Author's Note: New chapter, hope you all enjoy.
Atlesian Forces to Withdraw. Pyrrha read the headline in disbelief. Her scroll was held only inches away from her face as she read the article from top to bottom. When she first saw it, she had thought it something pushed by the Council of Vale as a means to force the General's hand. The fact that shocked her was the direct quote for General Ironwood himself stating they would leave in a few days' time.
She wasn't sure she believed it, if she was being honest. It was starkly different from what he had said the day prior that she assumed it was a lie meant to buy him time.
The message she had received from Qrow said otherwise. He had spoken with Ozpin already, despite the fact she never would have expected Qrow to be up so early in the morning, it was hardly even eight yet, after all. The day seemed packed full of impossibilities, but Pyrrha didn't feel like complaining. In fact, she couldn't even contain the smile that spread across her face.
Atlas would be there for the next few days, long enough to help with the Breach, and then depart. It would redeem Atlas in the eyes of Vale, while also serving to lower tensions. If the fleet stuck around after that it would have caused problems, but with the announcement that they planned to leave, people would see it as fortunate timing. There was no way they could have known, after all. It wasn't like they could see the future, was it?
Pyrrha read through the rest of the article as quickly as she could. A few ships had already departed apparently, returning to Atlas in the dead of night, while more were expected to leave in waves over the next few days. By the time the day of the Breach arrived there would still be a number of them around, but not the same fleet that there was currently.
It was a weight off of her shoulders, even if she didn't know how it had happened. Their conversation with Ironwood hadn't gone nearly as well as she had hoped, and with how both she and Winter had left, she hadn't expected something like this.
Qrow said he confirmed it with Ozpin, did he have a hand in this? It wasn't difficult for Pyrrha to accept. While Ozpin and ironwood had been distant recently, they had once been friends. She wasn't surprised to see that he had managed to pull something off. The question of whether the General would actually withdraw or not would only be answered in time, but she was inclined to believe he would. If he planned not to, why send some ships away in the night?
Her good mood hadn't taken long to be noticed, Team CFVY slowly woke up around her and as they did not one of them failed to see her smile. It was a stark contrast to the night before, after all.
"What's got you in such a good mood?" Coco grumbled. She wasn't an early riser from what Pyrrha had gathered, in fact, she was hardly recognizable until after her shower and a cup of coffee, but even she hadn't been able to hide her relief at the news.
"You're kidding?" Fox asked, shaking his head when all Pyrrha chuckled softly. "I thought you said you guys failed?"
"I thought we did." Pyrrha closed her scroll, setting it on her bed before standing. "I think Ozpin talked to him."
"Is this a good thing though?" Velvet looked conflicted. "I thought Atlas helped with the Breach?"
"And they still will." Pyrrha nodded. "They aren't scheduled to pull out the last of their ships until the week after the Breach took place. The majority are leaving in the next few days, but a few will still be around to help."
Velvet nodded her understanding, a small smile coming to her face as well.
"So, no war?" Fox finally asked, and though he did so with a joking tone, it was clear he was just as relieved as she was.
Pyrrha smiled. "It seems so."
"Great!" Coco shouted and, though she still looked far from her usually more presentable self, she was at least smiling. "Now can you please try and relax for a bit?" Coco asked. "The dance is tonight, and I have spent far too long setting this up for you to ditch it!"
Pyrrha chuckled softly. She had never planned on ditching; even given the stress that she had been under lately. Her friends had put a great deal of effort into setting the event up, she was eager to see how it turned out. "I'll be there."
"And your date?" Coco asked. Pyrrha winced, looking away as she felt the heat creep up her face. Coco was thoroughly unimpressed. "You still haven't asked him?!"
"I never planned too." She had already told him how she felt, something she had never been able to bring herself to do in her last life, now she was waiting to see what he did. "I want Jaune to decide."
"Pyrrha." Coco sighed, rubbing a hand down her face. "I thought you said you weren't gonna make the same mistake you did before?"
"I'm not." Pyrrha shook her head, smiling softly. Her friend was trying to help her, how could she be mad about that? That smile didn't entirely mask the melancholy feeling that plagued her when she thought about it though. "Jaune… he isn't my Jaune." He wasn't her partner, she meant. She trusted and cared for him as her partner, but to him she was just a girl who was interested. He didn't know why, and for now she couldn't explain it. No matter what she did, he would never be her partner again. A small part of her even thought that trying to replace him was wrong.
"You still love him though, right?" Coco asked seriously. Her question only served to make Pyrrha's face warmer.
"I-I don't know if it was ever love." There hadn't been the time to find out, and it wasn't like she had ever been in love before to compare it to. She liked him, trusted him, and cared a great deal for him. Was that all love was? "My biggest regret was never telling him how I felt…" Something she had once had the chance to do but had never found the courage to. She had done it this time however; she had told him how she felt.
It just wasn't the same Jaune.
None of them were the same person, too much had changed. Winter had changed from the moment she had gone on the mission to Mistral with Qrow, something she knew hadn't happened in her last life. They had both changed and grown in ways that she might never have seen had those exact events not happened. General Ironwood had nearly started a war, slipping back into the use of his Semblance in a way that she didn't think occurred before due to the events that took place. If it was experience that had shaped someone into who they were, what happened when you took those experiences away?
"What are you going to do?" Velvet asked quietly. "I don't mean to be rude but… it's the morning of the dance…" And the fact Jaune hadn't asked her went unsaid. "You could always go with someone else."
"Who are you going with?" Pyrrha turned to ask, and it only took a moment for her to realize the implication of that. Her blush worsened, turning a shade darker than Ruby's cloak. "I mean-"
"Yatsu and I are going as partners." Velvet shrugged before glaring at Coco as she tried to open her mouth. "And no, that doesn't mean we are dating."
Team CFVYs leader looked away, a blush of her own as she crossed her arms under her chest.
"What about you Fox?" Velvet asked.
"Third Year girl." Fox sent. "Great rack from what I hea-"
"He's wanted to ask her out since last year." Coco said, earning a wince and blush from her partner. "Do let him-"
"Coco isn't going with anybody." Velvet offered, cutting her friend off suddenly. "You could always-"
"Are you sure you don't wanna ask Jaune out?" Coco grabbed Pyrrha's arm, tearing her attention away from Velvet. "If you asked, he might still go with you."
"I'm sure." Pyrrha said firmly, steeling her resolve. "If he chooses me, then I'll be happy, but if he chooses… someone else, I will accept that as well." The fact that someone else would likely be her past self was awkward, but not something she would let get in the way. More important to her than her own happiness was Jaune's. She wouldn't force his hand, she would simply make her thoughts and feelings known. They could go on from there.
Coco couldn't meet her eyes as she listened to Pyrrha.
"It's a little dumb, I know." Pyrrha rubbed at the back of her neck. "I just-"
"It's not dumb." Coco said, though she still looked just about anywhere aside from directly at Pyrrha. "You are letting him make the choice, before you make yours… that's not dumb, that's kind." She sighed. "It's who you are. Even if you are an idiot."
Pyrrha laughed softly. "Thank you, Coco. It means a lot that you understand."
Coco hummed softly, stepping away from Pyrrha. "I'm gonna hop in the shower, does anyone need the bathroom before me?"
Pyrrha shook her head, ponytail swishing from side to side. She hadn't gotten it cut in months now, and although it wasn't quite to the length she was used to, it was getting closer. Each of the other members of the team did the same, some shaking their head while others mumbled a general no. With a nod, Coco disappeared into the room, the door closing behind her. A moment later, she could hear the sound of the shower turning on.
"You could go with Coco." Velvet gestured towards the doorway. "She doesn't have a date, and it would probably be a better night than going alone, right?"
"Almost certainly." Pyrrha nodded. "But I wouldn't want to force her to on my account., If she doesn't show up with a date then I will go from there, but I don't want her to feel like she has to on my account."
Velvet paused, looking back towards the bathroom before huffing and glaring down at the floor. Her face wasn't really built for it however, and the look resembled a pout more than anything else. Pyrrha sent a questing look towards Yatsuhashi but he simply shook his head and turned back to his partner, engaging her in a conversation about any possible last minute preparations for the dance.
Whatever had happened aside, the distraction was a good one and she seemed to forget whatever she was mad about in an instant. The sudden switch was almost enough to make Pyrrha laugh. The day was going to be a long one but, with the help of her friends, she didn't think it would be a bad one.
"Ugh, Yatsu, can you help me with this pin?" Velvet moved over so that her partner could reach her hair. Yatsuhashi quickly moved over to quickly help her.
They had all gotten dressed already, the two boys having given them the privacy to get in their dresses before returning in their own suits. Where they had gotten changed, she wasn't certain, but Jaune and Ren had done the same in her past life so she wasn't too surprised.
Pyrrha had, much to Coco's annoyance, gone with the red dress she had worn on her first date with Jaune. It was a nice dress and, despite how Coco insisted she needed a new one, Pyrrha hadn't fallen for her tricks. Besides, there hadn't been enough time to truly go out shopping. Jaune had been the only one to see the dress before, and she felt no shame in wearing it to the dance. Her hair had been done up once more, the bun from last time taking the place of her ponytail, hair falling on either side of her face in ringlets. It helped to distract from her scars, and she knew that, if she wanted to, she could turn heads, as Coco had said. As embarrassing as that thought was, it was still a good one.
"How does that feel?" Coco asked as she stepped around her current focus.
"It is quite form fitting." Penny replied, smiling brightly. Pyrrha had invited her over to get ready with them, much to the girl's delight.
"You could probably do with showing a bit more skin." Coco said. "Too late now, but in the future, if you ever want to impress anyone, you might want to consider it."
"I do not know if that is true, I do not look nearly as good as the rest of you." Penny looked away shyly
Pyrrha stepped over to set a hand down on her shoulder, drawing the girl's green eyes onto her. "You look beautiful, Penny."
Penny smiled and blushed, mumbling a soft thank you before stepping away from the two.
"With a bit of work, she could look just about as good as you." Coco winked softly. "Maybe not quite, but close."
Pyrrha rolled her eyes but couldn't quite hide the blush on her face. Mimicking Penny, she mumbled a soft thank you before looking her friend over as well. Coco, to absolutely no one's surprise, looked good. Coco's hair was done up in a bun as well, though not a single hair was out of place. Her dress was a deep black, similar to the dress she had worn with Pyrrha to the award ceremony months ago, but a bit more conservative to account for the fact that she was in a school. Plus, Glynda would have killed her on the spot if she showed even a millimeter more of her chest.
"Is everyone ready?" Pyrrha pushed the thought of her friend's chest aside.
"Looks like it." Coco moved over towards the door. "Shall we?"
They left as a unit, though Fox quickly departed to retrieve his date from her room. The rest of them made their way towards the dance hall. Velvet and Coco had planned the whole thing, but they had outsourced the managing of it so that they could enjoy the night. Apparently, Velvet had spent the entire last year standing at the door rather than spending time taking part in the event she helped plan. Coco had put a stop to that this time, something Pyrrha couldn't disagree with.
The dance hall looked very similar to what she had experienced in her last life, but it was also different. The lights were a bit dimmer, and the band's music was a little quieter. It was possible that was only because the night was young, but the small differences were what she noticed the most. It felt like the people mingled more than they did previously. There was a seating chart this time, something that Pyrrha didn't remember from her previous life, and it served to bring people together who usually wouldn't have. Velvet had spent hours on that chart, and it seemed to be working wonders.
The group split up upon reaching their table, Yatushashi and Velvet heading towards a table along the wall with food and drinks. Fox had yet to join them, and Coco and Penny stayed at the table to talk. Pyrrha made her way over towards two people standing along the back wall.
Neither Qrow nor Winter had been present in her last life, but then again, they hadn't even been in the Kingdom. They also hadn't been dating in her last life, and as she approached, she could see the smirk Qrow was giving her, as well as the hidden one Winter was giving in turn.
"If you two start kissing, I reserve the right to kick you out." Pyrrha joked as she walked up.
"And who made you the boss?" Qrow's smirk didn't disappear, but the emotion behind it did change, much to her relief.
"My Team helped plan this event." Pyrrha crossed her arms over her chest. "I could probably pull some strings."
"I'll apologize on his behalf." Winter replied. "I tried to force him into a suit, he wouldn't have it."
"Ha!" Qrow backed. "And you said you wouldn't wear a dress." True to their words, neither was dressed up for the event, despite how it did make them stand out a bit. Qrow more so than Winter.
Pyrrha shook her head, before focusing on Winter. "I suppose we can accept his apology."
"Hey!"
"You are most kind." Winter's smile was easy.
"Where's your date?" Qrow asked, turning the tables and causing Pyrrha to wince. The man's face shifted slightly. "Did he flake out on you?"
"No, no." Pyrrha quickly said, before Qrow could run off to find Jaune. "I came alone."
Qrow didn't immediately respond, sighing and leaning back on the wall behind him. "I thought you were really into that Arc kid?"
"I was." Pyrrha shrugged. "I gave him the chance to ask, and he never did."
"You don't sound particularly broken up about-" Winter elbowed Qrow, cutting him off. "I mean… sorry to hear it?"
Winter smiled. "And people say you can't teach old dogs new tricks." She turned back towards Pyrrha. "Men can be quite foolish, if it is something he did, I'm sure he will apologize in time."
"And what do you know about men?" Qrow turned towards her. "I'm the first guy you've ever- oof!" This time, Winter's elbow hit his stomach.
Pyrrha laughed softly, but shook her head. "He didn't do anything wrong, I explained to him that he had a choice and to think it over." When Winter and Qrow both looked confused she explained. "It was after our second date, when we were attacked by White Fang. I think that was the first time I really realized just how much things had changed. He and I… we might have worked out, but the same could be said for any two strangers."
"You two aren't strangers though." Qrow shook his head in confusion.
"He isn't to her, but she is to him." Winter seemed to understand however, and for that Pyrrha was grateful.
"He isn't my Jaune. He's still partnered with Pyrrha Nikos… that's just not me anymore." Pyrrha smiled softly to show she wasn't upset by that fact. Her Jaune would live in her memory, and it wasn't like he was gone from the world. They could still be friends, but Pyrrha wasn't confident it would ever be anything more than that.
"That is quite a mature decision." Winter said softly. "Placing someone else's care above your own."
Pyrrha shrugged softly, it had always come naturally to her. She was far from perfect, but she was, in her heart, a people pleaser. She didn't like letting people down, and she hated seeing the people she cared about suffering. If that meant she had to make the mature decision that wasn't in her own interests, so be it.
There wasn't any kind of commotion that drew her attention towards the entrance, just the way Qrow and Winter's eyes shifted away from her. Stood there was a sight that Pyrrha had once dreaded seeing. Now, it brought a smile to her face. A complicated one perhaps, mixed with both happiness, sadness, and a tinge of regret, but a smile nonetheless. Jaune walked in with Weiss on his arm, although exactly when or how that had happened, she wasn't sure. She wasn't mad though, even if a part of her thought she should have been. She had expected Jaune to arrive with her past self, but instead he had managed the seemingly impossible and finally attracted Weiss' interest.
A part of her felt she should have been mad, but she wasn't. Jaune looked happy, nervous, but happy. That was enough for her. Shockingly, Weiss looked the same. She hid it better of course, under that same impeccable confidence that she seemed to have in all things, but the signs were there. She had dressed up a bit more than what Pyrrha remembered, more care given to her hair and makeup. She was also avoiding her usually snippy comments, trying to be careful with her words in a way that was painfully polite. Weiss wasn't mean, though it could be hard to tell when you first met her, she had a softer heart. Jaune didn't seem to know what to do with that, and he was starting to poke her in ways that would get a reaction.
It was a familiarity they hadn't had in her own time, a level of understanding and trust that was only made possible because they were on the same team. It wasn't what Pyrrha had expected to see, let alone seeing her past self watch on with an earnest, genuine smile, but that didn't make it unpleasant.
"I'm sorry." Winter apologized. "I could sp-"
Pyrrha shook her head. "You don't have to apologize for someone else, and even if you did, there's nothing to apologize for. She offered her best smile. "They look happy… that's enough."
Life had a funny way of doing things. Many of the motivations Pyrrha had focused on throughout the years had proven false. Her desire to train her hardest, to impress her family, had once been her entire focus. That had slowly given way to a desire to have honest friends that she could trust. She had that, both now and before she had died, but even that desire had been mixed up in her perceived love for Jaune.
She didn't know if it was real or not, but in truth, she didn't think it mattered. He had been her partner, her friend, and she had cared about him enough to send him away and face near certain death for him. So that he would be safe. That felt like love, but that Jaune, her Jaune, was gone now. Just as Winter and Qrow had changed, just as Ironwood and Team CFVY had changed through their experiences, so had Jaune.
And so had she. It wasn't wrong to call them different people, and a distant part of herself couldn't help but wonder if the window for her and Jaune hadn't already passed. Only time would tell, but in that moment, she was willing to bow out to Weiss, just as she had been willing to in her past life.
Jaune went to get Weiss some punch, and Pyrrha turned away, a soft smile still on her face. It wasn't a bad thing, and she would be fine, but she did feel the need for some privacy.
"If you will excuse me." Pyrrha turned back towards Winter and Qrow to smile and nod. They both looked like they wanted to say something, but neither did before she turned away.
Pyrrha slowly made her way up the stairs that lined either side of the dance hall and stepped out onto the balcony. The music was still audible, but it was a little bit more distant, muffled much like those still talking below. She moved over to the railing, looking out over the landscape of Beacon. Though far from the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, the school looked nice in the moonlight. She wasn't left alone for long.
"I saw Weiss and Jaune moving to the dance floor." Coco said softly as she walked up next to Pyrrha, leaning on the railing beside her. "So… I guess you've made your choice?"
"I have." Pyrrha nodded.
"I can still go beat him up if you'd like." Coco smiled. "Drag him back here to grovel at your feet?" Pyrrha laughed softly but shook her head. She appreciated the gesture, but it was unnecessary. "He's an idiot for choosing someone else."
"He chose someone he knows and cares about." Pyrrha said softly. "I don't think that's stupid."
"I know." Coco shook her head. "I'm just trying to make you feel better."
Pyrrha reached a hand over to rest on her friends. "Thank you, Coco. Really, it means a lot to me to have a friend like you."
Coco was silent for a moment, staring down at Pyrrha's hand. She took a deep breath before finally speaking again, voice barely above a whisper. "I kept my distance and tried to encourage you because I thought that was what you wanted… and here you go throwing it all away." Louder, she continued. "If you're done holding on though… I guess that means I'm done holding back."
Pyrrha didn't have the time to even let her confusion show before Coco continued.
"You're beautiful, Pyrrha." Coco said it so simply, as if it were so obvious, that Pyrrha was caught completely off guard. "Not just on the outside, but on the inside too. You are the nicest, most caring person I have ever met, and Jaune missed out on something great by not making a move."
"He chose Weiss, th-"
"I mean before." Coco interrupted her. "In your last life, he was an idiot to not notice, and you were an idiot for not telling him… and I've been that same kind of idiot."
"What-"
"I like you, you idiot!" Coco snapped, looking away so that Pyrrha couldn't see her face.
There was a brief pause in Pyrrha's mind as it tried to catch up with what Coco had said, and with no small amount of effort, realization suddenly struck. The discussions that they had about Jaune before, about her feelings, the way Coco had always sharply pivoted the conversation seemingly at random…
Pyrrha hadn't even noticed, but she'd apparently become just as blind as Jaune had been. Others might've called it a fitting irony, but Pyrrha was too busy being in shock to see it.
Author's Note: I'll go more into details on a few things in the next chapter, but for now, I hope people aren't too displeased with the direction I am taking this. I'm sure a few will be, people feel strongly about certain ships after all, but one of the fun things about fanfiction is seeing things go differently than in canon. Something I am confident the above events fit into.
I mean, seriously, Weiss would never go with Jaune, right? I jest, but I hope you all get the point I am making. Hopefully you enjoyed the chapter and, as always, be sure to let me know your thoughts in the reviews.
Sincerely, SE