A/N: EDIT: not a lot of feedback this time around it seems. I'm sorry for the short chapter but silence just hurts. T_T
Said short chapter is due to the site glitches. All these problems are seriously sapping my motivation to write...
...still alive, still here, still paying off the transmission on my car. Ugh.
I've replaced so many parts on that old clunker, but I wouldn't trade it for the world...
...despite the chaos of this year. I've spent SIXTEEN YEARS writing on this site, but this year alone has been truly exasperating.
But enough about little 'ol me. Despite my injuries, despite RWBY being liquidated by Warner Bros -yes, I know they've been bought since- and despite other life issues, I'm still here.
As ever, the fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I really am a sucker for reviews; just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
Lets see if you get the references here...
Minor verbatim from RWBY~!
And credit to the Batman vs. Captain America fight; too massive inspiration from that, here.
The difference being...well.
Pyrrha ain't ready.
"I forfeit.
"You...don't even want to try?"
"What's the point. You're a world renowned fighter, whereas I...well. We're obviously leagues apart."
~Naruto/Mercury and Pyrrha.
Leagues Apart
When one thought of Pyrrha Nikos, one thought of a Champion.
The very best and brightest Mistral had to offer.
Their oh-so-precious Invincible Girl.
Unbeatable, indestructible, immeasurable, two years out from attending a huntsman Academy, and so many other fancy and frivolous words she didn't care for. But others did. Mistral thought the world of her. She was their crown jewel, the apple of the people's eye, envy of everyone nearly everywhere. People admired her. Girls wanted to be her. Fans she had aplenty, much to her dismay
They would have been quite shocked, oh yes, most surprised indeed were they to realize just how much she despised her fame.
She hated it. She couldn't have friends, couldn't go out, couldn't do anything without the public eye upon her.
This...was not the life she'd envisioned.
There had been a time when she when she didn't have to worry about that; back when she was just Pyrrha, before the tournament scene, before she'd forged her weapons before victory after victory after pointless victory robbed her of joy and friends and happiness, leaving nothing but bitter fame in its place. It wasn't a sudden thing by any means or measure, but rather something that built up over time, a steady accumulation of constantly being ground down until one day she no longer recognized herself in the mirror.
She wanted out.
Out of the tournament scene.
No, not just that, but out of Mistral altogether.
Even just a day for herself; surely that wasn't so much to ask?
And so, today, she'd donned her armor, snatched up her weapons, thrown on a cloak and made a break for it.
It had all been going so well, too. Right until someone recognized her. From there, found herself hounded b, a pack a paparazzi -vile creatures!- bumbled into a pack of bystanders and the rest, as they say, was history.
She was grateful to this enigmatic trio for helping her hide away; if any of them noticed her green eyes, flaming red hair, or the weapons hidden beneath her cloak, they made no mention of it.
Bless them.
They'd claimed a small table in a smaller corner in an equally smallest restaurant, one she couldn't be bothered remember the name of. And that...that was good. She liked being able to hide away where no one would give her a second glance, to be ignored by these people and live her life. Fame meant nothing if no one recognized her.
Better yet, they'd treated her to a meal.
The food was greasy, the drinks sweet, and her agent would've had her hide to see her consuming something with this many calories like this, but she didn't care. This moment of freedom, however sweet and however brief, belonged to her. No one could take this memory away from her. It belonged to her, and her alone.
Hunched over a table, Mercury and Emerald didn't seem to care about that, and Amber certainly didn't. Her eyes seemed to glow sometimes. A semblance, perhaps?
Maybe she shouldn't ask questions whose answers she wasn't prepared for.
"If you hate being famous, just leave."
Pyrrha looked up, choked on her burger, and swallowed hastily. "You say that like its 'easy..."
"It is." Mercury planted both elbows on the table and beamed at her. "Instead of Haven, apply to Beacon or something. They'd take you in a hearbeat."
She studied her half-eaten meal, suddenly hesitant. "Would it be any different there?"
Emerald clicked her tongue. "You'll never know until you try."
"Its not that I'm unwilling to try, I'm just-
Amber tilted her head. "Afraid?"
Her hands slammed down on the table opposite him. "I'm no coward!"
Mercury considered her for a moment. "I think you are. The fact that you haven't simply up and left proves her point."
Pyrrha opened her mouth to retort, then closed it with a click. Wait. She'd seen this type of tactic before. She knew what they were doing; they were trying to goad her, rile her up, break through the veneer of false politeness and get her to speak her mind...
.
..
...damn, but it was working.
There was just something about these three that irked her!
They were clearly powerful, and as such, free to do as they pleased, without consequence or care and she...
.
..
...she wanted that, damnit.
...really, what you do is show fighting, nothing more." Mercury finished talking as she came back to herself. "Probably rigged, too. You wouldn't last in a real fight."
Was he trying to make her mad?! A muscle jumped in her jaw, throbbing alongside a vein in her temple. "I'm sorry?! If you'd rather take this outside...!"
"Don't be, Red." he waved a hand her way, uncaring of the nickname. "I forfeit.
Pyrrha balked. "You...don't even want to try?"
"What's the point." he granted her a lackadasical grin. "You're a world renowned fighter, whereas I...well." a chuckle parted his lips. We're obviously leagues apart."
Somehow, that felt like an insult.
She bridled.
"If you're implying that I didn't win my matches fairly...
He granted her a cheshire grin. "Well, well, well! Speak of the angel and she shall appear.
Emerald pursed her lips. "Isn't it speak of the devil?"
"How can you call this girl a devil? She doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Or a brave one for that matter. Look at her," he waved a hand. "Hiding from her fame. If you didn't wanna be worshipped, then don't win every damn fight. Its not hard."
Pyrrha sprang to her feet with a hiss. "Lets take this outside.:
Mercury shrugged. "If you insist."
She growled. "I do!"
(.0.0.0.)
Naruto let Pyrrha lead him outside, hands clasped behind his head, whistling a merry tune as he went.
She had a very interesting semblance; because for once, he couldn't tell what it was.
That implied some degree of aura control on her part.
They faced one another, and on some unseen signal began.
Their blows landed with almost no force at first; a tap. A brush. They tested one another. Assessed. A feint. A counter. A shift. A response, followed by a riposte.
She was skilled. He could admit that objectively. In a few more years, she might actually be a threat. However... a peal of rare laughter burst from his lips before he could think to hold it back as he broke down her guard and went fully on the attack. It was funny; not the notion of the danger, because she was about as threatening as a wet kitten right about now, but because she was so damn determined.
Redheads were ever the stubborn sort, and Pyrrha Nikos was no exception.
Good. He'd enjoy breaking her out this perfectly polite shell.
Everything was going according to plan.
(.0.0.0.)
Everything had gone horribly wrong.
It was every bit Pyrrha's fault, of course.
She'd been the one to pick this fight...gods, she was regretting it now.
Out came her weapons; all the world descended into a whirlwind of blows, a storm, and she was at center of it. All, she was the eye of the storm, the rock that did not move, wing him off, not effortlessly, but holding the line, and standing her ground, all the same.
And then the tableau shifted.
A fist whistled past her face to which she clumsily ducked, only for her foe to pivot and bring his leg right leg 'round to strike at her unprotected flank. She tried to block the oncoming attack really, she did, but she wasn't ready and they both knew it. Her lance was slapped aside like a stick.
Her foe's merciless boot smashed into her guard like a falling star and struck her chin, snapping her head back. Even as she reeled he swooped in and hammered his fists straight into her sternum, then her neck, followed by her solar plexus, leaving her gasping for air.
Pain.
Stars.
Entire galaxies.
An open palm smacked her collarbone and launched her backwards with a startled yelp. Unprepared for her sudden flight she crashed out of the room, aura protesting as she hurtled into then through a nearby wall. It crumbled like so much driftwood, as did another, another, and still another.
The people of Mistral just didn't build things to last, did they? Her back struck the ground, then momentum dragged her down, sending her tumbling out into the foggy street.
"You alright there, little miss champion?" a familiar voice sang to her through the mist. "Did I kick ya too hard?"
Green eyes narrowed. She tried to rise, only to wince as her flagging aura protested feebly at the motion. "N-No...not...yet...
Mercury Black emerged at a lazy gait, hands in his pockets. He tilted his head and grinned at her, eyes smoldering with menacing silver flames. "That's the spirit~!"
Questions aplenty whirled through her mind. Why were his eyes on fire? Why wasn't he drawing the sword at his side? Did he truly think he could beat her unarmed?
How had it come to this...? No, that was a stupid question. She'd done this to herself.
"Alright," he cracked his neck, "if you won't come to me, I'll come to you~!
He didn't so much flicker as he did blur, then he was on her. Pyrrha met his charge head on.
All the while, she wore the fiercest scowl.
He backhanded her, slapping her aside, as though she were no more than a rank amateur.
Pyrrha twitched. On a certain level she knew what he was trying to do; it was blatantly clear. She was young,not stupid. The bait was obvious. And yet. It burned. It burned, it burned, it BURNED in her throat worse than any heartburn, choking the very words in her throat. She was a fighter, yes, and she liked to win just as much as anyone, but this was going too far.
"Just what are you?"
She was still speaking when the ceiling gave way overhead. She had enough time to swear and slam her aura forward. It saved her life. And cost her dearly. Mercury swept in. A palm planted itself against her chest, just above her left breast and pain lanced through her upper torso, leaving her spitting blood.
"Sorry." She heard him mutter. "You're out of your depth, here."
She couldn't win. The realization didn't just gall Pyrrha; it broke her. She was skilled yes, but only skilled for her age. Arrogant of her to think otherwise, but this bout drove the truth home as words could not. For all her strength and skill she was but a small guppy in a pond. She had her to leave that pond and see the great wide ocean.
And here? Here be sharks.
Frantic, she tried to block, but Mercury kicked her shield so hard he blew a gaping hole in it, twisting her arm aside. His fist barreled into her gut. she felt her ribs creak. Breath burst from her lungs as she buckled beneath the blow. and it was so tempting to just black out and make the pain stop..but she clung on. anger at her own helplessness.
This wasn't a fight.
She knew what a fight was; this was annihilation a beating no two ways about it.
He was crushing her. Dismantling her. Execution. Had this been a true fight to the death, she would've died long ago.
Angry tears stung at her eyes. It didn't make a lick of sense! He was only a few years older than her.
So how? How had she taken so much damage?!
Had it all been a lie? Was she really-
"You're not weak, Pyrrha."
She hiccuped. What?
"I said you're not weak." Mercury reappeared behind her and sent her sprawling with a lazy kick then laid into her with one-two-three punch. "I'm just stronger. There's a difference." even as she fell her punched her in the throat, stilling the very words on her tongue before she could hope to speak them. "You'll get better someday, but it won't be here. Not in Mistral. Consider this your wake-up call."
One last feeble attempt to block left her spear shattered, sundered alongside her shield, forcefully wrenching both her arms high. Here at last, Pyrrha understood. Her passion for fame and fighting had waned as of late, and yet now her feelings for the former came blazing back to life.
Mercury's boot came whistling in at her head, to which she dropped her guard- knowing it would only delay the inevitable- and closed her eyes with a smile.
She wanted to be stronger.
"Thank you."
Did she imagine his response just now? "You're welcome.
Regardless, he made her see stars. She rocked into the air, and was granted a glimpse of grey. Someone cried out, she wasn't sure who, but she wasn't surprised their impromptu bout had drawn passerby. People would see this. It would be all over the news come evening, and her loss with it.
Defeat... should sting. But it didn't. Quite the contrary:
With this, she'd truly lose the title of Invincible Girl.
She'd never been more happy.
Fist plus face divided by ground equals pain. Does not compute.
Yet as she lay there on the ground, broken and gasping for air...she felt a hand on her head. Something rushed into her...even as she lost something.
Power. It felt like power, but what...?
"A fair trade." he whispered. "Don't waste this."
Poor Pyrrha didn't even have a chance ask what "this" was.
His fist drove into the side of her head. Aura faltered and her conscious faded.
He flicked two fingers into the air and walked away. "See you around, little champion."
(.0.0.0.)
Emerald glared at him as they made their escape into the bowels of the city. "Tell me you didn't just do what I think you did."
Naruto beamed, hands planted in his pockets. "Alright, I didn't.
Amber scowled. "Mercury...
"What?" he shrugged one shoulder. "She wanted to be stronger, and since I took her semblance, it only seemed fair. Besides, this'll keep Ozpin occupied while we have our...fun."
In hindsight, he should've known better; but he had absolutely no idea at the time. None at all.
But how could he? It wasn't his fault.
Chaos would soon take Mistral.
A/N: Did he just...?
I wanted this to feel like a proper episode of RWBY -one of the good ones- and hopefully I succeeded! Do let me know if you want weekly updates!
Feedback is important, the wind in our sails! Hope you enjoyed this little ficlet. Well? Should this remain a story? Yay or nay? What say you~?
As ever, the Embers rule still persists. If folks don't like this story? Well...I'll not continue it. I can't bear to write something no one likes. Its the simple truth, though a sad one. So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard! Your reviews matter! Really, they do! I'm literally working every day now, so I have less and less time to write. Daily updates might...slow down in the interim, but I know that would upset a lot of people.
So, in the Immortal words of Atlas...
...review, would you kindly?
And of course, enjoy the previews!
They're mostly the same. Wouldn't do to spoil things, no?
That said, you know the drill: SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS AHOY! Sail these waters at yer own risk, yar~!
(Previews)
"As if you could possibly understand what I'm going through!"
"I get it," Much to her annoyance, the ruffian crossed one metal shod boot over the other. "You're not where you want to be. You feel like you're supposed to be somewhere else. Say you could snap your fingers and be wherever you wanted to be. I bet you'd still feel this way, not in the right place.
"Is there a point to this...?"
"We're getting to that. The point is you can't get so hung up on where you'd rather be that you forget to make the most of where you are. Take a break from worrying about what you can't control. Live a little. After all, life happens wherever you are. Whether you make it or not. Wherever you go, there you are." he polished off his drink, grunted once, and stood. "You're a good singer, Weiss. Might wanna work on that temper a bit, though."
Her brow furrowed. "Excuse me? Who are you?"
"No one important. Enjoy your party~!"
Mercury dove out the window.
Ruby squeaked. "Meep!"
The boy tilted his head. ...that's your name? Meep?"
Shame. Embarrassment. Ruby's face burned redder than her namesake.
Oh gods, she wanted to curl up and die. "N-No! That's not it at all! I'm Ruby! Ruby Rose!"
"Huh." That actually got a grin out of the silver-haired warrior. "Neat. Like the color, I'm guessing?"
"Yeah! So how did you do that?" her confidence surge gack waved her hands excitedly, mimicking the motions and high kicks alongsdie the punches she'd seen him use. "You were all "hyah!" and "boom" and "kapow" back there!"
...you saw that, huh?" For some reason that seemed to embarrass him and set him to scratching a whiskered cheek. "Practice, and not the good kind. These idiots didn't even have aura or semblances...they weren't worth my time."
"You mean someone taught you to fight like that?!"
"Well, yeah, like I said before, it took practice-
Ruby latched onto his leg. "Teach meeee~!"
"Hmm...going to a school full of beautiful women like you? Sounds fun buuuut I'll have to decline." he crossed both hands behind his head and walked away. "I'm not a fan of being stuck in one place for one year, let alone four. Hard pass. Later, firecracker."
"Ha?"
"Sorry, school just ain't for me."
Roman took one look at the ruined city block and shook his head.
"Nope. Not getting involved with that. Neo! Time to go-
A hand settled on his shoulder. "Hello...friend."
Ahhh, crapbaskets.
EDIT: Hope you enjoyed~! Have a great day/night~!
R ~!