The Grimm Lands Chapter 19
Hunting Grounds Part 7
JNPR
Pyrrha
"I'm going to Beacon," She had said it, she had finally made her decision.
"Sweetheart, what is this about?" Her Mother asked, worry lacing her voice. Pyrrha had expected the question, it was only natural, but for all her hours of practicing and rehearsing potential responses in her room, her tongue suddenly couldn't find the words to express herself.
"For school, I want to go to Beacon Academy," She was nearing graduation in the coming Spring, finally she could put her time at Sanctum Academy behind her. She could walk away from it all and start fresh.
"Pyrrha, I want you to think about this," Her mother started. "It's not as simple as just transferring to another school. You're talking about attending Combat School on another continent. I thought you had already decided you were going to Haven. What about your competitions? Your Friends? You'd be starting over from scratch.
'That's exactly the point,' She wanted to say it, but she couldn't bring herself to. Her mother had always been supportive, and understanding, but how could Pyrrha possibly bring herself to talk about the real reason she wanted to go so far from home?
"You already have a full acceptance into Haven don't you, so why on Remnant would you want to drop everything all of a sudden and go so far from home?" The concern in her mother's voice made Pyrrha's resolve waver.
"I think this would be the best option for me. Beacon is still a top academy, and I'm sure I would have no issues getting accepted."
"I know you're more than capable, love, but that's not my concern. This is all so sudden. Are you sure you don't want to slow down and think about this a little more?"
All she had done was think about it. Hours, days, and weeks had all been spent trying to justify to herself why running away was for the best. If she had to go to Haven, if she had to stay, then she would be forced to see them all again. Her teammates, her fans, all those haughty, condescending adults who saw her as the prize object of their perverted and greedy ambitions. She would still be just an object and she would still be all alone. She couldn't bear it any longer.
The thought of enduring four more years of it all was suffocating. Pyrrha clenched her fists, trying desperately to hide her grimace. She didn't want her parents to worry. They had always supported her and had always been the greatest source of comfort during the more turbulent times of her rise to stardom. Even so, this was something she had to do for herself, the thought of leaving home was terrifying, it broke her heart in more ways than one to leave her parents, but she had had enough of Argos, enough of Mistral.
"There's nothing to think about, Beacon is a fantastic school and I'd be more than lucky to attend."
"Are you sure this has nothing to do with your teammates? I know you had a little fight the other day. Is everything alright?"
There was no fight. Her 'teammates' had thought it would be funny to hide her equipment somewhere in the school after class. They had waited until she had finished her training. When she had gone to take a shower to clean the sweat and grime off, they broke into her locker and stashed away her armor and weapons around the school. It had taken hours to find them all, and all the while they had played innocent, barely even offering to help as they snickered and watched.
It had been frustrating but not uncommon and Pyrrha was becoming used to it. It had been this way since she had started at Sanctum, for three whole years she had dealt with the constant bullying and harassment from those she thought she was supposed to trust. The idea of spending four more years with the same groups of people made her nauseous. She wanted a fresh start, a place far away from there and if she had to leave her family to do it then she would, as much as the thought tore at her heart.
"Pyrrha, you're scaring me," Her mother continued. "Just the other day you were practically glowing with pride on your acceptance letter to Haven, and now you're saying the exact opposite."
"There's no reason for you to worry, I promise Mom. This isn't just some whim; I know what this means but I also want to try living my life away from Argos for a bit. I want to see new places, experience new things."
Her mother looked unconvinced, but Pyrrha knew she would relent. Her parents had always been the opposite of what most others thought. She had seen the rumors in tabloids, the lies in magazines and web articles that her parents were controlling, manipulative gold diggers who pushed her into the spotlight. In reality, they supported her wholeheartedly in anything she wanted to do. They encouraged her to start training in combat sports when her Aura unlocked itself during her early school years. They had been right there with her when her first sponsorship offer arrived on their doorstep. They had helped her design and pick her weapons and held her when she cried after her first official loss. She loved them so dearly, and trusted them so intensely, but how could she possibly look them in the eye and tell them the truth when they had been right there when she had excitedly declared she had wanted to attend Sanctum? How could she justify herself in earnest when they had all been so excited when a scholarship found itself in their mailbox? How could she now look at her loving, doting mother and tell her that she regretted it all?
She had become Pyrrha Nikos, the shining star of Mistral, and in the process had become herself no longer.
"I'm not so sure, this is a lot to take in. If this is what you want then I want to support you, but can we wait until your father gets home, then we can discuss it as a family?"
"Yeah," Pyrrha said. "I'd like that."
"I must say Miss Nikos this is certainly quite a surprise. I expected our first official meeting would happen at orientation, but what can I do for you?"
Leonardo Lionheart was a well-dressed, well-groomed older man. His graying hair hung loose, draping down his back like that of a lion's mane. His scruffy beard was well-maintained and only served to make him seem older than he was. His formal coat draped over his shoulders, neatly framing his larger body. A tailored brown vest was nearly hidden from view as he rose to greet her.
Pyrrha had always been taller than most other girls her age, something that among other things made her stand out with her peers, yet the Headmaster of Haven Academy still loomed over her as she gripped his hand in a firm shake.
Lionheart's office sat tucked away in the upper floors of Haven. It was wide and open, with windows lining the wall that looked out on the breathtaking view of Mistral. There was little decoration, she supposed the man liked to keep his workspace free of distractions. Pyrrha sat into the chair opposite the headmaster, taking special care to keep her posture straight and proper, a habit her combat tutors had long since drilled into her. Lionheart sat in a large leather chair and eased himself back, taking an amiable attitude.
"I'm sorry for my intrusion, and I want to thank you for accepting my sudden request."
Lionheart waved his hand dismissively, his blue eyes crinkled as he offered her a reassuring smile. "It was no trouble at all, how could I refuse a meeting from someone such as yourself? I assume this is regarding your admission next year?"
Pyrrha maintained her well-practiced smile, hiding back the grimace. Everyone made the same remarks when she met them, and it never failed to make her uncomfortable.
"Yes, regarding next year, I came to personally apologize. I've decided I will not be attending Haven come the following Fall semester, and I want to thank you for your offer."
Lionheart quickly leaned forward, confusion wiping clean his carefree attitude. "I thought we had already made the decision. Is there something the matter? I can assure you my staff and I would be more than willing to make any accommodations for your stay here."
"There's no need to go so far for me, I assure you."
"Nonsense." Lionheart refuted. "For the shining star of Mistral, there is nothing we wouldn't be willing to do. Just name it. A private dorm? Priority registration for your classes? We could even perhaps have you select your team if you're worried about potential fan interactions?"
"No!" Pyrrha winced. She hadn't meant to lose her composure, but the embarrassment was too much. "I mean, no thank you. That's truly kind of you, but I have already decided to attend elsewhere."
"Elsewhere? Forgive me Miss Nikos but I'm having trouble understanding. You have everything here already. Adoring fans, and sponsorship ties with more than a few large, reputable companies, not to mention your title as Champion. Why would you want to go somewhere else?"
"It's complicated Headmaster, and I'd rather not discuss the inner workings of my private life, if that is alright with you."
Lionheart shrunk back "Of course, of course. It's all just such a shock. The administration was expecting you to attend is all, and we already had preparations underway to celebrate."
'They were already trying to exploit me, and I wasn't even an official student yet.' Pyrrha thought bitterly.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope I didn't cause any issues for you or your staff, Headmaster."
"No, of course not," Lionheart said. "We, here at Haven, are always trying to do what we can to support our students. Though I must ask Miss Nikos, where are you planning to attend instead? After all, I am sure I can at least try to match their offer."
"I've decided on Beacon, sir." Pyrrha wasn't exactly sure what it was but something in the headmaster's gaze changed. His face lost some of its color and his eyes dilated in sudden panic. It was only for a fraction of a second, but Pyrrha was sure she saw fear settle over him before he coughed into his hand, an uneasy smile taking over.
"Is that so," Lionheart trailed. "Beacon truly is at the pinnacle of combat schools, but there is nothing there that we here at Haven could not offer or even Atlas for that matter."
"It's not an issue of credentials sir, I simply think that in my heart Beacon would be the best choice for me moving forward."
"Have you discussed this with your parents already?" Lionheart prodded. "We could sit down and have a conversation. There's no need to rush to a decision."
"I've already discussed it with them, and they support me." Pyrrha offered a kind smile as she tried to find a way out of the conversation. She was grateful for the offer to attend Haven; it had been her dream since she was a little girl watching the Vytal festival play on television. Haven hosted that year and emerged victorious. It had been the first time she had seen Huntsmen in action, and it was what drove her to pick up combat sports in the first place. However, her dreams had dulled and shattered somewhere along the way, and the small pieces she could still hold together told her that she had to leave. "I only came as a formality. Thank you so much for the offer but I'm sorry, my mind is made up."
Lionheart relented, dabbing at the sweat on his clammy face with a handkerchief pulled from his vest pocket. "That's all well and good, but Beacon of all places…"
"Is there something wrong with Beacon sir?" Pyrrha asked.
"Well, no, of course not. It's just…" The headmaster flailed, trying to piece together his words carefully.
'I suppose they really were counting on my attendance,' Pyrrha thought. It wouldn't have been the first time a public figure moved forward with a deal without her permission. Just a year prior a popular cereal corporation had started production on a series of boxes with her face on them before she had even signed a proper deal. She had felt so guilty about all that time and money going to waste that she felt no other choice than to sign with them. Now her face was plastered in every cereal aisle on Remnant.
"Beacon is just so far away, so distant from friends and family and I am worried you won't have a base to stand on." Lionheart finally pieced together.
"I appreciate your concern Headmaster, but my family will always be in reach, and I'm excited for the opportunity to meet new teammates and friends."
"What about your Champion title?"
'Champion.' She was the reigning combat sports champion of her age bracket. A title she had worked tirelessly, endlessly for. It had been the single greatest moment of her life when she had finally claimed it three years ago, the youngest champion in History, a shooting star in Mistrals' eyes. The trophies, and pictures of her competitions still hung in her room. She had been so proud.
"I'll have to relinquish it; I've already submitted my resignation to the Federation and they should announce my retirement in the coming weeks." It had been the hardest decision she had ever made, but if she wanted a clean slate, a new beginning, then she had to put everything she had built behind her. She would become more than Pyrrha Nikos.
She couldn't hold her title at Beacon, the Federation wasn't an international competition, rather it was specific to Anima itself. International contestants could apply and be accepted to compete but there was no way she would be able to make the required semi-weekly visits across Remnant to hold press meetings, perform weigh-ins, and compete, much less while keeping up with academics and training. It had been easier since she had been so close to events in Argos, but if she went through with her plan then this was the only real choice.
"Don't you think this is all happening just a tad too quickly Miss Nikos? Consider the weight of your choices," Lionheart stood up, leaning over his desk as he tried to convince her to reconsider. "Your entire legacy, your career, and you're simply tossing it away, and for what? You've managed to create something some people spend entire lifetimes trying to accomplish and you're casting it aside."
"It was hard," Pyrrha wrung her hands, searching for the right words. "If I can be completely honest, Headmaster, I'm terrified, going so far from home on my own. Turning away from everything I have here and trying to start again…I'm scared."
"Then why?"
"Because I'm terrified more of who I'll become if I stay," Pyrrha said with all the confidence she could muster. She let the silence linger for just a moment before she too stood up from her seat.
"Thank you again for your consideration, Headmaster. I wish you a successful year." With that she turned, head held high, she denied herself the weakness of showing the tightening of her fists, the slight tremble in her step as her decisions suddenly became reality. With the grace and power of a champion, she turned and left everything she was behind her.
Not once did she look back.
Pyrrha didn't know where exactly she was going when she left. Wandering, she stumbled through the vacant halls of Haven Academy as she tried to relieve the tightness in her chest. The bubbling emotions were heavy, lumping together into a hard lump in her throat as her choices suddenly weighed down on her.
It had been hard trying to justify her decision to leave. It had started as a simple wish to escape her current circumstances. As time passed, the thought of fleeing became all too real, a ripening desire that slowly but surely took hold. It offered her a reprieve from days of long hours, vacant smiles, and cruel insults hurled her way. She spent so long lost in fantasies of meeting new people, of making true friendships but now that she had finally set it all into motion, she felt sick. The liberty she expected to feel was nowhere to be found, and now all that was left was fear.
She wiped the tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. It wasn't fair. Why did she have to leave? Why was it she that had to change everything? She didn't want to leave her family; she didn't want to drop the title she had worked so hard for.
It was the grief and anger that led her to the training grounds. A large, empty indoor arena that was meant for students and visiting Huntsmen. It was barren, all the equipment and practice arenas locked away for the break. That was fine, it was empty and that was all Pyrrha needed. Miló and Akoúo̱ spun in her hands as she worked. Training had at some point become more than a means to an end. She enjoyed it, the pushing of her body, the tension in her muscles, the freedom in her movements as she worked.
Most thought it was a natural talent that had secured Pyrrha's title as "Invincible" but that wasn't the whole truth. She was naturally suited for combat; she wasn't so conceited as to deny that. However, it was her work ethic that made her stand above her peers. She had met so many incredible fighters and powerful contestants who all worked hard to get where they were. Pyrrha had simply worked harder. She sacrificed her personal time to train, while girls her age wondered about romance, trying to fit in, or talked about the latest trends, Pyrrha was working. She went to bed early and woke even earlier. She never missed a day, nothing else mattered when she trained.
She had become the strongest she possibly could, and it had only cost her everything.
She worked through her forms, precise movements trained to the highest points of precision. She simulated combat in her mind, dodging and blocking invisible enemies. Sometimes they came one at a time, and other times as groups. She cut them down, relishing the familiarity of it all. It was her way of venting, of pushing away the stresses of life. There were no expectations to be met here besides the ones she had for herself. She relished the liberation.
Which made it all the more frustrating when it was interrupted. She rolled away from the spear that smashed apart the ground she had been standing upon.
"Still hardworking as ever I see, Invincible Girl." It was a haughty, almost mockingly sweet voice from the stands and Pyrrha forced herself to bite back a groan.
"Dew, how nice to see you. I thought your family was taking a trip to Vacuo for the break." Pyrrha met the gaze of her 'partner'.
"We came back early; I had some formalities to fill out for my application." Dew Gayl was a pretty girl. Tall, with long blonde hair and strikingly clear blue eyes. She had been Pyrrha's assigned partner for the last three years at Sanctum and in that time, they had both gotten to know far more than enough about each other. "Imagine my surprise to see you sulking through the halls like a beaten puppy. I thought you already got your acceptance letter for Haven, you didn't have to apply for it like the rest of us mortals."
"If you must know, I came here to reject their offer. I've decided to attend elsewhere." Pyrrha ground out.
"What? Was Haven not good enough for you? Being served on a golden platter just didn't cut it?" Dew spat back.
"It's not like that!" Pyrrha protested.
"It's exactly like that Pyrrha! Everything is just gifted to you on hand and foot, but being the humble Goddess you are, you just push it away like it's some great burden!" Dew shouted. "Do you have any idea how rare it is for a prestigious combat school to even offer a full ride, no questions asked? You didn't even have to apply or test for it, they just gave it to you."
"I didn't ask for them to give me anything!"
"That's exactly my point!" Dew said. "You never ask! When you're late on assignments, our instructors just give you an extension, when we would go out for team meetings how often did you even have to pay for anything? Did you know? Did you even stop to think about it? I may not even get accepted into Shade, the school I want to go to. But Haven was willing to give me a chance solely because I was your partner. I just finished my interview, and do you know what we talked about? You! Only you."
"That's not my fault!"
"Oh, it never is, is it? You're just the great big victim of the world, aren't you?" Dew stalked forward from the stands, face flush red from anger. She was only an inch shorter than Pyrrha herself, so it was difficult to avoid eye contact. "So, tell me great Goddess, what school is worthy of your incredible talents?"
"That's none of your business." Pyrrha turned to leave but Dew caught her arm in a surprisingly strong grip. Pyrrha pulled herself free and turned again to meet her partner, someone she had once maybe considered a friend. "Beacon, I'm going to Beacon."
Pyrrha could see the raging emotions dancing across Dew's face. Anger shone the clearest but there was something else there as well, regret maybe.
"Beacon? So, you're just up and leaving like that?" Dew asked. "You've been gifted the chance of a lifetime and you're not even giving it a second thought.
"I don't see any other options," Pyrrha said. "I thought you'd be happy to be rid of me, you and the others."
"There it is again, that stupid woe is my attitude of yours!" Dew spat. "Don't make it seem like we didn't try Pyrrha, we did. We tried so hard to make this team work but it was you who wouldn't meet us halfway."
"This was never a team to begin with. You never liked me; you never accepted me. You saw me as your ticket to a free ride from the get-go."
"Did you know, Gwen's grandmother passed away a few weeks ago? Had a stroke in the middle of the night, Gwen found her in the morning when she was leaving for school."
Pyrrha took a step back, the shock of the news draining the mounting anger from just moments before. Gwen was a teammate; they had been on the same team since day one. She was generally kind, outgoing even. Pyrrha had drifted away from her along with the rest of her team over the years. She knew Gwen's parents had died in the line of duty and that her grandmother had been the last of her family.
"I didn't know," Pyrrha said.
"How could you, you were off in Mistral for a tournament. By the time you made it back, Gwen had already held the funeral and was trying to move on."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"What difference would it have made?" Dew asked. "It's always the same, whenever something happens with us, you're somewhere else. By the time you get back, it's always after the fact. With some halfhearted apology and that stupid, self-pitying look on your face. You're never around when we need you."
"I'm sorry…" Pyrrha started but Dew cut her off.
"Don't say it. I'm so sick of your apologies. Do you know what the worst part of it all is?" Dew's face contorted; all of the bubbling emotions were spilling out for Pyrrha to see. "It's that even though you're never around, we can never get away from you. At the funeral, there was press covering the affair, asking where you were! Last year when you defended your title, Arslan won the school tournament. Brothers, she was so proud, and the first thing she was asked when she got her medal was her thoughts on your victory! Even now, I can't apply to school, to my future without having to ride on your coattails!"
"I never meant to get you all caught up in this." Pyrrha couldn't find the words. She knew she had been distant, but it was a part of the life she had chosen. She wanted to be there for her teammates, she truly did. However, the constant work of her schedule had made it impossible to make any meaningful time for friends.
Dew looked at her with a mixture of disdain and anger, her blue eyes puffy and red from barely checked emotion. "I'm sure you didn't. You were riding so high and mighty on your successes you couldn't be bothered to check in with what we mortals were doing down here on the ground."
Dew let go of Pyrrha's wrist. She seemed as if she wanted to say something more but held herself back. She stalked over to her weapon, reaching down to pull the spear free from the ground. She turned to look at Pyrrha once more, "Have fun at Beacon, Pyrrha. I hope your new teammates can measure up to the Invincible Girl."
She didn't say anything more, simply stalked off. Pyrrha watched her go, chest heavy, unsure of how to process the guilt, or the tears threatening to spill over. She looked down at the weapons in her hands, the thought of training now felt sickening and unappealing. Her only comfort was gone, leaving her alone and confused.
"It was my fault!"
Those had been the words she screamed at Headmaster Ozpin as he oversaw their evacuation. She had been bleeding, exhausted and beaten. She was being supported by two Huntsmen as she was pulled towards the transport ship. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, fueled by her desperation.
Not that her words had done much good. Her team had been separated and questioned individually as Beacon tried to piece together what had happened. She wasn't sure why she had even said it. Maybe a mistaken sense of responsibility, a guilt that she hadn't been strong enough as a leader. Or perhaps it was out of fear of what would happen if the blame had been placed on Jaune.
Her arm ached, like a constant reminder of her failure to protect her team. The wound was mostly healed, and her Aura dulled the pain of what was left. It would only be a day more at most before she was back to full strength.
However, that did little to help with the pain in her heart.
That attack, the one that had left Nora barely clinging to life, was her fault. If she had been stronger, better, she would have finished that fight sooner. She should have been able to stop him, that man in the mask, she should have been able to prevent it from ever happening.
What was the point of all her hours of training, of all the sacrifices she made if in the end, she couldn't protect anyone?
It wasn't just Nora; she hadn't been able to protect anyone since she arrived. Jaune had saved her during Initiation, she had become a burden and forced him into a terrible situation. It was no wonder he was so willing to cast them aside.
She was alone. The empty dorm offered its own kind of comfort. Team RWBY had reconciled and decided to return to their room earlier in the night, Ren had left to be at Nora's side in the infirmary. That left her all on her own. Or maybe, she had always been on her own.
She hadn't been to the infirmary; Ren had offered to come with her but Pyrrha couldn't bear the thought of going. To see her friend in such a state, to see the consequences of her weakness, the thought of it was nightmarish.
So, there she sat, the Invincible Girl curled up on her bed, staring blankly at the wall as she tried to sort out her mismatch of feelings. She absentmindedly rubbed at her bandaged arm, kneading the sore muscles, but the pain was still there.
She wasn't sure what time it was; she hadn't bothered to charge her Scroll since they returned. It had to be late in the evening, there was no light leaking through the curtains of their window. Their dorm, once vibrant and full of laughter and excitement just days prior, was now empty, consumed in absolute darkness.
Pyrrha turned her head, eyes straining in the darkness to look at the bed beside her own. Jaune hadn't come back with the rest of them. Despite her efforts, it seemed he was still being questioned. Neither the teachers nor the staff would give her anything to quell her erratic nerves. He could be expelled and somewhere halfway across Remnant for all she knew.
No, that wasn't true. No matter what, she knew he would never leave without his sword. She eyed the scarred and battered scabbard resting against his bed. It was hard to see in the darkness, but she had stared at it so often since they had returned that the image of it was plainly visible in her mind. So long as it was still there, it meant Jaune was as well, of that she was certain.
Did that make her happy? Was she relieved? It was impossible to untangle the knot of emotions in her chest. Instead, she cradled her head against her knees trying to push away any complicated or unwanted thoughts.
Yet they still clawed at her, forcing their way to the front of her mind. There was no reprieve, nowhere to run or hide. Not from herself.
It had been her fault.
Nora's chest tearing open, mouth opened in an unheard scream.
Juanes' disappearance as well. After all, she hadn't been strong enough to stand with him back at Initiation. She was only a burden. Unfit to lead.
How could she lead, she had never even been able to be a part of a team in the first place.
Dew had been wrong. It wasn't that her teammates couldn't stand with her, she couldn't stand with them. For all her strength, her accomplishments, and victories, in the end she was just a scared lonely girl, way in over her head.
She was weak.
She was bitter.
At some point, she must have drifted off to sleep, because she awoke suddenly when something had entered their dorm. Her thoughts hadn't caught up to her body by the time she rolled free from her blanket, and sprung forward, smashing against the intruder.
She had been agitated since she returned, always on edge even when on her own. Her sleep was often restless bits of fragmented moments of brief reprieve before her panicked nerves alerted her to a small shift in the dark, or in the few times she could sleep nightmares wracked through her like a constant reminder of those terrible moments in the forest.
She was already wired when she sprung out of bed. The intruder cursed and dropped something heavy and metallic on the floor, glass shattered as Pyrrha slammed herself into them. The intruder crashed into one of the beds and before she could follow, they called out to her.
"Pyrrha, it's me."
"Jaune?" It was more surprise than anger, yet the sharpness in her voice was startling.
"Yeah," She could faintly make the outline of his tall body rising back up. She froze. An endless stream of worries and uncertainties paralyzed her body. She who had been so tense with adrenaline and surprise was now unable to force herself to react. Even now, drenched in almost total darkness she could swear he looked at her now with the same regret-filled eyes, as he had back in the forest.
Her throat was dry, she tried swallowing the lump that was building. She wanted to say something, anything to break the silence, yet words failed her.
She remained rigid, unsure of how to approach the boy in front of her. Much to her surprise, Jaune breached the silence first.
"I just came to get my stuff," he said.
'Oh…that's all then.' Pyrrha thought.
"I brought some food from the cafeteria; I wasn't sure what you'd like so I kind of got a bit of everything. I sort of dropped it just now, but I'm sure some of it's still good." Jaune rambled. Pyrrha had stopped listening.
"Why?" Pyrrha asked.
"Well, I thought you might be hungry." Jaune started.
"Not the food. Why did you leave us?" Pyrrha asked, irritation bubbling up. She swore she saw him sag in the darkness.
"You wouldn't get it."
"Try me."
"Look I'm sorry, really I am. But I couldn't just wait for the school to take care of it. There was a real great right in front of us, how was I supposed to turn away."
"You weren't turning away. You were planning with your team." Do you have any idea how worried I…we were? You just up and vanished, you didn't even leave a note or a warning."
"I left the tracker behind."
"That's supposed to make it better?" Pyrrha asked, her anger peeking through. "Do you think so little of us? That we would just happily saunter off back to the school while you went off to who knows where and got yourself killed?"
"You weren't supposed to get involved," Jaune said, Pyrrha could the anger mounting behind his voice. "I did what I thought was best."
"Best for who?" Pyrrha asked. "This isn't all about you Juane, we are supposed to be a team. A team is supposed to talk to each other, and support each other. We can't rely on you if you're nowhere to be found when we need you."
The irony wasn't lost on her. The bitterness of regret and painful self-awareness tore apart her resolve. This was what Dew had meant, this is what it was like for her former teammates. Bitter, angry, and feeling all but abandoned.
"You shouldn't have followed me."
"What were we supposed to do?" Pyrrha asked. "I thought we all agreed that night. I would have understood if you had reservations about the plan, but we all came together to reach that decision. The moment we did something you didn't like you just abandoned us."
"I didn't abandon you!" He shouted. The anger was suddenly on full display. "I left the tracker beyond to make sure you would get back safely; I went on my own because it was the safest option. How was I to know you would blindly charge after me? I would have been fine on my own, I always am."
"That's a true comfort to hear," Disdain dripped into her voice like venom. "We are partners Jaune. That means we support each other no matter what. You saved my life at Initiation, you saved it again in the forest, but despite that, I don't know if I can even trust you."
"I wanted to make sure you were all safe."
"No, you just wanted to make sure you wouldn't get hurt." She had thought Jaune was guarded. A hardened fortress that she had to pierce through inch by inch. But in the dark, at that moment she could see him for what he truly was. "You're a coward Jaune."
And so was she.
He went silent. Neither of them moved. For an eternity they stood, unsure of how to move forward or backward.
Eventually, Pyrrha could take it no longer. Her turmoil bubbled up, threatening her composure. She pushed past him, grabbing onto to Crocea Mors with a tight grip before shoving it into Jaune's hands.
"Here," She ground out. "This is what you wanted right?"
"Pyrrha," he said. I'm sorry…"
She didn't listen, instead, she turned away, ignoring the pain in her chest, the heat searing through her trembling body. She didn't dare glance at him, instead steeling herself, she left. Marching out of the dorm she left him there, alone and in total darkness.
She didn't look back.
She weaved left, fractions of a second before a powerful torrent of Dust-infused energy ripped apart the training arena. Debris and smoke filled the air as Pyrrha rushed her attacker.
Spear drawn, Pyrrha dodged the steady fire of bullets that hailed down on her. In moments she was inside her attacker's guard. It was simple enough to disarm their pistol, wrench away the blade, and twist their arm into a submission.
Pyrrha had been the reigning combat Champion of Mistral for years. As skilled as her opponent was, Pyrrha simply had far more experience. It only took a small use of leverage to wrench her attackers' arm and force them to tap in surrender.
Blake groaned as she eased herself back onto her feet. Pyrrha winced in sympathy as the raven-haired girl rubbed her arm sorely. They had been training for the better part of a few hours and the exhaustion was starting to show. Pyrrha could see the slump in Blake's shoulders, the subtle hesitation in every step as she collected her weapons. Pyrrha was sure she looked no better. She hadn't slept, yet she couldn't find the peace of mind to try and relax. She had to move, to push herself. Her constant worry and grief made any attempts to calm down impossible.
Pyrrha had to be in motion, and luckily it seemed Blake was of a similar belief. Despite her clear pain, the girl was still resolute as she settled back into a fighting stance.
"Don't you think that's enough?" Someone else piped up from the sidelines. Yang was just as battered as they were. She had been training with Pyrrha well before Blake made her way down to the arena.
"I'm fine," Blake said, turning back to Pyrrha. "Let's go again."
"Easy there killer." Yang chimed, making her way towards Blake. "I'm all for a good fight but you're overdoing it."
"I said I'm fine." Blake snapped. It was only a second but as Blake met Yangs' gaze a silent message spoke between them. Blake almost seemed to deflate as the tensions leaked out of her.
"It's like Ruby said," Yang said. "You've got us now, so just tag this one out and let me at her."
Blake hesitated a moment before relenting, stepping away Yang took center stage in the arena. Turning to Pyrrha she gave a confident grin. "So, what's the score now?
Pyrrha forced a smile, trying to humor Yangs good intentions. "Ten to zero if I recall correctly."
"Well, we can't let that stand," Yang said. "Get ready Miss Champion cause Yang Xiaolong is coming in hot!"
Yang shot in close. Powerful and heavy hits swung at Pyrrha forcing her to evade. It was a welcomed distraction. Yet despite Yangs' earnestness, Pyrrha couldn't settle her nerves, the usual excitement she felt during a fight was nowhere to be found. As she weaved and dodged, she couldn't shake the mounting frustration.
She weaved under Yangs' overhand strike, digging in close to the girl's center of mass, unleashing a vicious counter. Smashing the edge of her shield into Yangs' side she followed through with a powerful kick that sent Yang reeling backward. Gaining distance Pyrrha lined her mark and thrust Miló towards her opponent. It was probably the tiredness and nerves that made Pyrrha overextend. She failed to notice Yangs Aura flicker and break as she tried to find her footing. All too late Pyrrha had already released her attack.
It was a moment of pure terror. A frozen second in time caused by her exhaustion and frustration. She tried to reach out with her semblance, to scream a warning. Just like that moment in the forest, she could do nothing as she watched someone else suffer for her weakness.
The aim was true, sailing towards its target with deadly precision. Yang's eyes widened in surprise, twisting her body out of the way of the attack, but the suddenness made her reaction slow, she wouldn't be able to avoid it.
Metal clashed against metal with a spark of friction as Miló was struck down. The weapon skidded and clattered harmlessly against the arena floor. With a shuddered breath Pyrrha sagged. The relief flooded through her, mixing with the toxicity of the bitterness still ever present in her chest.
There he stood. Once more Jaune Arc had saved her at the last moment.
With his sword drawn, he bent down to collect her weapon. In a few long strides, he reached her. Reaching out he offered it back to her, with clammy hands Pyrrha reluctantly accepted.
"What are you doing here?" She asked. "You already picked up your gear, what else do you need?"
Jaune said nothing. Instead, he remained stoic, eyeing her with a mixture of emotions she couldn't even begin to decipher. Rather than speak he turned around and walked away from her. The anger flared up once more. He was walking away again, ignoring her outright in pursuit of whatever goal he had suddenly saddled himself with.
She wouldn't be ignored. Not this time. As she stepped forward, her sudden spike of adrenaline flickered and died like the embers of a dying candle. She watched as Blake helped Yang back to her feet. Jaune stopped to talk to them, speaking too quietly for Pyrrha to make out any words. With a nod of confirmation, both Yang and Blake made their way to the stands on the outskirts of the arena.
Jaune then turned back towards Pyrrha. The wild flash of emotions suddenly settled across his face, leaving only rigid determination. He expanded his shield, settling into a casual stance, neither welcoming nor aggressive.
"Jaune, I don't want to fight," Pyrrha said. The excitement of battle was already dwindling.
"Back in the dorm…" Jaune started, voice heavy and hoarse from lack of use. "I was only thinking about the short term. I was just pushing along with what I wanted. Nora, Ren and you all suffered for my choices."
"All of this is my fault," Pyrrha started. "If I had been a better leader, if I hadn't hesitated then none of this would have happened."
"I've been thinking the same thing," Jaune said. "I won't apologize. Not anymore."
"Then why are you here?" Pyrrha asked.
"Because I won't run away either," Jaune said. "After everything that's happened, I think it's time we finally introduced ourselves. Don't you think, partner?"
"Partner?" The word was like acid on her lips. Pyrrha had partners before. She'd had teammates and friends. All of whom she had let down and ignored. "Even after all this…"
"It's because of all of this." Jaune countered. "You can either face me or walk away Pyrrha, but I'm coming at you full force. With everything I have and everything I am. Or are you scared you'll lose, Champion?"
As far as taunts went Pyrrha had heard far better. But something in the earnestness of his voice gave her pause. It wasn't the fact he had challenged her that sent a spark of excitement spiraling inside her chest. It wasn't the way he leveled his sword, posing for an attack, that erupted the burning thrill in her heart. No, it was the culmination of days of self-pity and grief, burning away before the temptation of a real fight. It was the freedom of combat and the passion of an equally excited opponent that forced her into a fighting stance. It drove her to steady herself, shove away the fear, and fully give herself to the challenge.
He stood before her. Not as a friend, teammate, or stranger. He stood before her as an enemy. Despite her exhaustion, her muscles tightened in anticipation, a thrill surging through. A wild excitement that nearly forced her composure to crack.
He wasn't trying to speak any longer, no more excuses or lies. He stood before her bare and honest, and in kind she would do the same. Like a predator eyeing her prey she watched with bated breath as he inched closer to her, weapon in low guard.
She gripped her own firmly, ready to thrust forward in a moment. Her pent-up frustration and aggression all faded away, flowing freely through her as she caught his stare. Steely, unwavering blue eyes tore her down, taking in all she was, watching for a moment of weakness.
That was his mistake, Pyrrha Nikos had no weakness.
She leaped forward.
She seldom struck first in a fight. She was a calculated, experienced fighter who exploited her opponents to craft a perfect, total victory. However, this time she didn't want a perfect victory, she wanted to defeat him, to show him all of the pain and anguish his selfishness had inflicted on her the last few days.
He swung; his larger body twisted as his sword sliced through the air. She ducked low, the shining metal flashing above her.
Spinning into his guard, he tried to recover as she shot upward, slamming her armored knee into his chin. With perfect control, she glided into a somersault. Landing, she spun on the balls of her feet and smashed against his shin with a full kick that sent him crashing to the floor with a cry of surprise.
She didn't wait for him to recover; she wouldn't give him the chance. Pyrrha gave chase, spinning Miló in her hands she struck down toward his chest.
He rolled out of the way, swatting at her with the broad side of his sword. It was barely an effort for her to block.
As he scrambled to his feet she struck low, the butt of her spear hitting against his legs and despite his aura, he crumpled to the ground.
She pushed forward, shield making contact against his head. He recoiled, leaving himself wide open for her to grind her boot into his chest plate and sending him sprawling backward. Jaune crashed into the ground with a sharp hiss.
She wasn't done. She wanted more.
He raised his shield in defense. She dashed forward and reached out with her semblance, pulling at the metal, and yanking it away from him. The leather straps on his arm kept her from tearing it away, but it left him wide open to her. Her spear leveled at his chest plate, and she thrust forward. He blocked her attack with a clumsy thrust of his sword, but she batted it away. Using her foot, she pinned his sword arm to the ground, the blade clattering to the floor as his grip was forced open from the impact. Her right knee locked itself over his right leg, just under the hip and she lowered Miló against his bare flesh, hovering just inches above.
Her breath was hot, hard. She hadn't realized how much effort she had been putting into the fight until just then. It wasn't as if she had been fighting particularly hard, but her body was heaving. Her glowing crimson hair draped over her neck and her skin had become slick with sweat.
Jaune was looking much the same. His matted blonde hair was clinging to his forehead and his chest heaved up and down as he tried to force in the air. His blue eyes were dark. He stared into her with such intensity that it set her nerves on fire. A blistering warmth ran through her tired body.
She was tempted to tell him to yield, she had won after all. Her tongue failed her, and she shifted ever so slightly, wanting to hold her victory for just a moment longer.
That was her mistake, she had allowed Jaune the one thing he always needed.
Time.
His dark blue eyes shot a glance toward his left arm. Pyrrha had it firmly in place, gripping his wrist with her hand. She darted a glance, following his gaze. Clutched in his left hand was a small vial of a red substance.
Fire Dust.
He gripped his gauntleted hand, shattering the glass vial and Pyrrha could only watch with wonder as he somehow managed a cruel-looking grin before their world erupted into flames. She flung backward, smashing into the ground with a heavy thud.
It had been her mistake, she had gone after Jaune as an enemy, not realizing he would most likely do the same. If she was truly his enemy, then Jaune would stop at nothing until he had won. He would do anything to that end.
As she rose to her feet, Aura flickering, she watched with a silent breath as he pushed through the flames, rushing towards her with all the power and strength his larger body could offer him. In that moment she saw for the first time just how monstrous the boy could look. A deep scowl etched on his face; body licked with flames as he pushed towards her unafraid.
Pyrrha had never been afraid of Jaune. Not once, despite all she had seen him do. Even when he threw himself at the Grimm she had never for a moment felt any sense that he was a threat to her. Yet in that moment, his wild and uncontrollable rage was bearing down against her, and while she still did not fear him, she did hesitate.
Her hesitation cost a decisive moment as he slammed into her. Pushing her backward she was forced to block his blade with her spear. He shoved his larger frame into her, mingling their breaths as one as he relentlessly advanced. She tried to disengage, to create distance and reset herself, but he wouldn't let her.
When she dropped her weight to throw him off balance, he hung in close, shoving their bodies together to deny her an escape route. When she lashed out with a kick to his exposed legs, he simply took the hit with barely a wince. He forced her across the training grounds.
It was just like before. She was powerless, stuck in a sea of flames that tore around where they fought. She was stuck, unable to stand up to an unrelenting force yet again. Just like their fight against Grimm at Initiation. Just like her failure against the White Fang.
Anger pushed through and she lashed out with her semblance. An unseen magnetic force rippled outward, pushing back against everything in its path. The metallic tiles of the arena cracked and splintered under the force of her power as she forced Jaune back. He planted his feet. Trying to push back with Aura and strength alone against her power. Even though he was no match, his footing slipped, and he went careening back, scraping and grinding against the arena floor as he tumbled.
He still offered her no chance to recover, he wouldn't give her the reprieve she wanted. Instead, he fired at her. As he flung through the air he drew his weapon and shot. She rolled, weaved, and ducked out of the way. The training grounds were barren, leaving nowhere for her to escape.
But why would she escape?
She ran, she pushed forward. Shield raised high she ran straight towards him. In this moment he was fully exposed to her. For the first time, it felt like he was truly opening himself. His crazy, improvised, suicidal attacks, his relentlessness in the face of an enemy he knew he couldn't beat. His courage to keep fighting regardless of what came his way. He was finally opening himself up. She could see all of him.
Could he see all of her as well?
Her shield slapped away his weapon, throwing it far out of the boundaries of the arena and as he tried to swing at her again, she swept low, knocking his feet out from under him. He had learned from before and as she tried to pin him, he reached out and grabbed her, using his larger body and greater strength to shove her away. As she stumbled, he kicked at her, even when she blocked it the power behind the hit left her arm buzzing in growing numbness.
He rolled back to his feet. His body shook as he breathed haggardly. She tried a simple thrust which he blocked. She tried a swipe at his head, another block. Gradually as she pressed forward, he turtled behind his shield. When she dashed into his guard he eagerly retreated, giving her no chance to break through.
It went on like that, her pushing in, forcing an exchange to which he would either retreat or block.
It was a sound strategy, wearing her down as she extended and tried to desperately breakthrough. It drove her frustration to new heights.
At the cusp of a breakthrough, at the height of the fight he was relenting, turtling in on himself and refusing to budge. He was pushing her out again. Her efforts were becoming undone as he hid. The powerful, fearless boy from before, the very same one who had fought to protect her with his very life at initiation was turning back into a coward. Too afraid to face her, he was shutting out her attempts to pry into him. He rejected her advances. He had shown her just a glimpse of himself and now was pushing her away.
She wouldn't have it.
She wouldn't let him have his way. The excitement of their fight, the adrenaline of the thrill was still pounding in her heart, and she wanted nothing more than to keep it going. She wouldn't allow him to close himself off again. She would tear down his defenses, he wouldn't cower from her again.
Pyrrha pushed into him. His shield shoved into her but rather than pull back she dusked in and pushed it upwards with her own shield. She watched with satisfaction as his eyes went wide with surprise. She tore at his shield, using her semblance to force it away, cutting the straps with Miló. He tried to fight her, but Pyrrha was far past the point of caution. She ripped it free with her hand, dropping her own shield in the process before throwing both shields as far as she could. They skidded across the floor, disappearing.
She almost breathed a sigh in victory before Jaune smashed his armored fist against her cheek. Despite her Aura dampening the impact she still cut the inside of her mouth with her teeth.
She spit the blood pooling out of her mouth. Taking a moment, she looked at him. Truly looked at him. The dark blue of his eyes raged with unrestrained emotions, his large body raggedly huffed in the air as he lowered his stance, preparing to attack.
She had made him angry, but at least she could see him again. They had both lost their shields, all that was left to them was offense. They had nowhere to hide from each other, nothing left to defend themselves.
Jaune took the lead, swinging down at her with his sword, she danced to the side, and with a spin she came in closer. She struck his knee, forcing him to kneel. He cursed loudly and as she looked up to her, she used her hand to push his head towards her rising knee. His Aura flashed as his head flew back. She struck him with her fist. He took the blow, gripped her waist in his arms, and pushed upwards and then back down, slamming them both into the ground.
His size and strength would give him the advantage in such close quarters. Her spear had skidded away somewhere. His sword had been similarly abandoned. Instead, he came at her with his fists. Heavy, large fists pounded and shook the ground with each impact. She weaved the best she could with him on top of her. His weight was suffocating, and he was relentless. He struck at her with all the power and force he could muster.
Pyrrha hooked his right leg with her left and caught his right arm. With as much control as she could muster, balanced by years of experience she raised her hips upwards, aided with Aura, and rolled them over. She mounted him and struck out with her fists.
A reasonable fighter would have tried to protect themselves, she should have tried to go for a submission, to force him to yield. This, however, was no longer a normal fight. They both lashed out. Defense became obsolete, an unwanted distraction as they fought.
Pyrrha's bottled emotions, her fear, anger, bitterness, and loneliness poured out of her. Her Aura flared, crashing into Jaune. Sparks of energy bounced and rolled off of each other as they fought. She could feel it, his emotions. She could feel his tiredness, his pain, and his confusion. She could sense all of him as their auras and their fists met. For the first time, Pyrrha could see Jaune Arc as he was in his entirety, and in turn, he could see her.
It was liberating.
Red Aura collided with his bright blue. Like arcs of invisible lightning dancing across her body, she could feel him push against her.
To have someone meet her at both her absolute best and worst moments was exhilarating. There was nothing to hide, no cameras or fans to pose for. She was finally free to express herself as much as she wanted. She could simply be herself for the first time in years. There were no expectations, no regrets. It wasn't until their Auras shattered apart simultaneously that they finally stopped.
Like breaking glass, shards of fragmented light rained down around them. Her ragged breathing suddenly became noticeable, her body aching in pain and exhaustion, and her vision went fuzzy for a few moments. She sagged forward resting her hands on the ground, Jaune trapped beneath her. She heaved in the air as her body shook.
Jaune, face red, blonde hair matted to his sweaty face tried to control his breathing.
"Pyrrha…" He started, and she couldn't find the strength to respond, but he knew she was listening. "I want to be stronger."
"That's not it…" Pyrrha said. She had seen him and felt his anguish. He couldn't lie to her now.
He hesitated, but she knew he would tell her. She wouldn't let him go on his own again. "I don't want to lose anything else. Never again."
"We're partners," Pyrrha said. She wasn't going anywhere, not this time. She would be better, she would finally change. "You're stuck with me."
"I'm sorr…" Pyrrha cut him off with a finger to his lips.
"No more. No more apologies. Not from me or you." She said, "A fresh start. No more lies and no more secrets."
"No more." He agreed.
They sat there. Pyrrha hovered over him trying to regain her composure, face flush from effort. The high of their fight was slowly waning, leaving her tired and drained. The silence between them grew, and though there was more she wanted to say she was afraid the words would ruin this small moment of understanding they had reached.
Jaune stared at her, his face furrowed together in hesitation. She watched his lips move silently, trying to piece together something. As she stared down at him, a sudden feeling of contentedness came over her. She didn't want him to speak, she wanted to linger in this moment just a little longer. The words bubbled from his throat, a deep gruffness. He was trying to speak, to convey himself and Pyrrha leaned down to stop him.
"Woah there!" A loud voice broke through. A strong hand suddenly peeled Pyrrha backward, off of Jaune, and onto the cold ground of the arena. Nora stood above her, a bandage wrapped tightly around her head, arms crossed in an X. "This is a school zone! Think of the kids!"
Pyrrha's shock was almost palpable. The tension in the air, the thrill of her adrenaline that had been slowly washing away, vanished all at once. It was like being doused in ice-cold water as her head jerked upwards, her body taut with tension, her breath catching in her throat.
It took her a moment to process what was right in front of her. Nora stood there; the usual wide grin plastered on her pale face. The hospital gown clung haphazardly around her, covered by what looked like Rens Green Tailcoat, slung around her shoulders like a cape. Pyrrha blinked slowly in confusion, trying to piece together if what she was seeing was truly real, or just another of her nightmares given form.
"Nora…" She said slowly.
"The one and only." Nora snapped back. "Betcha, didn't expect to see me up and at em already. Takes more than just that to keep me down."
There was a rush of emotion seizing inside of Pyrrha's heart. Pain, regret, anger, and frustration all vied for control, for release. Ultimately it was with a shaky breath of relief that caused her to sag, the tension finally easing from her weary body. Yet even as her body finally relented to the mounting tiredness she had been staving off for days, her mind was still rushing.
She could make out the members of Team RWBY off near the bleachers. Yang's mischievous smirk gave her a brief pause. Blake to her left, was trying to cover the better part of her face with her book, her cheeks taking on a rather noticeable coloring of red.
Pyrrha's eyes wandered over to their short leader, who had taken it upon herself to cover her face with her ever-present hood. She wouldn't meet Pyrrha's gaze, though to Ruby's left, Weiss couldn't stop gawking. Her wide eyes and unintelligible mumbling would have been far funnier under less stressful circumstances. Pyrrha hadn't even seen the latter pair come in. Had she been that caught up in their spat?
The exhaustion finally took hold, and she slumped forward. A heavy hand pushed back against her shoulder, and another eased her onto her knees. The darkened haze of Jaunes' eyes was far gone, replaced with a soft, worried look.
She could see Ren approaching from behind Jaune. Haggard and unkempt, the usually silent boy was panting. No doubt having chased Nora halfway across Beacon. It was all too much. She couldn't hold herself back any longer. The sob lodged itself in her throat, the repressed and bottled emotions of days, no years suddenly cracked, spilling out for everyone to see.
Jaune stilled as her hands rested on his shoulders. Her body trembled, tears finally leaking from her eyes as she tried desperately to hold herself together.
"Pyrrha?" Nora crouched down. It was the last straw, with what little strength she had, Pyrrha grabbed hold of Nora, dragging her forward. Pyrrha wrapped her arms around both of her teammates and sobbed. She burrowed her face into Jaunes chest plate, the cool metal offering a strange type of relief from the inner burning turmoil.
It only took a moment before Nora reciprocated, throwing her arms around them both and drawing them closer. It was an awkward hug, but no one dared break it apart. Pyrrha could feel the pressure on her right before Ren finally joined in.
Like that, Team JNPR wrapped themselves around their sobbing leader. A small bundle of warmth, protecting her if only for a moment.
Pyrrha's heart was breaking, the loneliness, the fear, and the guilt-wracked her body. Yet for once she didn't mind, she didn't even try to hold them back. For once her perfect facade had been shattered, rendered useless, and broken. She cried and sobbed, and shook, and for once she finally allowed herself to be simply Pyrrha. There was no champion here, there was no Shooting Star, no celebrity, and no Invincible Girl. She was simply, finally, Pyrrha Nikos.
She wasn't sure how long they had stayed like that. It could have been merely minutes, or even hours. It didn't matter. None of them were willing to break apart at the moment. Pyrrha held them close for as long as she could. She sobbed and shook, and wailed until her voice finally gave out, until her body could no longer support itself. Only then, when she had finally truly laid herself bare did she pull away.
She caught the misty eyes of her teammate, bright teal, puffy, and red from the tears still spilling freely.
"Didn't think you'd miss me so much," Nora teased, running a hand against her runny nose.
"Shouldn't…" Pyrrha's throat was raw. "The hospital."
"Like they could ever keep me there.," Nora said, pride leaking through. "Woke up sometime this morning. Should have seen the docs, gave em' all a scare."
"How did you…" Pyrrha said.
"Weiss-cream told us about your guys' fight. She and Ruby were already visiting when they got the message from Yang." Nora said.
"I tried to keep her there, but once she found out there was nothing I could do. She rushed straight out of the hospital wing." Ren picked up.
Despite his usual stoicism, Pyrrha could see the twinge of red in the corner of his eyes. He looked just as bad as she did. His long hair was unkempt, his undershirt dirty from days of use, and his face was pale and gaunt as if he hadn't properly slept. Yet she could see the relief in the way his shoulders rose up just a little more, the ease of his warm smile. It was a comfort to see him finally back to his old self.
"Good thing I showed up when I did," Nora continued. "You two looked awfully comfortable there for a moment. You know what they say about teenagers who fight together…"
Pyrrha looked to Nora in confusion, waiting for a conclusion. The girl stalled; she rubbed a hand to her head. "Well, I'm sure they say something. Point is you can't be making a scene like that out here in the open. Look at what you did to poor Ruby!"
The girl in question squeaked in surprise. She floundered in place before raising her hood even further as if trying to hide herself away.
Pyrrha's attention turned back to Jaune. His head was hung low, eyes fixated firmly on the ground. With a gentle touch, she brought her hand to his chin and pushed his gaze upwards. Meeting his gaze she gave him a soft smile. "Partners."
"Partners…" He repeated. The frown stayed on his face as he mulled over his words. Finally, he spoke, turning to meet each of them. "I think I owe you all an explanation."
No one said a word. Instead, they waited, backing off just enough to give him the time he needed to find what he wanted to say. Yet, Jaune paused. The words wouldn't come out. Pyrrha could see the agitation building as he furrowed his eyebrows, the frown turning to a thin pensive line. She wouldn't pry, not now. However, she had a feeling she wouldn't have to. Rather, she took a page from Yang's book and decided to take the lead.
"I ran away…" She started. "I ran away from Argos. I had my whole life laid out for me. My title, my sponsorships, and even my academic career. I had everything I could have ever wanted right there in front of me. I couldn't explain to my parents why I had to go, how could they possibly understand?"
She hesitated. Nora simply squeezed her shoulder in support, and with a cough, she pushed forward. "I spent so long trying to be the best. I trained and fought, I pushed myself every day to be the best and eventually, I achieved my dreams. I became a Champion, the Invincible Girl. Everything I had ever wanted was right there in my hands."
She could remember it all. The pride, the endless cheering, the bright lights, and elation as she claimed her title. She remembered the sleepless nights alone in her dorm, the feeling of loneliness as she smiled and lied in front of the endless series of cameras. It all spiraled together deep inside, weighing heavily on her heart.
"I hated it. I hated the feeling of loneliness, I hated the expected stares of others, and I hated the titles and the praises. I hated having to put on a facade every time I stepped in front of a camera. I hated having to miss important moments with my teammates and my family because someone else needed something from me. I hated the fact that my friends were jealous and that I couldn't support anyone other than myself. Most of all I hated myself. I hated my persona; I hated that I couldn't just be me. When the people I cared for needed me I could never be there."
Even now, I couldn't be there for you, Nora. And I couldn't be there for you either Jaune. No matter how much I wanted to pretend things were different, nothing had really changed. I was still the same coward as before. Too afraid to do or say anything that might make others uncomfortable."
I want to be better, to change. But I don't know if I can. I don't want to be alone anymore, and I want to be there for those I care about, I just don't know how."
Nora leaned in, resting her head on Pyrrha's shoulder. Wrapping an arm around her waist Nora nestled in closer. Somehow fresh tears found their way down Pyrrha's face. "I'm so sorry Nora."
"You big dummy. It wasn't your fault." Nora said. She leveled a finger at Jaune. "It's not yours either."
Pyrrha thought that was the end, yet as she tried to find the next words to say Nora piped up once more.
"We lost our village to a Grimm attack. It took everyone, and destroyed everything. Only reason we even made it out was cause of Ren's semblance. We didn't know what to do, or where to go. We traveled, what was it, like two weeks to Mistral." Nora said, looking at Ren who simply nodded. "Barely even managed that. No money, no food, no clothes. Just a pair of dirty orphans trying to make their way through the streets of one of Remnant's largest cities. We jumped from place to place; each night was something different, somewhere different."
Nora went quiet as if remembering something unpleasant. Pyrrha rested her own head atop Noras as Ren continued onward.
"We managed to hold our own for quite a while. We lived off of scraps, and the patronage of good-natured business owners most nights. Eventually, we finally ran out of luck. We were caught pillaging through the garbage of a less-than-reputable establishment. We were picked up by a Mistral Gang, Spider."
Pyrrha had perhaps heard the name before in passing but knew little else. The sudden tension in Noras body gave her all she really needed to know though. Jaunes' gauntleted fingers reached out and took Nora's hand in his right. He offered his left to Ren who took it after a moment's hesitation.
"We were just free labor for them. We did small chores here and there, cleaning, cooking, those types of things. We weren't paid, but at least we had steady meals and a roof over our heads. A lot happened. I was trained to be one of their enforcers and Nora…" He stopped. Nora burrowed her head into Pyrrha's shoulder. "Regardless, one night there was an incident, a fire started, and in the confusion we fled. We had nowhere to go but we had stolen a sizable amount of money. We managed upon a ship which took us here to Vale."
"Dummy…" Nora said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Together, no matter what we are always together."
A silence drifted between them, an eerie unpleasant thickness that caused Pyrrha to shift uncomfortably. She wondered if she should speak up once more before Jaune interjected.
"I killed the man who took me in after I lost my family," Jaune said. It was sudden and brisk like he was shoving the words out before he had time to hesitate. "I stabbed him straight through the chest. It was caused by an illusion created by a Grimm, but even still, I'm the one who did it. He died right in my arms."
His eyes narrowed in frustration before he shut them, taking in a low deliberate breath. Pyrrha waited, knowing that she couldn't push him there.
"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a hero like my father. He was so big and strong, never afraid of anything. But when Grimm attacked, I lost everyone. I traveled Remnant, still holding onto that childish dream, it was the only thing that made it all worth it. The nightmares, the uncertainty, the loneliness. Despite it all, I still wanted to be a hero. When I killed…" He stopped. "When I killed him, I lost everything again. I promised him I would try, that I would go and try to achieve my dream."
Jaune tried to pull his hand away, but Nora refused to let him go, instead, she gripped him even harder, forcing him to remain in place. Ren followed suit, unwilling to allow him a chance to withdraw. "I can't keep that promise, I'm not a hero. I can never be a hero."
"You're a hero to me," Pyrrha said. "You saved me more than once now. That's what a hero does isn't it."
Shame and regret took hold of Jaunes features as he looked away. "All I am is a curse, the people I care about always end up getting hurt, and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Partners," Pyrrha said. "That's what we are. I failed my teammates before. I let them down and could never be there for them when they needed me. I don't want to be that person anymore. You said you didn't want to lose anyone else again Jaune, well I guess that means you're stuck with me because I'm not going anywhere."
"You're all a bunch of dummies," Nora said. Shifting, she pulled away from Pyrrha. Her expression was uncharacteristically serious. "I already said it, so don't make me keep repeating myself. Together, we're together. All of us. It doesn't matter who did what, or where any one of us thinks they need to go. We're together till the end."
Nora reached out into the center of their circle, and with her fist closed, she spoke softly.
"Together."
Ren followed her lead, bumping his fist against hers.
"Together."
Pyrrha without hesitation connected her fist to theirs.
"Together."
They looked at Jaune. A series of emotions flitted across his face, and for a moment Pyrrha was terrified he might flee. An eternal heartbeat later he sagged his shoulders. Looking towards her he searched her face, for what she wasn't sure. But once he found what he was looking for he finally reached his fist out as well.
"Together."
Despite her tiredness and the emotional exhaustion that was seeping through her, Pyrrha couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. She looked to their team, a group of woefully broken and awkward people, and realized with absolute certainty that her decision to come to Beacon had been the right choice. This was where she could start fresh, the place where she could finally learn to be herself.
She had finally found something worth fighting for, and she would never let it go.
"Well then team JNPR," she said. "What's next?"
A.N: And hey would you look at that I kept to a timeline. I would like to say the next chapter will be up right away but the truth is it's probably also going to be a while. Not as long as recent chapters but probably not until next month. Regardless I want to thank everyone again for sticking with this story. Hearing from you guys means the world and keeps me on track to keep updating. Your follows, reviews, and favorites all mean a lot and I'm so happy that a lot of you enjoy the story. If you liked the chapter a bunch Id love to hear from you, I can't grow without some feedback. Even if you didn't like the chapter I'm happy you've stuck around this long and I hope you got something out of this as well.
If anyone is interested in Beta reading for this story my PMs are always open. Regardless, onto the reviews:
Guest: Here we are. Hope you enjoyed it!
RohanVos: I mean the last chapter wasn't a flashback, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Jaunes interaction with the White Fang going forward is going to be more limited. That dynamic is going to be picked up by our resident Faunus princess soon enough. A lot more team dynamics are going to be the center point of the next few chapters. The Beacon arc is taking off from here, so there will be a lot of stuff happening very quickly.
gweenace: I'm glad you said something. I have scrapped all future flashbacks barring one. They were taking up way too much time, and I feel like the pacing has stalled because of it. Going forward it's a straight narrative. Again except for Jaunes final flashback, but that's not for a little while. Regardless I hope you stick around, but if not thank you for reading.
Dressyone22: And here we are, hope it was worth the wait!
splash43: And it's good to be back. I'm trying to stick to a more consistent writing schedule, so I hope that pans out. But I'm happy to finally get out something after so long.
paradoxreader: Well I have something planned for Weiss and Jaune going forward but that's spoiler territory. Their dynamic is a lot different than I initially planned. Seeing them interact is a lot of fun, and I'm going to be leaning more into it later.
Guest: I'm glad the dynamics are coming through alright. With such a large cast it's a lot of trouble trying to get everyone to have meaningful interactions and development. I think I have a plan on how to convey more moments between them all but that's well into the future.
Heyomen: I think I owe it to you all to be just a little more consistent, but regardless thank you for reading and reviewing. It means the world. I have the rest of Jaunes story planned out in addition to a really big confrontation later on. It all ties together into a big moment for Jaunes character. In the meantime, I hope this chapter was good enough. I went through a lot of rewrites to try and get it down.
A Reverse Weeb: Lucia is a really big surprise for me. She kind of started as one thing and then forced herself into another. I have a lot of fun with her character and I'm looking forward to bringing her back. Jaunes romantic endeavors are going to be taking a backseat as he works through his issues. It'd be a real shame for him to overcome his trauma just in time for more of it. But I'm getting ahead of myself. His team reconciliation is finally happening though! So at least he's starting to heal. Thanks so much for the support and I hope you're doing well.
Guest: Weiss is actually a lot more complex than I initially thought. My earlier interpretations of her in the beginning were so far off, that now it feels like I'm playing catch up to try and reconcile my mistakes. I'm glad she's coming through alright.
Guest: Eh, it's not my best work. But I'm trying.