for applying. But she's unfortunately aware of the weight of her status, and never had to fear being rejected. It wasn't a matter of if, so when the letter arrived mere days later, she had already spoken to her managers about her change in career.

She tried to ignore the guilt in her gut telling her she'd stolen the spot from someone else who wanted this life more than she did. Tried to come up with some profound and honourable reason why she chose to become a Huntress, one that didn't sound so pathetic and selfish as it did in her head.

She still hasn't come up with one. But, she had arrived at Beacon hoping for a fresher start. Her fame will always have her in the limelight, but maybe here it wouldn't be as bright and overwhelming.

But then initiation happened.

Or rather, the following ceremony had. Where she had been named as team leader of PNNR.

Part of being a Mistrali Champion is knowing how to have an excellent public face, and that was the only reason Pyrrha hadn't swayed or paled upon hearing that announcement. Every anxiety, all the guilt, it swirled in her brain and sat in her stomach like a rock.

Because why is she team leader?

Had she really shown an exceptional amount of skill for the role? Or was it because she's the Invincible Girl? Did she truly lead her team to victory through her own efforts or coast off her fame? Had she earned the position, or was it given to her the moment she sent her application?

She can never know. Maybe she could ask Headmaster Ozpin, but she's long past the habit of questioning the adults in her life who make decisions for her. So, despite how she feels, she bucked up and decided that she would show she earned this just as she had earned her Championship.

But it's so, so hard to know if it is working when all the school focuses on her alone. Eyes of awe, of envy, of admiration, they all gloss over her teammates. Nora had been the one to present their Tales of Remnant theory, but Pyrrha had been the one several people praised. And she didn't miss the whispers that she had probably done all the work, and the others just got a free grade.

Could her team resent her for it all? Are they silently seething, kept in the shadow of her spotlight despite their own merits and prowess as warriors?

...Okay, maybe she is exaggerating. While she can't claim to know them well enough, she believes Ren would be respectful enough to talk about any issues he has, and Nora wears her heart on her sleeve in a very refreshing difference to high society. But what about Neo?

Is it the reason her elusive partner hardly interacts with her? Pyrrha remembers the look of disappointment on Neo's face when they'd first met. Neo had probably known right then that Pyrrha would outshine them all, even if she tried to dull herself down.

But Pyrrha can't self-sabotage herself. As a leader, she has to be strong for her team, and that means being at her best, always. That's why she can't tell them any of this, not yet. That's why she needs to rely on the Invincible Girl for a bit longer, to hold her friends up. And she's hopeful that one day, they will be recognized for their own hard work.

"So!" Nora hops to hang off Pyrrha's back and she naturally adjusts to piggyback her. "Ren and me wanted to go see Vale tomorrow! You wanna come with us?"

"Yes, that sounds fun. Have you explored it before or did you just arrive here?"

"Just a little! Vale's a lot bigger than the places we're used to, so we didn't wanna get lost," Nora laughs, drumming Pyrrha's shoulders. "Did you ever get lost in Mistral?"

"No, I always had an adult with me."

They couldn't have their rising star embarrassing them by acting so childish.

"Then we can rely on you to be our big city guide!"

"Mistral and Vale are polar opposites," Ren chimes in, the ghost of a smirk in his eyes.

"True. Maybe we can get lost together!"

Pyrrha smiles softly, fighting back the urge to cry as she carries Nora into the changing rooms. Why does she want to cry so badly at a simple gesture? It doesn't make much sense.

But, in this moment, she finds it hard to care.

0o0o0

Neo has always hated taking orders from others. She isn't some mindless drone who will do everything someone tells her just because they told her to. Roman had learned that quickly, and just gives the layout of the plan for her to adjust at her discretion. He knows she won't ruin a job by using her own ideas, so lets her be. In the (very, very) rare cases she screws up, Roman will act all smug and say obviously this means she should listen to him more.

But she never has. It's their system. It's what they're used to.

However, maybe she's gotten too used to disobeying orders to do her own thing.

"I understand following someone else's command can be difficult," Cinder says, fingers steeped as she regards Neo. "But it won't be made any easier if you do not try."

Neo gives her a hard look. Cinder just smiles.

"Becoming partners with the Pyrrha Nikos is a fortunate coincidence, so I fail to see why you wouldn't put in the effort as her partner."

Cinder sure does love listening to herself talk, doesn't she? Neo wrings Hush in her lap, fighting to keep from glaring. Cinder stands from the desk and approaches the window, looking out into the distance with arms crossed behind her back.

"In the future, I suggest training with your team. Dine with them, as well. Learning more about them will be helpful to all of you." She sharply looks over her shoulder, a shiver running up Neo's spine at the cold and calculated eyes staring at her. "Oh, yes. I have a message you'll need to deliver to your uncle. Now, enjoy your weekend."

Bristling, Neo stands with her head bowed so that Cinder won't see her shifting eyes. Once she leaves the classroom, she bites a nail and scowls, imagining cracking Hush across that woman's head.

She certainly knows how to play the nice mentor, doesn't she? If Neo didn't know any better, she'd think Cinder was genuinely giving her friendly advice and encouragement, rather than the honey-barbed words she's been burrowing in Neo ever since the start of Beacon.

Ever since Neo did as she's always done; her own thing. She refuses to believe she did anything wrong, either. Cinder had somehow tracked her and Roman down around a year ago and, instead of arresting them, asked them to work a job for her. A simple job of Neo infiltrating Beacon as an ordinary student, to wait for further instructions 'once the time was right'.

And then, abruptly drops an add-on to partner with Rose, mere weeks before classes without bothering to tell her why. Neo wouldn't want to deal with a kid in a regular setting, much less the very same kid Roman had accidentally helped get into Beacon early. Sure, it would have made it easier to mess with her, as she had on the first day when she tripped her (hearing the heiress chew her out was fun), but was Rose really worth Cinder adjusting her secretive, well-crafted plans for?

Not in Neo's eyes. So she set her sights on the Mistrali Champion, because she knew Nikos would cast such a large shadow for Neo to hide in. Being inconspicuous is important for a spy, so what better way to hide? If she'd been partnered with a young 'prodigy', she would be far more noticeable.

Oh, but then again, what could Neo possibly know? After all, she only works for the most feared crime boss on Remnant. She's only a henchwoman. She certainly isn't like the oh-so-perfect Cinder who knows everything.

Neo closes the dorm room forcefully, marching over to her bed to climb in and close the curtains. She lays under the covers, then teleports to the roof of the building with her echo in her place. It will last until she gets back. Invisible to all, it's easy for her to sneak onto the shuttle going into Vale and, with her go-to public disguise, no one will know she ever left.

The sun is just setting when she reaches her destination, an unassuming and run down apartment complex. She climbs the cracked and discoloured brick to a window, sliding it open and sitting on the sill with one knee propped up.

Roman lays on the couch, lifting his bowler hat when he hears the window squeak. He huffs, letting it fall back over his eyes with an over-dramatic sigh.

"'No heists, Torchwick,'" he pitches his voice in a (poor) mocking imitation of Cinder. "'Wait for further orders, Torchwick.' 'Give me your best employee, Torchwick.' So, how's kindergarten?"

Neo rolls her eyes, pointing her thumb down.

"Yeah, not surprising. Still don't get why she couldn't toss her own followers into that school, but whatever. The pay will be good," he grumbles, which has been a mantra for a while now. "Make any friends?"

Again, Neo rolls her eyes. "Yeah, figured. You're way too cool for those kiddos. Are you at least pretending to be nice? Pretty sure Cinder wanted you to get close to your teammates."

Neo huffs and twirls Hush around her fingers, annoyed at receiving the same lecture twice in one day. She gets it at this point, okay? She isn't an idiot. She'll 'be nice' and 'make friends' and get headaches from the three other people living in her dorm.

"Don't get all huffy with me," says her current headache. "I mean, sure, it's my fault we're a part of this job. But I did warn her about you. She only has herself to blame for ignoring my stellar advice. Plus, think about out reward! Full pardon on our criminal records and enough money to retire." She raises a brow. "Not that it will stop us, but if a Huntress wants to give us some freebies I say we chomp at the bit. We'd at least be able to afford more than this junk," he waves at the dingy apartment, as if he didn't pick it on purpose to avoid detection.

With that said, Neo tosses her scroll at Roman. He fumbles the catch and is probably about to ask her what the Hills, when he actually reads the ciphered text she'd gotten on the shuttle.

Roman lights up like the holidays and begins to laugh, tossing her scroll back as he claps and rubs his hands, eyes already scheming. "At last! We are off the leash! Dust shops, prepare your asses! Roman Torchwick is back in the game! Oh, which one should I target first? And who would be good backup? Junior's is out since he scammed me," he grumbles a curse.

Ah, fantastic. Roman gets to have fun again and here Neo is stuck playing schoolgirl. Figured Cinder wouldn't want to let her go so soon.

"Aww, don't pout so much Neo!" Roman struts over and drops his hat on her head. It falls over her eyes and she doesn't bother lifting it, as she'd rather not watch him get changed. "You'll be helping me, obviously! What would a heist be without my pain in the neck around to cause chaos?"

She raises an eyebrow under the hat. Roman can still understand it, as he replies, "Oh please, like Cinder ever has to know. She can't have eyes everywhere. Or what, do you not wish to share in the glorious loot?" he swipes his hat back, flipping it onto his head. He's once again dressed in his prime suit, leaning on his cane with a smirk. "Well, let's go! I have a rescheduled date with a certain adorable little shop."

0o0o0

"Hey."

Ren opens an eye to Nora peering down at him.

"You doin' okay?"

Not really, but she's already guessed that.

"Yeah, I get it," she flops down beside him, laying the opposite way. He closes his eye. "It's kinda awkward, isn't it?"

Which just makes Ren realize how much they've relied on each other since then.

"But it's also kinda nice having new friends. Yang and Ruby are a riot, and Pyrrha really feels like a natural part of our group, eh?" she giggles. "It's funny the three of us are all from Anima. Do you think Neo's also from there?"

Possibly. It's hard to know where she's from when she won't interact with them. He can tell it bothers Pyrrha.

"I hope she stops being such a sourpuss soon," he can hear the pout in her voice, and can tell she's directing it at the closed curtains. Whether Neo is awake or not to hear it is another story. "It'll be so much more fun for all of us. And, y'know, actually understanding how we all fight together."

It surprises him how quickly Pyrrha was to pick up on their style. He objectively knows she's a champion fighter, but there doesn't seem to be a limit to what she can learn and adapt to.

"Perhaps her semblance is rapid tactics," he supplies.

"It would make sense! Let's ask her once she's back." She'd gone off to train more. He thought she was joking on her 'countermeasures' but he underestimated her dedication. "I'm happy Ruby's feeling better now. Still don't get all those rude rumours about her team."

People clearly don't have anything more interesting to talk about so early in the year. If it's not team RWBY, team PNNR are the center of attention. He knows why, but finds it irritating all the same.

"I'm glad Goodwitch set me up to spar with that prick who said I didn't do any work," Nora grins, punching her palm. "Having permission to beat his face in was a delight."

That was very satisfying, yes.

"...I still can't believe we made it," she sighs wistfully. "Just think, one day we might be strong enough to..."

"Yes," he says coldly, opening his eyes because otherwise he will see it. "We'll be strong enough."

She holds his hand and he squeezes back. "It won't stand a chance."

Not with the two of them.

A/N: *Listens to Surface Pressure on repeat* So anyway here's some PNNR!

Sorry this chapter is so short ;_; I just couldn't find a way to make it any longer without it feeling like it was dragging on and as much as I wanted to write the gang going into Vale, my brain went full empty. Maybe I'll come back later and add it, but for now this is all I think I can come up with

Constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged! Thank you for reading!